In 1938 Lieutenant Robert S. Quackenbush, Jr., USN reported to the Chief of the Naval Bureau of Aeronautics in the Navy Department, Washington, D.C. where he was assigned duty as the officer in charge of the photography section, under the Flight Division of the Bureau of Aeronautics.

LT. Quackenbush, upon taking over as head of the photography section, soon found that they did not have very much to work with, his only assistant was Mr. W. L. "Dick" Richardson, who held a civil service appointment as senior photographic scientist.

The photography section had a young lady, Frances Weaver as secretary-file clerk and a photographer, Joe Walsh, who operated a small photo lab for copying photos and the maintenance of a small storage area for Naval motion picture film files, all of which was then considered to be the headquarters of Naval photography.

LT. Quackenbush was the officer in charge of the Naval photography section until early 1941 during which there were many problems, changes and other factors in the Navy that were involved in preparing for a war, with little or no preparation really going into the use of Naval photography.

During 1938 to 1940, most of LT. Quackenbush's problems involved the budget for Naval photography, for all purposes, by all photographic units, ashore and afloat. In fact in 1938 the approved budget for Naval photography was only $135,000. which Quackenbush and Richardson had to administer for everyday Naval photographic matters, with little or no heed paid as to what was going to happen to Naval photographic requirements in time of war.

As an example, in 1938 only one aerial camera with a spare magazine was purchased by the Navy.

Early in 1941, Rear Admiral Gormley, USN, Naval Attache at the United States Embassy, London, England, sent a letter to Admiral Harold Stark, USN, the Chief of Naval Operations in the Navy Department, Washington, D.C. in which Admiral Gormley recommended that someone from the Navy's Department of Photography be sent to England to observe the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy operation in their use of photography, particularly in the field of photographic interpretation.

Admiral Stark, upon getting this letter from Rear Admiral Gormley, called LT. Quackenbush to his office, where he discussed the subject matter and told LT. Quackenbush to get ready for a temporary duty assignment to England, just as soon as they could get an officer into Washington, D.C. as his relief.

LT. A. D. Fraser, USN, who was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Photographic School and had photography officer experience in the Pacific Fleet Air Squadron's Photography Unit, was ordered to duty in the Naval Bureau of Aeronautics as relief for Quackenbush who had been promoted to LCDR. upon being ordered to England.

LCDR. Robert S. Quackenbush, Jr., USN arrived in England in England in early May 1941 via ship to Lisbon, with a 10 day wait in Lisbon for an airplane ride to London, where he reported to the embassy and was assigned to the British Interpretation School at a place called Medmenham.

Medmenham was a village of two or three homes, one a very large one with 300 rooms that was used as the British Royal Interpretation School, and the British Royal Interpretation Center for the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.

This Medmenham village was near a place called Marlowe, and was really out in the woods, where the British were very fortunate in the entire World War II that there were no bombings within several miles, which was an indication that the Germans had poor intelligence as to where this photographic Interpretation Center was located.

LCDR. Quackenbush, now a retired rear admiral, U.S. Navy stated in 1971 during our taped interview, "Although the photo interpretation taught in England was only a one month course, it was very impressive to see how you could obtain detailed information from photographs that the average person would just look at and admire for its photographic quality or subject matter."

Prior to LCDR. Quackenbush's return to the United States, he sent a letter to the Chief of Naval Operations in which he recommended that at least four officers be sent to England to study the British system in the use of aerial photography reconnaissance and photo interpretation.

LCDR. Quackenbush's recommendation to Admiral Stark was approved for three U.S. Marine Corps officers and one U.S. Naval Officer to be sent to England in the summer of 1941 where they attended the British Royal Photographic Interpretation school at Medmenham.

Officers sent to England were:
Capt. Charles H. Cox, USMCR (now a retired Brigadier General)
Capt. Gutterman "Goodie" McCormack, USMCR, retired as a Bridadier General (now deceased)
Captain Carter Burns, USMCR (now a retired Colonel, USMCR)
Lieutenant Robert J. Stroh, USN (now a retired Vice Admiral, USN); LT. Stroh went to England via ship through the German submarine infested Atlantic in January 1942.

During my taped interview in 1971 with BGEN. Charles Cox, USMCR (ret), I asked some questions which prompted the general to give me more detailed information regarding the British Royal Photo Interpretation set up at Medmenham:

Quote
Bob Quackenbush had it set up so that we went out to RAF at Medmenham where their interpretation was conducted. It was a beautiful British estate, a building of some 300 rooms up the Thames river at Medmenham, which is between Marlowe and Henley, Henley being the town that you probably know best.

After getting a little tour and the feel of what they were doing, we went back to the town of Marlowe which is in the Isaac Walton country and were billeted there in a private home with some other RAF people.

After a few days a new course in this P.I. school started and we were enrolled in that.

There were about 30 in the class including women. At that time the RAF had not specifically decided what the background should be for an officer who was going to become an interpreter.

The RAF officers had various backgrounds, lawyers, engineers, school teachers, etc. Of course we from the U.S. Marines had somewhat as varied a background, although there were no engineers involved.

It turned out that before we came back to state side, the RAF felt that engineers and architects had the best backgrounds for photographic interpretation because of their ability to have a plane view of things.

They could look down and get the vertical approach, shall we say.

This school lasted about six weeks and our relationship with the RAF was just terrific. They held nothing back whatever and we gained a terrific amount of information both as to techniques of interpretation as well as the types of intelligence material that the RAF was flying and the interpreters were getting out of the pictures.

After we finished school we went back to Medmenham which was about four or five miles up the Thames. Why Medmenham was never bombed out of existence, none of us from the states could come up with the answer because it stuck out on the countryside like a sore thumb.

Goodie McCormack and I flew one day while we were up there with a RAF officer in a Blenham. We even buzzed the place and no one even knew we were coming in. We went back to Oxford and landed, came back that evening for chow and everybody was in an uproar, but of course most people had a general idea who the damn fools were that had been buzzing the place. It's a wonder we weren't shot down.

At Medmenham we were put through the various departmental organizations of the Medmenham set-up. There were certain concentrations or specialties that these British intepreters had. Some were specialists in railroad yards, marshalling yards as they were called, while others were specialists in ship canals in Europe and the concentration of boats and the type of boats.

There were others in other areas where these interpreters knew all types of Naval ships and craft, and would have to make an estimate of situations based on what was found in the various channel ports. We got through, we'd take about a week in each of these areas in order to get experience. The toughest part of this job was that the British worked on a basis of 12 hours on and 24 hours off, so it meant that you had to adjust your sleeping habits considerably in order to keep up with it.

In addition to that we lived at Marlowe and had to go to Medmenham for our duty and there was no transportation of any kind. The British had no lorries, no petrol for transportation, no buses, no nothing--so we had to walk.

Goodie McCormack and I, of course, walked in our marine green uniform which strangely enough, most people did not recognize.That globe and anchor didn't mean very much and the army people they had seen all had U.S. on their insignia somewhere. It was quite a deal, they were quite suspicious until they got to know us. As a result, just about that time the Germans were dropping parachutists at night to get intelligence information, infiltrate, etc. and there was some question as we had to do some night walking back and forth, so as for our safety, Goodie and I decided that these farmers were coming at a lot of these people with pitchforks,--that's all they had,--so Goodie and I decided, if we got caught, he would go one way and I would go the other, so if we got caught at least they would only catch one guy. The other could do something about getting us squared away.
Unquote

One very interesting thing in regard to the British photo reconnaissance-photo interpretation set up in England was that before LCDR. Quackenbush was ordered to England, the U.S. Army Air Corps sent representatives to England to study the British photo recon-interpretation systems and from what Quackenbush and Cox told me, the Army Air Corps people didn't think much of the system, so they didn't stay very long; they returned to the United States.

After Quackenbush, Cox and McCormack had completed the course in England and shortly after returning to the United States, a U.S. Naval Photo Interpretation school was organized and placed into operation at the U.S. Naval Air Station Anacostia, D.C. by LCDR. Robert S. Quackenbush, Jr., USN by orders of the Chief of Naval Operations.

The U.S. Army Air Corps people then became more interested in the field of photo interpretation, so they sent some of their people back to England for the purpose of having a second look at what the British were doing in this new scientific field.

This second look, caused the U.S. Army Air Corps to get their photographic interpretation school into operation at Bolling Field, Anacostia, D.C. about the time that the U.S. Navy was graduating their first class of 28 in early 1942.

While Cox and McCormack were still at Medmenham, England, the British photo interpreters discovered the German V-1 rocket launching skids from aerial photos.

This was another one of the British specialty photo interpretation groups which had been hastily put together. A Royal Women's Air Force officer, Boffington Smith was credited with having discovered these launching sites, however, BGEN. Cox stated that at least some of the credit for this discovery should have gone to some of the other women officers in her unit.

Cox and McCormack before leaving England spent a week with a Scottish Brigade in the chalk cliffs of Dover which at that time was the first line of defense for Britain. This was after the troops had been brought out, right after Dunkirk. Cox stated that this was a fascinating experience. The British gave these two American officers every bit of information and instructions that they possibly could, being treated just like any other officer in the command.

The chalk cliffs of Dover were bombed all night, resulting in lots of concussion and at daybreak they were shelled by the German railway guns which were just across the channel in France. When those big shells came in they made a much bigger boom than the lot of bombs that hit during the night.

Cox and McCormack, as part of their British photo interpretation training were sent to Wick in the north end of Scotland where the photo reconnaissance airplanes were based that covered the Scandinavian countries, and while there for four days, went along on a photo recon mission along the coast of Norway.

After their short stay at Wick, they went to St. Evelle near Lands End where the Royal Air Force took off to cover France and the French-Spanish frontier. Cox and McCormack flew in some of the photo recon missions during which they got valuable experience in getting the feel of the photo recon missions over an enemy target area. Most of their missions were in two engine aircraft. In one instance they flew in a mosquito which was a top side photo plane, because it accomodated two, the pilot and a co-pilot, or an observer-photographer, whereas the spitfire, which had been used previously, had only the pilot.

The spitfire was unarmed, and even taking out everything in order to fill it with gas tanks and cameras, it had a limited range, though on one occasion they flew one out of Oxford, re-fueled on the east coast of Britain, flew to Danzig, Poland, photographed and got back to the east cost of Britain, refueled and returned to Oxford. This was the longest and most memorable flight.

The spitfire was the only British airplane that could combat with the Messerchmitt, the only armament was a revolver which usually was carried in the pilot's suit. The pilot was it: He flew the airplane, was the photographer, the observer and the navigator.

So by the time Cox and McCormack had completed their photo interpretation training, they were given just about all the British had, except an audience with the King and Queen of England.

LCDR. Quackenbush upon his return to the states in the fall of 1941, was personally de-briefed by the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Harold Stark, USN, as to what the photo interpretation school was and its purpose.

The admiral wanted to know what LCDR. Quackenbush thought the Navy should do regarding photographic interpretation. Quackenbush replied "let's start a school", which according to Bob Quackenbush, was the best answer he could get, because there were no other personnel involved to kibitz what he was intending to do.

The business of starting a photo interpretation school was a real struggle because there were very few people who LCDR. Quackenbush could find that knew anything about photo interpretation. THere were people who were map readers, people who could use photography for various military purposes, but not in the sense that was needed for strictly photo interpretation.

LCDR. Quackenbush travelled all over the United States looking for a place to start a photo interpretation school, and for some instructors to assist him. He found only two qualified persons in his search, one was John Roscoe, who later became a well known photo interpreter, and a well known geologist at the University of Missouri, who wouldn't give up his job at the University.

A thorough search in the Library of Congress by officials in the library failed to produce one book on the subject of photo interpretation so Cox, McCormack and Quackenbush, based on their learned expereience in the British Photo interpretation school, devised a curriculum which they thought would be a start for the Naval photo interpretation school. They had a dean from Princeton visit Washington, D.C. to look over the proposed course on photo interpretation who offerred no changes in the curriculum.

The Naval Bureau of Navigation, personnel division sent out a call for prospective students in the Naval photo interpretation school, which was briefly: age requirement, college graduate or equivalent. The equivalent was a favorable factor as Quackenbush and his assistants reviewed candidates' applications that had almost finished college, but had worked in certain fields long enough to qualify.

Quackenbush and his assistants set the standard quite high, which was fortunate for everyone who was approved (they had nine who didn't qualify), therefore during the period of selection of about one year, they were able to select 500 candidates for the U. S. Naval Photographic Interpretation School, who all became mostly ensigns and lieutenant junior grades U.S. Naval Reserve.

The first class of about 30 naval photo interpreters graduated in early 1942 were sent to duty aboard Naval aircraft carriers in the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean areas.

The U.S. Naval Photographic Interpretation School was set up in a lean-to on one of the old airplane hangers on the east side of the U.S. Naval Air Station, Anacostia, D.C. on January 5, 1942 with LCDR. Robert S. Quackenbush, Jr., USN as the officer in charge, Capt. Charles H. Cox, USMCR, assistant officer in charge, Captain Gutterman McCormack, USMCR as instructor, a young lady named Mary Forrest as secretary, a civilian janitor and 30 young lieutenants and ensigns as students.

LCDR. Quackenbush, after graduating the fifth class of U. S. Naval Photographic Interpreters at Anacostia, in June 1942 was ordered to the South Pacific Ocean area where he was to establish and direct the first U.S. military photographic reconnaissance-photographic interpretation operations.

LCDR. Robert J. Stroh, USN, upon his return to the states in June 1942 after completing the photographic interpretation course in England became the officer in charge of the U.S. Naval Photographic Interpretation School at the Naval Air Station, Anacostia from June 1942 to November 1942.

LCDR. Robert "Red" Green USN became the officer in charge of the U.S. Naval Photographic Interpretation School at NAS Anacostia from November 1942 to March 1944 when LTCOL. Charles H. Cox USMCR became officer in charge of the U.S. Naval Photographic Interpretation Center, NAS, Anacostia, D.C. until the spring of 1945 when he was relieved by CDR. Val Vancuran USNR who, after World War II was over, became the chief engineer for the design and operational facilities for the Photographic Interpretation-Intelligence Center at Suitland, Maryland.

Shortly after LTCOL. Cox had returned from the south pacific in the early spring of 1944, he was assigned duty as the officer in charge of the U.S. Naval Photographic Intelligence Center at the U.S. Naval Air Station, Anacostia, D.C.

One of the functions of the officer in charge of the Photographic Intelligence Center was the frequent briefings conducted in the Navy Department headquarters in Washington, D.C. where the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Naval forces (Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King, USN) and members of his staff were brought up to date on current intelligence matters gleaned from recent flown aerial photographic reconnaissance missions in the European and Pacific theaters of operations.

Admiral King had considerable confidence in the reports prepared by the U.S. Naval Photographic Intelligence Center and presented by LTCOL. Cox. He would not admit, however, to knowing specifically how the data was compiled, but referred to the photographic interpretation process as "crystal ball gazing."

As the months of 1944 unfolded, during which time a great amount of photographic military intelligence information was presented to Admiral King and his staff by LTCOL. Cox, and as the P.I.C. re-organization and expansion leveled off into a smoothly functioning operation by early 1945, and there appeared to be adequate Naval personnel to maintain its efficiency, LTCOL Cox felt that he should return to the U.S. Marine Corps jurisdiction for appropriate duty assignment with one of the combat marine divisions after three years in Naval staff billets. However the change of duty for LTCOL. Cox presented a problem that had to be approved by Admiral King, USN, who was the Commander in Chief of the United States Naval forces.

On a couple of occasions following the photographic intelligence briefing to Admiral King and his staff, LTCOL Cox broached the idea to the admiral of his returning to duty with the Marine Corps combat operations, the admiral just looked at Cox without any recognizable results. Finally one day when Admiral King seemed rather satisfied with the photographic intelligence briefing by LTCOL. Cox, who thought, this is my opportunity to confront the admiral with the specific proposal for LTCOL. Cox to return to the U.S. Marine Corps combat operations, the admiral's disposition changed immediately. He looked Cox straight in the eye with that icy stare that was familiar to so many who dealt directly with the admiral. Admiral King with his icy stare retorted, "Damn it all, Cox, as long as your crystal ball keeps giving us the answers we are getting, there is nothing you can do with the marines or any other outfit that is more important to winning this war. But God help you if that crystal ball ever breaks down." LTCOL. Cox had his answer, clear and unmistakeable--no reason for argument. LTCOL Cox replied to Admiral King, "Aye, aye, Sir," and went on with the business of photographic intelligence until the change of command at P.I.C. more than two years later.

During Charles Cox's tour of duty as officer in charge of the U.S. Naval Photographic Intelligence Center at the U.S. Naval Air Station, Anacostia, D.C. in 1944-1945, he was the principal officer involved and is credited with the development of the use of aerial photographs for the scaled relief models of Pacific islands that were made at the Photographic Intelligence Center and delivered by military aircraft to the Commander in Chief (Admiral Chester Nimitz) Pacific Ocean Area Headquarters at Pearl Harbor, T.H. and Guam where they were used by the military intelligence and war plans officers prior to the pacific fleet task force assault-landings as the World War II conflict was proceeding through the Pacific toward the main islands of Japan.

ADDENDUM TO CHAPTER 11

Biography of Brigadier General Charles H. Cox, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve (Retired)

Brigadier General Charles H. Cox, USMCR (Ret.) was the second United States military officer to be ordered to England to study aerial photographic intelligence techniques and procedures developed by the Royal Air Force during the early stages of World War II. Upon his return to the states in Nov. 1941, he bacame assistant officer in charge and instructor of photographic interpretation at the U.S. Naval Air Station, Anacostia, D.C.

With the rank of Captain USMCR, Cox was the principal assistant to LCDR. Robert S. Quackenbush, Jr., USN in setting up the organization and the establishment of the U.S. Naval School of Photographic Interpretation. From Nov. 1941 to Nov. 1946 Charles Cox had five years during which he performed outstanding service as a Marine officer duty assignment with U.S. Naval aerial photographic reconnaissance-interpretation for military intelligence information needed by the Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean areas and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C. during World War II.

Cox enlisted as a private in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in July 1927, was promoted to corporal in Oct. 1927, commissioned as a second lieutenant April 1929, promoted to first lieutenant June 1931 and to captain June 1932.

June 1940: ordered to extended active duty

May 1941 to Nov. 1941: assistant Naval attache for air, American Embassy in London where he completed the english course of instruction at the British Photographic Interpretation School

Nov. 1941 to Sep. 1942: executive officer and instructor in the U.S. Naval Photographic Interpretation School, NAS, Anacostia, D.C., the first photographic intelligence training facility in the United States armed services

Sep. 1942: promoted to major and ordered to the South Pacific

Dec. 1942: Major Cox joined the staff of Commander of Aircraft, South Pacific Force (Vice Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch, USN) as Photographic Intelligence Officer

Feb. 1943: promoted to lieutenant colonel and awarded the Legion of Merit with combat "V" for his pioneering work in establishing in the South Pacific Force, an operating photographic intelligence organization.

May 1943 to Jan. 1944: LTCOL. Cox served on the staff of the Commander, South Pacific Force (Admiral William F. Halsey, USN) as photographic intelligence officer and as officer in charge of the south Pacific Combat Intelligence Center. Participated in four combat engagements, and was awarded for meritorious service, the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V."

Mar. 1944: LTCOL. Cox returned to Washington, D.C. where he was assigned duty as the officer in charge of the U.S. Naval Photographic Intelligence Center at the U.S. Naval Air Station, Anacostia, D.C. Awarded the Navy Commendation Medal by the Secretary of the Navy for his efforts in re-organizing and expanding the U.S. Naval Photographic intelligence Center, Anacostia, D.C.

Spring, 1945: COL. Cox was attached to the staff of the Commander of Naval Forces Europe (Admiral Harold R. Stark, USN) and participated in the battle for Western Germany).

Sep. 1945 to Apr. 1946: COL. Cox was assigned to the staff of the Senior Naval Representative, U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey of the Pacific Ocean Areas (Rear Admiral Ralph A. Ofstie, USN), he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service during this duty assignment.

Apr. 1946: returned to Anacostia, D.C. and was released from active duty in November 1946, shortly afterwhich he organized and commanded the 6th Infantry Battalion, Marine Corps Reserve at the Philadelphia Naval Base.

2 July 1948: promoted to colonel

Sep. 1949: COL. Cox assigned to extended active servie duty and was appointed by the Secretary of Defense as a Marine Corps Charter Member of the Reserve Force Policy Board.

1952: Col. Cox entered the Command and Staff College, Marine Corps Educational Center, Quantico, VA.

May 1953: after graduation, COL. Cox was ordered to duty with the Landing Force Training Command, Atlantic Fleet, at the U.S. Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, VA. where he served as assistant Chief of Staff (G-2), and as Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of the Policy and Planning Division.

June 1955: returned to inactive duty status and served for five years in a civilian capacity as Assistant Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy.

2 Nov. 1959: promoted to the rank of brigadier general

Summer 1960: assigned as Assistant Base Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

Biography of Rear Admiral Robert S. Quackenbush, Jr., USN (Ret.)

Rear Admiral Robert S. Quackenbush, Jr., USN (Retired) is recognized and credited as the founding father of U.S. Naval Photographic Reconnaissance-Interpretation for military intelligence information usage during World War II, 1941-1945.

1927: graduated, U.S. Naval Academy.

1927-1929: served on Battleship USS ARIZONA

1929: student aviator, NAS, Pensacola, FL.completed course and designated Naval aviator #3576 on 21 Dec.1929

1930-1932: airplane pilot VT-Two Squadron, qualified for carrier landings on USS LANGLEY, the Navy's first aircraft carrier.

1932-1934: Flight Instructor, NAS Pensacola, FL.

1933: attended and completed six month course, Naval School of Photography, NAS, Pensacola, FL.

1934: officer in charge, Naval School of Photography, NAS, Pensacola, FL.

1935-1938: Operations Officer, Utility Squadron One, Fleet Air Base, North Island, San Diego, CA.

1938-1941: officer in charge, Naval Photography Section, Flight Division, Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy
Department, Washington, D.C.

1941: ordered to England as an observer, where he became the first U.S. military officer to attned and complete the course of instruction at the British Photographic Interpretaion school.

1941-1942: organized and established the U.S. Naval School of Photographic Interpretation (first military application of the science in our nation) and was senior officer in charge and instructor for the first five classes conducted at NAS, Anacostia, D.C.

1942-1943: Photographic officer on the staff of Admiral Halsey, Admiral McCain and Admiral Fitch in the South Pacific. Established the first military photographic interpretation unit, and was the first officer in charge of the unit. During that period (23 July 1942), made the first aerial photographic reconnaissance flight over the Japanese held Island of Guadalcanal as flight director-navigator with two U.S. Army Air Force B-17 bombers for the purpose of obtaining aerial photographs for military intelligence information needed by the commander of the assault forces who were scheduled to make their first assault landing on Guadalcanal early in August 1942.

1944-1945: Director of the Naval Photography Division, Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.

1945-1946: Commanding Officer, USS TANGIER (AU-8)

1946: With the rank of Captain, U.S. Navy, was an officer on Vice Admiral Blandy's staff for "Operations Crossroads" as senior officer in charge of all photographic operations during the atomic bomb tests at Bikini.

1947: Six months duty as Chief of Staff to Rear Admiral Richard Byrd for "Operation High Jump Antarctica"

1947: Six months as Commander Task Force 68, a three ship joint United States-Canadian expedition to the high Canadian Arctic. Note: Quackenbush became one of the few persons in the world who, by chance, had crossed the Antarctic and arctic circles twice in the same calendar year in a ship.

1948-1949: Director of Naval Photography under the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.

1949: additional duty as Navy member of Photographic Section Joint Chief's of Staff, Washington, D.C.

1950-1951: Commanding Officer, U.S. Naval Air Station, Key West, FL.

1951-1953: Commanding Officer, aircraft carier USS RANDOLPH (CVA-15)

1954-1955: Commander STRIKE Fleet REPEUR at SHAPE Headquarters Europe

1955-1956: SACLANT REPEUR SHAPE and NATO Headquarters, Paris, France

1956-1957: Member of Medical Disability Board, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.

30 June 1957: Retired with 30 years active duty in the United States Naval Service, with the rank of Rear Admiral

Decorations

Legion of Merit, Air Medal, Order of British Empire, Navy Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, numerous campaign medals and ribbons.

After retirement from active duty Naval service, Rear Admiral Robert S. Quackenbush, Jr. was employed by the Polaroid Corporation for 12 years.

1959-1962: Member of the Arlington County Public Utility Commission

1961-1962: Financial Vice President of Society of Photographic Scientists and Engineers.

1961: Second Vice President of American Society of Photogammetry

1962: First Vice President of Society of Photogammetry

1963: President of Society of Photogammetry

1965-1976: Treasurer of the Armed Forces Communication and Electronics Association.