Mr. Gerald E. Wheaton is an expert witness and consultant in the field of nautical charts. Mr. Wheaton has 38 years of experience in the field of charts working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). His last assignment, located in Monterey California, was with the Office of Coast Survey, as Navigation Manager for California.
A native of California, he graduated from Humboldt State University with a Bachelors Degree in Oceanography and became a NOAA Corps Officer in 1975. He was assigned to NOAA Ship DAVIDSON as a field hydrographer. After the two-year assignment, Mr. Wheaton was reassigned to the Computer Support group for hydrographic data processing at the Pacific Marine Center in Seattle, Washington. Mr. Wheaton later returned to NOAA Ship DAVIDSON as Field Operations Officer after receiving his Masters of Science in Oceanography (Hydrography) from the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California. After completing his second tour aboard DAVIDSON, Mr. Wheaton was assign to the Ocean Mapping Section, Nautical Data Group which produced computer generated bathymetric maps of the Exclusive Economic Zone. During his next assignment, Mr. Wheaton served as Liaison Officer to the US Maritime Defense Zone Atlantic located on Governors Island, New York. During this assignment, Mr. Wheaton participated in Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm and was involved with the US Coast Guard during the Haitian Operations in the Caribbean. After serving four years on Governors Island, He was assigned to NOAA ship MT. MITCHELL located in Norfolk, Virginia as Executive Officer. After his two year tour aboard MT. MITCHELL, he became Chief of the Planning and Management Staff for the Coast and Geodetic Survey in Silver Spring Maryland. His next assignment was with NOAA Hazmat as the Interagency Coordinator for the National Response Team for oil and hazardous material response. The position was located at Coast Guard headquarters in Wahington DC. Mr. Wheatons' last assignment as a commissioned officer was Deputy Chief for the Marine Chart Division in Silver Spring Maryland. In 1999, Mr. Wheaton retired from NOAA Corps and became the West Coast and Pacific Island Regional Manager for Coast Survey. His area of responsibility in the state of California included San Diego, Los Angeles / Long Beach, Port Hueneme, San Francisco Bay, Sacramento, Stockton, Humboldt Bay, and Crescent City.
Mr. Wheaton has received the United States Cost Guard Commandant's Letter of Commendation Ribbon Bar and the United States Navy Commendation Medal during the assignment with Maritime Defense Zone Atlantic. He was twice awarded the NOAA Special Achievement Award Medal as Executive Officer of NOAA Ship MT. MITCHELL and the NOAA Directors Ribbon for Sustained Superior Performance while assigned to the Coast and Geodetic Survey. In 2002, the Acting Assistant Administrator for the Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management recognized Mr. Wheaton for his initiative in enhancing coastal stewardship and safety of navigation by facilitating collaboration among the California Coastal Commission and NOAA's Office of Coast Survey and Ocean and Coastal Resource Management. Mr. Wheaton also received the United States Department of Commerce Bronze Medal Award for Superior Federal Service along with eight others for conducting complex hydrographic surveys in southwestern Pacific ports to update nautical charts in support of safe navigation and economic development.