Commissioned in the WAVES in 1943, Cmdr. Mary Sears served as the head of the Navy Hydrographic Office’s new Oceanographic Unit where her research proved critical to the survivability of submarines. Following World War II she was appointed the first officer-in-charge of the newly established division of oceanography. She transferred to the Navy Reserve in 1947 and retired as a commander in 1963. She was a member of nine scientific and honorary societies and was a longtime member of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).

Last Updated: 29 March 2023