Robert D. Singel, 89, Retired Chief of CIA's Geophysics Branch, Dies

Robert D. Singel, 89, a retired chief of the Central Intelligence Agency's geophysics branch, died May 15 of cardiac arrest at Tall Oaks at Reston, an assisted living facility. He was a longtime Great Falls resident.

During World War II, Mr. Singel spent two years at sea as a senior officer with the Coast and Geodetic Survey (now part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), where his job was to locate and mark submarines that had been torpedoed by German submarines. He then became a Navy aviator, flying mostly photo reconnaissance missions. He also flew photographic mapping missions with the Coast and Geodetic Survey until he joined the Central Intelligence Agency in 1950.

As chief of the CIA's geophysics branch, Mr. Singel relied on his background in geology and seismology to locate and determine the intensity of nuclear explosions. He also monitored foreign missile development and established intercontinental intelligence connections. Before the invention of satellites, his work was essential to missile targeting.

In addition, he was involved with the development of the U-2 spy plane, used for intelligence flights over the Soviet Union. He also discovered that the Soviet Union was recovering significant tonnages of germanium at a time when Bell Laboratories was only beginning to experiment with germanium as semiconductor material for transistors and other electronic devices.

Mr. Singel worked in all four directorates of the CIA, though the bulk of his work was in the directorate of military and science intelligence. He also served as an inspector in the office of the inspector general. He served two tours of duty as a civilian with the Air Force as the director of ELINT, a group charged with signals collection and the coordination of electronic intercept activities.

He was awarded the Medal of Merit by the CIA.

After retiring in 1975, Mr. Singel was a consultant for the next 17 years with 30 aerospace firms. He was a founder and president of the Security Affairs Support Association, a government industry support group.

Robert Duane Singel was born in Eau Claire, Wis., and received his undergraduate degree in geology from the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1942. He received a master's degree in business administration from George Washington University in 1951.

He was a member of Great Falls United Methodist Church and was a Boy Scout leader and PTA leader in Great Falls and at Langley High School.

Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Jeanne Parks Singel of Great Falls; four children, Nancy Greif of Durango, Colo., Sally Wilson of Sterling, Scott Singel of Charlottesville and Dan Singel of Mount Solon, Va.; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

-- Joe Holley