Vogel, Herbert Davis 1900-

Herbert D. Vogel (1900-1984) was an American engineer. Born in Chelsea, Michigan, he studied civil engineering, served with the Army Corps of Engineers for more than thirty years, and became one of the world's foremost experts on hydraulic engineering. Vogel was involved in waterway projects across the United States and abroad, and wrote numerous articles and papers on water and soil conservation, river and harbor engineering, hydraulic models, inland navigation, and other challenges of his chosen field.

Among many other awards, he received the Distinguished Honorary Graduate Award of the U.S. Army Engineering School, the Colon Alfaro Medal, Knight of the Grand Cross (Thailand), Distinguished Alumnus Award (University of Michigan), Award for Meritorious Service to the Engineering Profession (1967), and the Liberation and Independence Medals (Philippines). In 1972 he held the George W. Goethals Chair of Military Construction at the Army Engineer School in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1977 and was a fellow of the American Consulting Engineers Council, and he was an honorary member of the Public Works Historical Society, the Society of American Military Engineers, and the Engineers Club of Pennsylvania.

According to the memorial tribute published by the National Academy of Engineering after his death, Vogel's efforts in "proving and exploiting the validity of hydraulic models...brought about a revolution in engineering concepts." The U.S. Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg, Mississippi, which Vogel helped establish and which he served as its first director, became a model for practical hydraulic research and undertook experiments on hundreds of problems for countries all over the world.

[Portions of this biographical sketch excerpted from "Herbert D. Vogel," by Harry E. Bovay; in Memorial Tributes: National Academy of Engineering, Volume 3 (1989), pp. 338-345.]