▁prime ▁candidate ▁to ▁fill ▁the ▁vac ancy . ▁▁ ▁The ▁influ ential ▁colle agues ▁Reich ▁had ▁be fri ended ▁also ▁champion ed ▁his ▁application ▁to ▁head ▁the ▁We ather ▁Bureau . ▁After ▁ 2 1 ▁years ▁of ▁service , ▁he ▁retired ▁from ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁and ▁to ▁take ▁on ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Director ▁and ▁to ▁bring ▁the ▁U . S . ▁We ather ▁Service ▁into ▁the ▁modern ▁age , ▁a ▁position ▁he ▁held ▁for ▁ 2 5 ▁years , ▁volunt arily ▁res ign ing ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁ ▁We ather ▁Bureau ▁history ▁Reich ▁began ▁his ▁ten ure ▁as ▁We ather ▁Bureau ▁Chief ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 3 8 . ▁Although ▁an ▁Air ▁Mass ▁Analysis ▁Section ▁was ▁developed ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁the ▁Bureau ▁staff ▁had ▁few ▁career ▁forec aster s ▁with ▁scientific ▁training . ▁ ▁Reich ▁rec ru ited ▁scientific ally - tra ined ▁colle agues ▁including ▁Carl ▁Ross by , ▁Harry ▁W ex ler , ▁and ▁Hor ace ▁By ers , ▁helped ▁found ▁and ▁support ▁training ▁programs ▁in ▁scientific ▁meteor ology , ▁and ▁introduced ▁rig orous ▁exam ination ▁of ▁relevant ▁data , ▁including ▁ ▁rad ios onde ▁[ a ▁modified ▁" we ather ▁bal lo on " ▁developed , ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁a ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁request , ▁at ▁the ▁National ▁Bureau ▁of ▁Stand ards ▁by ▁Francis ▁Dun more ▁and ▁Wil bur ▁Hin mann , ▁Jr . ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁Harry ▁Diam ond ▁[