Dr. Leonid Smirnoff, Geologist
For years I've wanted to share my pictures of Lee with his children who did not have the pleasure of knowing him during his prime. All of these pictures were taken in 1977 and 1978 during our field work for AMOCO on the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Islands. Lee shared with me countless stories of his life in the Soviet Union before immigrating to America as a political refugee in 1976. Lee died in 1990 from leukemia and was the last of his Russian geologic field party to die of this horrible disease. Apparently the entire party was exposed to radiation in their field area in the Ural Mountains. These photos are in 2 volumes:
  1. Volume I (below), and
  2. Volume II


Lee snoozing after lunch

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Lee sanding by a petrified Sequoia stump in growth position.
See, Smirnoff and Connelly, 1980, Axes of elongation of petrified stumps in growth position as possible indicators of paleosouth, Alaska Peninsula.

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Bob Scott, Carlos Pierce, Lee, and Eric Penttila, Sandy River

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Lee swimming near Shelikof Straits ... burrr!

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When in season, always salmon eggs for lunch

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Lee, Earl Armstrong, Greg Brown at Milky River

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Greg, Bill, Lee, and Eric

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Lee at Port Moller International Airport

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Lee and Bill at headwaters of the Sandy River

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Lee and Greg at Bear Lake Lodge, Alaska Peninsula


Bill and Lee reviewing map of Alaska Peninsula after a day in the field

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Coal Valley Member at Coal Bluff section


Lee, Bill, and Greg

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Lee cooking very fresh salmon over natural gas seep near Port Moller

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Greg, Lee, Eric, and Earl in hot springs near Port Moller

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Stepovak Formation, Milky River, Alaska Peninsula


These photos are in 2 volumes:
  1. Volume I
  2. Volume II