U.S. Geologist Died On Volcano `Doing What He Wanted'

LOS ANGELES - Geologist Harry Glicken, who barely missed a fiery death at Mount St. Helens only to be killed by Japan's Mount Unzen, "wouldn't take foolish risks," his father said yesterday after learning his son's body had been identified.

"He learned to be cautious. But he knew you can't anticipate some of these things."

The 33-year-old expert on volcanic debris avalanches "was doing exactly what he wanted and was very happy being able to work on volcanos," Milton Glicken added.

Colleagues from Tokyo Metropolitan University identified Glicken's body. His father and mother, Ida Glicken, who live in Los Angeles, were notified Wednesday by an official with the U.S. Consulate in Fukuoka, Japan. He had been missing since the mountain erupted Monday, killing more than three dozen people.

Glicken was studying Mount Unzen when it unleashed a killer blast of volcanic ash, rock and hot gas. Two French volcanologists, Maurice and Katia Krafft, died with him.

The Geological Survey hired Glicken in 1980 to monitor Mount St. Helens from a trailer on a ridge 5.7 miles northwest of the volcano. After working six consecutive days, he was relieved by his mentor, David Johnston, the elder Glicken said.

Johnston was on duty at 8:32 a.m. May 18, 1980, when Mount St. Helens unleashed a sideways blast of hot gas and ash. Moments before he died, Johnston reportedly yelled into his radio to Geological Survey officials: "Vancouver, Vancouver, this is it!"

Johnston was one of 57 people killed in the eruption. Glicken was in Vancouver at the time.

"He was devastated," his father said. "Two hours after the explosion, he was sent up in a helicopter to identify the site where the trailer had been . . . It was terrible for Harry. He felt awful about Johnston."