Tunnel. The tunnel is a $16,000,000 aerodynamic …...Heis marriedto the former Genevieve E. Ingraham. They reside at 3 HollyDrive, NewportNews, Virginia. Theyhave a daughter and a

L. -

Resume and Biographical Information

HERBERT A. WILSON, JR.

3 Holly Drive

Newport News, Virginia 23601

SUMMARY

Born January 14, 1914, in Inverness, Mississippi, Wilson lived most

of his early life in Jackson, Mississippi, where he was graduated

from Jackson Central High School in 1930. In this year he also won

the Thomas A. Edison Scholarship Contest for the State of Mississippi

and competed in the National contest at Edison's Laboratories in East

Orange, New Jersey.

In June 1934 he received the degree of Bachelor of Science in Aero

nautical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he

was a member of the Phi Kappa Sigma social fraternity.

He joined the staff of the former National Advisory Committee for

Aeronautics (now the National Aeronautics and Space Administration)

at the Langley Research Center in 1937 as an Aeronautical Research

Engineer. In 1943 he was appointed Head of the Full-Scale Wind Tunnel

and in 1948 Wilson was selected to head the group responsible for the

design, construction, and operation of the Langley Unitary Plan Wind

Tunnel. The tunnel is a $16, 000, 000 aerodynamic laboratory. In

1954 a division was established to operate the facility and Wilson was

appointed as its Division Chief. In May 1961 Wilson was appointed

Manager of the Flight Reentry Programs Office (Project FIRE).

This project successfully launched a highly instrumented spacecraft

in a 25, 000+ mph Earth reentry trajectory to provide key heating

information for the Apollo command module.

Upon completion of Project FIRE, Wilson was appointed Chief of the

Applied Materials and Physics Division (now Space Technology Division)

in June 1964. Wilson was appointed Assistant Director for Space in

October 1970. The Space Directorate consists of the Space Systems

Division, Space Technology Division, the Scout Project, and the

Environmental and Space Sciences Division.

He retired from NASA in June of 1972; however, at the request of

NASA Headquarters he was reappointed immediately to the post of

Herbert A. Wilson, Jr. (cont'd. ) , Page 2 of 9

Langley Director of Space Research and Technology to assist with the

Headquarter's phases of the SPAce Research and Technology (SPART)

Study. This activity will be completed in mid-August 1972. •

•

He is author of NASA reports, notes, and research memorandums

and has delivered numerous summary papers on broad space fields

at technical conferences both here and abroad.

Wilson was presented, the NASA Exceptional Service Award in October

1966 and Langley!s Special Service Award for Outstanding Leadership

in February 1966. He is a recipient of the Apollo Achievement Award

presented in July 1969.

Wilson has served with distinction on numerous Agency-wide boards,

panels and investigating committees. He has been active in numerous

community activities, principally the Peninsula Orchestra Association

and the Peninsula United Fund. In 1963 he became a member of the

board of directors of the Peninsula Savings and Loan Association.

Wilson is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics

and Astronautics, and a member of the Engineers1 Club of the Virginia

Peninsula.

He is married to the former Genevieve E. Ingraham. They reside at

3 Holly Drive, Newport News, Virginia. They have a daughter and a

son, both now graduated from college.

Herbert A. Wilson, Jr. -Page 3 of 9

Detailed Information

Biographical:

Born: Inverness, Mississippi, January 14, 1914

Son of Herbert A. and Nellie J. Wilson

Married: Genevieve E. Ingraham, June 3, 1941

Children: Louisa P. , and Herbert Alexander, III

Education:

Jackson Central High, Jackson, Mississippi, 1930

Georgia Institute of Technology, B.S. in Aeronautical

Engineering, 1934

Numerous extension courses at graduate level and specialist

courses during career

Details of Positions Held:

Employed by NASA, Langley Research Center,

Langley Station, Hampton, Virginia.

Positions held as follows:

Oct. 1970 Assistant Director for Space. The Space $34,000/yr

to Directorate consisted of 330 people including to

June 1972 275 professionals distributed in the Space $35, 850/yr

Technology Division, Environmental and

Space Sciences Division, Space Systems

Division, and the Scout Project Office.

Altogether, there were approximately 30

major program funding areas involved in the

research of the Space Directorate with the

total budget approxirra tely 25 to 30 million.

The Directorate conducted a broad inter

disciplinary space research program to provide

the scientific and technological knowledge

required for both manned and unmanned

exploration and exploitation of space. Responsible,

as delegated by the Director, for the organization

of programs to support Agency goals in both basic

Herbert A. Wilson, Jr. Page 4 of 9

Employment by Langley Research Center cont'd.

Assistant Director for Space cont'd.

and applied research - particularly where it was

necessary to assemble interdisciplinary and

interorganizational groups. Also assisted the

Director for Space, and in his absence acted

for him, in over-all direction, research program

planning, progress reporting, and allocation of

resources for the divisions. Served as a

specialist in technical disciplines of life support

systems, reentry technology, and environmental

observations technology in various program

reviews; served frequently on NASA-wide panels

such as the NASA Planning Panel on Space

Technology, the NASA Acquisition Study Project

Planning Panel, Observer on the NASA (OSSA)

Launch Vehicle Review Board and representative

of the Center at Research and Technology

Advisory Committee meetings as program require

ments dictated; acted as chairman of special

committees for the Center Director, such as

Chairman of the Langley Space Science and

Technology Steering Committee and Chairman

of the Operational Readiness Review Committee

for the 90-Day Test of the Life Support System.

During the past year (1971) also served as the -

Chairman of the Accident Investigating Committee

for the explosion of the 9 x 6 ft. tunnel air storage

field. Recommendations resulting from this

study have led to an NASA-wide re-examination of

the safety of its older facilities. Starting in April,

and continuing to the present, served as the

Langley Director of the Space Research and

Technology Study. At present in a retired but

specially re-employed status to assist in the

completion of the study at NASA Headquarters.

June 1964 Chief, Applied Materials and Physics

to Division. In charge of the research program

Oct. 1970 and allocation of resources for division of

approximately 250 people in 7 branches

$19,000/yr

to

$33,400/yr

f;'■— .l


May 1961

to

June 1964

Employment by Langley Research Center contTd.

Chief, Applied Materials and Physics Division contTd.

covering such disciplines as aerothermo-

dynamics, solid rocket propulsion, space

environment, chemistry, physics, biology.

Management of all LRC Scout-launched and

smaller space vehicles. Total program

approximately $15 x 10". Responsible for

organization and programs to support Agency

goals in both basic and applied research. This

required ability to assemble interdisciplinary

groups covering widest possible range of

science and technology. Served as consultant

• to the Agency on organizational matters v

involving both the Applied Materials and Physics

Division and large flight projects. Served as

review chairman for all small flight project

and member of review board for larger ones

such as Lunar Orbiter. Occasionally served as

chairman of NASA-wide committees such as

special review committee for Pegasus Project.

Manager, Flight Reentry Programs Office. $l6,000/yr

Responsible for the concept, planning and to

execution of Project FIRE an approximately $19,000/yr

$30, 000, 000 flight research project to launch a

highly instrumented research payload into a

37,000+ fps reentry trajectory - the highest

ever accomplished with such a spacecraft. This

involved the coordination of a Nation-wide project

complex including both contractors and other

government agencies and factory as well as

field support operations. Required setting up

initial organization, planning conduct of the

program, negotiation with agencies responsible

for systems and subsystems such as the Atlas

launch vehicle and the LTV velocity package to

determine the level of support to be provided

and the monitoring of all activities to insure that

this was accomplished. First launch successful,

April 1964, 29 months after project approval.


Aug. 1954

to

May 1961

Feb. 1948

to

Aug. 1954


Chief of Unitary Wind Tunnel Division. $11,000

Reporting to Dr. Floyd L. Thompson, to

Director, Langley Research Center. $16,000

Responsible for the direction of the division

in charge of the Langley Unitary Plan Super

sonic Wind Tunnel, one of the largest and

most powerful supersonic wind tunnels in the

United States. Responsible for the program

of research and development in support of

the NASA (formerly NACA) programs as well as

those of the Navy and Air Force upon their

request. Required negotiation of test

programs with requesting agencies as well

as knowledge of the aerodynamic principles

involved in the research programs under

taken. Planned programs in advanced supersonic

aerodynamics with emphasis on stability and

control and heating effects of aircraft,

missiles, and spacecraft. Responsible for

division budget, manpower resource require

ment projections and allocations, and cost

minimization of facility operation. Served as

chairman of Center-wide panel to plan reentry

experiment at superorbital speeds. Scout

reentry program and Project FIRE were out

growths of committee actions.

Head of Unitary Plan Design Group. In charge

of directing the' design and construction of

the Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel. Upon

completion in 1954 this 100,000 hp, Mach 5,

tunnel was the most powerful wind tunnel

in the world. Required a broad knowledge of

aerodynamics as well as design of structural,

mechanical, and electrical systems required to

be integrated. Made trade-off studies of

systems for cost effectiveness. Management

responsibility for making (subject to reviews)

final decisions on all aspects of design and

$7000/yr

to

$ll,000/yr



Head of Unitary Plan Design Group cont'd.

construction. Responsible for budgeting,

preparing material for presentation to

Bureau of Budget and Congress. Attended

hearings in support of Headquarters personnel.

Served on panel to review design of all NACA

Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel facilities.

Sept. 1943 Head, Full-Scale Tunnel Section. Super- $7000/yr

to vised the activities of from 25 to 40

Feb. 1948 scientists and technicians both admin

istratively and technically. Research work

during this period consisted of the origination,

direction, and execution of numerous research

programs. The most significant of these

dealt with the fields of helicopter research and

of the landing problems of high-speed air

craft. Numerous reports and memorandums

resulting from these activities were published

and made available to the aricraft industry.

Prepared papers for NACA-Industry con

ferences on such subjects as personal aircraft

research, boundary layer control, and transonic

airplane design. Served as member of the

NACA Subcommittee on Helicopters.

Feb. 1937 Full-Scale Wind Tunnel Section. Entered $2000/yr

to as a junior engineer. Held positions of

Sept. 1943 increasing responsibility in the field of

wind tunnel research on lift, drag, and

stability of airplane configurations and

cowling and cooling problems of World '

War II advanced aircraft.

Pre-NASA (NACA) employment

1936-37 Riverside Military Academy, Gainesville, $13lO/yr

Georgia, instructor in math, aviation, and

military science

L j

Herbert A. Wilson, Jr.

Pre-NASA (NACA) employment cont'd

1935 Structural Steel Draftsman for Mississippi

Steel and Iron Company

*

1935 Instrument man on highway survey party

for Mississippi Highway Department

1934-35 Office Manager, Washington National

Insurance.Company, Jackson, Mississippi,

general accounting and bookkeeping duties

Page 8 of 9

$900/yr

$900/yr

$900/yr

l_—_ . til


Honors and Awards:

Recipient, Edison Scholarship Award, State of Mississippi, 1930.

Langley Research Center Special Service Award for Outstanding

Leadership, Feb. 1966 (NASA).

NASA Exceptional Service Medal, .1966. „

Apollo Achievement Award presented in July, 1969 (NASA)

Membership and Offices:

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Associate

Fellow

Engineers Club of the Virginia Peninsula

Peninsula Orchestra Association, Director, 1949-63, 1966-to present;

President, 1955-57. Director, Peninsula Savings and Loan Association,

1963-to present. Member of Board of Advisors, Hampton Roads

Junior League, 1958-60. Trustee, Peninsula United Fund 1955-67.

President, Director, Peninsula Health Foundation 1958-61. James

River Country Club (Newport News, Virginia). Hampton Roads

German Club. Peninsula Arts Association 1962-, charter member

and trustee 1962-66. Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

Authorship:

Author of various NACA (now NASA) reports, notes and research

memoranda; delivered summary papers on aerodynamics at NACA

technical conferences. Delivered summary paper on flight testing

of materials at 7th International Congress of Aeronautics and Space

on the Problems of the" Structures of Aircraft and Missiles, Paris,

France, 1965; author of article on Sonic Boom, Scientific American,

January 1962; presented paper on "Rockets for Research" at 8th

International Symposium on Space Technology and Science, Tokyo,

Japan, August 1969.

Listed in;

Who's Who in Engineering

Who's Who in Space

Who's Who in the South and Southeast

The Two Thousand Men of Achievement - 1970

Dictionary of International Biography, Fourth Edition

7/5/72

I

Herbert A. Wilson, Jr. 3 of 9

Detailed Information

Biographical:

Born: Inverness, Mississippi, January 14, 1914

Son of Herbert A. and Nellie J. Wilson

Married: Genevieve E. Ingraham, June 3, 1941Children: Louisa P. , and Herbert Alexander, III

Education:

Jackson Central High, Jackson, Mississippi, 1930Georgia Institute of Technology, B. S. in Aeronauhcal

-■•

courses at graduate leve! and specialist

courses during career

Details of Positions Held:

Oct. 1970

to

June 1972

Employed by NASA, Langley Research Center,

Langley Station, Hampton, Virginia.

Positions held as follows:

Assistant Director for Space, The Space—^^Tc^^eTof330 people including

275 professionals distributed in the Space

Technology Division, Environmental and

Space Sciences Division, Space Systems

Division, and the Scout Project Office.Altogether, there were approximately■ iU

major program funding areas involved m theresearch of the Space Directorate with the

total budget approxirra tely 25 to 30 million.The Directorate conducted a broad inter-

disciplinary space research program to providethe scientific and technological knowledge

for both manned and unmanned

$34,000/yr

to

$35,850/yr

of programs to support Agency g fa

Herbert A, Wilson, Jr. Page 4 of 9

June 1964

to

Oct. 1970

Kmtilovment by Langley Research Center cont'd.

Assistant Director for Space cont'd.

and applied research - particularly where it was

necessary to assemble interdisciplinary and

interorganizational groups. Also assisted the

Director for Space, and in his absence acted

for him, in over-all direction, research program

planning, progress reporting, and allocation of

resources for the divisions. Served as a

specialists technical disciplines of life supportsystems, reentry technology, and environmental

observations technology in various program

reviews; served frequently on NASA-wide panels

such as the NASA Planning Panel on Space

Technology, the NASA A«luis"ion S^osSaTPlanning Panel, Observer on the NASA (OSSA)Launch Vehicle Review Board and representative

of the Center at Research and TechnologyAdvisory Committee meetings as program require

ments dictated; acted as chairman of specialcommittees for the Center Director, such as

Chairman of the Langley Space Science andTechnology Steering Committee and Chairman

of the Operational Readiness Review Committee

for the 90-Day Test of the Life Support System.

During the past year (1971) also served as theChairman of the Accident Investigating Committee

ft the explosion of the 9 x 6 ft. tunnel air storagefield Recommendations resulting from this

stady have led to an NASA-wide re-examination of£ safety of its older facilities. Starting- April,and continuing to the present, served as theLangley Director of the Space Research and

y , . _r-sent in a retired butTechnology Study. At pie sent in

specially re-employed status to assist m thecompletion of the study at NASA Headquarters.

—[^cation of resources for

approximately 250 people in 7 branches

$l9,000/yr

to

$33,400/yr



Chief, Applied Materials and Physics Division cont'd.

covering such disciplines as aerothermo-

dynamics, solid rocket propulsion, space

environment, chemistry, physics, biology.

Management of all LRC Scout-launched and

smaller space vehicles. Total program

approximately $15 x 10°. Responsible for

organization and programs to support Agency

goals in both basic and applied research. This

required ability to assemble interdisciplinary

groups covering widest possible range of

science and technology. Served as consultant

to the Agency on organizational matters

involving both the Applied Materials and Physics

Division and large flight projects. Served as

review chairman for all small flight project

and member of review board for larger ones

such as Lunar Orbiter. Occasionally served as

chairman of NASA-wide committees such as

special review committee for Pegasus Project.

May 1961 Manager, Flight Reentry Programs Office.

to Responsible for the concept, planning and

June 1964 execution of Project FIRE an approximately

$30, 000, 000 flight research project to launch a

highly instrumented research payload into a

37,000+ fps reentry trajectory - the highest

ever accomplished with such a spacecraft. This

involved the coordination of a Nation-wide project

complex including both contractors and other

government agencies and factory as well as

field support operations. Required setting up

initial organization, planning conduct of the

program, negotiation with agencies responsible

for systems and subsystems such as the Atlas

launch vehicle and the LTV velocity package to

determine the level of support to be provided

and the monitoring of all activities to insure that

this was accomplished. First launch successful,

April 1964, 29 months after project approval.

$l6,000/yr

to

$l9,000/yr


Aug. 1954

to

May 1961

Feb. 1948

to

Aug. 1954


Chief of Unitary Wind Tunnel Division. $11,000

Reporting to Dr. Floyd L. Thompson, to

Director, Langley Research Center. $16,000

Responsible for the direction of the division

in charge of the Langley Unitary Plan Super

sonic Wind Tunnel, one of the largest and

most powerful supersonic wind tunnels in the

United States. Responsible for the program

of research and development in support of

the NASA (formerly NACA) programs as well as

those of the Navy and Air Force upon their

request. Required negotiation of test

programs with requesting agencies as well

as knowledge of the aerodynamic principles

involved in the research programs under

taken. Planned programs in advanced supersonic

aerodynamics with emphasis on stability and

control and heating effects of aircraft,

missiles, and spacecraft. Responsible for

division budget, manpower resource require

ment projections and allocations, and cost

minimization of facility operation. Served as

chairman of Center-wide panel to plan reentry

experiment at superorbital speeds. Scout

reentry program and Project FIRE were out

growths of committee actions.

Head of Unitary Plan Design Group. In charge

of directing the' design and construction of

the Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel. Upon

completion in 1954 this 100, 000 hp, Mach 5f

tunnel was the most powerful wind tunnel

in the world. Required a broad knowledge of

aerodynamics as well as design of structural,

mechanical, and electrical systems required to

be integrated. Made trade-off studies of

systems for cost effectiveness. Management

responsibility for making (subject to reviews)

final decisions on all aspects of design and

$7000/yr

to

$ll,000/yr


Employment t<Y Langley Research Center cont'd.

Head of Unitary Plan Design Group cont'd.

construction. Responsible for budgeting,

preparing material for presentation to

" Bureau of Budget and Congress. Attended

hearings in support of Headquarters personnel.

Served on panel to review design of all NACA

Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel facilities.

Sept. 1943 Head, Full-Scale Tunnel Section. Super- $7000/yrto vised the activities of from 25 to 40

Feb. 1948 scientists and technicians both admin

istratively and technically. Research work

during this period consisted of the origination,

direction, and execution of numerous research

programs. The most significant of these

dealt with the fields of helicopter research and

of the landing problems of high-speed air

craft. Numerous reports and memorandums

resulting from these activities were published

and made available to the aricraft industry.

Prepared papers for NACA-Industry con

ferences on such subjects as personal aircraft

research, boundary layer control, and transonic

airplane design. Served as member of the

NACA Subcommittee on Helicopters.

Feb. 1937 Full-Scale Wind Tunnel Section. Entered $2000/yrto " as a junior engineer. Held positions of

Sept. 1943 increasing responsibility in the field of

wind tunnel research on lift, drag, and

stability of airplane configurations and

cowling and cooling problems of World

War II advanced aircraft.

Pre-NASA (NACA) employment

1936-37 Riverside Military Academy, Gainesville, $l310/yrGeorgia, instructor in math, aviation, and

military science

L....J

Herbert A. Wilson, Jr.

Pre-NASA (NACA) employment cont'd

!935 Structural Steel Draftsman for Mississippi

Steel and Iron Company

m

1935 Instrument man on highway survey party

for Mississippi Highway Department

1934-35 Office Manager, Washington National

Insurance.Company, Jackson, Mississippi,

general accounting and bookkeeping duties

Page 8 of 9

$900/yr

$900/yr

$900/yr


Honors and Awards:

Recipient, Edison Scholarship Award, State of Mississippi, 1930.

Langley Research Center Special Service Award for Outstanding

Leadership, Feb. 1966 (NASA).

NASA Exceptional Service Medal, .1966.

Apollo Achievement Award presented in July, 1969 (NASA)

Membership and Offices:

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Associate

Fellow

Engineers Club of the Virginia Peninsula

Peninsula Orchestra Association, Director, 1949-63, 1966-to present;

President, 1955-57. Director, Peninsula Savings and Loan Association,

1963-to present. Member of Board of Advisors, Hampton Roads

Junior League, 1958-60. Trustee, Peninsula United Fund 1955-67.

President, Director, Peninsula Health Foundation 1958-61. James

River Country Club (Newport News, Virginia). Hampton Roads

German Club. Peninsula Arts Association 1962-, charter member

and trustee 1962-66. Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

Authorship:

Author of various NACA (now NASA) reports, notes and research

memoranda; delivered summary papers on aerodynamics at NACA

technical conferences. Delivered summary paper on flight testing

of materials at 7th International Congress of Aeronautics and Space

on the Problems of the' Structures of Aircraft and Missiles, Paris,

France, 1965; author of article on Sonic Boom, Scientific American,

January 1962; presented paper on "Rockets for Research" at 8th

International Symposium on Space Technology and Science, Tokyo,

Japan, August 1969.

Listed in;

Who's Who in Engineering

Who's Who in Space

Who's Who in the South and Southeast

The Two Thousand Men of Achievement - 1970

Dictionary of International Biography, Fourth Edition

7/5/72

Documents

Tunnel. The tunnel is a $16,000,000 aerodynamic …...Heis marriedto the former Genevieve E. Ingraham. They reside at 3 HollyDrive, NewportNews, Virginia. Theyhave a daughter and a