Hugh L. Dryden

Biography

Abstract

Hugh L. Dryden was Deputy Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (1958-1965). Other affiliations included the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and the National Bureau of Standards. His research interests included aircraft aerodynamics and supersonic flight.

Important Dates

July 2, 1889Birth, Pocomoke City (Md.).

1916Obtained AB, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (Md.).

1918Obtained AM, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (Md.).

1918 – 1947Laboratory Assistant (1918-1920); Chief, Aerodynamics Section (1920-1934); Chief, Mechanics and Sound Division (1934-1946); and Associate Director (1946-1947), National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg (Md.).

1919Obtained PhD in Physics, Johns Hopkins University.

1941 – 1945Chief, Bureau of Ordnance Experimental Unit, United States Navy.

1944Member, National Academy of Sciences.

1947 – 1958Director (1947-1949) and Aeronautics Research and Director (1949-1958), National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Washington (D.C.).

1951 – 1956Member, Science Advisory Committee, United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

1958 – 1965Deputy Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

1965Awarded National Medal of Science.

December 2, 1965Death, Washington (D.C.).

Occupation

Aeronautical engineer.

Places

Birth

Pocomoke City (Md.)

Undergraduate Education

Baltimore (Md.)

Graduate Education

Baltimore (Md.)

Employment

Gaithersburg (Md.)

Washington (D.C.)

Death

Washington (D.C.)

Subjects

Aeronautics.

Engineering physics.

Hydrodynamics.

Turbulence.

Relationships

People

Advisors & Collaborators

Briggs, Lyman J. (Lyman James), 1874-1963

Conducted research together in aerodynamics at the National Bureau of Standards.

Colleagues

Bacher, Robert F. (Robert Fox), 1905-2004

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Berkner, Lloyd V. (Lloyd Viel), 1905-1967

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Bethe, Hans A. (Hans Albrecht), 1906-2005

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Bradbury, Norris, 1909-1997

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Brattain, Walter H. (Walter Houser), 1902-1987

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Brode, Robert B. (Robert Bigham), 1900-1986

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Bronk, Detlev W. (Detlev Wulf), 1897-1975

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Buckley, Oliver Ellsworth, 1887-1959

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Coblentz, William W. (William Weber), 1873-1962

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Conant, James Bryant, 1893-1978

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Condon, Edward Uhler, 1902-1974

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

DuBridge, Lee A. (Lee Alvin), 1901-1994

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

DuMond, Jesse W. M. (Jesse William Monroe), 1892-1976

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Fano, Ugo

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Fisk, James B. (James Brown), 1910-1981

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Foote, Paul D. (Paul Darwin), 1888-1971

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Forbush, Scott E., 1904-1984

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Glennan, Thomas Keith, 1905-1995

Both employed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Haskins, Caryl P. (Caryl Parker), 1908-2001

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Hofstadter, Robert, 1915-1990

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Jones, Robert T. (Robert Thomas), 1910-1999

Both employed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Kaula, William M.

Both employed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Killian, James Rhyne, 1904-1988

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Klebanoff, P. S.

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Land, Edwin Herbert, 1909-1991

Both worked United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Lauritsen, Thomas, 1915-1973

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Loeb, Robert F. (Robert Frederick), 1895-1973

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Marburger, John H., III (John Harmen), 1941-2011

Both employed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Maxworthy, T. (Tony)

Both employed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

McLean, William B. (William Burdette), 1914-1976

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Meggers, William F. (William Frederick), 1888-1966

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Neddermeyer, Seth H. (Seth Henry), 1907-1988

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Oppenheimer, J. Robert, 1904-1967

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Rabi, I. I. (Isidor Isaac), 1898-1988

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Schubauer, Galen B. (Galen Brandt), 1904-

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Swann, W. F. G. (William Francis Gray), 1884-1962

Both employed at the National Bureau of Standards.

Thomas, Charles Allen

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Waterman, Alan Tower, 1892-1967

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Webb, James E. (James Edwin)

Both employed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Wiesner, Jerome B. (Jerome Bert), 1915-1994

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Zacharias, Jerrold Reinach, 1905-1986

Both worked at United States Office of Defense Mobilization.

Additional

Darrow, Karl K. (Karl Kelchner), 1891-

Kistiakowsky, George B. (George Bogdan), 1900-1982

Loomis, F. W. (Francis Wheeler), 1889-1976

Newell, Homer E. (Homer Edward), 1915-1983

Wentzel, Gregor, 1898-1978

Institutions

Major Positions

United States. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics

Director, Aeronautics Research and Director.

United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Deputy Administrator.

United States. National Bureau of Standards

Laboratory Assistant; Chief, Aerodynamics Section; Chief, Mechanics and Sound Division; and Associate Director.

United States. Navy

Chief, Bureau of Ordnance Experimental Unit.

United States. Science Advisory Committee

Member.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

Johns Hopkins University. Department of Physics

Obtained AB, AM, and PhD in 1919 (Physics).

National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)

Member.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

Hugh L. Dryden papers, 1908-1966.

Special Collections, Milton S. Eisenhower Library

Johns Hopkins University

3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218, USA

The Hugh L. Dryden papers, 1898-1965 : a preliminary catalogue of the basic collection / compiled and edited by Richard K. Smith.

Special Collections, Milton S. Eisenhower Library

Johns Hopkins University

3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218, USA

Subject

F. W. Loomis papers, 1920-1976.

University Archives

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

1408 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA

Gregor Wentzel autobiographical letter to Hugh Dryden, 1959.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Harry Wexler papers, 1929-1962.

Manuscript Division

Library of Congress

James Madison Memorial Building, First Street and Independence Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20540, USA

Karl Darrow correspondence relating to history of physics, 1943-1968.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

National Institute of Standards and Technology records, 1930-1978.

Office of the National Archives

National Archives and Records Administration

8th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20408, USA

Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Science and Technology records of James R. Killian and George B. Kistiakowsky, 1957-1961.

Oral history interview with Homer Edward Newell, 1980 July 17 and October 20.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Author

Hydrodynamics [by] Hugh L. Dryden, Francis D. Murnaghan [and] H. Bateman.

Subject

"Hugh Latimer Dryden: 1898-1965", Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Sciences

Hugh L. Dryden Physics Today obituary.