Naval Architecture Department at, 94
Physical Society meeting at, 202–3
radar meeting at, 197
and selection of final site of radar laboratory, 205–8
ultra-short-wave radio conference at, 130. See also Compton, Karl; Rad Lab, MIT
McCallister, Ward, 4–5
McCarthy, Joseph, 291–92
McClelland, Harold, 263
McCloy, John J., 194, 225, 226, 228
McMillan, Ed, 138, 201, 204, 214, 220–22, 239–40, 241, 245, 291, 292, 293–94
Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom: Loomis receives, 286
Megaw, Eric, 196
Meitner, Lise, 155–56
Merton, Thomas R., 49, 50
MEW early-warning system, 264–65, 270–71
Meyer, Eugene, 82–83
military: and Loomis’ accomplishments/contributions, 277–78
Loomis’ views about, 14, 34
and NDRC, 164
and nuclear research, 157
scientists’ relationship with, 227, 228, 243, 255, 256
and Tizard Mission, 189–90
views about MIT Rad Lab of, 252. See also Army, U.S.; Navy, U.S.
Miller, Mr. (Tower House mechanic), 61
Miller, Philip, 159
Millikan, Robert, 219
Mills, Ogden, 81, 82–83, 85, 89
MIT. See Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); Rad Lab, MIT
Mitchel, Sidney A., 86
Modder, John, 58–59, 104
Mohawk-Hudson Corp. of New Jersey, 76
Morgan Bank, 35, 75–76, 81, 173
Morgan, Christiana, 125
Morgan, J. P., Jr., 76
Morgan, Junius S., 92
Mortimer, John Jay, 59
Mortimer, Katherine Tilford, 59
Mortimer, Stanley Grafton, Jr., 59
Mrozowski, S., 146–47
Nagasaki, Japan, 277
National Academy of Sciences, 46, 105, 114, 139, 156, 166–68, 244–45, 290
National Defense Research Committee (NDRC): and Briggs Committee, 168
British scientists sign secret agreement of, 203
and censorship of scientific research, 168
and fission/atomic research, 243
formation of, 163–64
and funding for MIT Rad Lab, 205, 222–23, 256
and GCA radar, 263–64
inventory by, 168
and Lawrence, 197
Loomis’ appointment to, 166–68
and Loran system, 233
and magnetron, 190
membership of, 166
organization and structure of, 166, 168–69
Roosevelt approves, 164
and SCR-584 system, 272
and selection of final site of radar laboratory, 206
and Tizard Mission, 181, 188
and Tower House research, 176–78. See also D-1 Committee
National Guard, U.S., 221
Naval Intelligence Unit, 173, 174
Naval Research Laboratory (Anacostia), 170–71, 187
Navy, U.S.: and aid for Great Britain, 225
and ASV radar, 222, 252–53
and Bush’s OSRD proposal, 226
and D-1 Committee, 170, 172, 220
and GCA radar system, 263
and Joint Research and Development Board, 285
Loomis’ relationship with, 234
and Loran system, 234, 265–67
and Mark I project, 263
and Mark II ASV radar, 216
and military-scientists’ relationship, 256
and nuclear/fission research, 160, 162
and radar research, 163, 170–71, 172, 188, 189, 190, 193, 207, 220, 277, 285
and Tizard Mission, 187, 189, 190
and U.S. preparation for World War II, 224
Nernst, Walther, 66
New York Yacht Club, 93
Niagara Hudson, 41
Nichols, George, 92
night bombing, 210–11, 216, 272.
Norden bomb sight, 181
Normandy: landing at, 269–71
Northern Light (boat), 96
nuclear research, 8–12, 154–58, 160, 161–63, 238, 287–88. See also fission/atomic research; specific scientist or project
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 249
Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD), 226, 228, 247, 261, 266, 285, 290
Ogdensburg, New York: army research in, 171–72, 178
Oliphant, Mark Lawrence, 183, 192, 245–46
Operation Overlord, 269–71
Oppenheimer, Robert, 138, 247, 250, 273–75, 276, 291–93
Parkes telescope, 294
patents: and Loomis, 4, 33, 42, 51, 277, 285n, 302
Patterson, Robert, 194
Patton, George S., 271, 277
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii: Japanese bombing of, 248–49, 251–52
Pegram, George, 240
Penrose Foundation, 145
Penrose, Spencer, 144–45
Phelps Dodge, 150
Philco Corporation, 216
Philippines, 73–74, 252
Phillips Academy (Andover, Massachusetts), 19, 25–26
Physical Review, 106, 107, 156
Physical Society: MIT meeting of, 202–3
Pierce, F. L., 180
Pile, Sir Frederick A., 272
plan position indicator (PPI), 252
Planck, Max, 66
plutonium, 241, 245, 246, 249, 275, 277, 291, 293
Pollard, Ernest, 207
Poor, Henry, 47
Popular Science Monthly: Richards plans to publish stories in, 56–57
Post, Emily, 59–60
Presidential Medal of Merit: Loomis receives, 286–87
Price, Bruce, 46, 57, 59
Princeton University, 1, 3, 5, 6, 22, 125
Pringsheim, Nathanael, 66
production: of research results, 227–28, 261–62, 277–78
Project 4 (Commander Hotel, Cambridge), 214
Project I. See AI radar system
Project II. See gun-laying radar system
Project III. See long-range navigation system
Prosser, Seward, 151
Public Service Corporation of New Jersey, 41, 87
public utilities, 39, 40–41, 74, 75–76, 89
publications: of Loomis, 51, 52, 53, 63, 68, 69, 71, 299–302
Quillen, Jacqueline, 120, 122, 295
Rabi, Isidor Isaac, 139, 204, 209, 213–14, 215, 230, 256, 269, 273, 274, 275–76, 292
Rad Lab, Berkeley. See Lawrence, Ernest O.; University of California, Berkeley
Rad Lab, Livermore, 291
Rad Lab, MIT: accomplishments of, 252, 273, 277
“the blitz” at, 215–23
and Bowles-Loomis relationship, 234–37
and British-American relations, 214
budget/funding for, 205, 206, 212, 222–23, 229, 256, 277
closing of, 278–79, 283–84, 285
DuBridge as director of, 202
early days at, 209–23
equipping of, 198, 199, 200, 208, 211–12
expansion of, 215, 222, 229, 255–57, 277
and feasibility of microwave radar, 212–13
first meeting of, 209–11
future of, 278–79
and gap between research and production, 261–62
and GCA radar, 263–64
goals of, 222
Guerlac as historian for, 267–68, 278
industry’s views about, 219, 255–56, 262
launching of, 209–12
Lawrence as director of, 199
management of, 229–30
military’s relationship with, 227
moves from research to development, 256
naming of, 213
and opening months of World War II, 252–54
Oppenheimer’s raid on, 273, 274
organization of, 213, 256
priorities of, 198, 200, 210, 211
&
nbsp; recruiting of scientists for, 201–4, 207
reports about work at, 222, 235
Roof Laboratory of, 215–23, 229, 230
schedule for projects at, 216
secrecy about, 212, 213, 258, 284
selecting of, 198–208
significance of, 284
social activities at, 214, 256
space for, 215, 229, 256, 277. See also specific project
radar/radar research: and Allied bombing of continental Europe, 254–55
at Berkeley, 141–42, 160–61, 191
and Bowles as Stimson’s adviser, 254
of British, 170, 171, 172, 183, 187–88, 189, 285
and Chain Home network system, 187–88, 189
and D-Day landings, 269–71
and “didey wagon,” 176–77, 178
and Doppler method, 130–31, 142, 158, 176, 177, 178, 191
in early 1930s, 129–32
feasibility of, 212–13
funding for, 160–61
importance of, 188, 196–97, 252, 253–54, 284–85
inventory of, 170–73
Loomis’ contributions to development of, 153, 273, 277–78, 287, 289
Loomis’ cost estimates for, 217
Loomis’ early interest in, 66, 70, 129–32
and magnetron, 182–83, 188, 191–93, 194
and military, 207, 285
at MIT, 129–30, 158–59, 167, 169
MIT meeting about, 197
and NDRC, 168–69
as obscure or forgotten, 284
obstacles to development of, 172–73, 178
production of, 227–28, 261–62, 277
prototype of, 217–23
pulsed, 170–72, 178, 187, 190
Roof Top system for, 215–20
and schedule for MIT Rad Lab projects, 216
and Tizard Mission, 178, 181, 182, 187–88, 189–90, 191–94, 203
at Tower House, 158–59, 161, 190–92, 197–99
and U.S.-German competition, 268
and U.S. preparation for World War II, 251. See also D-1 Committee; specific researcher or program
radiation, 35, 52
radio frequency wave research. See radar/radar research
Rainey, Roy, 96
Ramsey, Norman, 204, 274
Rand Corporation, 288
Randall, John, 182, 192–93
Ratliff, Williff, 158
Rayleigh, Lord (John William Strutt), 5, 50
Raytheon, 230
RCA, 169–70, 172, 195, 200–1, 252, 292
RDF system, 182
Reed, Philip, 150
Research Corporation, 173
Research Enterprises Ltd., 216–17
Reynaud, Paul, 164
Rich, Willard (pseud.). See Richards, William T.
Richards, Grace Thayer “Patty.” See Conant, Grace Thayer Richards “Patty”
Richards, Miriam Stuart, 1–2, 3
Richards, Thayer, 2, 8, 126
Richards, Theodore William, 2, 126
Richards, William T.: and brain wave research, 109–11, 113–14
Brain Waves and Death by, 1, 3–4, 7–8, 16, 55, 63, 80, 108, 109–11, 119, 123–24, 126, 154, 179, 209, 251, 294
and Glass House, 119
Harvard obituary of, 2–3, 7
health and depression of, 3, 125–26
Kistiakowsky’s relationship with, 4, 5, 6, 15, 125, 126, 294
Loomis first meets, 6
Loomis’ reaction to novel by, 124–25
Loomis’ research with, 51, 62–63
and Manette-Loomis relationship, 123–24
personal background of, 2, 6
personality of, 2–3, 7, 113–14
at Princeton, 5, 6, 125
professional career of, 3, 6
publications of, 51, 63
sexual relationships of, 121
short-wave radio research of, 63
suicide of, 1–2, 3–4, 14, 125
talents of, 2
Ted Conant as custodian of manuscripts of, 293
Tower House visits of, 6–7, 58, 61, 62
and ultrasound, 51
“The Uranium Bomb” by, 8–10, 12, 13, 14, 133, 238
views about Loomis of, 5
wealth of, 5
Ridenour, Louis, 230–31
Roberts, George, 27, 39, 81, 281
Rockefeller Corporation, 294
Rockefeller Foundation, 14, 137, 144, 145, 146, 147–48, 149–50, 151, 152, 288
Rockefeller, John D., Jr., 223
rockets: Loomis’ views about, 270
V-1 and V-2, 243, 271–72, 284
Roosevelt, Franklin D.: and aid for Great Britain, 217, 271
and banking crisis, 82, 83–84, 186, 224
and British-American collaboration, 180, 181, 208
broadening of powers of, 226
and Bush’s plan for military research organization, 164
critics of, 166
death of, 276
and development of atomic bomb, 247
Einstein/Szilard letter to, 12, 157
elections of, 82, 207
and freedom of the seas doctrine, 226
and gold standard, 85
and isolationism, 127
and lack of U.S. preparation, 224–26
and lend-lease, 186, 224
Loomis’ views about, 89, 165, 223
and MIT Rad Lab future, 278
and OSRD formation, 228
radio speeches of, 226
Stimson briefs, 84–85
Rose, Morris E., 139–40
Rothschild, Lord, 11
Royal Air Force (RAF), 262–63, 264, 267, 271, 272
Royal Astrological Society, 69
Royal Canadian Navy, 265, 266
Royal Society, 66
Rutherford, Ernest, 135
S-1 Section (OSRD), 247
Saidman, Jean, 49–50
Sandy Hook, New Jersey: Loomis stationed at, 31
science/scientists: “amateurs” in, 104–5
Bush’s views about ability of, 268
flight from Nazis of, 127–28
funding during Depression for, 138
as heroes, 284
Loomis’ campaign to win over influential, 105–6
Loomis’ commitment to, 42–43, 52
Loomis’ views about experimentation in, 287–88
Loomis’ views about faith in, 287–88
military’s relationship with, 227, 228, 243, 255, 256
popularity of, 55–56
press as propagandists for, 55–56
and recruiting for Manhattan Project, 273, 274
war as stimulus to, 278–279
scientific journals: censorship of, 168
Loomis’ backing for, 106, 107
SCR-268 research, 171–72
SCR-584 gun-laying radar system, 231, 243, 258, 269, 270, 271–72, 294
Seaborg, Glenn, 240, 241, 293
Securities and Exchange Commission, 41
Segré, Emilio, 160, 240, 241–42
Shortt clocks, 65, 67, 68, 142, 231
Shortt, William Hamilton, 65
“shower idea”: of Loomis, 231–32, 234. See also Loran system
Slight, David, 112, 114
Sloan, Dave, 160–61, 172, 175, 176
Sonne, Hans Christian, 156
Sony, 292
Southern California Edison, 135
spectroscopy: Kistiakowsky’s research on, 52, 61, 62
Lawrence’s work on, 242, 246, 249
Wood’s interest in, 43, 49, 52
Sperry Gyroscope Company, 129, 142, 160, 169–70, 195, 200–1
Sproul, Robert, 138, 148, 223
SS Loran system, 267, 272
Stanford University: Physics Department at, 141–42
Stannard, E. T., 150
State Department, U.S., 225
Stettinius, Edward, 151
Stimson family, 22, 24–25, 283
Stimson, Henry: and aid for G
reat Britain, 225–26
and banking crisis, 81–83, 84
and bombing of Japan, 296
Bowles as adviser to, 236, 254
and Bush OSRD proposal, 226
and D-Day, 270
death of, 297
and development of atomic bomb, 248
and Ellen Loomis, 53, 70–71, 74–75, 100, 123
and events leading to World War II, 153, 164–65
family background of, 24
and German rocket program, 243
and gold standard, 85
Hilton Head visit of, 98
and inflation problems, 85–86
and isolationism, 127, 128
and lack of U.S. preparation, 223, 224–26
as lawyer, 89–90, 127
and Loomis’ accomplishments/contributions, 277–78
Loomis’ dinner with, 193–94
and Loomis-Ellen relationship, 29, 53, 70–71
Loomis as financial adviser to, 73, 87
and Loomis’ health, 73
and Loomis as “minister without portfolio,” 244
Loomis’ relationship with, 14, 24, 26, 27, 78, 90, 166, 228, 243–44, 250
Loomis takes tank to meet, 34
and Loomis in World War I, 31
and Loran system, 233, 267
and military-scientists’ relationship, 227, 228, 243
and MIT Rad Lab, 226–27, 258
and NDRC, 166
public service of, 14, 26, 27–28, 30, 73–74, 77–78
and radar research, 193–94
radio addresses of, 164–65, 225
and research-production problems, 227–28
retirement of, 296–97
Roosevelt briefed by, 84–85
and Roosevelt’s death, 276
as secretary of war, 166, 193–94
stock market views of, 73, 75
and tank-killing guns on jeeps, 226
Thorne and Loomis as advisers to, 77–78, 81–82, 85–86
Thorne’s relationship with, 78, 297
and Tizard Mission, 181
Truman briefed by, 276
wealth of, 73
and World War I, 31. See also Winthrop & Stimson
St. Matthew’s Military Academy (Tarrytown, New York), 19, 25
stock market: crash of 1929, 75–79
Stimson’s views about, 73, 75
Strassmann, Fritz, 155
Stratton, J. A., 131
Strauss, Lewis L., 10–11
student tours: of industrial plants, 103–104
submarines, 181, 221–22, 245, 252, 254, 265–66, 267, 268. See also U-boats
supersonics, 43–44, 71. See also ultrasound
Szilard, Leo, 9–13, 14, 156, 157, 239
Teller, Edward, 13, 291, 292
ten-centimeter radar system, 198, 200, 216–17, 230–31, 236, 252, 269
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), 89–90
“Thin Man,” 275
Thorne, Edwin, 24, 38, 76, 90, 92, 94–95, 96, 98, 100, 111, 297
Thorne, Julia Loomis, 20, 24–25, 37, 87, 91, 92, 96, 111, 216, 297
Thorne, Landon, Jr., 92, 98, 111, 297
Tuxedo Park Page 43