Dahlgren's First Director of Research 81 



In 1951 you were appointed as Dahlgren's first Director of Research. 



I was functioning, in a sense, as a Technical Director, but I was not so 

 designated until 1951. 



This was a period of heavy proof and test during the Korean War. What did you see as 

 your mission at that time? 



The mission of the Station was to do research on weapons systems, to carry 

 out test work on systems under development, and also to perform proof work 

 for production. Down there in the early days, you'd hear guns all day long 

 because they used to test so much ammunition. 



Can you tell us something of the work of Mr. Riffolt,* who su£ceeded you as Director at 

 Dahlgren? 



Mr. Riffolt came to this country from Sweden. He came to Clark University, 

 and he was originally an instrument maker and a very skillful laboratory 

 technician. He was moreof a technician than an engineer. I'm not saying that in 

 a derogatory sense at all, but that was the situation. He worked with Dr. 

 Thompson at Clark University, and he was influenced to come to Dahlgren by 

 Dr. Thompson. 



Nils Riffolt was really the predecessor of the A&P Laboratory. His strength 

 was in the field of physical and engineering measurements. Of course, that's a 

 field in which the Swedish engineers are preeminent. His interests were in the 

 technical operational details within the laboratories. 1 don't think Mr. Riffolt 

 really had much concern with what we might call administrative control. He was 

 the type that either worked in a laboratory or sat thinking at his desk. 



Were you optimistic about Dahlgren's future when you retired in fanuary 1954? 



Yes, I really was. 1 was optimistic because they were getting the NORC. I felt 

 that was really going to give them a very solid foundation for a growing 

 Computation Laboratory, and 1 felt the Computation Laboratory was very 

 essential to the Bureau of Ordnance. 1 thought that we developed an excellent 

 staff there at that time. 



*Mr. Nils A. M. Riffolt, a native of Sweden, came to Dahlgren in 1925 and worked with the interior 

 ballistics program. In 1942, he was placed in charge of the Experimental Gun and Interior 

 Ballistics Laboratory. From 1954 until his retirement in 1956, Mr. Riffolt held the position of 

 Director of Research. 



