NATIONAL DEFENSE RESEARCH COMMITTEE 



James B. Coiiaiit, Cliairninii 

 Eicliard C. T(.)liiiaii. \'i(e i'luiiniKin 

 TiOgcr Adams Army Representative^ 



Frank B. Jewett Xa\) IJepresentative- 



Karl T. Comjjton ('(unmissioner of Patents^ 



Irvin Stewart, E.vecullve Secretary 



^Aniiij liiprcsciitdlii'cs in order of scriicc: 



Maj. Gen. G. V. Strong 

 Maj. Gen. R. C. Moore 

 Maj. Gen. C. C. Williams 

 Brig. Gen. W.A.Wood, Jr. 



Col. L. A. Denson 

 Col. P. R. Faymonvillc 

 Brig. Gen. E. A. Regnier 

 Col. M. M. Irvine 



Col. E. .\. Routheau 



'^Nary Reprcieitlatinn -in imkr nf senice: 



Hear .\(lin. H. G. Bowen Rear Atlni. .1. A. Fiircr 



Caiil. Lylaand P. Smith Rear Adm. A. II. Van Keurcn 



Commodore H. A. Schade 



K'oiiuii.issioners of Paleiils in orilcr of scrHce.: 



Conway P. Coe Casjicr W. Ocmils 



NOTES ON THE ORGANIZATION OF NDIW 



The duties of the National Defen,se Research Committee 

 were (1) to recommend to the Director of OSRD suitable 

 projects and research programs on the instrumentalities of 

 warfare, together with contract facilities for carrying out 

 these projects and programs, and (2) to administer the tech- 

 nical and scientific work of the contracts. More specifically, 

 NDRC functioned by initiating research projects on requests 

 from the Army or tlie Navy, or on requests from an allied 

 government transmitted through the Liaison Office of OSRD, 

 or on its own considered initiative as a result of the experience 

 of its members. Proposals i)repared by the Division, Panel, or 

 Committee for research contracts for performance of the work 

 involved in such projects were first reviewed by NDRC, and 

 if approved, recommended to the Director of OSRD. Upon 

 approval of a proposal by the Director, a contract permitting 

 maximum flexibility of scientific effort was arranged. The 

 business aspects of the contract, including such matters as 

 materials, clearances, vouchers, patents, priorities, legal 

 matters, and administration of patent matters were handled 

 by the Executive Secretary of OSRD. 



Originally NDRC administered its work through five 

 divisions, each headed by one of the NDRC members. 

 These were: 



Division A — Armor and Ordnance 



Division B — Bombs, Fuels, Gases, & Chemical Problems 

 Division C — Communication and Transportation 

 Division D — Detection, Controls, and Instruments 

 Division E — Patents and Inventions 



In a reorganization in tlie fall of 1042, twenty-three 

 administrative divisions, panels, or committees were created, 

 each with a chief selected on the basis of his outstanding work 

 in the particular field. The NDRC members then became a 

 reviewing and advisory group to the Director of OSRD. The 

 final organization was as follows: 



Division 1 — Ballistic Researcli 



Division 2 — Effects of Impact and Kxi)l(jsion 



Division 3 — Rocket Ordnance 



Division 4 — Ordnance Accessories 



Division .5 — New' Missiles 



Division 6 — Sub-Surface ^^'arfare - 



Division 7 — Fire Control 



Division S — Explosives - 



Division 9 — Chemistry 



Division 10 — Absorbents and Aerosols 



Division 11 — Chemical Engineering 



Division 12 — Transportation 



Division 13 — Electrical Communication 



Division 14 — Radar 



Division 15 — Radio Coordination 



Division 16 — Optics and Camouflage 



Division 17 — Physics 



Division 18 — War Metallurgy 



Division 19 — Miscellaneous 



Applied Mathematics Panel 



Applied Psychology Panel 



Committee on Propagation 



Tropical Deterioration Administrative Connnittee 



IV 



