NATIONAL DEFENSE RESEARCH COMMITTEE 



James B. Conant, Chairman 

 Richard C. Tolman, Vice Chairman 

 Roger Adams Army Representative' 



Frank B. Jewett Navy Representative- 



Karl T. Compton Commissioner of Patents^ 



Irvin Stewart, Executive Secretary 



^Ariny representatives in order of service: 



Maj. Gen. G. V. Strong Col. L. A. Denson 



Maj. Gen. R. C. Moore Col. P. R. Faymonville 



Maj. Gen. C. C. Williams Brig. Gen. E. A. Regnier 



Brig. Gen. W. A. Wood, Jr. Col. M. M. Irvine 



Col. E. A. Routheau 



''Navy representatives in order of service: 



Rear Adm. H. G. Bowen Rear Adm. J. A. Purer 



Capt. Lybrand P. Smith Rear Adm. A. H. Van Keuren 



Commodore H. A. Schade 

 ' Commissioners of Patents in order of service: 

 Conway P. Coe Casper W. Ooms 



NOTES ON THE ORGANIZATION OF NDRC 



The duties of the National Defense 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 re- 

 quests from the Army or the Navy, or on requests from an 

 allied government transmitted through the Liaison Office 

 of OSRD, or on its own considered initiative as a result or 

 the experience of its members. Proposals prepared by the 

 Division, Panel, or Committee for research contracts foi 

 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 administra- 

 tion of patent matters were handled by the Executive Sec- 

 retary 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 the fall of 1942, twenty-three ad- 

 ministrative 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 be- 

 came a reviewing and advisory group to the Director of 

 OSRD. The final organization was as follows: 



Division 

 Division 

 Division 

 Division 

 Division 

 Division 

 Division 

 Division 

 Division 



1 — Ballistic Research 



2 — Effects of Impact and Explosion 



3 — Rocket Ordnance 



4 — Ordnance Accessories 



5 — New Missiles 



6 — Sub-Surface Warfare 



7 — Fire Control 



8 — Explosives 



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 Committee 



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