Harvey W. Eddy – Brigadier General, United States Air Force

BRIGADIER GENERAL HARVEY W. EDDY

Retired April 1, 1971 – Died August 21, 1993

Brigadier General Harvey W. Eddy was commander of the Office of Aerospace Research with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. OAR is responsible for planning, directing and conducting a broad program of research that will produce a reservoir of new scientific knowledge relevant to the Air Force of the future. Close liaison is maintained with members of the scientific community of the United States and other nations throughout the world to encourage the exchange of research information and to prevent duplication of effort.

General Eddy was born in Saratoga Springs, New York, in 1919. He graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Mass., with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering in 1941, and he received a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago in 1955.

He entered the Engineering Cadet Training Program in July 1941 and graduated in January 1942 with a commission as second lieutenant. Subsequently, he performed various duties as an aircraft maintenance officer with the 47th Bombardment Squadron at Visalia, California; San Diego, California; and Portland, Oregon.

He went to the Central Pacific area, in October 1943, as engineering officer, 47th Bombardment Squadron, and later served as group engineering officer, 41st Bombardment Group, Seventh Air Force, in air operations against Japan.

General Eddy returned to the United States in November 1945, was separated from active military service, and entered the air conditioning business in Fresno and Sacramento, Calif. In November 1947 he accepted a regular commission in the Air Force and joined the Air Research and Development Command at Wright Field, Ohio, where he served as a project engineer in the design and development of aircraft deicing and defrosting systems.

In October 1948 he entered the Atomic Energy Course at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. After completing the course at Keesler, and additional courses in specialized training at Sandia Base, New Mexico, he was assigned to the 509th Aviation Squadron, 509th Bombardment Wing (Strategic Air Command), Roswell, New Mexico.

General Eddy returned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in September 1952, as a research and development administrator, and later served as assistant to the chief of the Operations Office, Equipment Laboratory, Headquarters Wright Air Development Center. From September 1954 to December 1955, he attended the University of Chicago where he received his master’s degree in business administration (Management of Research and Development).

From January 1956 to September 1962, General Eddy was assigned to the Air Force Ballistic Missile Division, Air Research and Development Command, with duty at Inglewood, California. During this time he was first a project officer, then deputy chief, and finally chief of the Support Equipment & Logistics Branch, Requirements and Equipment Office, Technical Operations. In 1958 he became executive officer and then assistant to the deputy commander for ballistic missiles at AFBMD.

In January 1960 he was appointed special assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, Headquarters AFBMD, Los Angeles, Calif. From May 1961 to September 1962, he was chief of Resources Plans Branch, Headquarters Ballistic Systems Division, Air Force Systems Command, in Los Angeles, California.

In September 1962 he was assigned to Headquarters Electronics Systems Division, L.G. Hanscom Field, Mass., where he was the technical advisor to the commander.

In September 1966 General Eddy was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, as deputy assistant for research and development programming; and then in August 1968 he became the deputy director of development, Deputy Chief of Staff, Research and Development.

General Eddy became commander of the Office of Aerospace Research with headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, in August 1969.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard