[241] George Lewis did not believe in organization charts, which he regarded as excessively bureaucratic. Lewis Laboratory during the NACA period had no formal organizational charts, although complete lists of personnel and their assigned jobs exist for January 1942 and December 1949.
In January 1942 the organizational structure was divided into two parts: administrative, under Edward R. Sharp, Construction Administrator, and construction under Ernest G. Whitney, Senior Mechanical Engineer. Sharp was named Manager in December 1942 and Director in 1947, a position that he held through the transition to NASA. He retired in December 1960 and died in July 1961.
January 1943, four research divisions organized:
March 1943, Engine Research Division divided into:
April 1943, Engineering Services Division, Charles A. Herrmann
July 1943, Supercharger Division, Oscar Schey
October 1943, Engine Installation Division, Abe Silverstein
[242] Fuels and Thermodynamics Division, Ben Pinkel
Compressor and Turbine Division, Oscar Schey
Engine Performance and Materials, John Collins
Wind Tunnels and Flight Division, Abe Silverstein
Assistants to Division Chief
- John C. Evvard
- William Perl
- Irv Pinkel
- Newell D. Sanders
In August 1949 Abe Silverstein became Chief of Research to fill the vacancy created by the transfer of Addison M. Rothrock to the NACA Headquarters office. Eugene J. Manganiello was appointed Assistant to Silverstein, and Jesse H. Hall was designated "Staff Assistant to the Chief of Research." Carlton Kemper, Executive Engineer, was reassigned to the Office of the Chief of Research to report to Silverstein. Ail research divisions were placed under the immediate supervision of Silverstein. In a memo dated December 21, 1949, Silverstein stated, "To clarify the line organization of the research divisions, the fine of command for laboratory research operation is authorized to pass through and only through the Chief of Research, Abe Silverstein, Assistant Chief of Research, Eugene J. Manganiello, and from there through the Division, Branch, Section and any group leadership".
John Collins was appointed Assistant Chief of Research for Coordination, Intelligence, and Liaison. Ben Pinkel and Oscar Schey were also designated Assistant Chiefs of Research.
Compressor and Turbine Division, Oscar Schey, Chief
Engine Research Division, Eugene Wasielewski, Chief
Fuels and Combustion Division, Walter T Olson, Chief
[243] Materials and Thermodynamics Division, Ben Pinkel, Chief
Physics Division, Newell D. Sanders, Chief
Supersonic Propulsion Division, J. C. Evvard, Chief
The office of Chief of Research was abolished and Silverstein became Associate Director in 1952; Eugene Manganiello became Assistant Director.
In December 1954, the Supersonic Propulsion Division was expanded to include the Special Projects Branch, 8 x 6 Supersonic Tunnel Branch, the Operations Branch, and the 10 x 10 Supersonic Tunnel Branch.
On December 22, 1955, the Flight Problems Research Division was created under I. Irving Pinkel. I. A. Johnsen and E. E. Bisson were appointed Assistant Division Chiefs.
After Ben Pinkel, Chief of the Materials and Thermodynamics Research Division, left to join the Rand Corporation in August 1956, his division was divided into the Materials and Structures Research Division and the Nuclear Reactor Research Division.
The first chart under the new NASA structure was prepared under Sharp as director in March 1959. Although the laboratory was renamed Lewis Research Center, there was considerable continuity between the NACA and NASA management structure until December 1961. A new organizational chart prepared by Abe Silverstein after his return from Headquarters clearly shows the new division between research and development. The 1963 chart shows the projects added to the development side.
Bruce Lundin became Director in 1969, but the real organization changes do not show up until 1973, when nuclear research was terminated. Charts for 1959, 1961, 1963, 1968 and 1973 are included to show changes in organization under the NASA structure.