Guide to the Oral History Interviews of Ames Personnel Collection,
1961-2018
Collection processed and guide prepared by April Gage
NASA Ames History Archives
NASA Ames Research Center
Mail Stop 207-1
Moffett Field, California 94035
Phone: (650) 604-1032
Email: ARC-DL-archives@mail.nasa.gov
URL: http://history.arc.nasa.gov
Guide to the Oral History Interviews of Ames Personnel Collection,
1961-2018
NASA Ames History Archives
NASA Ames Research Center
Contact Information:
- NASA Ames History Archives
- NASA Ames Research Center
- Mail Stop 207-1
- Moffett Field, CA 94035
- Phone: (650) 604-1032
- Email: ARC-DL-history@mail.nasa.gov
- URL: http://history.arc.nasa.gov
- Collection processed and finding aid written by:
- April Gage
- Date Completed:
- December 2020
Descriptive Summary
Title: Oral History Interviews of Ames Personnel Collection
Date (inclusive): 1961-2018
Collection Number: ARC20.06
Creator:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Extent:
Number of digital items: 101
Volume: 34 Megabytes
Repository:
Ames Research Center,
Ames History Archives
Moffett Field, California 94035
Abstract: This collection contains an assemblage of oral history interview transcripts of personnel from NASA Ames Research Center and
its precursor organization, the NACA Ames Aeronautical Laboratory. These were selected from larger oral history collections
held at the NASA Headquarters History Office Archives and the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) History Office. The
collection documents contributions of Ames personnel to the development, management, and execution of a wide range of NACA
and NASA programs and projects.
Language:
English
Administrative Information
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright does not apply to United States government records. For non-government
material, researcher must contact the original creator.
Preferred Citation
NASA Ames History Archives, NASA Ames Research Center. Moffett Field, California. ARC20.06, Oral History Interviews of Ames
Personnel Collection, [Container number]: [Folder number]. [Identification of item]. [Date, if available].
Abbreviated Citation
NASA ARC. ARC20.06, [Container number]: [Folder number]. [Identification of item]. [Date, if available].
Administrative Information
Related Material
NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Collections
- Originals, audio recordings, and release forms are held at the Johnson Space Center History Office and the University of Houston-Clear
Lake Archives and Special Collections.
NASA Headquarters Oral History Collection
- Originals, audio recordings, release forms, and supporting files are held at the NASA Headquarters History Program Office.
NASA Ames Research Center History Archives Collections
- Related biographical and subject area material, as well as interviews that were not part of an oral history project, can be
found in various collections, such as:
- AFS1070.8A: Archives Reference Collection
- AFS1070.9: Histories of Ames Research Files
Acquisition Information
Acquired from the NASA Headquarters History Office Archives (Accession 2020-005 and 2020-013) and the NASA Johnson Space Center
History Office (Accession 2020-006) in March and October 2020.
Indexing Terms
The following terms may be used to index this collection.
Corporate Name
Ames Aeronautical Laboratory
Ames Research Center
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. History Office
United States. NASA History Program Office
United States. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
Personal Name
Anderson, Joseph L.
Belsley, Steven E.
Berry, William E.
Billingham, John, 1930-2013
Bioletti, Carlton
Blackman, Edith W.
Boyd, John W.
Bray, Richard
Carle, Glenn
Chang, Sherwood
Cleary, Joseph W.
Cole, Henry A.
Cruikshank, Dale P.
Dalton, Bonnie P.
DeFrance, Smith J.
DesMarais, David J.
DeVincenzi, Donald
DeYoung, George E.
Dusterberry, John C.
Farmer, Jack D.
Foster, John V.
Goett, Harry J.
Gustaferro, Angelo
Hallett, Ralph K., Jr.
Harper, Lynn D.
Hartman, Harvey L.
Hawley, Steven A.
Hines, John W.
Hubbard, G. Scott, 1948-
Jones, Robert T. (Robert Thomas), 1910-1999
Jorgensen, Leland H.
Keener, Earl R.
Kirschbaum, Howard W.
Klein, Harold P.
Kurkowski, Richard
Levine, Alan
Levy, Lionel L. Jr.
Mark, Hans, 1929-
Martin, Norman J.
Moorhead, Barbara J.
Morey-Holton, Emily
Morrison, David D.
Mort, Kenneth A.
O'Hara, Dee
Ochoa, Ellen L.
Parsons, John
Pearson, B. Douglas, Jr.
Pendleton, Yvonne J. (Yvonne Jean)
Petersen, Richard H.
Peterson, Victor L.
Pitts, William
Presley, Leroy L.
Ramos, Ruben
Randt, Clark T.
Reller, John O. Jr.
Robinson, Russell G. (Russell Gideon), 1907-2003
Rogallo, Robert
Rossow, Vernon J.
Rummell, John D.
Sandler, Harold
Scherrer, Richard
Schmidt, Stanley F.
Seiff, Alvin
Squyres, Steven W.
Stephenson, Jack
Stone, Jay E.
Swenson, Byron
Syvertson, Clarence A.
Treon, Stuart L.
Vincenti, Walter G. (Walter Guido), 1917-2019
Wasson, Edward L.
Worden, Alfred M. (Alfred Merrill), 1932-2020
Worden, Simon P.
Young, A. Thomas
Young, Richard S.
Scope and Content
The bulk of this collection contains transcripts of interviews with personnel from the NACA Ames Aeronautical Laboratory and
NASA Ames Research Center. The collection captures the perspectives of a diverse group of contributors to our nation's aerospace
programs, coming from backgrounds in administration, management, science, and engineering. These materials are copies of documents
selected from collections at the NASA Headquarters History Office Archives and from oral history projects conducted by the
NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) History Office. Audio recordings are not included but may be obtained from Headquarters and
JSC within the scope of their release policies. The capture of oral histories is ongoing and new materials will be added as
projects are completed. All of the materials in this collection are available in digital form and indexes are available for
each series.
Note
Acronym List
| ISS |
International Space Station |
| JSC |
Johnson Space Center |
| MEMS |
Microelectromechanical Systems |
| NACA |
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics |
| NASA |
National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| OHP |
Oral History Project |
| SMD |
Science Mission Directorate |
Arrangement of the Oral History Interviews of Ames Personnel Collection
The collection is arranged into two series according to the center where the materials originated (JSC and NASA Headquarters).
Each series is divided into two subseries, one for NACA-themed interviews and the other for interviews that are mainly focused
on NASA. Interviews are arranged alphabetically by narrator last name with the associated interviewer, project name, and
interview date(s). A file index is included for each series. For Series I.2, biographical information sheets follow the individual
interview(s), where applicable.
I
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Interviews
Physical Description: 40 digital items.
Scope and Content Note
This series contains interview transcripts and biographical documents featuring Ames personnel that were selected from oral
history project collections at JSC. The series is broken into two subseries.
Subseries 1 contains interview transcripts of fourteen men who worked at the NACA Ames Aeronautical Laboratory (AAL), which
later became NASA Ames Research Center with the passage of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958. In addition to
the transcripts, there is a compilation of responses to a biographical questionnaire that was sent out to former AAL personnel.
This spreadsheet includes responses from both narrators and individuals who were not interviewed, regarding their educational
background, work experience, dates of NACA employment, awards, publications and patents, and other information. Most of the
respondents were male aeronautical, mechanical, and electrical engineers who worked on design and operation of wind tunnels
and applied flight research projects. Two female respondents performed clerical work. Also included are biographical data
sheets for some of the interviewees.
Subseries 2 contains interview transcripts from Ames personnel who participated in various JSC oral history projects that
focused on the achievements of NASA employees, including: "Herstory," International Space Station, Science Mission Directorate,
and NASA at 50.
II
NASA Headquarters Oral History Interviews
Physical Description: 61 digital items
Scope and Content Note
This series contains edited interview transcripts and interview notes featuring individuals from Ames that were selected from
the Oral History Collection at the NASA Headquarters History Archives. It is broken into two subseries.
Subseries 1 provides interview transcripts of twelve men associated with the NACA Ames Aeronautical Laboratory. Topics covered
include the establishment of Ames as a West Coast NACA laboratory; NACA aeronautical theories, research, and engineering projects;
design and development of wind tunnels; and the transition from NACA to NASA. These interviews were collected to support NACA
and early NASA histories that were not published, as well as the NASA History Series publication "NASA's First A."
Subseries 2 contains interview transcripts that were collected to support historical research projects on various subjects,
including: aeronautics, the Apollo Program, NASA engineers in the age of Apollo, astrobiology, the formation of the Exobiology
Program at Ames, life sciences research at Ames, NASA's Grand Tour program, microelectromechanical systems research, NASA's
"human factor," planetary astronomy, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), the Space Shuttle, and the International
Space Station.
I. Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Interviews,
Physical Description: 40 digital items.
1. NACA Oral History Project
Compilation of biographical questionnaire responses (spreadsheet)
Boyd, John W. "Jack," interviewed by Jennifer Ross-Nazzal on 20051003
Cole, Henry A. "Hank," interviewed by Sandra Johnson on 20140716
Dusterberry, John C., interviewed by Jennifer Ross-Nazzal on 20050929
Keener, Earl R., interviewed by Rebecca Wright on 20140717
Kurkowski, Richard "Dick," interviewed by Sandra Johnson on 20140714
Mort, Kenneth A., interviewed by Sandra Johnson on 20140717
Pearson, B. Douglas, Jr. "Doug," interviewed by Sandra Johnson on 20140718
Petersen, Richard H., interviewed by Rebecca Wright on 20140714
Peterson, Victor L. "Vic," interviewed by Rebecca Wright on 20051003
Presley, Leroy L. "Roy," interviewed by Rebecca Wright on 20140716
Schmidt, Stanley F., interviewed by Sandra Johnson on 20140715
Stone, Jay E., interviewed by Rebecca Wright on 20140718
Syvertson, Clarence A. "Sy," interviewed by Rebecca Wright on 20050929
Vincenti, Walter G., interviewed by Rebecca Wright on 20140715
2. NASA-Themed Oral History Projects,
Physical Description: Narrator, Interviewer, Date of Interview (yyyymmdd).
Dalton, Bonnie P., interviewed by Rebecca Wright (NASA "Herstory" OHP) on 20020423
Hartman, Harvey L., interviewed by Sandra Johnson (JSC OHP) on 20020507
Hartman, Harvey L., biographical sheet
Hawley, Steven A., interviewed by Sandra Johnson (JSC OHP) on 20020412, 20021217, and 20030114
Hawley, Steven A., biographical sheet
Hubbard, G. Scott, interviewed by Sandra Johnson (NASA SMD) on 20170822, 20180820, and 20181113
Morrison, David D., interviewed by Sandra Johnson (NASA SMD) on 20170509
Mark, Hans M., interviewed by Rebecca Wright (ISS OHP) on 20150708
Ochoa, Ellen L., interviewed by Jennifer Ross-Nazzal (JSC OHP) on 20170613, 20170822, 20171212, and 20180515
O'Hara, Dee, interviewed by Rebecca Wright (JSC OHP) on 20020423
O'Hara, Dee, biographical sheet
Squyres, Steven W., interviewed by Sandra Johnson (NASA SMD OHP) on 20170822, 20170914
Worden, Alfred M. "Al," interviewed by Rebecca Wright (JSC OHP) on 20000526
Worden, Alfred M. "Al," biographical sheet
Worden, Simon P. "Pete," interviewed by Rebecca Wright (NASA at 50 OHP) on 20071203
Young, A. Thomas, interviewed by Rebecca Wright (NASA Administrators OHP) on 20130610
II. NASA Headquarters Oral History Interviews,
Physical Description: 61 digital items.
1. NASA Headquarters Oral History Interviews (NACA)
Belsley, Steven E., interviewed by Walter Bonney on 19740924
Bioletti, Carlton, interviewed by Walter Bonney on 19740925
Boyd, John W., interviewed by Robert G. Ferguson on 20050114
Bray, Richard, interviewed by Sylvia Fries on 19850809
DeFrance, Smith J., interviewed by Michael Keller on 19670616
DeFrance, Smith J., interviewed by Walter Bonney on 19740923
Goett, Harry J., interviewed by Howard McCurdy on 19880617
Goett, Harry J., interviewed by Lane Wallace on 19980213
Jones, Robert T. "R.T.," interviewed by Walter Bonney on 19740924
Jones, Robert T. "R.T.," interviewed by Richard Hallion on 19770714
Kirschbaum, Howard W., interviewed by Michael Keller on 19670615
Peterson, Victor L., interviewed by Robert G. Ferguson on 20050117
Robinson, Russell G., interviewed by Walter Bonney on 19740924
Robinson, Russell G., interviewed by Howard McCurdy on 19880617
Stephenson, Jack, interviewed by Sylvia Fries on 19850808
Syvertson, Clarence A. "Sy," interviewed by McCurdy, Howard on 19880617
Syvertson, Clarence A. "Sy," interviewed by Lloyd S. Swenson and James Grimwood on 19710629
Syvertson, Clarence A. "Sy," interviewed by Walter Bonney on 19740925
Syvertson, Clarence A. "Sy," interviewed by Richard Hallion on 19790307
2. NASA Headquarters Oral History Interviews (NASA)
Berry, William E., interviewed by Maura Mackowski on 20050000
Billingham, John, interviewed by Steven J. Dick on 19900912
Billingham, John, interviewed by Steven J. Dick on 19920601
Billingham, John, interviewed by Steven J. Dick on 19920917
Billingham, John, interviewed by Steven J. Dick on 19930608
Carle, Glenn, interviewed by Steven Dick on 19970513
Chang, Sherwood, interviewed by Steven Dick on 19971121
Cruikshank, Dale, interviewed by Ronald Schorn on 19931019
DesMarais, David J., interviewed by Steven Dick on 19970512
DesMarais, David J., interviewed by William Clancey on 20060810
DeVincenzi, Donald, interviewed by James Strick on 19970121
DeVincenzi, Donald, interviewed by Steven Dick on 19970512
Farmer, Jack D., interviewed by Steven Dick on 19971119
Gustaferro, Angelo, interviewed by John Logsdon on 19860314
Harper, Lynn D., interviewed by Steven Dick on 19970513
Harper, Lynn D., interviewed by Steven Dick on 19971121
Harper, Lynn D., interviewed by Steven J. Dick on 20010117
Harper, Lynn D., interviewed by Maura Mackowski on 20050916
Hines, John W., interviewed by Jennifer Ross-Nazzal on 20041004
Klein, Harold P. "H.P.," interviewed by Steven J. Dick on 19920915
Klein, Harold P. "H.P.," interviewed by James Strick on 20001128
Klein, Harold P. "H.P.," interviewed by Steven Dick on 19970514
Levine, Alan, interviewed by Sylvia Fries on 19850807
Mark, Hans, interviewed by Sylvia Fries on 19840907
Mark, Hans, interviewed by Howard McCurdy on 19871111
Mark, Hans, interviewed by on 19911016
Morey-Holton, Emily, interviewed by Maura Mackowski on 20050916
