Simon Ramo

Simon Ramo (May 7, 1913 – June 27, 2016) was an American engineer, businessman, and author. He led development of microwave and missile technology and is sometimes known as the father of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). He also developed General Electric's electron microscope and played prominent roles in the formation of two Fortune 500 companies, Ramo-Wooldridge (TRW) and Bunker Ramo Corporation.

Ramo was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, the son of Clara (Trestman) and Benjamin Ramo. His father was a Polish Jewish immigrant and his mother was a Russian Jewish immigrant. He entered the University of Utah at the age of 16, where he joined Theta Tau Professional Engineering Fraternity and earned a B.S. in electrical engineering at the age of 20. By 1936, at the age of 23, he had earned dual PhD degrees from Caltech in physics and electrical engineering.

Shortly after graduation from Caltech, Ramo was hired by General Electric. From 1936 until 1946, he served as section head of the general engineering laboratory and also as head of the physics section of the electronics research laboratory. By the end of World War II, he held twenty-five patents in electronics and was cited as one of America's most outstanding young electrical engineers. He became globally recognized as a leader in microwave research and later headed the development of GE's electron microscope.

In 1946, unhappy with the direction of General Electric, Ramo returned to California to become director of research for the electronics department of Hughes Aircraft, and his career became coupled with that of Dean Wooldridge. Together they formed a successful team for many years, with Wooldridge concentrating on investment and general business aspects while Ramo led research, development and engineering. By 1948, Hughes had created its Aerospace Group to work with the newly created U.S. Air Force. Dr. Ramo became a Vice-President and the Group's Director of Operations. Ramo employed his skills in Systems Engineering to allow Hughes to deliver integrated RADAR and aircraft fire-control systems. He developed the air-to-air missile, creating the Falcon missile.

By 1953 Ramo and the Air Force had become increasingly frustrated with management problems at Hughes Aircraft. Ramo and Wooldridge were particularly concerned when Howard Hughes avoided their attempts to discuss the problem. In September they jointly resigned, and within a week formed the Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation on September 16, 1953. In October 1953 an Assistant Secretary of Defense, Trevor Gardner, created a committee to consider the future of guided missiles. This Strategic Missile Evaluation Committee (SMEC) was headed by John von Neumann and included both Ramo and Wooldridge. In four months, the committee produced their report and recommended that a crash program was needed to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles, and that such a program might enable the United States to overtake Russian developments by 1959 or 1960.

With Dr. Ramo as the driving scientific and engineering officer, the Ramo-Wooldridge Corp became the lead contractor for the resulting Air Force program. In 1958, an Atlas rocket delivered a payload 5,000 miles downrange, and the Atlas would go on to serve as the launch vehicle for NASA's Project Mercury orbital flights, starting with John Glenn in Friendship 7. USAF General Bernard Schriever, head of the ICBM program, described Ramo as "the architect of the Thor, Atlas, and Titan" rockets.

During a series of key experiments of ballistic missiles in the 1950s at Cape Canaveral, Florida, at which Ramo and Air Force General Bernard Schriever were observers, test rockets kept exploding on their launch pads. When one missile rose about 6 inches before toppling over and exploding, Ramo reportedly beamed and said: "Well, Benny, now that we know the thing can fly, all we have to do is improve its range a bit." Ramo-Wooldridge later merged with Thompson Products to become TRW, and Simon Ramo became Vice-Chairman of the company. In 1964, TRW and Martin Marietta formed the jointly owned Bunker Ramo Corporation with Ramo as President, which then expanded into the computer and communications technology fields.

Over the course of his career, Ramo received numerous awards and fellowships. He was honored by the American Philosophical Society, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the American Physical Society, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Ramo served as an advisor to the United States government on science and technology. He was a member of the National Science Board, the White House Council on Energy R&D, the Advisory Council to the Secretary of Commerce, the Advisory Council to the Secretary of State for Science and Foreign Affairs, and of many special advisory committees to the Defense Department and NASA. President Gerald Ford appointed Ramo as co-chairman of a committee of distinguished scientists and engineers, requesting Ramo to list the science and technology issues most deserving of attention by the White House and to recommend actions. Following this, Ramo was appointed by President Ford to be chairman of The President's Advisory Committee on Science and Technology, a position created by Congress to advise on how to ensure that science and technology matters receive proper attention at the White House.

In 1980, then-President-elect Ronald Reagan asked Ramo to assemble a transition task force to advise on executive branch appointments where science and technology background was desirable. President Reagan subsequently invited Ramo to be a Science Adviser to the President of the Republic of China. In that assignment, Ramo aided greatly Taiwan's development of a strong high-technology industry.

On February 23, 1983, Ramo was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Reagan for his contributions to science, engineering, and national defense.

In 1982, the IEEE Board of Directors initiated the IEEE Simon Ramo Medal for exceptional achievement in systems engineering and systems science.

Ramo authored dozens of books on topics ranging from science textbooks, corporate and technology management, society's relation to technology, economy, and how to play tennis. A selection:

Fields and Waves in Modern Radio by Simon Ramo and John R. Whinnery (1944)

Fields and Waves in Communication Electronics (1965)

Extraordinary Tennis For The Ordinary Player (1970)

The Management of Innovative Technological Corporations (1980)

Ramo was married to Virginia (née Smith) from 1937 until her death in 2009. They had two sons, James Brian and Alan Martin, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Ramo died on June 27, 2016, at the age of 103.