Trevor Gardner
Encyclopedia
Trevor Gardner was Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Air Force for Research and Development during the early 1950s. Together with Bernard Schriever, the Air Staff's Assistant for Development Planning, Gardner was one of the prime movers of the U.S. ICBM program and was also involved in the U-2
program.
, Wales, on 24 August 1915. He came
to the United States in 1928 and became a naturalized citizen in 1937. He received a
Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from the University of Southern California
in
1937. He returned to the University of Southern California to teach freshman
mathematics while obtaining his masters degree in business administration which he was
awarded in 1939.
Gardner's work at the California Institute of Technology
focused on
rocket and atomic bomb projects for the Office of Scientific Research and Development
.
With the end of World War II, Gardner became associated with General Tire and Rubber
Company of California as general manager and executive vice president. Three years
later he left to found Hycon Manufacturing Co., an electronics manufacturer. He was
president of Hycon until February 1953 when he became the Secretary of the Air Force's
Special Assistant for Research and Development.
significantly reduce spending. Gardner was asked to lead a committee and implement an
economy program to reduce missile development activities. Its final report recommended
that promising missile projects should be continued. The Atlas, under development since
1951, was America's best hope, however its development had been constrained by the Air
Force due to the belief that missiles required too great an investment in systems that
seemed "impossible' "Impatient, Gardner requested a scientific review of all Air Force
missile programs in April 1953. The impetus came from two directions. First, he was
concerned over the growing Soviet threat and, in August 1953, they exploded a hydrogen
bomb. The other trend was the development of lighter nuclear weapons. The "impossible"
ICBM was now much more possible. In October 1953 Gardner established a second
committee — the Teapot Committee
— to review the Air Force's strategic missiles — the Snark
, Navaho
, and Atlas. He directed the committee to find ways to accelerate the development of the Atlas. The
committee issued its report on 10 February 1954. Its thrust called for a "radical
reorganization of the ...[Atlas] project considerably transcending the Convair framework"
Gardner developed a five-year plan to accelerate the Atlas which would yield a
"preliminary capability" by June 1958.
In early 1955 most of the Eisenhower administration assumed that America had a strong
lead over the Soviet Union in strategic technology and felt no particular urgency for the
ICBM programs. The Killian report indicated that America was becoming vulnerable and
that the ICBM should be given the "highest priority." While an Air Force priority, he
believed that ICBMs must also be a national priority. He indicated that the U. S. could
have a rudimentary ICBM by mid-1958 if the program was conducted on a crash basis.
Eisenhower requested a briefing and, on 28 July 1955, Gardner, von Neumann, and
Schriever made a presentation to the President and the National Security Council
. As a
result the National Security Council recommended the ICBM be designated a "research
program of the highest priority" which the President approved on 13 September 1955.
Gardner had achieved his goal.
In January 1955 the Scientific Advisory Committee urged the Air Force to develop a
tactical ballistic missile. All three services developed plans and the interservice rivalry
led to a compromise with the Air Force building the Thor and the Army and Navy in
charge of the Jupiter. Gardner viewed this approach as dangerous since the IRBM could
drain resources from the ICBM and threaten its early delivery. His fears were realized
when President Eisenhower assigned the ICBM and the IRBM "joint" highest national
priority. The ICBM program no longer had a unique status. Trevor Gardner felt betrayed
and resigned his position in protest on 10 February 1956.
President's Space Task Force Commission to review the nation's space program and also
chaired the U. S. Air Force Space Task Force. He also became involved in preventing the
use of weapons. Gardner played a major role in establishing the U. S. Arms Control and
Disarmament Agency and was named to its General Advisory Commission on 1 March
1962. At the time of his death on 28 September 1963 in his home in Washington, D.C.,
Gardner was actively participating in Project Forecast, which was to chart the future
course of the Air Force for the next decade. Gardner died on 28 September 1963.
Gardner was honored by the U.S. Air Force as an Air Force Space and Missile Pioneer in 1997.
Lockheed U-2
The Lockheed U-2, nicknamed "Dragon Lady", is a single-engine, very high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and previously flown by the Central Intelligence Agency . It provides day and night, very high-altitude , all-weather intelligence gathering...
program.
Early life and career
Gardner was born in CardiffCardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales, on 24 August 1915. He came
to the United States in 1928 and became a naturalized citizen in 1937. He received a
Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in
1937. He returned to the University of Southern California to teach freshman
mathematics while obtaining his masters degree in business administration which he was
awarded in 1939.
World War II
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Gardner's work at the California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
focused on
rocket and atomic bomb projects for the Office of Scientific Research and Development
Office of Scientific Research and Development
The Office of Scientific Research and Development was an agency of the United States federal government created to coordinate scientific research for military purposes during World War II. Arrangements were made for its creation during May 1941, and it was created formally by on June 28, 1941...
.
With the end of World War II, Gardner became associated with General Tire and Rubber
Company of California as general manager and executive vice president. Three years
later he left to found Hycon Manufacturing Co., an electronics manufacturer. He was
president of Hycon until February 1953 when he became the Secretary of the Air Force's
Special Assistant for Research and Development.
Involvement with ICBM program
President Eisenhower began his first term by initiating a defense policy that sought tosignificantly reduce spending. Gardner was asked to lead a committee and implement an
economy program to reduce missile development activities. Its final report recommended
that promising missile projects should be continued. The Atlas, under development since
1951, was America's best hope, however its development had been constrained by the Air
Force due to the belief that missiles required too great an investment in systems that
seemed "impossible' "Impatient, Gardner requested a scientific review of all Air Force
missile programs in April 1953. The impetus came from two directions. First, he was
concerned over the growing Soviet threat and, in August 1953, they exploded a hydrogen
bomb. The other trend was the development of lighter nuclear weapons. The "impossible"
ICBM was now much more possible. In October 1953 Gardner established a second
committee — the Teapot Committee
Teapot Committee
The Strategic Missiles Evaluation Group, generally referred to by its codename as the Teapot Committee was a committee set up to evaluate strategic missiles of the U.S. Air Force.-Establishment:In October 1953, the Assistant Secretary of the U.S...
— to review the Air Force's strategic missiles — the Snark
SM-62 Snark
-External links:** Air Force Magazine article about a Snark that was test-fired and rumored to have been found in Brazil** detailed article on Snark and the USAF school to train personnel for it...
, Navaho
SM-64 Navaho
The North American SM-64 Navaho was a supersonic intercontinental cruise missile project built by North American Aviation. The program ran from 1946 to 1958 when it was cancelled in favor of intercontinental ballistic missiles...
, and Atlas. He directed the committee to find ways to accelerate the development of the Atlas. The
committee issued its report on 10 February 1954. Its thrust called for a "radical
reorganization of the ...[Atlas] project considerably transcending the Convair framework"
Gardner developed a five-year plan to accelerate the Atlas which would yield a
"preliminary capability" by June 1958.
In early 1955 most of the Eisenhower administration assumed that America had a strong
lead over the Soviet Union in strategic technology and felt no particular urgency for the
ICBM programs. The Killian report indicated that America was becoming vulnerable and
that the ICBM should be given the "highest priority." While an Air Force priority, he
believed that ICBMs must also be a national priority. He indicated that the U. S. could
have a rudimentary ICBM by mid-1958 if the program was conducted on a crash basis.
Eisenhower requested a briefing and, on 28 July 1955, Gardner, von Neumann, and
Schriever made a presentation to the President and the National Security Council
United States National Security Council
The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...
. As a
result the National Security Council recommended the ICBM be designated a "research
program of the highest priority" which the President approved on 13 September 1955.
Gardner had achieved his goal.
In January 1955 the Scientific Advisory Committee urged the Air Force to develop a
tactical ballistic missile. All three services developed plans and the interservice rivalry
led to a compromise with the Air Force building the Thor and the Army and Navy in
charge of the Jupiter. Gardner viewed this approach as dangerous since the IRBM could
drain resources from the ICBM and threaten its early delivery. His fears were realized
when President Eisenhower assigned the ICBM and the IRBM "joint" highest national
priority. The ICBM program no longer had a unique status. Trevor Gardner felt betrayed
and resigned his position in protest on 10 February 1956.
Return to public life
After the election in 1960 Gardner again became active in public life. He served on thePresident's Space Task Force Commission to review the nation's space program and also
chaired the U. S. Air Force Space Task Force. He also became involved in preventing the
use of weapons. Gardner played a major role in establishing the U. S. Arms Control and
Disarmament Agency and was named to its General Advisory Commission on 1 March
1962. At the time of his death on 28 September 1963 in his home in Washington, D.C.,
Gardner was actively participating in Project Forecast, which was to chart the future
course of the Air Force for the next decade. Gardner died on 28 September 1963.
Gardner was honored by the U.S. Air Force as an Air Force Space and Missile Pioneer in 1997.
External links
- http://www.afspc.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-100405-060.pdf Much of this article is taken directly from this U.S. federal government public-domain source.
- http://www.history.navy.mil/colloquia/cch9c.html -- contains more biographical material on Gardner