World War II Honoree

Dean E. Woolridge

Hometown

Chickasha, Oklahoma

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

AFTER GRADUATING FROM CALTECH, HE WAS HIRED BY THE BELL TELEPHONE LABORATORIES IN NEW YORK. AS HEAD OF ELECTRONICS RESEARCH THERE DURING WWII, HE SUPERVISED THE DESIGN OF THE FIRST AIRBORNE FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM. THE MECHANICS THAT ALLOWED FIGHTER PLANES TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS TO HIT SPECIFIC TARGETS. THAT TECHNOLOGY WOULD LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDED MISSILES.