Frederick C. Durant
Assistant Director for Astronautics of the Simthsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. World authority of spaceflight and rocketry [2] CIA Officer. Forbears include Thomas C Durant (Union Pacific Railroad … [E.H. Harriman who had two sons W.A. Harriman (S&B 1913) and E.R. Harriman (S&B1917)] and Joseph Harrison (Engineer).
1964, The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC hired Durant to bring the Smithsonian into the space age. He became assistant director and head of the new Astronautics Department and is responsible for making the Museum the official repository for all flown NASA hardware. Numerous satellites, spacecraft, space suits, and other space paraphernalia were collected during his tenure as director.
28 Feb 1960, NY Times, Admiral R. H. Hillenkoetter, said that “behind the scences, high ranking Air Force officers are soberly concerned about UFO’s. But through official secrecy and ridicule, many citizens are led to believe the unknown glying objects are nonsense.[4][5]
1953, he was elected president of the American Rocket Society and was a space analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency. Durant was part of the group that attempted to put the first U.S. satellite into orbit. Led by Wernher von Braun, the team developed a concept called Project Orbiter, which later served as the foundation of the successful Explorer I mission launched on 31 January 1958.
Jan 1953, CIA officer, Secretary to the Robertson panel [UFO Investigation] and missile expert.
Korean War - 1951, Returned to service as a test pilot. Durant also spent some time working in the Everett Research Lab and the Maynard Ordnance Test Station
1948 to 1951, he was the director of engineering for the Naval Air Rocket Test Station.
1946 to 1947 - His naval experience during the war prompted him to become involved in rocketry while working at Bell Aircraft Corp.
1941, left DuPont to enlist in the Navy and was a part of the pilot training program. After University, he worked for Chemical engineer for E.I. Dupont (One of the thirteen bloodlines) de Nemours & Co.
Grew up at 16th and Locust Streets in Philadelphia, two blocks from his fraternal grandparents who lived in a house on the far side of Rittehouse Square.
Died 21 Oct 2015. Age 98.
[1] - Smithsonia - National Air and Space Museum - Durant and Werner von Braun
[2] - CIA Website - Reference to 13 bloodlines and DuPont family
[3] - Dignitymemorial.com - Frederick C. Durant
[4] - 28 Feb 1960, NY Times - Air Force Order on ‘Saucers’ cited.
Comments