Root, Leonard Eugene, 1910-1992

Biography

Leonard Eugene Root was born in Lewiston, Idaho on July 4, 1910. He spent his school years in Stockton, California, and then attended the College of the Pacific, receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Engineering and Mathematics in 1932.

L. Eugene Root's long and distinguished career in aeronautical and space sciences began with his graduate work at California Institute of Technology in the Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory. He earned Masters of Sciences in both Mechanical Engineering (1933) and Aeronautical Engineering (1934) from Caltech. Before he could finish his doctoral work, however, he was recruited: by his professor, Arthur E. Raymond, also the Chief Engineer at Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc., to work at Douglas in 1934. He remained at Douglas as Chief of Aerodynamics until 1946, and then served as a member of the staff of a Special Engineering Project until 1948.

After Douglas, Rand Corporation hired him as Chief of Aircraft Division from 1948-1953. In 1953, he joined Lockheed Aircraft Corporation where he remained until his retirement in 1970. Throughout his years at Lockheed, Root was instrumental in long range planning for the corporation. He was responsible for initiating planning efforts toward corporate diversification and the development of missile and space system programs. As the first Director of the Development and Planning Department, he proposed the creation of the Missile Systems Division to develop ballistic missiles and satellites. Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, Root's brainchild, was established in January 1954.

In 1956, he was appointed Vice President of Lockheed Aircraft Corpoaration and General Manager of Missiles and Space Division. In 1959, he became Group Vice President of Lockheed Missiles and Space Division, Lockheed Electronics Company and Grand Central Rocket Company. In 1961, he was named President of Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, and in 1969, he became Group Vice President of Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. While at Lockheed, he gave priority to cultivating effective management skills as well as to developing goals for the corporation. His primary areas of research were aircraft design; flying qualities; systems and operational analyses in military sciences; development planning methods; missiles and spacecreaft and aerospace management. Among the preeminant engineering projects in which he participated were the Polaris, the Agena and the Genesis efforts.

Root was called upon as advisor to other organizations in his field. He lectured at California Institute of Technology in 1937-1938. He served as a consultant to Hughes Aircraft Aerodynamic Advisory Panel. He was a member of Aerodynamic Committee of the National Advisory Committee in Aeronautics from1944-1950. He was the Chairman of the Aerodynamic Advisory Panel for the Atomic Energy Commission between 1948 and 1950. He was first Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff and then Chief of Staff of the Advisory Board for Development for the United States Airforce.

Root was active in the professional, social and community organizations with which he associated. Root was active in his memberships to the National Academy of Sciences; the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; the American Astronautical Society; and the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Dedicated to his community, Root served on the Board of Directors for the University of the Pacific, the Stanford Bank, and for the Management Council for Bay Area Employment Opportunity.

Among his honors are the Junior Chamber of Commerce Award for Outstanding Young Men (1945), the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award (1960), and a NASA Public Service Award for outstanding contributions in the Gemini Program (1966)

Root married Laura Beryl Mount in 1935. They had three children: Kirby, Karen and Brian. Root retired early from Lockheed in 1970 due to coronary disease. He turned to amateur radio to fill his free time. He died in Menlo Park, California on January 23, 1992.