Freeman F. Bentley was a research chemist at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) for over 30 years. Born on August 15, 1920, in Georgia, Bentley was an Army Veteran of World War II before he attended the University of Georgia, where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree (1947) and Master of Science Degree (1949) in Organic Chemistry. Bentley began working for WPAFB in 1951 as a research chemist in the Air Force Materials Laboratory. Throughout his career at WPAFB, Bentley held numerous positions, which are listed in his Career Summaries in this collection.
Much of his laboratory focus was centered on spectroscopy. He authored several books and articles throughout his career on his spectroscopy findings. His writings and reports are especially important considering Bentley was a pioneer in the field of far infrared spectroscopy. His dedication to this topic is evident through his membership in professional organizations such as the Society of Applied Spectroscopy and the American Chemical Society. Freeman F. Bentley was also involved in a few personal business endeavors before he died in January of 2009.
From the guide to the Freeman F. Bentley Papers, 1940-2000, (Wright State University, Special Collections and Archives)
