Louis Dunn

Louis Gerhardus Dunn (1908-1979) was a South African-born engineer who played a key role in the development of early American missiles and launch vehicles.

Dunn received both undergraduate and graduate degrees in aeronautical engineering from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, CA.

In 1943 and 1944, von Kármán and Frank Malina, who had been doing rocket research at GALCIT, began using Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in the names of their projects.

William Hayward Pickering, who had been project manager for the Corporal missile under Dunn, succeeded him as JPL director.

After leaving JPL Dunn led the Atlas missile program at the Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation, a predecessor of TRW.

Dr. Dunn is shown doing last minute adjustments on a Corporal missile at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, shortly before it is launched.