David Sloan Lewis, Jr. (July 6, 1917 – December 15, 2003) was an

aeronautical engineer Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is si ...

who led aerospace and defense giant

General Dynamics General Dynamics Corporation (GD) is an American publicly traded, aerospace and defense corporation headquartered in Reston, Virginia. As of 2020, it was the fifth-largest defense contractor in the world by arms sales, and 5th largest in the Uni ...

for 14 years.

Early life

David Lewis was born in 1917, in

North Augusta, South Carolina North Augusta is a city in Aiken and Edgefield counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina, on the north bank of the Savannah River. The population was 21,348 at the 2010 census. The city is included in the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) ...

. As a child, he loved to read aviation books and build model aircraft. Lewis attended the University of South Carolina, and transferred to

Georgia Tech The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech or, in the state of Georgia, as Tech or The Institute, is a public research university and institute of technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1885, it is part of ...

for his last two years. He graduated in 1939 with a degree in

aeronautical engineering Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: Aeronautics, aeronautical engineering and Astronautics, astronautical engineering. A ...

. While at Georgia Tech, he was a member of the

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Sigma Alpha Epsilon (), commonly known as SAE, is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. It was founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is t ...

fraternity.

Career

After college Lewis began his work career at the

Glenn L. Martin Company The Glenn L. Martin Company—also known as The Martin Company from 1957-1961—was an American aircraft and aerospace manufacturing company founded by aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin, and operated between 1917-1961. The Martin Company produc ...

. Then in 1946, he moved to McDonnell Aircraft Company and became chief of aerodynamics."David S. Lewis, Jr., Former Chairman of General Dynamics, Dies at 86"
General Dynamics, December 17, 2003 He was the program manager for the highly successful

F-4 Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bow ...

jet fighter."Testing the F-4 Phantom II"
''Caltech'', 1989. Following the merger of McDonnell and

Douglas Aircraft Company The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer based in Southern California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas; it then operated as ...

in 1967, David Lewis served as president of

McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturing corporation and defense contractor, formed by the merger of McDonnell Aircraft and the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967. Between then and its own merger with Boeing in 1997, it produ ...

until 1970. Lewis became the head of General Dynamics in 1970. He was influential in having the

F-16 The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF). Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it ...

design team choose the

Pratt & Whitney F100 The Pratt & Whitney F100 (company designation JTF22) is an afterburning turbofan engine manufactured by Pratt & Whitney that powers the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon. Development In 1967, the United States Navy and United States Air Force ...

turbofan engine following his experience with the engine in the McDonnell Douglas

F-15 The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is an American twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing). Following reviews of proposals, the United States Air Force selected McDonnell Douglas's ...

fighter. He remained head of the company until he retired in 1986, following pressure from a congressional subcommittee investigating fraud at General Dynamics, specifically the Electric Boat Division involving submarine contracts and cost overruns.UPI
"Defense Firm`s Chairman to Quit"

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

, May 23, 1985. Upon his retirement, the investigation was halted and he remained on the board of directors through 1993. He also served on the Board of Directors for Ralston Purina and Meade Paper Company, as well as the Board Executive Committee for

Bank of America The Bank of America Corporation (often abbreviated BofA or BoA) is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered at the Bank of America Corporate Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The bank w ...

. Lewis received numerous national and international awards for his contribution to the field of aeronautics, including the

Robert J. Collier Trophy The Robert J. Collier Trophy is an annual aviation award administered by the U.S. National Aeronautic Association (NAA), presented to those who have made "the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to im ...

in 1975, the Golden Plate Award of the

American Academy of Achievement The American Academy of Achievement, colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement, is a non-profit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest achieving individuals in diverse fields and gives them the opportunity to meet o ...

in 1977, the Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Award in 1981, the

Daniel Guggenheim Medal The Daniel Guggenheim Medal is an American engineering award, established by Daniel and Harry Guggenheim. The medal is considered to be one of the greatest honors that can be presented for a lifetime of work in aeronautics. Recipients have include ...

in 1982, and the

Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy The Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy was established by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) in 1948 after a trust fund was created in 1936 by Godfrey Lowell Cabot of Boston, a former president of the NAA. It is awarded to a living American ...

in 1984. Lewis was inducted into the South Carolina Business Hall of Fame in 2000."Legacy of Leadership, South Carolina Business Hall of Fame"
South Carolina Business Hall of Fame, 2000 He was a member of the Georgia Tech Council of Distinguished Engineering Graduates and a trustee emeritus of the Georgia Tech and

Washington University in St. Louis Washington University in St. Louis (WashU or WUSTL) is a private research university with its main campus in St. Louis County, and Clayton, Missouri. Founded in 1853, the university is named after George Washington. Washington University is r ...

Foundations."Obituary: David Lewis, emeritus trustee, 86"

He was named a Fellow of the

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is a professional society for the field of aerospace engineering. The AIAA is the U.S. representative on the International Astronautical Federation and the International Council of ...

, and the

National Academy of Engineering The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy ...

."National Academy of Engineering Members Directory"

, 2003

Personal life

Lewis was married to his wife, Dorothy, for 62 years. They had four children.

References

External links

"Pentagon Watchdog Urges Suspension Of Firm`s Chairman", ''Sun-Sentinel'', May 4, 1985

"Pace to Head General Dynamics", ''Los Angeles Times'', December 9, 1985

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, David Sloan 1917 births 2003 deaths American aerospace engineers Georgia Tech alumni Collier Trophy recipients American business executives People from North Augusta, South Carolina 20th-century American engineers