Wright Haskell Langham (21 May 1911 – 19 May 1972) was an internationally renowned expert in the fields of

plutonium Plutonium is a radioactive chemical element with the symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, and forms a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhibi ...

exposure,

aerospace Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space. Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and astrona ...

and

aviation medicine Aviation medicine, also called flight medicine or aerospace medicine, is a preventive or occupational medicine in which the patients/subjects are pilots, aircrews, or astronauts. The specialty strives to treat or prevent conditions to which aircr ...

, Eniwetok nuclear tests, the Palomares and Greenland nuclear accidents. Sometimes Langham was referred to as ''Mr. Plutonium''.

Life and times

Wright Haskell Langham was born in

Winnsboro, Texas Winnsboro is a city in Franklin County, Texas, Franklin and Wood County, Texas, Wood counties in northeastern Texas, United States, north of Tyler, Texas, Tyler. The population was 3,434 at the 2010 census, down from 3,584 at the 2000 census. Sett ...

on 21 May 1911. Langham attended Texhoma High School in

Texhoma, Oklahoma Texhoma is a town in Texas County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 856 at the 2020 census. Texhoma is a divided city with the Texas–Oklahoma state border separating the town from Texhoma, Texas. The name of the town is a portma ...

and graduated in 1930 and earned a BS in

Chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

from Oklahoma Panhandle State College in 1934. Langham was awarded a MS in

from Oklahoma A & M College in 1935. Next he attended

Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a public land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm, Iowa State became one of the n ...

and pursued studies in

organic chemistry Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds and organic materials, i.e., matter in its various forms that contain carbon atoms.Clayden, J.; ...

. Langham completed the

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is a ...

Biochemistry Biochemistry or biological chemistry is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology and ...

from the

University of Colorado The University of Colorado (CU) is a system of public universities in Colorado. It consists of four institutions: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Denver, and the University of Co ...

in 1943.

Radiation tests on human subjects

Dr. Langham wrote and oversaw experiments intended to gauge the effects of exposure to radioactive elements on humans. The experiments involved injecting subjects with radioactive isotopes of polonium, plutonium or uranium without the informed consent of the subject. Dr. Langham suggested in public papers after the experiments that the patients had been terminally ill.

Death

On 19 May 1972, Langham died in a plane crash. A twin-engine aircraft chartered by the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratories crashed on takeoff from Albuquerque International Airport, killing all nine persons aboard, including Langham, a leading biomedical scientist. Witnesses said the

Beechcraft Queen Air The Beechcraft Queen Air is a twin-engined light aircraft produced by Beechcraft in several versions from 1960 to 1978. Based upon the Twin Bonanza, with which it shared key components such as wings, engines, and tail surfaces, but featuring a ...

, chartered to shuttle Los Alamos personnel between

Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...

and Los Alamos, apparently lost power in one engine and nosedived into an open field south of the control tower. Authorities reported that all 8 passengers and the pilot were killed when the plane crashed. The victims Included Dr. Langham, who was then associate division leader for biomedical research at Los Alamos. He had been working at the laboratory since 1944, and was a leading plutonium scientist. The other casualties were technicians or staff members, and were Eugene Teatum, 37; Donald A. Larson, 46; Bruce A. Bean, 28; Johnnie E. Gallegos, 41; Richard O. Neithammer, 39; William Paul Frye, 40; and John Allen Gill, 43. The pilot was Richard T. Zittel of Ross Aviation. All the victims were from Los Alamos, except for Gill who was from

Arroyo Seco, New Mexico Arroyo Seco is a census-designated place in Taos County near Taos, New Mexico. Arroyo Seco's economy is based on tourism and services to residents of retirement and vacation homes. Arroyo Seco has a post office, with the ZIP code 87514. The 8751 ...

. The plane was on a routine flight from Albuquerque to Los Alamos, lost an engine during takeoff, and crashed into the runway. The crash occurred shortly after midday at 1:37 p.m. Aviation officials remarked that high winds (up to 31

knot A knot is an intentional complication in cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including hitches, bends, loop knots, and splices: a ''hitch'' fastens a rope to another object; a ' ...

s) might have contributed to the crash.Beitler, Stu. (20 May 1972) NINE KILLED IN PLANE CRASH AT CITY AIRPORT. MOON MISSION SCIENTIST DIES. Albuquerque Journal New Mexico.

Career highlights

*Oklahoma Panhandle A & M College, Agricultural Experiment Station, Research Chemist, 1935-1937, 1939-1941 *University of Chicago, Metallurgical Laboratory, Research Chemist, 1943-1944 *Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Biomedical Research Division, Chemist, Group Leader, Associate Division Leader, 1944-1972 *University of California at Los Angeles, Associate Professor, 1944-1972

Professional service

*Tripartite Permissible Doses Conference, 1949 *

University of Utah The University of Utah (U of U, UofU, or simply The U) is a public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the flagship institution of the Utah System of Higher Education. The university was established in 1850 as the University of De ...

, Radiobiology Project, Founding Fathers Group *NAS-NRC, Committee on Pathologic Effects of Atomic Radiation, Subcommittee on Toxicity of Internal Emitters, 1956-1960 *National Committee on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Relative Biological Effectiveness, Sub-Committee M-4, Chairman, 1957-1960 * AEC and DOD, Nevada Test Site, Pacific atolls,

Rongelap Rongelap Atoll ( Marshallese: , ) is a coral atoll of 61 islands (or motus) in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ralik Chain of the Marshall Islands. Its total land area is . It encloses a lagoon with an area of . ...

, 1954-1955 *U.S. Air Force and U.S. State Department, Special Assignment: Palomares, Spain, 1966;

Thule, Greenland Qaanaaq (), formerly known as Thule or New Thule, is the main town in the northern part of the Avannaata municipality in northwestern Greenland. It is one of the northernmost towns in the world. The inhabitants of Qaanaaq speak the local Inukt ...

, 1968 *

U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and an upper body, ...

Joint Committee on Atomic Energy The Joint Committee on Atomic Energy (JCAE) was a United States congressional committee that was tasked with exclusive jurisdiction over "all bills, resolutions, and other matters" related to civilian and military aspects of nuclear power from 1946 ...

, Testimonies at Hearings *AEC, Nevada Applied Ecology Group, Ad Hoc Committee on Plutonium, Chairman, 1970-1972 *NAS-NRC, Space Science Board, Life Sciences Committee, Space Radiobiology Panel, Chairman, 1964-1966 *NAS-NRC, Space Science Board, Committee on Space Medicine, Radiobiology Advisory Panel, Chairman, 1967-1971

Health Physics Society

*Board of Directors, Member, 1958-1961, 1968-1970 *President-Elect, 1967-1968 *President, Chairman of Board, 1968-1969 *Past-President, Awards Committee Chairman, 1969-1970

Achievements and honors

* Eniwetok Atoll nuclear tests, 1951 *PUQFUA, Plutonium Body Burden (Q) from

Urine Analysis A urine test is any medical test performed on a urine specimen. The analysis of urine is a valuable diagnostic tool because its composition reflects the functioning of many body systems, particularly the kidneys and urinary system, and specimens a ...

– software program * Palomares B-52 crash in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

, 1966. * Thule Air Base B-52 crash, 1968 *Working Group on Human Factors and Training of the Special Committee on Space Technology,

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...

, 1958 *Special Committee on Life Sciences, NASA, 1958-1960 *Committee on Space Medicine, NASA, Chairman * Atomic Energy Commission *

Department of Defense Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to: Current departments of defence * Department of Defence (Australia) * Department of National Defence (Canada) * Department of Defence (Ireland) * Department of National Defense (Philippin ...

, Distinguished Service Award, 1967 * Panhandle State College, Alumni Ambassadors Hall of Fame, 1973

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Langham, Wright Haskell 1911 births 1972 deaths People from Winnsboro, Texas Oklahoma Panhandle State University alumni Oklahoma State University alumni Iowa State University alumni 20th-century American biochemists University of Colorado alumni Los Alamos National Laboratory personnel NASA people Nuclear Regulatory Commission United States Air Force civilians Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States