[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17779]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             DR. TOM TAYLOR

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DUNCAN HUNTER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 10, 2003

  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give recognition to the 
extraordinary life of Dr. Tom Taylor who passed away in late May of 
this year. Tom was the chief scientist and director of special projects 
in the Expeditionary Warfare Department at the U.S. Navy's Office of 
Naval Research. Not only did Tom have great strategic vision and 
scientific expertise but he was a great friend.
  Tom, who was part American Indian, was born in Waco, Texas, and grew 
up in Oklahoma City. He earned his undergraduate degree in chemical 
engineering at the University of Oklahoma and his Ph.D in chemical and 
aeronautical engineering at the University of California Berkeley. He 
was commissioned in the Army through ROTC and participated in research 
and development programs at the Army's Picatinny Arsenal. Tom often 
credited his days at Picatinny with making him a successful scientific 
program manager.
  Dr. Eli Zimet, an old friend, remembers that ``Tom could visualize 
concepts, and see them through development to completion. He knew how 
to get things done--to get funding, find the right performer for a 
program, and sit on the performer until he produced.''
  Tom defined a new model for public service with a career path that 
included a mix of work for corporations, not for profit organizations, 
and the Government. At Northrop, Ford, and the Aerospace Corporation he 
worked on re-entry physics research and aircraft development. While at 
the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Tom worked on submarine 
detection concepts. This work took him to the Defense Advanced Research 
Projects Agency as the codirector of the Naval Technology Office and 
the Advanced Submarine Technology (SUBTECH) program.
  As a senior fellow and director of technology systems development at 
the Center for Naval Analyses, Tom carried out a highly respected and 
well-received study of design concepts for future aircraft carriers, 
and a second highly regarded study of air-traffic management for the 
Federal Aviation Administration.
  He co-authored a book, ``Computational Methods for Fluid Flow,'' and 
wrote numerous papers on computational fluid dynamics and other topics. 
Just two years ago Tom was one of a handful of experts to testify 
before the House Science Committee Subcommittee on Space and 
Aeronautics Review of Vertical Takeoff and Landing Technology in the 
National Airspace System.
  At the Office of Naval Research, Tom started as the director of 
strike technology for the Special Programs department. Later, he was 
the chief scientist and director of special projects in the 
Expeditionary Warfare department. The Affordable Weapon program was his 
``crowning achievement.'' Tom's science and technology prototype proved 
that an effective cruise missile could be made from commercial and 
government parts without costing a fortune.
  In addition to his numerous scientific and management 
accomplishments, Tom was a tremendous guy--a lot of fun to be around. 
He had lived in Paris, drove a fast car, was a sharp dresser, and owned 
a vacation home on the coast of Morocco. He made friends wherever he 
went. His passing leaves all of us sad but filled with happy memories.
  Tom leaves a wife, Francoise, of Paris, a son, Scot, of San 
Francisco, a daughter, Cynthia, who lives in London, a granddaughter, 
and a sister, Sandra.

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