White Sands Missile Range Hall of Fame

The White Sands Missile Range Hall of Fame was founded in 1980 by Major General Duard D. Ball to recognize Missile Range civilian, military, and contractor personnel for outstanding contributions made during their tenure at WSMR.

Members of the White Sands Missile Range Hall of Fame are people who have, over the years, made significant contributions to the success of the mission of White Sands Proving Ground/White Sands Missile Range and/or made significant contributions to the advancement of technology in furtherance of the capability of the Missile Range.

Induction into the Hall of Fame is the highest honor White Sands can bestow on one of its own.

Hall of Fame honorees are usually inducted during the summer months, often around the 09 July anniversary of the founding of the Missile Range.

Inductees receive a medal and a certificate. In 2006, each honoree received an American flag that was flown in front of the Missile Range Headquarters Building. The flag presentation is now part of the ceremony as well.

The profiles below are listed in alphabetical order. Click on the photo to view their biography.

Joy Arthur
Research Electronic Engineer
Served 1958 – 2005
Inducted 2005
Paul Arthur
Tester – Director – Mentor
Served 1956 – 2004
Inducted 2005
Roy Autry
Civilian Personnel Officer
Served 1960 – 1974
Inducted 1986
MG Duard Ball
14th WSMR Commander
Served 1979 – 1980
Inducted 1989
Teddy Barber
Scientist
Served 1958 – 1987
Inducted 2016
John Bayer
Test Conductor
Served 1955 – 2000
Inducted 2000
Richard W. Benfer
Director, Bell Labs White Sands
Served 1946 – 1969
19 November 2008
Father Paul Betowski, SJ
Catholic Chaplain
Served 1970 – 2002
Inducted 2002
Benjamin Billups
Chief, Plans Office
Served 1951 – 1973
Inducted 1980
Lloyd (Gunner) Briggs
Director, Navy Research Rockets
Served 1966 – 1986
Inducted 2004
Gabriel Brillante
Public Affairs Officer
Served 1953 – 1974
Inducted 1980
Carlos Bustamante
Test Facility Design Engineer
Served 1952 – 1997
Inducted 2002
Ozro Covington
Tech Director, Army Signal Missile Support Agency
Served 1946 – 1961
Inducted 1985
Dr. Eugene Dirk
Physicist
Served 1963 – 2006
Inducted 2012
COL Dan Duggan
Deputy Commander
Director of NRO
Served 1961 – 1965 & 1980 – 1985
Inducted 2012
Jed Durrenberger
Photo-Optical Engineer
Served 1951 – 1981
Inducted 2004
Jim Eckles
Public Affairs Specialist
Range Historian
Served 1977 – 2007
Inducted 2013
BG George Eddy
3rd WSPG Commander
Served 1950 – 1954
Inducted 1982
Glenn Elder
Chief, Nuclear Effects Lab
Served 1955 – 1974
Inducted 1985
Joseph Franczak
Civil Engineering Technician
Served 1952 – 1973
Inducted 1981
MG Niles Fulwyler
16th WSMR Commander
Served 1982 – 1986
Inducted 1996
Gabriel Galos
Chief, Optics in Instrumentation
Served 1952 – 1977
Inducted 1985
Dr. George Gardiner
Founder, NMSU Physical Science Lab
Served 1946 – 1961
Inducted 1986
Joseph Gold
Optical Technology Pioneer
Program Manager
Served 1949 – 1979
Inducted 2006
Leon Goode
Ballistic Missile Defense Pioneer
Served 1956 -1988
Inducted 1991
Alice Lucile Graham
Chief of Computer Operations
Served 1951 – 1969
Inducted 1986
Dale Green
Chief, Engineers Uprange Division
Served 1951 – 1983
Inducted 2009
Frank Hemingway
Technical Director, National Range
Served 1947 – 1977
Inducted 1980
Patrick Higgins
Chief of Data Sciences
Served 1950 – 1981
Inducted 1988
Dr. Donald Hoock Jr.
Physicist
Inducted 2014
Herbert Karsch
Range Technical Director
Served 1945 – 1956
Inducted 1983
Robert Lechtenberg
Technical Director, Army Test and Evaluation Directorate
Served 1950 – 1972
Inducted 1988
Melvin Lux
Manager, Land-Air Range Operations
Served 1950 – 1987
Inducted 2006
William McCool
Father of Real Time Data Processing
Served 1959 – 1973
Inducted 1999
Edward Noble
Pioneer in Development of Range Optics
Served 1952 – 1979
Inducted 1992
MG Alan Nord
15th WSMR Commander
Served 1980 – 1982
Inducted 1994
Alex Paczynski
Space Harbor Project Manager
Served 1964 – 1995
Inducted 2000
Moises Pedroza
Telemetry Pioneer
Served 1968 – 2005
Inducted 2006
Andres Portillo
Video Pioneer
Served 1958 – 2001
Inducted 2013
Joaquin Provencio
Operations and Signal Security Pioneer
Served 1951 – 1985
Inducted 2007
Mary Beth Reinhart
Chief of the Community Recreation Division
Served 1982 – 2005
Inducted 2009
Wayne Roemersberger
Range Instrumentation Developer
Served 1946 – 1956
Inducted 1987
James (Scotty) Scott
Operations Manager
Served 1952 – 2003
Inducted 2004
MG John Shinkle
6th WSMR Commander
Served 1960 – 1962
Inducted 1990
Dr. Ernst Steinhoff
Rocket Scientist
Served 1945 – 1972
Inducted 1984
Samuel Teitelbaum
Range Comptroller
Served 1952 – 1971
Inducted 1988
Dr. Clyde Tombaugh
Chief of Optical Measurements
Served 1946 – 1955
Inducted 1980
Joseph Trammel
Security and Counterintelligence
Ordained Pastor
Leader of the Gospel Congregation
Inducted 2014
COL Harold Turner
1st WSMR Commander
Served 1945 – 1947
Inducted 1980
Austin Vick
Manager and Engineer, National Range Operations
Served 1950 – 1984
Inducted 2001
Dr. Werhner von Braun
Rocket Scientist
Served 1945 – 1950
Inducted 1980
Nathan Wagner
Father of Missile Flight Safety
Served 1950 – 1973
Inducted 1984

Frances Williams
Chief of Equal Employment Opportunity Programs
Served 1969 – 1987
Inducted 1995