Quarles Credit: NASA |
Born: 1894. Died: 1959-01-01.
Donald A. Quarles was a deputy secretary of defense between 1957 and 1959. Just after World War II he had been a vice president first at Western Electric Co. and later at Sandia National Laboratories, but in 1953 he accepted the position of assistant secretary of defense (research and development). He was also secretary of the Air Force between 1955 and 1957.
Quarles Committee studies best method of furnishing the United States with a sattelite by end of 1958. A committee, appointed by Secretary of the Air Force, D. A. Quarles, to recommend the best method of furnishing the United States with a satellite between the dates of June and December 1958, was briefed at Western Development Division (WDD). The Atlas project was reviewed and the potential of Atlas as a booster vehicle in a selected satellite system was presented. The committee was advised that WDD was qualified to manage the program if so directed but that such a program would interfere, to some extent with the high priority of the Atlas development effort. (Memo, Col C. H. Terhune, Dep Cmdr Tech Opns, WDD, to Brig Gen B. A. Schriever, Cmdr WDD, 28 Jun 55, subj: Visit of DOD Satellite Committee, 28 Jun 55.)
Air Force Ballistic Missile Committee (AF/BMC) given exclusive Air Force authority to review and approve all ballistic missile program requirements and plans. In accordance with the Gillette Report and recent OSD decisions, Air Force Secretary Donald Quarles established the Air Force Ballistic Missile Committee (AF/BMC) with exclusive Air Force authority to review and approve all ballistic missile program requirements and plans. The Western Development Division was to submit annual development plans which, when approved, were to become the basis for programming, planning, budgeting, production, testing, and most other aspects of each ballistic missile program.
The Air Force Ballistic Missile Committee (AF/BMC) withheld approval of WDD's proposed initial operational capability (IOC) program until a further review was completed. Austerity in facilities and reductions in military objectives were recommended. Secretary of the Air Force Donald Quarles and the AF/BMC directed the Western Development Division to adopt a "poor man's approach" when working out the alternate IOC program.
Secretary of the Air Force Donald Quarles rejected WDD's FY 1958 ballistic missile program budget submitted to the Air Force Ballistic Missile Committee by Major General Schriever. Secretary Quarles directed a cut from the recommended $1,672 billion on a maximum of $1.3 billion and advised a restudy of IOC planning.
The revised WDD ballistic missile development plan was submitted to Secretary of the Air Force Donald Quarles and the Air Force Ballistic Missile Committee. Cuts were made in force structure, and the budget was reduced to $1,335 billion as already approved by the Air Council. AFBMC also approved the new submission and passed it on to the Office of the Secretary of Defense Ballistic Missile Committee (OSD/ BMC) for consideration.
Secretary of Defense Charles E. Wilson, Secretary Quarles, and the OSD/BMC approved the $1,335 billion budget submitted by WDD for FY 1958. Subsequently, however, this approved budget was cut to $1,135 billion by OSD in an effort to reduce the overall FY 1958 funding requirements of the Air Force.