The U.S. Navy’s highest civilian award–the Distinguished Civilian Service Award–was presented here to Dr. Emanuel R. Piore, Deputy and Chief Scientist of the Office of Naval Research. The ceremony took place at the Naval Gun Factory with James H. Smith Jr., Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air, making the presentation. Dr. Piore is a son-in-law of Alexander Kahn, general manager of the Jewish Daily Forward.
The Jewish scientist, who is leaving his post with the Navy, was cited for “exceptional service to the Navy.” The citation said: “His dynamic and inspiring leadership as Deputy and Chief Scientist of the Office of Naval Research has broadened the understanding of the technical problems of the Navy among the nation’s leading scientists, and has greatly accelerated the advancement of national defense programs.” During World War II, Dr. Piore was senior physicist in the Navy’s Bureau of Ships in charge of the early work on guided missiles and later as a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy he served on the staff of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air.
Dr. Piore had been with the Office of Naval Research since its establishment in 1946 except for a year when he was associated with the Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was one of the principal architects of the Navy’s program of long-range support of basic research through universities and other research institutions. He has been a leader in the mobilization of science for the benefit of the Navy and the Department of Defense, and was instrumental in the establishment of many important scientific projects of joint-service interest.
Dr. Piore’s approach to many complex technical problems led not only to their solution but to a comprehensive readjustment of the Navy’s research and development program. He served as a consultant to the Armed Forces Special Weapons project on Instrumentation for which he was commended by Brigadier General Herbert B. Loper, U.S. Army. He also was consultant to the Science Advisory Committee of the Office of Defense Mobilization. Dr. Piore was a deputy member of the President’s Interdepartmental Committee on Scientific Research and Development and many committees within the Department of Defense. He maintained close liaison with the national and international scientific communities.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
