Elmer P. Wheaton

Elmer P. Wheaton (August 15, 1909 – December 28, 1997) was an American aerospace and marine engineer and executive. He was corporate vice president for engineering at Douglas Aircraft Company and vice president for research and development at the Lockheed Missiles and Space Company. He was a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

Early life and education Wheaton was born in Elyria, Ohio, on August 15, 1909, the first child of Harry and Lizzie Nicholl Wheaton. His family moved to Redlands, California, when he was three. He was sick for much of his childhood, but insisted on earning money as a paperboy. in the middle of the Great Depression, Wheaton married and worked on sound recordings for Columbia Pictures.

In 1962, Wheaton became vice president for research and development at the Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, a division of Lockheed Corporation and the developer of the Polaris missile. However, he continued to provide consulting at Lockheed and at Marine Development Associates, where he was an associate and director. He died on December 28, 1997.

Personal life Wheaton was an avid equestrian. An Episcopalian, he was deeply spiritual. He had two children with his wife, Martha .

Recognition Wheaton received numerous awards for his work and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1967.