Robert Beacham Dillaway

Robert Beacham Dillaway (November 10, 1924 – June 11, 2015) was an American aeronautical engineer and executive. He was involved in developing missile rocket engines for the Atlas Missile program and the Apollo missions.

Early life Robert Beacham Dillaway was born on November 10, 1924, in Washington, D.C., to Ida Louise (née Clark) and Robert Gardiner Dillaway. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and math in 1945. He graduated from the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a Master of Science in physics in 1951 and a PhD in mechanical engineering in 1953.

Career Dillaway taught engineering courses at the University of Illinois and Stanford University.

In 1968, Dillaway moved to Northern Virginia to join the U.S. Navy as Deputy Director of the Office of Program Appraisal under the U.S. Secretary of the Navy. From 1969 to 1975, Dillaway served as the Deputy for Laboratories with the U.S. Army's Army Materiel Command.

Dillaway also was the senior vice president of Consolidated Diesel Electric Company. He also became a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Personal life Dillaway was married to Beverly Hercer. Together, they had three sons: Ronald, Blair and R. Keith.

Death

Dillaway died on June 11, 2015, from complications from Alzheimer's disease in Arden Court of Fair Oaks in Fairfax, Virginia. He was buried at Columbia Gardens Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Awards and legacy Dillaway received the Donovan Scholar Award and the NAA Editorial Award.

He is on the Wall of Honor at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.