Robert C. Duncan

Robert Clifton "Cliff" Duncan (November 21, 1923 – May 17, 2003) was an American engineer and engineering manager, particularly for the US Government. He is best known for two of the programs he directed to a successful completion - guidance and control for Apollo program, and the Polaroid SX-70 camera.

Biography

Born in Jonesville, Virginia, He received BS degrees from the Naval Academy (1945) and the Naval Postgraduate School (1953), and MS and ScD degrees in aeronautical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His 1954 master's thesis was entitled Fundamental design principles of an attack simulator for airborne fire control systems. His 1960 doctoral thesis was entitled Guidance parameters and constraints for controlled atmospheric entry.

Duncan served in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1965. In the closing months of World War II, he was assigned to the heavy cruiser but did not see combat. His final role in the Pentagon was a four-year tour as Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, where he was principal advisor to both the Secretary of Defense and the Under-Secretary of Defense for Acquisitions.

He retired from the government in 1993, and became a vice president at Hicks and Associates (a national security consultanting firm).

Memberships and awards

He was a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

His awards include the Legion of Merit (1964), the NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1968), and the U.S. Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Award (1987 and 1989).

He was an Eagle Scout and was honored in 1984 with the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.

Personal

Duncan married Rosemary Fleming (August 13, 1927 – November 4, 2017)

Duncan contracted Parkinson's disease and died in Altadena, California. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on July 1, 2003. His wife was interred with him on May 7, 2018.