Bernard Waldman

Bernard Waldman
Bernard Waldman's wartime Los Alamos security badge
Born	(1913-07-12)July 12, 1913 New York, New York
Died	November 1, 1986(1986-11-01) (aged 73) Sanford, North Carolina
Citizenship	United States
Fields	Physics
Institutions	Los Alamos Laboratory University of Notre Dame University of Michigan
Alma mater	New York University
Thesis	The Resonance Processes in the Disintegration of Boron by Protons (1939)
Known for	Physics, Bombing of Hiroshima

Bernard Waldman (October 12, 1913 – November 1, 1986) was an American physicist, who during World War II flew on the Hiroshima bombing mission as a cameraman. He later served as the dean of the College of Science at Notre Dame University, director of the Midwestern Universities Research Association Laboratory, and associate director of the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory.

Early life and education

Bernard Waldman was born in New York City on October 12, 1913. He attended New York University, which awarded him his Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.^[1] His thesis, on "The Resonance Processes in the Disintegration of Boron by Protons",^[2] formed the basis of a paper on the subject published in the Physical Review. His research confirmed the estimates of Robert Oppenheimer and Robert Serber.^[3]

Although he was a Congregationalist, Waldman joined the faculty of Notre Dame University in 1938. He became an assistant professor in 1941.^[1]

Manhattan Project

During World War II, Waldman served in the United States Navy as an engineering officer, and was involved in base development in the United States.^[4] He took a leave of absence from Notre Dame University and joined Oppenheimer and Serber at the Manhattan Project's Los Alamos Laboratory in 1943,^[1] where he was assigned to Norman F. Ramsey's E-7 Group, which was part of the Ordnance (O) Division responsible for "integration of design and delivery". Most of the work involved preparing and checking instrumentation from drop tests involving dummy bombs.^[5]

Waldman (bottom right) on Tinian with Harold Agnew (top left), Luis W. Alvarez (top right) and Lawrence H. Johnston (bottom left)

Waldman was the head of Group TR-6 (Airborne Measurements) for the Trinity nuclear test in July 1945. He developed microphones that were dropped by parachute to measure the effect of the blast. He was then assigned to Project Alberta.^[5][6] As such, he participated in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, as a camera operator on the observation aircraft. He was equipped with a special high-speed Fastax movie camera with six seconds of film in order to record the blast. Unfortunately, Waldman forgot to open the camera shutter, and no film was exposed.^[7][8]

Later life

After the war ended, Waldman returned to Notre Dame University, where he continued his research into the photodisintegration of deuterium and beryllium.^[4] For a time he was in charge of a 3-million volt accelerator that was the world`s second most powerful source of X-rays in 1949.^[1]

In 1960, Waldman took a sabbatical from Notre Dame University to become director of the Midwestern Universities Research Association (MURP) Laboratory. He set about fixing problems with the 50 MeV accelerator. These were resolved, but the Federal Government declined to fund MURP's activities, and Walden returned to Notre Dame University in 1964.^[4]

Waldman was appointed dean of Notre Dame University's College of Science in 1967. He held this position August, 1979, when he retired at the age of 65. He then became as associate director of the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University, a position he held until 1983.^[1]

Waldman died in a hospital in Sanford, North Carolina, where he was being treated for cancer, on November 1, 1986. He was survived by his wife, Glenna and three daughters.^[1] A funeral service was held at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the campus of Notre Dame University, and he was interred in its Cedar Grove Cemetery.^[9] His papers are in the Notre Dame University Archives.^[10]

Notes

References

• Alvarez, Luis W.; Trower, W. Peter (1987). Discovering Alvarez: selected works of Luis W. Alvarez, with commentary by his students and colleagues. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226813042. OCLC 15791693. 
• Jones, L.; Mills, F.; Sessler, A.; Symon, K.; Young, D. (2010). Innovation was not enough: a history of the Midwestern Universities Research Association (MURA). Hackensack, N.J.: World Scientific. ISBN 9789812832832. OCLC 670429483. 

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