A Humble Public Servant: Hal Andrews (1924–2007)

Harold (Hal) Andrews, a US Navy veteran and Naval Aviation technical leader, joined what is now known as the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) in 1955. There, Andrews held responsibilities for nearly 50 types of US Navy, Marine or joint aircraft prior to his retirement in 1986 as NAVAIR's Technical Director of Research and Technology. Andrews was an expert in Naval Aviation history, and a stickler for accuracy. By 1960, he was a contributing editor and technical advisor to the Navy's magazine, Naval Aviation News, in his spare time. He was also an advisor to several naval aviation associations' magazines, in addition to writing articles and technical papers for the Vertical Flight Society and other organizations. Although modest, former colleagues noted that vertical flight aircraft such as the AV-8B Harrier II, the V-22 Osprey and the F-35 Lightning II might never have come into being without his dedication. But he is most revered for inspiring engineers, both young and old.