Diana Webb remembers her dad:
My dad, Dr. Harold D. Webb, was one of the principal scientists who worked on the Diana Project. Dad was responsible for some of the crucial calculations and design modifications that made the project a success, and was one of the two people present when the first signals were received from the moon on Jan. 10, 1946. He was interviewed by the press, appeared on newsreels, and wrote articles about the project and his involvement. He was even featured in a science-themed comic book.
Dad received his PhD in physics from Indiana University in 1938. He then taught at West Liberty State College, near Wheeling WV. He was either recruited or volunteered to join the WWII effort as a civilian scientist, and left WV for Camp Evans in 1942 with my mom and my older brother Steve (b. 1938) and sister Pat (b. 1940). My parents lived in Belmar NJ; my sister Sharon and I were both born there, she in January 1944 and me in September 1946. Like you, I was indeed named for the Diana project. Dad left the project in 1947 to return to teaching. He accepted a position at the University of Illinois and relocated to Urbana IL in early 1947; he remained there as a Professor, then Professor Emeritus, until his death.
Dad was a quiet man, rather soft-spoken, and chose to not play up his seminal role in the success of Project Diana. I am glad to see that there is renewed interest in his achievements. At the urging of your dad [E. King Stodola], he tried unsuccessfully to drum up some press interest in the project for its 40th anniversary. Dad wrote to his cousin, Jane Pauley of NBC News, who suggested they try again for the 45th anniversary, but sadly Dad did not live to see that.
I have recently been going through old correspondence between my mother (Margaret Webb) and grandmother from that time period, and Mom often mentions getting together with your parents for some social occasion or another. You undoubtedly played with my older siblings. Our two sets of parents kept in contact through annual Christmas cards and such until after my father's death. If fact, just last month, before I received your note, I threw away a bunch of old Christmas cards from my mother's attic, including some from your parents.
In June last year, I delivered a couple of boxes of Dad's materials regarding the Diana Project to the InfoAge organization in Wall, NJ, - the site of the original Diana Project on Camp Evans. Dad was (posthumously) honored there in June last year when he was inducted into the Camp Evans "Wall of Honor." I attended the ceremony to accept the award on behalf of our family. It was quite an honor to be there, and to get to bounce my voice off the moon at the Diana Site!
(email message from Diana Webb 3/27/20)
My dad, Dr. Harold D. Webb, was one of the principal scientists who worked on the Diana Project. Dad was responsible for some of the crucial calculations and design modifications that made the project a success, and was one of the two people present when the first signals were received from the moon on Jan. 10, 1946. He was interviewed by the press, appeared on newsreels, and wrote articles about the project and his involvement. He was even featured in a science-themed comic book.
Dad received his PhD in physics from Indiana University in 1938. He then taught at West Liberty State College, near Wheeling WV. He was either recruited or volunteered to join the WWII effort as a civilian scientist, and left WV for Camp Evans in 1942 with my mom and my older brother Steve (b. 1938) and sister Pat (b. 1940). My parents lived in Belmar NJ; my sister Sharon and I were both born there, she in January 1944 and me in September 1946. Like you, I was indeed named for the Diana project. Dad left the project in 1947 to return to teaching. He accepted a position at the University of Illinois and relocated to Urbana IL in early 1947; he remained there as a Professor, then Professor Emeritus, until his death.
Dad was a quiet man, rather soft-spoken, and chose to not play up his seminal role in the success of Project Diana. I am glad to see that there is renewed interest in his achievements. At the urging of your dad [E. King Stodola], he tried unsuccessfully to drum up some press interest in the project for its 40th anniversary. Dad wrote to his cousin, Jane Pauley of NBC News, who suggested they try again for the 45th anniversary, but sadly Dad did not live to see that.
I have recently been going through old correspondence between my mother (Margaret Webb) and grandmother from that time period, and Mom often mentions getting together with your parents for some social occasion or another. You undoubtedly played with my older siblings. Our two sets of parents kept in contact through annual Christmas cards and such until after my father's death. If fact, just last month, before I received your note, I threw away a bunch of old Christmas cards from my mother's attic, including some from your parents.
In June last year, I delivered a couple of boxes of Dad's materials regarding the Diana Project to the InfoAge organization in Wall, NJ, - the site of the original Diana Project on Camp Evans. Dad was (posthumously) honored there in June last year when he was inducted into the Camp Evans "Wall of Honor." I attended the ceremony to accept the award on behalf of our family. It was quite an honor to be there, and to get to bounce my voice off the moon at the Diana Site!
(email message from Diana Webb 3/27/20)