James C. Ulwick

A Pioneer of USU College of Engineering Space Program

By: Doran & Kay Baker

On April 17, 2014, Professor James C. Ulwick passed away in Winchester, Massachusetts. He was a month shy of his 90^-th birthday. Back in 1980 he was appointed to the Utah State University College of Engineering faculty as a Research Full Professor in the Electrical Engineering Department. At the same time he was co-appointed as Chief Scientist of the Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL). In 1996 Ulwick’s professorial appointment was in the renamed Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and his title at SDL became Director of the Science Division. He retired to emeritus status at the age of 82.

Jim Ulwick’s close association with the Utah space program came about in February, 1955, at the launch of a University of Utah Upper Air Research Project ionospheric payload aboard an Aerobee sounding rocket at Holloman Air Force Base in southern New Mexico. Dr. Leon B. Linford was the Principal Investigator for the University and Ulwick was the Project Officer for the Air Force Cambridge Research Center (AFCRC) in Boston, Massachusetts. Both Baker brothers, Doran and Kay, were student members of the University’s space research team at the White Sands Missile Range, for the rocket launch that February.

During World War II, Lt.(lg) Ulwick flew a Navy Avenger Torpedo Bomber from the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Manila Bay in the Pacific Theater. After the war, he earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics from Tufts University. Following graduation he joined the staff of the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington D.C. In 1953, he accepted a position with AFCRC.

In June of 1957 the University of Utah group was at Holloman AFB for a series of rocket firings under the direction of Ulwick and Linford. Lt. Doran Baker, who had entered service in the Air Force with Ulwick’s AFCRC team, attended the launches. For the next five decades Jim Ulwick and Kay Baker directed the research involving over 400 space measurement missions.

Space vehicle firings under their leadership were conducted at numerous locations around the globe, including Alaska, Canada, Norway, Sweden, the Pacific, as well as the U.S, in New Mexico, and Florida. Scientific papers were presented in Italy, France, and Germany. Jim Ulwick was very well liked and effective in leading student teams, and was instrumental in conceiving, marketing, planning and executing measurements, and in analyzing and presenting the scientific results.

James C. Ulwick, a 42-year resident of Winchester, and a research scientist, died peacefully at his home in Winchester, surrounded by his family, on April 17. He was 89.

Jim grew up on the South Shore and after graduating from Randolph High School he enlisted in the Navy in 1942 where he attended flight school and received his wings at Pensacola Naval Air Base in 1944. He was stationed on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Manila Bay and flew Torpedo Bombers (The Avenger) in the Pacific Theater . After Japan surrendered, he flew additional missions to drop emergency supplies at POW camps until he was released from active duty in 1946.

After the war, Jim returned to school and was graduated from Tufts University with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics. He remained at Tufts as a teaching fellow for the following year. Jim married the love of his life, Dorothy Murphy, in 1951, and they resided in Washington, D.C., where he worked at the Naval Research Laboratory. Eighteen months later he accepted a position at the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratory at Hanscom Field in Bedford, Mass., where he worked conducting research on the upper atmosphere using small rockets to gather data during the appearance of the aurora borealis This research took him to northern-most regions, such as Fairbanks, Alaska, Churchill, Canada, and Tromso, Norway. After retiring from AFCRL at age 55, he joined Utah State University as a Research Professor at the university’s Stewart Radiance Laboratory in Bedford, Mass. While working there in 1991, Jim had a payload on the Discovery Space Shuttle on a mission to explore the chemistry of the earth’s upper atmosphere. Jim retired (finally) as Director of the laboratory at age 82.

A resident of Winchester since 1958, Jim and his wife Dorothy raised eight children. In the early years, Jim and Dorothy would often pack their children (five at the time) into the station wagon during school vacation weeks and take them on educational trips to Destin Beach in Florida, where Jim would oversee the firing of his research rockets from Eglin Air Force Base. The family also spent a summer traveling in the station wagon across the country. Jim especially enjoyed spending time every summer at a family vacation home on Lake Dunmore in Vermont, where he taught his children to swim, sail, and water ski. Jim was even known to water ski himself, but what he enjoyed most of all was sailing on the lake in the late afternoon.

Jim was also active in St. Mary’s Church, where he served as a lector, an extra-ordinary minister, and a religious education teacher. Jim and Dorothy have been members of the Teams of Our Lady for 50 years.

Jim and Dorothy retired to their home in Falmouth, Mass. in 2000, where Jim enjoyed sailing and clamming on Green Pond. Jim was also a devoted gardener with a lovely flower garden, but his pride and joy was tending to and reaping the rewards of, his vegetable gardens.

Jim leaves Dorothy, his beloved wife of 62 years, and his children James P. Ulwick and his wife Suellen Ferguson of MD, Christine M. Ulwick of Falmouth, Janet M. Ulwick-Sacca and her husband Stephen Sacca of Gloucester, Julie U. Doe and her husband William A. of Winchester, Lisa M. Ulwick of Tewksbury, John K. Ulwick and his wife Mikie of Winchester, Signe M. Meals and her husband Christopher of Woburn, and Jennifer Ulwick and her husband David of Winchester. Jim also leaves his grandchildren James, Brian and Caroline Ulwick; Katie Sacca; Emily, Trevor, Jessica, Jacqueline, and Connor Doe; Jared Bowman; Stephanie, Jack and Heather Ulwick; Sara Meals; and Jake and Tyler Ulwick.

Relatives and friends are invited to gather at Costello Funeral Home, 177 Washington St., Winchester on Tues., April 22 at 10AM followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Mary’s Church, 155 Washington St., Winchester, MA 01890 at 11AM. Visiting Hours will be held in the funeral home on Mondayfrom 4 to 8 PM. Interment Wildwood Cemetery.

If desired, donations in Jim’s memory may be made to St. Mary’s Church, 155 Washington Street, Winchester, Mass. 01890, or to the charity of your choice.

Source: Costello Funeral Home