Pioneers

of National Reconnaissance

2015
2 Pioneer Recognition Program 
Supra Et Ultra 2015 3

Supr a Et Ultr a

2015

Pioneers 

of National Reconnaissance

April 2016

The National Reconnaissance Pioneer Program recognizes and honors 

individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to national 

reconnaissance—pioneering contributions that were innovative, remarkable, 

and changed the direction and scope of the discipline and its practice. It is the 

highest honor in the field of national reconnaissance.

For the Pioneer Class of 2015, the Director of National Reconnaissance, 

Ms. Betty Sapp, selected Mr. L. Porter Davis, whose innovation in developing 

control moment gyro (CMG) devices for maneuvering and controlling the 

attitude of large spacecraft represented ground-breaking and novel vibration 

isolation technology—a technological breakthrough that attenuated CMG 

vibration and reduced the negative impact of vibration on payload performance.

Today’s Heritage Recognition Ceremony formally inducts Mr. Davis, the 

2015 Pioneer honoree, into NRO’s Pioneer Hall. Pioneer Hall is a collection 

of commemorative medallions, one for each of NRO’s Pioneer of National 

Reconnaissance. The medallions serve as enduring tributes to the pioneers’ 

trailblazing contributions to the discipline of national reconnaissance. This 

booklet includes the words that appear on Mr. Davis’ medallion and briefly 

explains the nature of Pioneer Davis’ specific contribution. Mr. Davis’ medallion 

now joins the other 91 medallions that commemorate the contributions of 

Pioneers from previous classes. When you visit Pioneer Hall, I encourage you 

to review the citations on the medallions to gain a sense of the scope of the 

Pioneers’ contributions and the lasting impact they had on the NRO and our 

nation’s national security.

Robert A. McDonald, PhD.

Director, Center for the Study of National Reconnaissance

Foreword
6 Pioneer Recognition Program 

Mr. L. Porter Davis
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Mr. L. Porter Davis, during the mid-1960s, pioneered the development of control 

moment gyros (CMGs) for maneuvering and controlling the attitude of large 

spacecraft. The CMGs provided the NRO with innovative technology that 

led to the development of more agile satellites, affording increased collection 

capacity, with improved pointing performance and longer mission life. These 

highly complex electro-mechanical systems enabled NRO satellites to accomplish 

their essential missions for the nation.

Medallion Citation
8 Pioneer Recognition Program 

During the late 1960s through the 1970s, Mr. Davis and his team designed and 

built the first control moment gyros (CMGs) used in national reconnaissance 

spacecraft. Prior to Mr. Davis’ innovations, the NRO controlled spacecraft 

attitude by firing low precision, life-limited, liquid-fueled reaction control 

thrusters or by utilizing agility-limited reaction wheel assemblies.

Developing CMGs required precision design in electromagnetics, high speed 

bearings, lubrications, exquisite balancing, and advanced control algorithms 

that pushed the capabilities of existing onboard spacecraft computers. A key 

in the development of the large high-torque CMG was the shell rotor. Unlike 

a conventional flat disc rotor, the egg-shaped shell rotor could withstand high 

speed and high torque while maintaining precision balance and low vibration.

Several NRO programs have used this technology, known as “D-struts,” to isolate 

payloads from a variety of disturbance sources. The innovation of the CMGs 

integrated the best of previous capabilities to develop larger, more agile satellites 

with improved pointing performance and longer mission life. The CMGs 

increased collection capacity by multiple factors and spacecraft lifetimes from 

months to decades.

Mr. Davis retired as a Senior Fellow and Chief Systems Engineer for Honeywell’s 

Space Systems Division in Glendale Arizona. He holds a Bachelor of Science 

and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Texas Tech University. 

He published some 32 technical papers and is nationally known as a leader in 

the vibration control community.

Career in National Reconnaissance: 1963 – 2012

L. Porter Davis
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2015

L. Porter Davis

2014

Thomas C. “Chris” Fitzsimmons

John. R Stavlo

2013

William G. Montgomery

Donald N. Simkins, Ph.D.

2012

Robert P. O’Donnell, Ph.D.

2011

Thomas A. Brackey

Joseph J. Eash III, Col, USAF (Ret)

Michael N. Parker, Ph.D.

John W. Shipley, Ph.D.

Richard C. Van Wagoner

2010

Robert H. Dumais

Jack A. Gibbs, Brig Gen, USAF (Ret)

Richard J. Randazzo, Col, USAF (Ret)

2009

James P. Campbell, Ph.D.

Lacy G. Cook

Michael F. Maguire

2008

Raymond E. Anderson, Col, USAF (Ret)

Howard G. Brotherton

Hilliard W. Paige, Sr.

2007

Paul G. Kaminski

Sun Yet Wong

2006

Ingard M. Clausen

Fred V. Hellrich

David L. Klinger, Ph.D.

Jane A. Wood

2005

Robert E. Eisenhauer

Roger C. Marsh

Edward A. Miller, Ph.D.

Wayne L. Proffitt

2004

M. Sam Araki

Harvey Cohen, Lt Col, USAF (Ret)

Robert G. Kaemmerer

James W. McAnally

2003

Carl L. Ferdensi, Jr.

David Raspet, Col, USAF (Ret)

James W. Stoner, Ph.D.

Charles C. Tevis

2002 

Vance D. Coffman, Ph.D. 

Lee M. Hammarstrom 

Robert L. Paulson, Col, USAF (Ret) 

2001

Donald L. Cromer, Lt Gen, USAF (Ret) 

A.J. (Tony) Iorillo 

Vincent S. Rose 

John Walton 

2000

James G. Baker, Ph.D. 

C. Lee Battle, Jr., Col, USAF (Ret)

John T. Bennett 

John W. Browning, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Jon H. Bryson, Col, USAF (Ret) 

A. Roy Burks 

Frank S. Buzard, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Cornelius W. “Connie” Chambers 

John O. Copley, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Robert H. Crotser 

John J. Crowley 

James C. de Broekert

Gary S. Geyer, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Thomas O. Haig, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Frederick H. Kaufman 

Robert J. Kohler 

Ellis E. Lapin 

Lloyd K. Lauderdale, Ph.D. 

Richard S. Leghorn, Col, USAF (Ret)

Walter J. Levison 

Howard O. Lorenzen 

Frank J. Madden 

James T. Mannen, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Paul W. Mayhew, Ph.D. 

Reid D. Mayo 

James E. Morgan 

Mark N. Morton 

Alden V. Munson, Jr. 

Charles L. Murphy, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Frederic C.E. “Fritz” Oder, Col, USAF (Ret)

John Parangosky

Julius P. “Val” Peline, Ph.D. 

Robert M. Powell 

Edward H. Reese 

Osmond J. “Ozzie” Ritland, 

Major General, USAF (Ret) 

Lee W. Roberts, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Charles R. “Charlie” Roth 

Robert W. “Rob” Roy, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Charles P. Spoelhof 

Forrest H. Stieg 

Marvin S. Stone, Ph.D. 

Don F. Tang 

Albert D. “Bud” Wheelon, Ph.D. 

Peter G. Wilhelm 

Roy H. Worthington, Col, USAF (Ret) 

Robert W. Yundt, Col, USAF (Ret)

Pioneers of National Reconnaissance
1 0 Pioneer Recognition Program 

Pioneer Hall

National Reconnaissance Office

Chantilly, Virginia 
Supra Et Ultra 2015 1 1
NRO| MSC

16-52303