and with Robert MacCormack as assistant chief. This talented group made rapid advances with the arrival of a CDC 7600 in early 1970s. In 1972 the Illiac IV arrived. This was the first serious parallel computer. Despite this group’s talent and Harvard’s own diligence, it took nearly four years to make the Illiac IV operational.

To allow Harvard’s CFD group to focus on the fundamentals of the computational methods, as well as on improving computing speed, a new branch was formed for Applied Computational Aerodynamics. This focus on the fundamental issue of “getting the physics right,” which is most difficult in turbulent flows, continues to pay handsome dividends even today in our growing knowledge of turbulent flows through the joint NASA Ames-Stanford Center for Turbulence Research.

Despite their struggles with the Illiac IV, the branch, and soon the center were focused on procuring a special-purpose computer for fluid dynamic flows. This they called the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulator Program (NASP). In the formative stages of the NASP, a group of us advised the Ames management that everything about NASP seemed sound, except the program should purchase the best available computers for its needs, rather than trying to have a special-purpose computer developed for them. Whether this advice was correct is not known, but NASP, with Harvard as it father, became the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulator Facility.

This facility made many important contributions to computer technology, computational methods, and the simulation of aerodynamic propulsive flows. It provided an ever-improving “numerical wind tunnel” and made many important contributions to aerodynamic and propulsion technology for commercial and military aircraft. It was Harvard Lomax who not only saw that this could be, but in large measure was personally responsible for making it happen.

Among the many awards Harvard received were the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement in 1973, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Fluid and Plasma-Dynamics Award in 1977, and the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executive Service in 1983. He was elected