E60-05330
De E. Beeler had a distinguished 33-year career as an aeronautical engineer and administrator with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Beeler began his career in aerospace research with the Wright Aeronautical Corporation in the 1930s, and joined the NACA at the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory in Hampton, VA in 1941. After several years as a project engineer in Langley’s Aircraft division conducting flight research on the XP-51 prototype fighter plane, Beeler transferred to the NACA Muroc Flight Test Unit at Muroc Army Air Base (now Edwards Air Force Base) in December, 1946, joining a small group of engineers and technicians supporting the XS-1 high-speed flight research program being conducted jointed by the Army Air Force, Bell Aircraft Co., and the NACA.
He served as acting director of the NASA Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA from Apr. 27 – Oct. 11, 1971.› Read Full Bio1960NASA Photo