John E Draim
September 12, 1927 ~ February 17, 2016
JOHN EMERY DRAIM Capt., USN (Ret.) Pilot, Aeronautical Engineer, Inventor Died on February 17, 2016, at age 88, following a cardiac arrest in Ashburn, VA. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Patricia Sanford Draim; four children, Julia Rogers of College Station, TX, Robert Draim of Mt. Vernon, VA, Kenneth Draim of Taos, NM, David Draim of Dixon, CA; five grandchildren, Evan Draim, Kyle Draim, Zak Draim, Laura Rogers and William Rogers; and a sister, Carolyn Vallieres of Wethersfield, CT.
Captain Draim was born on September 12, 1927 to Capt. Nicholas Draim, USN, and Marie Draim. After graduating high school in Vincennes, IN, as valedictorian, he entered the US Naval Academy and graduated with distinction in 1949. Following a year aboard the destroyer USS Damato, he entered flight school at Pensacola, FL, earning his pilot wings in 1951, while flying the Grumman F8F Bearcat fighter. He then received a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the US Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. During the course of his naval career, he received two more graduate degrees in Aerospace Engineering from MIT. Captain Draim served as a pilot and aircraft maintenance officer in several jet fighter and heavy attack squadrons, piloting the F9F-6 Cougar fighter, the supersonic FJ-3M Fury, the A3-D Skywarrior bomber, and the supersonic RA5-C Vigilante bomber. During the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, he was aboard the USS Forrestal in the Mediterranean, prepared to launch against the Soviet Union should the crisis lead to nuclear war. Asked years later by a grandson during an oral history project what happened, Captain Draim answered, "Nothing, fortunately." Fol- lowing the end of the Cold War, he met a former Soviet general who had served in Soviet air defenses, and the two toasted that their paths had not crossed before.
In addition to his flight assignments, Captain Draim served in a number of prominent posts in Navy research and development. From 1958 through 1961, at the Naval Missile Center, Point Mugu, CA, he was the Director of the Space Research Division. In that post, he originated and managed the Navy''s Project Hydra, developing new technology and receiving a number of patents for water-based vertical floating launch of rocket vehicles. From 1965 to 1967, he was Director of the Naval Armaments Division, US NATO in Paris, France, and helped oversee several NATO weapons programs, including the NATO Sidewinder, NATO Bullpup, and NATO Maritime Patrol Aircraft. He also piloted the French Navy''s Brequet ATLANTIC prototype aircraft during its test phase. In 1969, Captain Draim reported to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and served as Deputy Director of the Navy Space Program. In 1970 he reported to the Undersecretary of the Air Force as Director of Programs in the National Reconnaissance Office, for which he was awarded the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal.
After retiring from the Navy in 1972, he was an aerospace engineer for various government contractors, primarily working on missile and space systems. He continued to invent, and by the time of his death held more than 30 U.S. and foreign patents. Captain Draim became known internationally for his contributions in the field of satellite constellation design, presenting numerous technical papers at conferences throughout the world. In recognition of this work on orbits and satellite constellation design, he received the 2003 Randolph Lovelace II Award from the American Astronautical Society, and the 2004 John V. Breakwell Memorial Award from the International Astronautical Federation.
Captain Draim was a long-time resident of Vienna, VA, before he and Pat moved to Ashby Ponds retirement community in the Summer of 2014. For many years, Captain Draim was a member and usher at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Vienna. One of his favorite activities was swimming, and he enjoyed swimming laps up to the final days of his life. He also enjoyed fishing, sailing, mathematics, reading and travel.
Burial at Arlington National Cemetery, with Military Honors, will be scheduled. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Fisher House at donate.fisherhouse.org, or the charity of your choice.
Funeral Home:
Money & King Funeral Home
171 W. Maple Ave.
Vienna, VA
US 22180
Captain Draim was born on September 12, 1927 to Capt. Nicholas Draim, USN, and Marie Draim. After graduating high school in Vincennes, IN, as valedictorian, he entered the US Naval Academy and graduated with distinction in 1949. Following a year aboard the destroyer USS Damato, he entered flight school at Pensacola, FL, earning his pilot wings in 1951, while flying the Grumman F8F Bearcat fighter. He then received a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the US Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. During the course of his naval career, he received two more graduate degrees in Aerospace Engineering from MIT. Captain Draim served as a pilot and aircraft maintenance officer in several jet fighter and heavy attack squadrons, piloting the F9F-6 Cougar fighter, the supersonic FJ-3M Fury, the A3-D Skywarrior bomber, and the supersonic RA5-C Vigilante bomber. During the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, he was aboard the USS Forrestal in the Mediterranean, prepared to launch against the Soviet Union should the crisis lead to nuclear war. Asked years later by a grandson during an oral history project what happened, Captain Draim answered, "Nothing, fortunately." Fol- lowing the end of the Cold War, he met a former Soviet general who had served in Soviet air defenses, and the two toasted that their paths had not crossed before.
In addition to his flight assignments, Captain Draim served in a number of prominent posts in Navy research and development. From 1958 through 1961, at the Naval Missile Center, Point Mugu, CA, he was the Director of the Space Research Division. In that post, he originated and managed the Navy''s Project Hydra, developing new technology and receiving a number of patents for water-based vertical floating launch of rocket vehicles. From 1965 to 1967, he was Director of the Naval Armaments Division, US NATO in Paris, France, and helped oversee several NATO weapons programs, including the NATO Sidewinder, NATO Bullpup, and NATO Maritime Patrol Aircraft. He also piloted the French Navy''s Brequet ATLANTIC prototype aircraft during its test phase. In 1969, Captain Draim reported to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and served as Deputy Director of the Navy Space Program. In 1970 he reported to the Undersecretary of the Air Force as Director of Programs in the National Reconnaissance Office, for which he was awarded the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal.
After retiring from the Navy in 1972, he was an aerospace engineer for various government contractors, primarily working on missile and space systems. He continued to invent, and by the time of his death held more than 30 U.S. and foreign patents. Captain Draim became known internationally for his contributions in the field of satellite constellation design, presenting numerous technical papers at conferences throughout the world. In recognition of this work on orbits and satellite constellation design, he received the 2003 Randolph Lovelace II Award from the American Astronautical Society, and the 2004 John V. Breakwell Memorial Award from the International Astronautical Federation.
Captain Draim was a long-time resident of Vienna, VA, before he and Pat moved to Ashby Ponds retirement community in the Summer of 2014. For many years, Captain Draim was a member and usher at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Vienna. One of his favorite activities was swimming, and he enjoyed swimming laps up to the final days of his life. He also enjoyed fishing, sailing, mathematics, reading and travel.
Burial at Arlington National Cemetery, with Military Honors, will be scheduled. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Fisher House at donate.fisherhouse.org, or the charity of your choice.
Funeral Home:
Money & King Funeral Home
171 W. Maple Ave.
Vienna, VA
US 22180
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