WASHINGTON, D.C. –
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) marked the retirement of Joseph Thomason on Sept. 5, recognizing his extraordinary 62-year career in the Radar Division that helped shape modern over-the-horizon (OTH) radar capabilities for the Navy and the nation.
Thomason joined NRL in September 1963, just two years after the laboratory completed the prototype Magnetic Drum Radar Equipment system. His early contributions in signal processing and receiver design advanced the Navy’s pioneering work in high-frequency skywave radar, which detects targets thousands of miles away by reflecting radar signals off the ionosphere.
“One of the toughest problems we faced was building a receiver that could handle both the huge return from the ground and the much smaller return from aircraft or ship targets,” Thomason recalled. “Early on, computers weren’t fast enough, so we used magnetic drums to compress time and process signals with analog filters. Later, as computers improved, we could finally move to digital signal processing.”
Over six decades, Thomason worked under and alongside generations of radar innovators, helping transition experimental concepts into operational systems. His expertise and leadership proved instrumental in the development of the relocatable AN/TPS-71 radar, better known as “ROTHR”, a cornerstone of the Navy’s long-range surveillance capability.
“As with anything new, there were skeptics about whether it could deliver operational results,” Thomason said. “We worked with the Navy and SRI International to prove it was worth building. Eventually the system showed it could provide wide-area surveillance much more cheaply than conventional radars, and that’s why it became such a valuable asset.”
“Because of Joe’s genius and willingness to prove the impossible, I was able to operate advanced radar systems in the fleet,” said NRL commanding officer Capt. Randy Cruz. “His work extended the Navy’s reach and saved lives by providing critical time information and situational awareness. On behalf of sailors and Marines everywhere, we thank him for his service.”
Thomason’s career is also a testament to resilience. A childhood polio survivor, he credited NRL’s culture of support for enabling him to fully contribute throughout his career. “NRL gave me the opportunity to do what I could do and did not focus on what I couldn’t,” he said.
In 1993, he was recognized as NRL’s Outstanding Employee with Disabilities. Thomason published more than 50 scientific papers, received multiple Alan Berman Research Publication Awards, and earned the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award in 1997.
Colleagues described Thomason not only as a brilliant engineer, but as a steady and supportive mentor. “The first word that comes to mind when I think of Joe is calm,” said Serafín Rodriguez, an electronics engineer in NRL’s Radar Division. “Over decades of political shifts and technical challenges, he never let distractions get in the way of progress. He was instrumental in setting the requirements for the Navy’s ROTHR system that still runs 24/7 today. Just as important, he mentored generations of engineers by meeting them where they were at their skill level, helping them grow without overwhelming them.”
Reflecting on his career Thomason said, “It’s been a privilege to spend my career exploring what radar technology can do for the Navy and our nation.”
NRL leaders, including Director of Research Dr. Bruce Danly and Radar Division Superintendent Michael Walder Ph. D., joined Radar Division staff, family members, and longtime collaborators in honoring Thomason with awards, gifts, and stories celebrating his unmatched contributions.
“Joe performed at a level few could sustain for 62 years,” said Gregory Tavik Ph. D., Radar Systems Division branch head. “It has been an honor to work with him.”
About the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
NRL is a scientific and engineering command dedicated to research that drives innovative advances for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from the seafloor to space and in the information domain. NRL, located in Washington, D.C. with major field sites in Stennis Space Center, Mississippi; Key West, Florida; Monterey, California, and employs approximately 3,000 civilian scientists, engineers and support personnel.
For more information, contact NRL Corporate Communications at (202) 480-3746 or
nrlpao@nrl.navy.mil.
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