Richard George Batt ’55

Dick Batt died of a heart attack Aug. 25, 2003.

He was reared in West Englewood, N.J., and attended St. Cecilia HS there and Horace Mann School in NYC. At Princeton he majored in aeronautical engineering, joined Cannon Club, and wrote his thesis on the "Design of the Light Supersonic Fighter." He was known for his basketball skills and was proud of the Ivy League Basketball Champion-ship. He was captain and MVP senior year.

Following his stint in the Air Force, Dick moved to Pasadena and earned his PhD in aeronautical engineering from Cal Tech. He spent his entire 36-year career at TRW, retiring in 1997. He established an international reputation with his meticulous experimental research in aerodynamics. He published 25 refereed papers that enhanced understanding of hypersonic aerodynamics and turbulent mixing phenomenology.

Dick married Kay Lode in 1962 and credited her with encouraging him to complete work to obtain his advanced degrees. She died in 1992 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

In Dick's words, "My stay at Princeton is always recalled with the best of memories. Although we're many miles from the campus, the background Princeton gave me has been a valuable commodity."

Dick is survived by his son, Rick, daughter-in-law Angel, grandson Tanner, and his fiancee, Susan Rasich.

The Class of 1955