Wouk Exhibit
Introduction
The Brothers Wouk--Victor (left), MS '40, PhD '42, a pioneer in electric and hybrid vehicle development, and Herman, the noted author. The two brothers came to Caltech on April 14, 2004 to celebrate Herman's new novel, A Hole in Texas, and Victor's donation of his papers to the Caltech Archives. Both connected intimately to Caltech, Victor and Herman--in substantially different ways--have been significant contributors to American science and culture since the Second World War.
Victor Wouk
was born in the Bronx, in New York City, in 1919. He received his bachelor's degree from Columbia College (1939) and his master's (1940) and doctoral degrees (1942) from the California Institute of Technology in electrical engineering. His subsequent work and research have been extraordinarily diverse--ranging from processing frozen shrimp to extending incandescent lamp life--although most of his time and energy have been devoted to the development of hybrid motor vehicles and the use of semiconductors in electric vehicles. In the course of his career, he has been granted numerous patents, expertly managed several successful businesses and consulted for such organizations as the U.S. Department of Energy, MIT, and NASA.
Gallery
From Horsepower to Shanks Mare Power
In 1980, Victor penned "From Horsepower to Shanks' Mare Power: is the Automobile Doomed, or is it Just Us?" for Engineering and Science. In the article Wouk revisited some of the predictions about the automotive industry made in 1955 by Caltech professor Peter Kyropoulous. Victor made a few predictions of his own. The motorbike rider is Dr. Marvin L. Goldberger, President of Caltech, 1978-1987.
Caltech Weekly Calendar
The Caltech Weekly Calendar for May 4-9, 1942 announces Wouk's thesis defense.
Caltech Associates
Herman, Betty Sarah, Joy and Victor Wouk.
Campus connections
Wouk corresponded regularly with the faculty of Caltech. In this letter, Victor receives a reply from Francis Clauser concerning the EPA and the Petro-Electric Motors hybrid.
The new Ph.D.
Congratulatory letter to Victor Wouk from Royal W. Sorensen, his thesis advisor.
Wouk meets with Rosen
Victor Wouk and Benjamin M. Rosen, Chairman, Board of Caltech Trustees, February 2001.
Application for Approval
Victor Wouk's 1942 "Application for Approval of Thesis for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy." The signatories include Royal Sorensen, William Pickering and Robert Millikan.
Caltech thesis
Wouk's 1942 Ph.D. thesis, "Static electricity generated during the distribution of gasolene," with signatures of approval by his Caltech mentors.
Gallery
30,000 Volts
| Product data from Wouk's first company, Beta Electric Corp., founded in 1946. Wouk remained the chief engineer of the company after it was sold to Sorensen. | |
Letters Patent for Wouk
Wouk's 1974 patent for a hybrid power train.
Schematic diagram of hybrid circuitry
Wouk executed all the drawings, including this schematic diagram of hybrid vehicle circuitry, for Petro-Electric Motors, ca 1971.
The press heralds Victor's ingenuity
Throughout his career, Victor's work in electronics and the automotive industry was featured in dozens of newspaper and magazine articles. This example from 1958 was written for the Sunday Herald.
Dapper advocate of the EV
Victor alongside a GM electric vehicle at the Virginia Power Headquarters, Fairfax, Virginia, 1997.
The Gulton Electric Vehicle
Wouk explains to New Jersey Congressman Edward Patten the function of the nickel-cadmium batteries in the power system of the Gulton-American Motors electric car in November 1969.
Beta Electric Corporation testing equipment
Series 3000 Portable DC Overpotential Testers, high voltage equipment from Wouk's company, Beta Electric, ca 1955.
Caltech News features Victor
In 1975 Caltech News brought to the campus Victor's gambit to develop and manufacture a hybrid car. While the article championed his cause, Victor was also quick to applaud Caltech for his achievements: "I feel that whatever success I've achieved in my life--by whatever criteria you care to measure success--I owe to Caltech."
Petro-Electric Motors contract
| Petro-Electric Motors, a Victor Wouk company, received its first EPA contract to build a hybrid vehicle in May 1971. | |
Beta Electric nameplate
Wouk formed his first company, Beta Electric, in the early 1950s. It was soon doing $1 million in sales producing high powered test equipment. The tag was the general nameplate for all Beta products, ca 1949-50. "Jonny" refers to Victor's son, Jonathan.
Herman invests in the hybrid
Victor's brother was an enthusiastic and financial supporter of the attempt to develop the first modern hybrid. He even coined the name Petro-Electric Motors.
A smaller EV
Victor takes an interest in all kinds of alternative and low-emission vehicles. Here he rides in an unusual electric vehicle manufactured by Citicar (ca 1974), a company that folded quickly.
Institute of Radio Engineers badge
Victor served on the executive committee of the Institute of Radio Engineers from 1956 to 1962.
Gallery
Collier's Magazine
In February, 1956 Herman Wouk was featured on the cover of Collier's after the publication of his sci-fi The "Lomokome" Papers. As with Herman's other works, Victor advised his brother on many of the scientific and technological elements in the book.
Keeping in touch
Victor and Herman have confided their personal thoughts to each other in writing for over half a century. In this 1954 letter, Herman relishes the completion of Marjorie Morningstar.
A Hole in Texas
Herman's latest novel is described as "a rollicking Washington tale about a media firestorm swirling around a vast Hole in Texas and one obscure scientist who gets swept up in the vortex." In the book, Herman offers a keen satire on the clash between government, media and science. Published in 2004 by Little, Brown and Company, the work is dedicated to Victor.
Confidants
The Victor Wouk Collection contains sixty years of correspondence between Victor and Herman. This 1951 letter from Victor discusses both The Caine Mutiny and the electronics business.
Rock Lobster
Advertisement from Wouka Distributing, a company started by Victor's and Herman's father. Victor actively managed the company for decades while Herman remained an important investor and advisor.
Confidants
The Victor Wouk Collection contains sixty years of correspondence between Victor and Herman. This 1951 letter from Victor discusses both The Caine Mutiny and the electronics business.
"One small step ... "
Herman and Victor share a love for technology, and Herman was particularly overwhelmed by the Apollo 11 mission. Sitting four miles from the launch site in Cape Canaveral, he wrote to Victor, "Nothing can trivialize this awesome thing, though God knows the TV gibberers try. ... It's the most impressive work of man's hands on earth. The sun is high and everyone is waiting and I think many are praying."
"One small step ... "
Herman and Victor share a love for technology, and Herman was particularly overwhelmed by the Apollo 11 mission. Sitting four miles from the launch site in Cape Canaveral, he wrote to Victor, "Nothing can trivialize this awesome thing, though God knows the TV gibberers try. ... It's the most impressive work of man's hands on earth. The sun is high and everyone is waiting and I think many are praying."
Townsend Harris High School notebook
Course notebook for Mr. Truesdell's Physics 117 class. Both Victor and Herman graduated from Townsend Harris High School in the 1930s.
A family portrait
Victor and Herman enjoy a moment with their sister, Irene.