John F. Jacobs

Born February 22, 1923, Golva, N.D.; responsibility for the SAGE computer program and weapons system integration.

Education: BSEE, Illinois Institute of Technology, 1950; MSEE, MIT, 1952.

Professional Experience: staff member, Digital Computer Laboratory, MIT, 1950-1952; associate head, Division Six, Lincoln Laboratory, 1952-1958; vice president for corporate planning and development, MITRE Corp., 1958-1977.

Jacobs joined the Whirlwind project at the Digital Computer Laboratory as an MIT graduate student and then as a staff member. From 1952 to 1958 at Lincoln Laboratory he worked on logical design for Whirlwind II/FSQ-7, established the Systems Office for design control, and held responsibility for the SAGE computer program and weapons system integration. He was associate head of Lincoln's Division 6 at the time he joined the MITRE Corporation in 1958 as associate technical director. He was senior vice president for corporate planning and development when he retired in 1977. He is currently special consultant to MITRE.

UPDATES

Jacobs left a detailed account of his work in his book: John F. Jacobs, The SAGE Air Defense System: A Personal History, (MITRE Corporation, 1986). (MRW, 2013)

John F. Jacobs died on September 12, 1998, in Harwich MA. (THVV, 2023)