Grace Hopper: A Pioneer In The US Navy

Grace Hopper was a pioneer in the field of computer science and for over 40 years was at the front lines of computing development --in the U.S. Navy, the world of college and in industry. Despite the many amazing technology changes that have happened since her death, she remains liked and respected worldwide and ever popular with CHIPS readers.Grace Brewster Murray was born Dec. 9, 1906, in New York, New York. She entered Vassar College at 17, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1928 with a BA in mathematics and physics, and received a Vassar College Learning opportunity. While she was an instructor at Vassar, Hopper attended Yale University, where she received the degrees of MA in 1930, and Ph.D. in 1934, together with election to Sigma Xi and two

During this time, she received a Vassar professors Learning opportunity and studied at New York University between 1941 and 1942.When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour and the United States entered World War II, Hopper wanted to serve her country by joining the military. The obstacles would have discouraged a lesser person. She was 34, which was was considered too old forthe role, and the government had declared her occupation as mathematics professor as crucial. Navy officials told her she could best serve the war effort by remaining a civilian.Unafraid, Hopper managed to get a leave of absence from her teaching position at Vassar. She also was able to convince the Navy to issue a waiver on the weight requirement.Weighing in at 105, she was 16 pounds underweight for her height of five-feet, six-inches. Hopper persevered and was sworn into the U.S. Naval Reserve in December 1943 and attended the UNSR Midshipman’s School-W at Northampton, Massachusetts. Upon graduation, she was commissioned lieutenant (junior grade) and ordered to the Bureau of Ordnance ComputationIn 1949, she joined the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corp. in Philadelphia, then building the UNIVAC I --the first commercial large-scale electronic computer--as a senior math

in December 1971.Dr. Hopper published more than 50 papers and articles about software andprogramming languages. Her interest in computer programs programming sent her to the first meeting of CODASYL with a strong interest in the development of COBOL (common business-oriented language). She also served on the ANSI Xe.4 Committee for the (making things all follow the same rules or be copies of the same models) of computer languages and the CODASYL Executive Committee.The high-ranking navy officer knew that the key to computing advancements was the development and improvement of programming languages --languages that could be understood and used by people who were neither math experts nor computer experts. It took several years for Hopper to demonstrate that this idea was practical to her doubtful workers, however, she preserved to her goal. After retiring from the Naval Reserve at age 60 with the rank of commander in 1966, Hopper was recalled and assigned to the Chief of Naval Operations staff as director, Navy Programming Languages Group (OP 911F). She was promoted to captain in 1973, commodore in 1983, and rear high-ranking navy officer in