Grandson of former Wallops chief urges name to remain unchanged

To Whom it may Concern,

I am writing regarding the proposal to rename NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.

My interest in this matter is both personal and historical. I am the grandson of Dr. Robert L. Krieger Sr, who led Wallops from 1948 until his retirement in 1981. During those years, he helped guide the facility from its early days as a small research station into a nationally recognized center for aerospace research, testing, and launch operations. He was part of the original team that established Wallops and spent more than three decades helping build the institution that exists today. 

I want to be clear that I have great respect for A. Thomas Young and his contributions to NASA, the aerospace industry, and Virginia’s Eastern Shore. His accomplishments deserve recognition. However, I respectfully believe that the Wallops name itself should be preserved.

For more than eighty years, Wallops has been more than the name of a facility. It has become part of the history of American aerospace research and spaceflight. Scientists, engineers, students, military personnel, commercial partners, and visitors from around the world know the name Wallops. It represents a continuous legacy stretching back to 1945 and thousands of launches that have contributed to our understanding of flight, space, and the atmosphere.

The name also represents the contributions of countless people whose work made those achievements possible. Generations of engineers, technicians, researchers, operators, support staff, contractors, and civil servants dedicated their careers to Wallops. Preserving the name honors all of them and acknowledges that the facility’s success was built through teamwork, public service, and decades of shared effort.

Historic names matter because they connect the present to the past. They remind us where we came from and help tell the story of how institutions evolved over time. Changing the name of Wallops risks weakening that connection and creating an unnecessary break in a history that has remained continuous for more than eight decades.

I also believe there are many meaningful ways to honor exceptional individuals without renaming the facility itself. Buildings, research centers, scholarships, visitor facilities, awards, and educational programs can all serve as lasting tributes while preserving the historic identity of Wallops.

In fact, Wallops already has a tradition of doing exactly that. The Robert L. Krieger Education Complex at the Wallops Visitor Center as well as the Robert L Krieger award recognize my grandfather’s contributions while allowing the facility to retain its historic name. That approach honors individuals without erasing or replacing the identity of the institution they served. 

Over the years, I’ve experienced an Eastern Shore community who share a deep sense of pride in the Wallops name. While people may have different views on how best to recognize the accomplishments of individuals, one theme thats universal is that Wallops represents something larger than any one person. It reflects generations of dedication, innovation, public service, and community support. That shared history is one of the reasons so many people feel a strong connection to the name and hope to see it preserved.

As someone whose family has a direct connection to Wallops, I share that view. If preserving the Wallops name has been appropriate for 80+ years, then I believe the same principle should apply today: honor extraordinary individuals, but preserve the historic identity of the institution itself.

My grandfather devoted much of his professional life to Wallops, but he understood that the mission and the institution were always bigger than any one person. None of the people who helped shape Wallops were bigger than Wallops itself. The facility’s legacy belongs to everyone who contributed to it, from its earliest days through the present. NASA itself continues to recognize the “Wallops culture” that Dr. Krieger helped foster, a culture that remains a source of pride within the organization today.

Wallops is a place, a community, and a shared history. Its name has stood for generations of achievement and service. For that reason, I respectfully urge decision-makers to preserve the historic Wallops name while considering other ways to recognize and celebrate those whose contributions have helped make it great.

Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully,

William “Bryan” Krieger

Grandson of Dr. Robert L. Krieger Sr
Director, NASA Wallops Flight Center (1948-1981)