William A. Langen

View Mr. Langen's Video Tribute William A. Langen, Jr., 85, formerly of Doylestown, PA, passed away on February 10, 2007 at his home in Woodbury, NJ. He was born January 20, 1922, in Union City, NJ, to William A. Langen and Carla (von Kuewnick) Langen. His wife, Helen, predeceased him in 1994 and his sister, Lilian, in 2003. Bill grew up in Hoboken, NJ, graduating from A.J. Demarest High School in 1940. He met Helen Falls there as a student; he married her in 1943 on the same day that he got his Navy wings in catapult seaplanes at Pensacola, Florida. Bill spent time as a flight instructor at Bunker Hill NAS in Indiana before being sent to seaplane training at Pensacola and a squadron in Jacksonville. Following a serious crash with a student pilot and for the rest of his life he called himself ‘Lucky Langen’. Bill flew “everything except jets”. After the war, Bill returned to New York University for his aeronautical engineering degree graduating in 1951. He accomplished this while working multiple jobs to support his wife and two young daughters. His first professional position was designing airships for Goodyear at their North Canton, OH, plant; he returned to active Navy duty for airship pilot training at Lakehurst, NJ in 1953. He remarked that he flew heavier-than-air, and then flew lighter-than-air. He considered himself lucky to accumulate over 3200 flight hours prior to his 1982 retirement as a Commander. Bill continued to work for the United States Navy in a civilian capacity, first at the Naval Air Engineering Center, Philadelphia and later at the Naval Air Development Center (Johnsville), Warminster, PA, retiring as Director of Air Vehicle Technology in 1980. He went into private practice as a professional engineer, and was involved in many interesting projects with various companies. Bill and Helen moved to Hilton Head, SC, in 1991; she died there in 1994, and he returned to his beloved Doylestown, becoming an integral part of many military and engineering associations. He also served on the board at Westwyk, his residence until his move to Woodbury Mews in late 2006. Sharing many activities with Carol Crompton, a very special friend, enriched the last decade of his life. Three daughters and sons-in-law, six grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and his brother-in-law survive him. They include: Carol and Bill McCorey, of Beaufort, SC; her children Steven Calogero of Lompoc, CA, and Pamela and Paul Sperry, of Johns Island, SC and great-grandchildren Eliza and Emily Sperry. Ellen and Malcolm Dawson, of Sewell, NJ; their children Jane and Dale Midgett and Susan and Scott Rosenberger of Mantua, NJ and great-grandchildren Cameron Midgett, and Lauren and Andrew Rosenberger. Victoria and Frederick Cuneo, of Moorestown, NJ, and her children, James and Helen Phelan. Brother-in-law Robert Falls (Joan) of Etlan, VA. In lieu of flowers, please consider two museums that Bill was a vital part of developing and was dedicated to preserving. They are the Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Museum Association, NAS JRB Willow Grove, PA 19090 (http://www.dvhaa.org). Also, the National Museum of Naval Aviation, 1750 Radford Blvd, Ste. C., Pensacola, FL 32508, (http://naval.aviation.museum/home.html). A memorial service is planned for March 2 at Willow Grove Naval Air Station Chapel at 11 AM. Please visit: https://home.comcast.net/~williamlangen/ for entrance details.

William A. Langen

January 20, 1922 - February 10, 2007