Richard “Dick” Bruce was born on June 4, 1931, in Xenia, Ohio. As a child, Richard displayed an early fascination with mechanics and motion. He spent countless hours building model airplanes, operating a model train system in his basement, and zipping through the streets of Xenia on his beloved Whizzer motorbike. 

In 1951, Richard found his professional calling when he joined the Air National Guard. There, he launched a career in aviation maintenance, starting as an airplane mechanic and eventually becoming a crew chief.  In 1957, Richard relocated to San Diego, California, to begin work at the Ryan Aeronautical Company. The move marked the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the aerospace and energy sectors—industries that were rapidly evolving and critical to America’s mid-century scientific and military dominance.

In 1966, Richard joined General Atomics, where he would remain for the next three decades. He worked in the Advanced Materials Development department under the leadership of Dr. Ling Yang. There, he contributed to the design and "Out-of-Pile" testing of thermionic converters—devices that directly transformed heat into electrical energy for potential space applications. One of the team’s converters performed continuously, un-fueled, for five years before being retired. It was later requested by the Smithsonian Institution for display in its “History of Energy” exhibit. 

Later, in the Fusion Group at General Atomics, Richard served in numerous roles, including Machine Pit Coordinator for the DIII-D Doublet Fusion Machine, a critical component of U.S. fusion research. His hands-on expertise and leadership contributed to major milestones in experimental physics and clean energy development. After 31 years of service, he retired from General Atomics on November 1, 1995.

In his later years, Richard turned his focus to historical preservation. Drawing from a life immersed in aerospace innovation, he began documenting his experiences with the Air National Guard, Ryan Aeronautical, and General Atomics. His insightful memoir-style articles were accepted for publication by Flight Journal and Aviation History.

Link to the collection's Descripitve Finding Guide.