William G. Dilley
Architectural Engineering
Government Service
William G. Dilley played a creative role in American ballistic systems
development, then founded his own company for the manufacture of
advanced electronic equipment. Some of his major contributions to the
missile program remain classified; others include a system for the Thor
vehicle that reduced countdown time by 50 percent. He designed,
manufactured, and supplied international timing signal converters for all
missile launch complexes at Vandenburg Air Force Base. He was responsible
for determining the data required from airborne launches, for designing the
instrumentation with which they were obtained, for reduction of the data, and
for other steps in the process.
Mr. Dilley also conceived and was responsible for the design, development, acquisition, and operation
of the first fully instrumented test facility for intercontinental ballistic missile systems in the free
world.
Leaving government service, he founded his own firm for the design and manufacture of electronic
equipment. Spectra Sonics, of Ogden, Utah, has become a leading designer and manufacturer of
sound augmentation equipment, recording studio equipment, and electrical apparatus such as solid-
state characteristic curve tracers. Spectra Sonics sound equipment is used by the Denver Symphony.
Mr. Dilley was born in Sterling, Colorado, and graduated from North High School in Denver. His
engineering career at CU was interrupted for three years of World War II service as a fighter pilot and
flying officer. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with nine Oak Leaf Clusters,
the Belgian Fourraguerre medal, and other decorations, escaping when his P-47 fighter plane was shot
down over France. He returned to CU to earn the B.S. degree in architectural engineering in 1951.
Mr. Dilley has published more than 250 engineering papers and technical articles and is the holder of
14 U.S. and foreign patents. Colleagues pay tribute to his ingenious and inventive mind.
An aviation enthusiast and business pilot, he holds U.S. and world aircraft speed records.
He and his wife Jean live in Ogden. They have a son, Gregory, and a daughter, Kay.
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2/26/2018
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