Robert HeinÂlein, Isaac AsiÂmov and L. Sprague De Camp at the Navy Yard in 1944
Robert HeinÂlein was born in 1907, which put him on the mature side by the time of the UnitÂed States’ entry into World War II. Isaac AsiÂmov, his younger colÂleague in sciÂence ficÂtion, was born in 1920 (or thereÂabouts), and thus of prime fightÂing age. But in the event, they made most of their conÂtriÂbuÂtion to the war effort in the same place, the Naval AviÂaÂtion ExperÂiÂmenÂtal StaÂtion in PhiladelÂphia. By 1942, HeinÂlein had become the preÂemÂiÂnent sci-fi writer in AmerÂiÂca, and the 22-year-old AsiÂmov, a gradÂuÂate stuÂdent in chemÂistry at ColumÂbia, had already made a name for himÂself in the field. It was HeinÂlein, who’d signed on to run a mateÂriÂals testÂing labÂoÂraÂtoÂry at the Yard, who brought AsiÂmov into the milÂiÂtary-research fold.
HavÂing once been a Navy offiÂcer, disÂcharged due to tuberÂcuÂloÂsis, HeinÂlein jumped at the chance to serve his counÂtry once again. DurÂing World War II, writes John RedÂford at A Niche in the Library of Babel, “his most direct conÂtriÂbuÂtion was in disÂcusÂsions of how to merge data from sonar, radar, and visuÂal sightÂings with his friend Cal LanÂing, who capÂtained a destroyÂer in the PacifÂic and was latÂer a rear admiÂral. LanÂing used those ideas to good effect in the BatÂtle of Leyte Gulf in 1944, the largest naval batÂtle ever fought.” AsiÂmov “was mainÂly involved in testÂing mateÂriÂals,” includÂing those used to make “dye markÂers for airÂmen downed at sea. These were tubes of fluÂoÂresÂcent chemÂiÂcals that would form a big green patch on the water around the guy in his life jackÂet. The patch could be seen by searchÂing airÂcraft.”
AsiÂmov scholÂars should note that a test of those dye markÂers counts as one of just two occaÂsions in his life that the aeroÂphoÂbic writer ever dared to fly. That may well have been the most harÂrowÂing of either his or HeinÂlein’s wartime expeÂriÂences, they were both involved in the suitÂably specÂuÂlaÂtive “Kamikaze Group,” which was meant to work on “invisÂiÂbilÂiÂty, death rays, force fields, weathÂer conÂtrol” — or so Paul MalÂmont tells it in his novÂel The AstoundÂing, the AmazÂing, and the Unknown. You can read a less heightÂened account of HeinÂlein and AsiÂmov’s war in AstoundÂing, Alec Nevala-Lee’s hisÂtoÂry of AmerÂiÂcan sciÂence ficÂtion.
Their time togethÂer in PhiladeÂphia wasÂn’t long. “As the war endÂed, AsiÂmov was draftÂed into the Army, where he spent nine months before he was able to leave, where he returned to his studÂies and writÂing,” accordÂing to Andrew LipÂtak at Kirkus Reviews. “HeinÂlein conÂtemÂplatÂed returnÂing to writÂing full time, as a viable career, rather than as a side exerÂcise.” When he left the Naval AviÂaÂtion ExperÂiÂmenÂtal StaÂtion, “he resumed writÂing and workÂing on placÂing stoÂries in magÂaÂzines.” In the decades thereÂafter, HeinÂlein’s work took on an increasÂingÂly milÂiÂtarisÂtic senÂsiÂbilÂiÂty, and AsiÂmov’s became more and more conÂcerned with the enterÂprise of human civÂiÂlizaÂtion broadÂly speakÂing. But pinÂning down the influÂence of their war on their work is an exerÂcise best left to the sci-fi scholÂars.
RelatÂed conÂtent:
Sci-Fi Icon Robert HeinÂlein Lists 5 EssenÂtial Rules for MakÂing a LivÂing as a Writer
Isaac AsiÂmov Recalls the GoldÂen Age of SciÂence FicÂtion (1937–1950)
Sci-Fi Writer Robert HeinÂlein ImagÂines the Year 2000 in 1949, and Gets it MostÂly Wrong
X Minus One: Hear ClasÂsic Sci-Fi Radio StoÂries from AsiÂmov, HeinÂlein, BradÂbury & Dick
Read HunÂdreds of Free Sci-Fi StoÂries from AsiÂmov, LoveÂcraft, BradÂbury, Dick, Clarke & More
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂter Books on Cities and the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.
It’s a shame you left out de Camp.