A Life at Full Speed: A Journey of Struggle and Discovery

Among computer science aficionados, Dr. Charles Herzfeld is affectionately known as the “Godfather of the Internet.” As Director of ARPA, the 1960s forerunner of DARPA (today’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), he was the force behind the development of the ARPANET, which ultimately became the Internet we know today. But what many do not know is the backstory behind this phenomenal achievement. By any measure, it’s the story of a remarkable life: one that begins with his escape from the brutality of wartime Europe in 1942, and takes him on a journey to the pinnacle of a scientific community that was experiencing a golden age in mid-20th century America. Dr. Herzfeld’s work placed him at the birth of technologies and trends that transformed the world: the Internet, the supercomputer, missile defense, and precision warfare. His career in the Defense Department, in industry and in the White House spanned the height of the Viet Nam war and the long, grim period of the Cold War. The heady political, cultural and scientific milieu of that time was his element, and he emerged as a true high-tech legend. His numerous awards and honors include induction into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2012, with the title of “Pioneer.” Charles Herzfeld’s life story is an iconic American tale. Here, in his own words, is that story.