Lewis, Isaac Newton (1858-1931), invented the Lewis depression position-finder for artillery fire control (1891) and the Lewis machine gun (1911). In World War I, the Allied armies used more than 100,000 Lewis guns. By the beginning of World War II, however, the gun had become out of date. Lewis also invented an electric car-lighting system (1893) and a gas-filled torpedo (1909). Lewis was born in New Salem, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the United States Military Academy. He originated the idea of the corps organization of artillery in 1902, and also became an expert in coast artillery construction.
