Joseph Gwinn wrote:

And when I started, we programmed in assembly code (~ 70,000 lines),
only later sliding over to the new thing, Fortran (~ 60,000 lines, if I
recall). There were lots of debates about the practicality of fortran
in such applications, given the inefficiency of fortran-generated code,
but the combination of the 3:1 or 4:1 reduction in coding effort of
high-order languages compared to assembly coupled with the Moores-Law
increase in computer power soon pushed assembly code to the margins. It
was cheaper to simply overpower the inefficiency.

Joe Gwinn


Seems others thought it a viable plan as well...