Martin B-26 Tail Gunner Saves Flight Crew

He was in battle with a “mystery aircraft”

as told to Nick E.

On a crisp morning in May 1944, tail gunner Bob Ferrara and his crew were flying their Martin B-26 Marauder when they crossed into enemy territory. Off in the distance, he spotted an aircraft approaching fast. Bob could tell it wasn’t an ordinary bomber. The enemy opened fire, the incoming tracers filling the gunner’s window, but none of them hit the B-26 Marauder.

Bob grabbed the handles of his machine gun and retaliated. Through the hail of bullets, he could see there were no propellers on the enemy plane. The mystery aircraft fired again, spraying bullets at Bob and his B-26 bomber.

Bob zeroed in and fired, and finally hit the bandit chasing them. The plane erupted into flames, and plummeted to the ground. Bob and his crew were dazed, and wondered what aircraft could fly at such high speeds without a visible propulsion system, and with that much firepower?

The crew made it back to base for the debriefing and found top brass waiting for them. Bob was reluctant to admit that he had no idea who was chasing them. He was given a book of German planes to look through, and as Bob flipped through the pages, he found a photo of what had been after them.

“This is it,” he said, “this is the plane I shot down.”

It was a German Messerschmitt Me 262, one of the first jet aircraft invented and used in combat.

1943 Enlistment Photo

B-26 Marauder

Bob Ferrara, top row center

From Humble Beginnings

At Lockheed Martin you can reach the sky

by Charles S.

In 1947, having served in the Navy during World War II, I joined Lockheed Aircraft Service Company (LAS) at MacArthur Airport, Long Island, New York. I started as Class C instrument technician at the rate of 89 cents per hour. By 1978, I had advanced to LAS Executive Vice President and Lockheed Corporate Vice President.

As a LAS contract administrator, I was primary contact with presidential flight crews and United States VIP fleet (LAS was then at New York International Airport), which provided all heavy maintenance and modification to the 1254th Air Transport Wing (later designated the 89th ATG).

Starting in the1960s, I was director and vice president of international marketing. I later served as executive vice president and worked to establish and administer LAS International joint ventures and operations in various foreign locations, including Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Malaysia.

Following my retirement in 1983, I continued to serve Lockheed as a consultant for some 12 years and was involved in a number of domestic programs, as well as acquiring additional bases of operation in Hungry and Argentina.

From humble beginnings, I was blessed to be involved in great programs and unique experiences in serving Lockheed Martin, the world’s greatest aerospace company.

The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar

Who says our work can’t also be fun?

by George J.

I was lucky enough to work for Lockheed Martin for over 37 years. I started my career on the L-1011 TriStar as a wash rack attendant working in the paint shop. During the program’s early days, from time to time we were required to lay up various new airline logos and markings on one of the aircraft on the final assembly line in Building 601. We worked with engineering to ensure the placement was aesthetically pleasing.

When we performed this task, we would look at the placement from the first mezzanine on the north side of the building. On any given day, we might lay up the logos on different aircraft. The aircraft used depended on which one the manufacturing department would allow access to. One day, someone noticed we kept changing aircraft and asked why. Being the practical jokers we were, we told them the mezzanine was designed to look like various air terminals around the world. We told him if we moved further to the east it looked like one airport or a little to the west it looked like another.

This rumor seemed to spread fast across the plant, and people actually believing our made-up story. This was just one of many practical jokes we played on the unsuspecting workers. 

I started my career in the L-1011 paint shop.

Expanding the Limits of Achievement and Knowledge

In the end, it was about the people

by Lloyd B.

In 1977, my neighbor worked at Lockheed Martin Michoud on the Space Shuttle’s External Tank program. When he found out I was a chemist and there was an opening in his department, he insisted I interview for the job. It was the best thing I ever did. After 32 years at Lockheed Martin Michoud, I retired. The External Tank program was the most exciting and challenging work I could ever want. But, the best was the great co-workers and friends that I had over those 32 years.

Rising to Meet the Cold War Challenge

It was all about teamwork

by Rick H.

In June 1952, I joined Lockheed-California Company in Burbank. I was hired as a structure assembler helper at the rate of $1.25 per hour. I had to go to school for two weeks to learn how to rivet. And, of course, Jim Burke was hired the same time. He went to the same school and went to work for the same Lockheed supervisor on the swing shift. We reported to the A-1 plant to work on the P2V-3 Neptune. I told the supervisor that Jim and I were structure assembler helpers and he said, “OK, you guys are going to work on this panel, and you will help him and he will help you.”

A “Founding Father” of the F-35

It all began in junior high

by Perry W.

In 1955, as a junior high school student, I wrote a paper about "what you want to be when you grow up" that I hoped to be good enough to launch my career as an aeronautical engineer. Later, I managed to get two degrees in aerospace engineering and enter the industry I had dreamed about. I spent the majority of my 41-year aerospace career working for Lockheed Martin and its legacy companies, General Dynamics and Lockheed. I did not intend that longevity when I joined General Dynamics in 1967, but once I got into it, I couldn’t give it up. I was fortunate to work with and to know many very fine fellow engineers and aerospace professionals. They enabled my success as an engineer and manager. I experienced several major highs (F-16, X-35) and lows (A-12) during my time, as programs came and went.

The high point in my career was the award of the F-35 production contract, a program I helped begin as a small technology effort in 1993, and which I also helped mature into the current centerpiece of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, and arguably the Lockheed Martin Corporation. I consider myself one of the "founding fathers" of that program. This also satisfied my junior high challenge I think!

Celebrating a high-point in F-35 history

The Best Decision I Ever Made

Lockheed Martin is a great company to work for

by Eugene M.

I went to work to work for Martin Marietta in 1961, right out of electronics school. I worked on all the major contracts at that time, since most of them went through the environmental and structures laboratory for testing where I worked. My starting salary was $72 per week. I thought that was pretty good. I spent all my time working in environmental laboratories until my retirement in 1998.


I enjoyed my time with Lockheed Martin, and deciding to work there was the best decision I ever made. It’s a great company to work for.

I’m Celebrating over 60 Years

It all began in 1951, the year Lockheed-Georgia opened its doors

by Sam M.

I hired in at Lockheed, then known as Lockheed-Georgia Company in Marietta, Georgia, in 1951 at a pay of $1.10 per hour. That same year, Lockheed-Georgia opened its doors.

I worked in assembly inspection, contracts and finally in marketing. I marketed C-130s and C-141s to the United States government. I was appointed marketing representative on a Lockheed Jetstar tour of Europe, Africa and parts of Asia. I married a fellow worker, Joan, and later took an early retirement in 1990. I left many loving friends at Lockheed Martin.

Show and Tell

This story has a happy ending

by Richard R.

Back in the mid-1970s, I worked in the facility in Sunnyvale that developed and produced the High Temperature Reusable Surface Insulation (HRSI) tiles that covered two-thirds of the surface area of a Space Shuttle. We had made about a dozen very special fragile tiles that were kept in a locked cabinet awaiting shipment to NASA. On the day we were prepping them for delivery, one of the workers suddenly got a funny look on his face and said he had to go home right away. When queried as to why, he confided that he had taken one of these delicate tiles home for his son to take to school for "show and tell." Fortunately, he found it safe on the teacher's desk, although it did have a few tiny fingerprints on its delicate surface.

Built to Last

Quality shines through in everything we do

by Glenn A.

I worked at the Ft. Worth plant in the 1980s and 1990s. I was always amazed at the huge air compressors and the electrical motors that drove them. Installed at the south end of the main factory when the plant was built in the early 1940s, they were still humming away some 50-odd years later.

Bringing Them Home to Safety

My story began decades ago

by Melvin B.

Circa 1940, I helped a pilot get to Floyd Bennett Field during a very overcast summer's eve. He circled several times until I got my father's 3D or 4D flashlight and signaled him. I pointed the flashlight up, turned it on and swung it down to point toward FB, then shut it off (the approximate heading of 220 degree from my corner in Canarsie, Brooklyn, New York.) I repeated this five or six times, and the engine droned off in the direction of FB. Since I didn't read or hear of a crash, I assumed he made it. I felt good!

And that was just the beginning. I was a mechanical engineer for 40 years with Republic Aviation Corporation. The last program I worked on was the manual flight control system for the A-10.

Looking Back at 50 Years

I lived my childhood dream

by Bob B.

I knew from the time I was a child that I wanted to be an aeronautical engineer. In 1961, during a particularly snowy winter day, I spotted an ad in the New York Times for Lockheed in Sunnyvale, California. I had no idea where Sunnyvale was, but I had previously worked in Los Angeles (for a competitor), and it sure sounded good to me. I applied, was accepted and drove cross country figuring I would be there a few years. Fifty years later, I retired from Lockheed. How exciting those years were! Great people, great products and wonderful opportunities.

The Challenge of Manned Space Flight

Transforming ideas into reality

by Ivan S.

I worked at Lockheed Martin long before it became Lockheed Martin. Back in 1960, it was called Martin Marietta. I worked at the Denver facility from 1960 to 2002. It was exciting working on the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle projects. It was a great time and a great company to work for.

Working at the Front of Our National Defense

We helped advance warhead accuracy

by Richard G.

Having been retired for 20 years, after 33 years at Lockheed Missile and Space Company, Port Canaveral, Florida, I remember the pleasure of having worked with the best-of-the-best aerospace company! We were a small group, approximately 300 people, but we worked on some of the most important projects of the Cold War: the Polaris, Poseidon and Trident missile systems. It was great being at the front of our national defense. I still dream of the many co-workers who have since passed away. 

Pushing the Bounds of Discovery

My “mission” was the Space Shuttle

by Marion M.

In 1977, I began working for Lockheed Martin in Houston, Texas, as an on-site computer programmer at the NASA Johnson Space Center.

I wrote and maintained a computer program that processed real-time telemetry data from the Space Shuttle. It decommutated, converted to engineering units and displayed the results on a monitor.

I was in in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) running the program for a NASA engineer on January 28, 1986, when the computer monitor went blank due to the Challenger disaster.

Thus began many hours of rerunning the program with recorded tape input and printing the last seconds of selected data items for analysis by investigative personnel.

Thanks Lockheed Martin, it was a wonderful ride!

Proud of My 40-Year Career

Working here has been a family affair

by Chuck C.

My mother retired from Philco-Ford with about 25 years of tenure, and I started there in 1971 in Palo Alto, California. Eventually, Philco-Ford became Aeronutronic Ford and Ford Aerospace, and was later purchased by Loral Corporation. About two years later, Lockheed Martin bought the San Jose Western Development Laboratories (WDL) division. I eventually met my wife, who also retired from Lockheed with about 32 years of service. I'm proud of the 40-year career I had with Lockheed Martin. The funny thing about my mother and wife working there is that they both share the same February 13 birthday!

Congratulations Lockheed Martin!

Building the Air Force's Strategic Nuclear Force

The technologies also benefited the way in which we live

by H. Miller

I started working on the Titan 1 missile launch control/checkout system on February 9, 1959. I performed the same duties for Titan II, Titan III and Titan IV until I retired May 27, 1990. In the course of these years, I was involved with an Apollo Onboard Checkout System, a long duration space flight electronics study, a battlefield intelligence system, All Source Analysis System and Checkout, and the Control and Monitor Subsystem for the Space Shuttle.

The Titan I work involved the first transistorized circuits used for countdown timing and propellant loading. This required close work with Texas Instruments field engineers to understand and to account for design problems. My subsequent work involved integrated circuits, which finally became a complete computer. I was so glad that my years Lockheed Martin allowed me to keep up with ever changing electronics engineering field.

Celebrating More than 50 Years

We worked on every aircraft built at Ft. Worth from 1942 to 1997

by Diena P.

My dad, mom and their five children moved to Ft. Worth, Texas, in 1942. Dad started to work for Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation in September of that year. He bought a house on the west side of White Settlement in a community called “Liberator Village,” named for the first aircraft built at the “Bomber Plant,” the B-24 Liberator. My parents raised their family in that community and Dad worked at the plant for 29 uninterrupted years. He retired in 1971. The company changed names several times over the years. It was known as Consolidated, Convair, General Dynamics and lastly, Lockheed Martin.

I went to work for General Dynamic in 1966 and worked in every area of the facility, from receiving inspection in the south end to the electronics building on the flight line. I went to night school and was promoted to senior quality engineer. I retired in 1997 after 31 years. I have many service pins earned by my dad, my late husband and myself from all of the companies listed above. Between the three of us, we worked on every aircraft built at Ft. Worth from 1942 to 1997.

Thanks Dad for the memories and wonderful life!

Skill, Courage and Selflessness

A little known story about the Hubble Space Telescope

by Phillip C.

The acoustic test of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was a critical and challenging effort. The acoustic chamber was located in a 175-foot high-bay facility. The satellite was eased into the facility and lifted into a vertical position with a set of huge cranes that were built into the facility. While moving the HST into the chamber very slowly to control momentum build-up, disaster struck!

Due to the very slow speed, the crane motor stopped with the billion-dollar satellite hanging 25 feet above the floor. We quickly determined the cause of the problem, but the fix had to be performed on the motor 160 feet above the floor. The problem was how to get up there without risk to the satellite.

As we discussed our options, looking up at the hanging satellite, I asked the facilities manager if he had a boatswain’s chair and if the young facilities technician (his name was Dewey) if he was afraid of heights. “No,” so up went Dewey to the crane platform in the boatswain’s chair where he installed the fix. After the fix, Dewey, still dangling 160 feet above the floor, asked if he could come down. I said “No,” not until the satellite was safely in the chamber. So there hung Dewey for 20 minutes, 160 feet above the floor.

Dewey’s skill and courage was one of the selfless actions that made the success of the Hubble Space Telescope a crowning achievement of Lockheed Martin.

Around the World with Lockheed Martin

I'm proud of my 50-year association

by Thomas B.

As a 36-year Lockheed Martin Corporation career retiree, it seems my lifetime and family have been influenced by travel. Growing up as a United States Army dependent, I spent years traveling and living in South Korea, China and Japan. My own Army duty took me to Germany, where I first encountered Martin Marietta personnel. With a Martin Letter of Recommendation, I left the military and joined Martin in Orlando, only to be assigned to Korea as a field service rep. There I met the love of my life, leading to our marriage. The next 36 years took our family to assignments, both within the United States and outside, to the Middle East, Far East, Europe and Canada. Lockheed Martin not only favorably impacted my life, but also influenced our children’s lives as well. My 50 years with Lockheed Martin (36 active and 14 retired) only covers half of the Lockheed Martin Centennial period, but I am proud of the company, its people and its achievements during my life’s service. 

The Soaring Eagle

Worldwide, our aircraft raise the bar

by Joseph K.

One of Lockheed Martin's legacy companies, General Dynamics Fort Worth Division (GDFW), was awarded a contract in the mid-1980s to assist Aero Industry Development Center (AIDC), a quasi-government entity in Taiwan, in building a high-performance fighter, literally from the ground up. I was a senior engineering specialist (avionics) on the program for nine years, including over three years onsite in Taichung. The program continued in 1992 after Lockheed bought GDFW. The airplane is known as the Indigenous Defensive Fighter (IDF), the Soaring Eagle. The program took place because the United States would not sell F-16 Fighting Falcons to Taiwan in those years.

“Rosy the Riveter”

Perhaps my father-in-law was the inspiration behind the icon

by Daryl C.

I retired from Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in 2007 after 40 years of service. My parents and my sister also had long careers with Lockheed Martin, but the story I want to tell is about my father-in-law Hyman Rosenthal. He started working for Lockheed in Burbank in 1941 and retired in 1973. He used to tell a story around the dinner table about how he believed he was the original “Rosy the Riveter.” His friends at work always called him Rosy and in the early 1940s, one of the jobs he performed was riveting. He recalled one day a reporter from one of the news magazines (Life, Look – he wasn’t sure which one) was touring the factory. While the reporter was in the area, one of Rosy’s coworkers called out, “Hey Rosy.” Shortly after that incident Rosie the Riveter, a woman, started turning up in magazines and posters and became the symbol for women supporting the war effort. To his dying day in 2007, he always believed that he was the inspiration for "Rosie the Riveter." Rosy spent 32 years with Lockheed Martin ending his career at Lockheed's Rye Canyon Research, north of Los Angeles. He enjoyed 34 years of retirement before passing at the age of 99 years.

"Rosy" inspired us all!

Strategic Reconnaissance

I worked on America’s first satellite intelligence program

by Corwin L.

I supported the system test of Thor-Agena on the Discoverer pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The classified program was Corona, which I learned later when it was declassified.

The first test launches for Corona/Discoverer were in 1959.

F-35: Pinnacle of Fighter Technology

I did the first “power-on”

by Paul P.

I was involved with the first production the F-35 and did the first “power-on.” My good friend, Johnny Zaskoda, was asked, but he felt that I was entitled to do the power-on because of my seniority. Thanks Johnny!

I am also proud to say that my son, Paul, was employed as a captain with Lockheed Martin’s security department when he retired from the Air Force, having served our nation for 23 years.

The World’s First Big Space Station

My work was a labor of love

by Robert H.

I worked on the Skylab program in the early 1970s at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas. I wrote on-orbit crew procedures into a flight data file, which was flown onboard the Apollo capsule for each mission. This was the most fantastic labor of love in my career at Lockheed Martin, among other places I worked for them.

The “Renaissance” Aircraft

It's still serving faithfully after 50 years

by Eric A.

As a young Navy enlisted aircrewman, I remember my first flight on the P-3C Orion. It was the first of many flights during my career on an aircraft that I come to respect and trust. Designed to be a sub hunter during the Cold War, the P-3C proved to be a multi-mission aircraft before it became fashionable—maritime patrol, search and rescue platform, air ambulance, surface targeting and control. After retiring from the Navy in 2005, I was proud to join the Lockheed Martin team. Twenty years and 2,500 flight hours later, my admiration for this aircraft has not diminished.

My crew and I respected and trusted the P-3C Orion!

We Continually Raised the Bar

Looking back, there's a great sense of pride in our success

by Bobby M.

I started working for Lockheed in 1967. Being a Lockheed employee gave me the opportunity to be involved in a number of exciting programs. I spent several years working on the Poseidon missile program. I also spent several years working on classified programs. I was continually amazed at the capability of Lockheed Martin personnel to solve so many challenging projects. A big portion of my career and the most memorable years were spent on the Hubble Space Telescope Program, where I managed the quality assurance effort.

I feel very fortunate to have worked on that program from the proposal stage through launch and several of the refurbishment missions. I worked with so many highly qualified individuals. I look back at the various periods and feel a great sense of pride in the success that the Hubble Space Telescope has had during its ongoing life in orbit.

Thank you Hubble Space Telescope; I've enjoyed the view!

Keeping the Peace

“Missile envy”

by David C.

Initially my job with supplier quality control was at 32nd and Chestnut St. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1989, the program was moved to Valley Forge. We worked on the awesome MK-21 missile program. This missile was capable of firing multiple atomic warheads. I could not imagine anyone using such a weapon. I guess it deserved the name "Peacekeeper." Although I gave over 100 percent to the job, I secretly hoped there would never be an occasion to use it. So far, we are in the clear. Nevertheless, to this day I wonder, "What if?"

Eyes and Adrenaline Skyward

I will never forget the Thunderbirds

by Fred C.

I was at the annual airshow at Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee, in the early 1960s. The Thunderbirds performed with the F-100 show. Captain Bailey demonstrated a C-130 max performance take off, sans jet assisted take off (JATO), with a fuel truck aboard, and info fell through the crack (vacuum between the headset?) as truck had quite a bit of fuel aboard. It was a hot day, slow acceleration, rotation and into ground effect for quite a distance. Had to extract seat cushions from guys in the front office I'll bet you!

The Raptor Dominates the Skies

It’s impressive worldwide

by Paola B.

I was in Switzerland with my friends when I saw two F-22 Raptors fly overhead. They were both at a very acute angle, maybe 20 degrees of turn.

A Passion for Aviation, A Desire to Change the World

I had the honor of knowing a true American hero

by Karl J.

When it was thought that Blacks were not intelligent enough to fly, Eleanor Roosevelt had one of the Tuskegee Airmen as her personal pilot. His name was Lewis Jackson. He was the dean of Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio, when I was a student there. We were friends. A quiet intelligent man, he researched the engineer Eiffel (tower in Paris) and his studies on the lift effect on flat plates. Dr. Jackson invented and built an airplane based on that science.

Passing the Torch through Generations

We’re proud to work for such a great company

by Susan J.

When I was quite little, my father worked on airplanes for Naval Air Station Alameda. He used to take me to airshows where we would view the Lockheed-built airplanes and jets he worked on. When I became a teenager, he worked at Moffett Field in Sunnyvale. Next thing you know I'm working at Lockheed in Sunnyvale right next to him, building vehicles still in service today. Now 20 years later, I'm proud to say my son is working at Lockheed Martin, just a few buildings away from me. 

We are very proud to work for such a great company building quality vehicles that withstand decades of outstanding services.

A Boon for Astronomy and Mankind

Hubble’s achievements have been out of this world

by Chuck J.

In my 27 years with Lockheed Martin, at various sites across the country, working various programs, many of which cannot be openly acknowledged, my most notable achievement that can be mentioned was the contribution I made to the Hubble Space Telescope program in Sunnyvale, California. That space vehicle was quite a scientific achievement, not only for our nation but also for the world at large. Fly on Hubble!

Keep Going Strong, Lockheed Martin!

You build fantastic aircraft

by Nicolas M.

I’ve always loved airplanes. I served in the United States Air Force in Vietnam in 1965 and loved to fly. I had an aunt who worked in a bomb factory while her husband served in World War ll. My cousin flew fighter jets while serving in the United States Marine Corps. He also served in Vietnam. I was in one of the last prop (gas piston)-type aircraft schools. I flew in C-123, C-119 and C-123. I think Lockheed Martin builds a fantastic aircraft, including the SR-71 Blackbird and the best C-123.

Keep building and going strong!

Our History Here Began with My Grandfather

We couldn’t be prouder than to serve in the Air Force and work at Lockheed Martin

by Michelle A.

Lockheed Martin’s 100th year anniversary is also a celebration for my family and its heritage. I am the third generation to work for the Corporation. My grandfather worked for Lockheed on B-17 production lines in southern California during World War II. He was also one of the first employees to buy a Thousand Dollar War Bond. 


Following military retirement from the United States Air Force, my father joined Lockheed through a heritage company and worked for the company until his retirement in the mid-1980s. I am also a proud member of the Lockheed Martin team after having served in the Air Force. In my family, we were proud to serve in the US Air Force and to work for Lockheed Martin. 

This is a photo of my grandfather and the production line for the B-17 Flying Fortress.

“Wing-Overs” in the P-38 Lightning

Memories of test flights will never fade

by Rosemary B.

My memories of Lockheed date from World War II. With a newly minted journalism degree, I was employed by the Lockheed Modification Center in Dallas. My job was writing the weekly newsletter for employees, which was called "The Interceptor."

What an exciting job! I was given a private office, access to the tarmac, factory and out buildings via an electric scooter, as well as camera and photo facilities and the print shop some miles away.

My most thrilling experience at Lockheed was being invited to go on a test flight of the P-38 fighter plane called "Night Lightning" with pilot Ben Branson. We flew straight up a long, long way and then straight down. It was very scary! We also did a series of "wing-overs" and other tests.

The P-38s were modified to fly at night over Germany during World War II as camera spy planes. They were painted black and a second seat, the double-bubble, was provided for the cameraman. The photomaps produced during those night flights were used later for bombing missions.

Another exciting event was going on a test flight in a B-17 Bomber, a huge airplane. I was even invited to take the controls as the pilot watched. What a thrill and a privilege!

When World War II ended in September, 1945, the Lockheed Modification Center in Dallas was promptly shut down forever. My memories of those test flights will never fade.

Thank you, Lockheed Martin, for a unique experience!

Ace reporter for "The Interceptor" in the Lockheed P-38

Dreams Become Reality at Lockheed Martin

I’m honored to work here

by Samantha O.

I knew I wanted to work on underwater vehicles when I saw "The Spy Who Loved Me" with the "swimming" Lotus. When I found out that Lockheed Martin Palm Beach built it, I knew there was only one place I wanted to work. I set that goal in middle school, and it became a reality when I graduated from college. I love my job and am honored to work here with such amazing innovative people.

We Changed History for Women

Glenn L. Martin took an unprecedented step

by Katherine S.

Almost 70 years ago, in 1943, in the middle of the most devastating war in history, Glenn L. Martin took the unprecedented step of recruiting women to take the place of engineers who were leaving to serve in the armed forces. I was 18-years-old and one of those women chosen to work at the Martin Company's camouflaged plant in Middle River outside Baltimore. Hired, and sent to college to study aeronautical engineering in an accelerated program, then to Martin's training school in an overhauled warehouse on Redwood Street in Baltimore, we were then ready to take up our jobs in the Middle River drafting rooms, changing, updating and correcting original drawings of the Martin planes. I was assigned work on the A30 attack/reconnaissance plane, the B-26 Marauder and the JRM-1 Mars cargo flying boat, as well as later, the 210, a Navy carrier plane.

It was an exciting time and we were changing history, not only in countries around the world, but also in the lives of working women in the United States. It was here that I met my husband, who was an engineer working in Martin's flight test, designing instruments that would help to make the planes safer. I remember the long nine-hour days, the six-day work week, the round-the-year double-daylight savings time, as well as the dedication of all the men and women at "GLM," and the pride of being a part of winning the war.

Exploring the Bounds of What’s Possible

It’s a career, not a job

by Frank C.

I've been employed with Lockheed Martin for seven years, and I’ve worked on amazing projects that have had a direct and real impact on the world around me. I feel pride that I work for the company that started with dawn of aviation. Now, we’re exploring the bounds of what is possible with cyber security and computing and the bleeding edge of space. I feel that I have a career, not just a job with Lockheed Martin.

It Was an Epiphany

At that moment, I was suddenly able to truly say I knew who I was working for

by Stephen K.

The lights pooled around the sand-colored vehicles as night came on. Stacked high about them were packs and duffle bags. Soldiers checked in, mingled with families, were issued weapons; a photographer snapped photos of the moment, capturing both smiles and somber expressions.

In an oft quoted slogan we say "We know who we're working for," and I believe that we do, but as I stood in that Ft. Stewart motor pool and my daughter kissed my son-in-law for the last time, I was suddenly able to truly say that I knew who I was working for.

We know who we're working for, we're working for them!

Over 60 Years Ago Today

My father was at the cutting edge of IT

by Jody P.

Sixty-five years ago, my dad started at GE Aerospace, a heritage company of Lockheed Martin. At 17-years-old, he was full of passion and curiosity and was quite driven. I closely watched as my dad, Thomas Pregent, changed IT history through his leadership, vision and fortitude. In fact, he was key to bringing together the future of information processing technology.

By 1959, he was already part of the development of information handling systems, computing services and business information processing centers. All evolved through new technology and consolidation of services that are still part of Lockheed Martin today. He was at the heart of change and was in front of what was considered the “leading edge” in technology. In the early 1950s, this included punch cards, magnetic tapes, mainframes and servers.

Twenty-five years ago, he led the GE Aerospace information technology initiative to integrate processes and services to combine key data centers by December 1989. He not only influenced and brought about change through the evolution of information technology, but he also was very influential in my life and in my career at GE Aerospace, then Lockheed Martin.

I proudly reflect on his impact to the company over his 42-year career. He was awarded for his many significant achievements, which influenced technology innovation and change. 

Thank you, Dad, for accelerating tomorrow!

From Barnstorming to Baseball

Glenn L. Martin loved aviation and sports

by Nanette C.

My aunts told me stories that Glenn L. Martin would come to my grandfather’s (Wharton Drury’s) house to ask him to umpire Martin Bombers baseball games. My aunts told me what a big baseball fan Mr. Martin was! In fact, he helped form an organization called the All American Amateur Baseball Association (AAABA) to promote the sport.

My uncle told me that Mr. Martin asked the Darlington Maryland basketball recreational team to play the Martin Bombers in a pick-up game. Mr. Martin greeted all the Darlington players with a handshake and wished them well. After the Martin Bombers won by a significant amount, Mr. Martin shook the hands of all the players and stated they played a hard game and thanked them for playing. What a class act!

Glenn L. Martin and the Martin "Bombers"

The Dragon Lady

The Lockheed U-2 performed remarkably

by George P.

Our father, George E. Plambeck, was asked to join the U-2 program in August 1964.He was an instructor at Brooks Air Force Base in the high-altitude department. From 1964 to 1971, he was stationed at Edwards Air Force Base. Then in August 1971, he retired from the Air Force and was asked to move to northern California to join Lockheed, which was working with NASA on a joint project. Our father enjoyed the years he was with the U-2 program and I will always remember the pilots I met, including Jim Barnes, Chunky Webster and all the other men with whom my father was proud to serve.

I’m Celebrating Too!

Thank you, Lockheed Martin

by Mattie H.

I am so glad to be a part of Lockheed Martin's 100th anniversary. I have worked for the company for 34 years. I began working here on August 23, 1978, and have worked on aircraft (programs). I’ve been able to change my life and that of my family. I'm so proud to be a member of this great team!

Five Generations of Continuous Employment

The journey’s been grand for our family

by Lorraine B.

My grandfather, Mathias Remesch, lived in Hungary where he was a master cabinetmaker and business owner. He immigrated to the United States in 1905 and was employed by the Glenn L. Martin Company in Cleveland, Ohio. When the facility moved to Maryland, he set up the first tool room at Middle River. 

For five generations, my family has been fortunate to have continuous employment at Middle River, and it all began with Mathias (first generation). The lineage includes my parents, Frank and Violet Remesch (second generation); my brothers, Frank and Raymond Remesch, and myself (third generation); my daughter, Nancy, and her husband, William (fourth generation); and my granddaughter, Stephanie, who interned in 2009 (fifth generation).

Yes, I was part of the 100-year history of the Glenn L. Martin Company and saw significant changes in the industry. Some of the legacy has been in the books, and some of it is not written. I witnessed the manual typewriter and adding machine changing to the computer age and the thousands of single machines in the shop changing to a single N/C programmed machine doing 50 operations. Talks about dress-down day, the guys in the shop were required to wear white shirts and ties (some wore aprons).

What a great company it was to work for and I conclude with my congratulations to Lockheed Martin on 100 years!

The Sky’s the Limit at Lockheed Martin

I’m excited about how we accelerate innovation

by Eric

My story with Lockheed Martin began as soon as I read Ben Rich's personal memoir, Skunk Works, at the age of 15. From that moment on, I knew that I wanted to work for Lockheed Martin, but I never really thought I would have the chance. After some training, I was hired in 2010 and worked as a structures assembler on the C-130J center wing box production team in Marietta, Georgia. I was part of the crew that built the most center wing boxes ever built in one year! I felt very proud to help build an aircraft with such rich history. Now I work as a structures assembler on the F-35 wing production team in Fort Worth, Texas. I help build the world's premier fifth generation stealth fighter. Dreams do come true, and I am excited about the future. I truly believe that the sky's the limit!

The future is bright at Lockheed Martin!

I’m a Proud F-22 Enthusiast

The Raptor is truly exquisite

by Varun K.

I have been in love with planes since I was two-years-old. But the plane I simply admire the most, is the F-22, created by none other than the great Lockheed Martin. When that plane flies, I just get the epic chills. It’s the most beautiful plane ever created and I have full faith that it will succeed in every possible way. I have always had a special attachment to the F-22 and, it is and always will be, the best in my eyes.

F-22: Dominating the skies and overwhelming the threat!

Lockheed at the Frontline

I spent my entire 20-year military career with the P-3 Orion

by Jeff F.

I am a retired United States Navy Sailor and spent my entire 20-year career with the P-3 Orion. I managed to, in one way or another, turn a wrench, fly on or release safe for flight for one hundred P-3s. I worked on almost every variation of the aircraft, including all three primary models, the P-3A, P-3B and P-3C. It was a great 20 years, a great aircraft and a great Lockheed product!

I am now employed by Lockheed Martin and am currently working the final assembly of the C-130J Super Hercules.

"It was a great 20 years, a great aircraft and a great Lockheed product!"

Thanks for the Memories

My dad had the most amazing job at Lockheed

by Victoria O.

Lockheed recruited my father, Peter Smith, in the late 1960s. He and my mother were born and raised in England, but came to America after he was offered a job with Lockheed as an aerospace engineer. I believe they were originally in California. Shortly before I was born, in 1970, he was transferred to Marietta, Georgia. He worked on the L10-11, if I remember correctly.

I remember that I always thought my dad had the most amazing job. His love affair with airplanes ran deep and he loved his job. He came to school when I was in fourth grade during a parent's day when parents would come to school and would talk about what they did for a living. I was mortified because I did not think my classmates would find his job as cool as I did. I could not have been more wrong. They were as enthralled as I was as we listened to him explain what it took to get one of those beautiful machines off the ground and soaring through the skies. He also brought little airplanes for the entire class. It really is one of the happiest memories I have from my childhood. He passed away in 1998. He loved his job and he loved Lockheed.

A Kiwi’s Adventure in America

My uncle worked at Lockheed Martin after World War II

by Maxine P.

My uncle, Arthur Carlinson, worked in the Lockheed factory near Los Angeles. He’d just arrived in the United States 1954 after working in London during World War II, where he worked with radios. I don’t know where or what he was doing, but I believe it was classified. He was born in New Zealand and traveled to England in March 1939 to ride in the motorcycle races on the Isle of Man. I wold love to know what he did while working at Lockheed. I believe it was the only job he had in the United States. He never returned to New Zealand, but I was lucky to meet him on two holidays to Los Angeles in 1967 and 1969.

My uncle was born in New Zealand and worked at Lockheed Martin after World War II.

Able to Perform Herculean Efforts

Thanks C-130 and C-130 team

by Sam A.

The year was circa 1991. I was president of the Air Force Association in southern Colorado (an independent, nonprofit, civilian aerospace organization that promotes public understanding of aerospace power and national defense). As part of the thanks for our support to the “Blue Suits,” we did what were called military affairs events. For an event held at Dobbins AFB, we flew from Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs to Dobbins. This was my first flight in a C-130 since my service in the US Army in 1971. It was the first flight that I did not exit the plane from the door while it was in the air, an odd feeling! And, this aircraft was the oldest in the Colorado Air Guard’s inventory. We landed during a tropical depression with about three inches of water on the runway. The pilot put the aircraft on the numbers!

We did many things that week at Dobbins and the Marietta facility. The most memorable was when we took delivery of a "D" model C-130 for the Colorado Air Guard. I was allowed to be part of the final walk down. The aircraft was perfect, even the sealant was perfect and uniform. The new aircraft and military affairs team flew back to Peterson AFB.

One of my final thoughts was that Lockheed Martin might be a cool place to work. I left Boeing in 2001 and started at Skunk Works® in Palmdale, California. Thanks C-130 team! 

It Was the Summer of 1969

I"ll never forget that day

by Paul P.

Picture this scenario in your mind's eye. It's the summer of 1969; I'm wading and fly-fishing a beautiful mountain stream in Colorado's Gunnison Mountains. It's a gorgeous day, bright sunshine, a fresh, wispy breeze blowing through the trees and the big trout are ready to eat. I'm slipping past a small lodge where many folks are in an area overlooking the stream. Wham, the hit of a huge brown trout and the fight is on. I play the fish for a while and bring it to net; it looks like a great dinner to me! I place it on a small stringer as I'm approached by an elderly gentleman from the lodge. He congratulates me on my catch and we chat, a thirteen-year-old boy and a man likely in his seventies. Turns out he owns the lodge. He asks where my family is and I say we're camping just upstream. He wants to know if we have anywhere to watch the Apollo landing on the moon that night and I tell him no. He invites me and my family down to the lodge to watch the Lunar Landing. The six of us head over that night and enjoyed a wonderful evening. What a great way to see and celebrate that milestone. Who would have known then, that 43 years later I'd be celebrating that very milestone, among others, while working for the company who helped put that vehicle on the moon.

Honored to Follow in My Dad’s Footsteps

Two generations have proudly worked on the powerful Aegis system

by Lawrence C.

My father, Gordon C Caldwell, worked at RCA Moorestown where Aegis was born. After the end of the Apollo program (RCA built the telemetry antennas for the LEM and moonbase), he helped lead the development of Aegis. First, he was PMO of CSEDS, working on the USS Norton Sound in 1972 and 1973. Finally, before his retirement, he was manager of the first PTC. I am proud to follow in his footsteps, having led the JABMD baseline through four successful flight missions as lead system engineer and now working as WCS technical lead for the latest generation of Aegis, Baseline 9E.

"My dad helped lead the development of Aegis." 
The word "Aegis" dates back to Greek mythology.

Bridging the Technological Divide

Lockheed Martin is training right-fit talent to defeat a new threat

by Vernon R.

I’ve seen innovation in action at Lockheed Martin Cyber University. Nearly four years ago, Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Solutions (IS&GS) recognized the need to build a cyber security workforce with the right skills and motivation to meet our Corporation’s evolving needs and to offer advanced solutions for our customers.

As a result, the Lockheed Martin Cyber University was launched in April 2009. I’m proud to say it is a world-class provider of cyber education, training and certification for security professionals. The university provides hands-on tactical and strategic security training for security executives and network and security professionals. In addition to traditional instructor-led training, the university provides online courses such as CISSP, Security+ and Certified Ethical Hacker. Since the university’s inception, over 1,600 employees have been trained and we’re aligning critical skills and jobs.

Grandfather of Naval Aerial Photography

I’m following in his footsteps

by Jeff R.

My grandfather, Walter L. Richardson, was the first aerial photographer for the Navy. He started his Navy career in 1911, as a ship’s cook on the Mississippi, and was pursuing photography as a hobby. The base commander of the newly formed Naval Air Arm in Pensacola, Florida, soon asked him to take official photographs. My grandfather saw great potential in taking photographs from airplanes and was credited with inventing the first handheld oblique camera for aerial photography. He established photographic schools at various Naval Air Stations and became known as the "Grandfather of Naval Aerial Photography."

One hundred years later, as his youngest grandchild, I develop software to process aerial photographs into 3D models for mission rehearsal and training. The software, called TacForge GeoSketch, is a product of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. GeoSketch is used by Special Operations Forces Planning, Rehearsal and Execution Preparation (SOFPREP) to build mission rehearsal database for Special Operations Forces. GeoSketch was also used by the US Secret Service to build 3D databases of Tampa, Florida, and Charlotte, North Carolina, to support field agents at the 2012 political conventions.

My grandfather was a pioneer of aerial photography.