by Ed S.
As a youngster in the early 1960s, I was
one of many who would rush outside when the loud rumble of a missile launch
echoed throughout the otherwise quiet valley in which Lompoc, California, is
situated. I remember gazing skyward and wondering just how brilliant were the
men and women who could make those things fly those awesome vehicles with
powerful names like Thor, Atlas and Titan.
Flash forward to October 19, 2005. I find
myself with my coworkers at Vandenberg Air Base, standing outside a building in
which I had worked for almost 10 of the last 23 years. Once again, I am gazing
skyward at an awesome launch vehicle with a powerful name—Titan IV B-26. This
time, however, there are at least two significant differences. It is the last
time I will ever see a Titan Space Launch Vehicle rising majestically over the
hills of this same Lompoc Valley. And this time, I no longer wonder how
brilliant those people are, because I have worked with and known many of them!
As I watched B-26 climb into that crystal-clear
blue sky, I felt extremely proud to be an employee of Lockheed Martin! I will
miss that feeling, but I will remember it as long as I live. Thank you Titan team
and thank you Lockheed Martin! Farewell, good luck and Godspeed to all who made
you fly!
