by Maurice C.
I worked on the
Pershing II program in the fluids and controls lab. There seemed to be a
problem with the reservoir on the first stage. I was told that, on some of the
units, the O-ring was extruding on the inlet, which created a serious leak. I
was asked by a program engineer to accompany him to the Cape to check out a
missile, which was on a launcher that ten crew members were preparing for
flight. The only way to be sure that the O-ring had not extruded, was to climb
up on the launcher and crawl into the flame bucket and, using a flashlight, check
the O-ring to make sure it had not extruded. I have traveled to many places in the
United State and Canada to trouble shoot problems with missile systems, but the
trip to the Cape is the most memorable.
