by Donald B.
Right after graduating from college in 1959, my first job was at the
Martin Company in Denver, Colorado, working in systems integration on the Titan
I and II missiles. Time passed, and I eventually ended up at Skunk Works in
Burbank. I was a project engineer on a classified underwater vehicle system,
which, I think, eventually led the Sea Stealth vehicle.
After this program ended, I went to work in systems safety working for
Tony Isles (now deceased) focusing primarily on the S-3A and P-3 Orion
airplanes. Part of my job was to set up and maintain files of all reportable
accidents and incidents to identify and correct potential problems with these
aircraft before they occurred.
When Lockheed decided to move the offices to Mississippi and close the
Burbank plant, I was offered a job there. However, I decided I did not want to
leave my home and family here in California so I took the offered buy out and
went to work for Rockwell in Anaheim, again working on underwater vehicles.
I retired in 1999 and have been doing a lot of travelling and doing
volunteer work here in Orange County.
