by Georgia E.
When I arrived in Denver in 1959, with my
two preschool children, I was hired as a typist at the very bottom of the pay
scale. I didn't even know what aerospace was. Within three months, as the
company expanded, I was promoted to “planner.” I obtained Top Secret Clearance
and eventually set up control rooms in several United States Air Force bases. Once
a new site manager, touring the control room facilities, asked, “What is that woman doing in my control room?”
My boss replied, “She's a planner, like
everyone else assigned here.” Ten years later, I was the only woman being
transferred among the sites as we installed the Titan missiles. After 13 years,
our firm completed the contract and I resigned.
A few years later, the company had new
contracts to land on the Moon. I was called back to work by a former boss. During
this time, I was in charge of outgoing contractual correspondence and worked
with that same site manager of years ago! I completed 12 years' service as we
put the Viking lander on the Moon.
Martin Marietta gave me, a single mom,
with two young children, the opportunity to achieve a successful career in
aerospace that my family and I am very proud of. My career was a very rewarding
experience.