A Wealth of Talent and Brainpower

I worked at Palmdale for over 40 years

by David F.

I worked at the Palmdale, California, facility my entire Lockheed Martin career. I was there from August 1969 through December 2011, and was the second Palmdale employee hired in to support the L-1011 TriStar program. My first assignment was to coordinate the setting up the ID office at the old Caravan Inn. During my career, I worked in several different organizations including finance, shortage control, facilities and last but not least, material management as a purchasing representative. While each position had its challenges and rewards, my most memorable would be my time in material management, supporting our materials and process group. What a challenger that was! However, the rewards were great in working with such a dynamic group of engineers and scientists.

My favorite plane still is the SR-71. The gatherings that would take place on the corner of Sierra Highway and Avenue North to watch the Blackbird take off were second to none. I’ll never forget the sight and sound! While the SR-71 is my favorite, all of our programs are near and dear to me. My hat is off to the people who came before me, the men and women with whom I worked and those who will continue to carry the torch.

A Brilliant Opportunity

It was a prestigious education about the world and life

by Pauline L.

Martin Marietta Vice President of Operations Roger Coleman offered my most important career opportunity in 1973. The company was in the process of moving its headquarters from Torrance, California, to 18th and K in Washington, D.C. A brilliant and inspiring person, Mr. Coleman always focused on the essential, always able to see the larger picture. Working with him proved an education in itself!

In the Washington office, I met Gayle Chin, my dearest friend. She was a recent graduate of studies in Paris. When she applied for a position in the executive suite, I was asked to introduce her to the various areas of the company. She often said that I taught her "all she knew." My hunch is that we shared interest in many of the same things—art, travel, cooking and dining among them. When my husband accepted a position with the Association of Theological Schools in Dayton, Ohio, Mr. Coleman made my transfer easy to the company's Central Region Sales Office there.

After 10 years, my career at Martin ended with early retirement in the summer of 1983. However, my friendship with Gayle continues to this day, as does that with close friends from the regional office, John Meek and Sheila Sideroff. My memories of Lockheed Martin are fond, and its stewardship, retirement income and health benefits have contributed significantly to my life. I am grateful for the experience and proud to be a "graduate" of the company."

Thank you, Lockeed Martin!

The C-130 Was “My Airplane”

Thanks Lockheed Martin, for this wonderful aircraft

by Bill I.

I retired from the United States Air Force in 1989. During my military career, I was an enlisted crewman aboard the EC-130 ABCCC aircraft when it was at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. When I found out that I was going to be on flying status, I was very excited. I was really hoping to fly on one of the EC-135 aircraft. After getting to Keesler and getting qualified to fly my position by myself, I couldn't have been happier. The C-130, to me, was the best aircraft for the mission we had. I accumulated almost 700 hours of flying time while at Keesler, going to 10 different countries and 10 or 15 different states.

From there I went to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, where I was assigned to a unit that flew JC-130Bs, which were older than the EC-130s. Again, it was a great aircraft for a great mission, which was satellite recovery. I do not allow anyone to bad mouth "my airplane" in my presence. If they do, I quickly correct them and point out that, yes, they might be slow and noisy, but I always felt safe. I was in Vietnam in the early 1970s and had friends who flew gunship and airborne command post-missions on that venerable aircraft. No one time did I ever hear a derogatory word. I hope Lockheed Martin keeps building and updating the C-130 for years to come. I can't imagine my Air Force without it!

Lockheed Vega "Winnie Mae"

This is the story of two of aviation’s finest

by Eugene P.

Kelly Johnson's high altitude expertise goes back further than the U-2. I was one of the CIA engineers in the program office that managed the U-2, A-12 Oxcart and Corona. Having a lifelong interest in aviation, I learned of Kelly Johnson's earliest high-altitude project in which he modified Wiley Post's Winnie Mae to attempt altitude and speed records in 1934. Wiley bet Kelly a new K&E slide rule he would set a new world record. Kelly knew that would be possible only if Wiley found the jet stream. Wiley didn't make the record, and would later fly off with Will Rogers to Point Barrow, Alaska, where they crashed and were killed. When Kelley learned of Wiley's death, he is reported to have said, "Why that Wiley never did give me that slide rule.”

I am the president of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO).

Wings for the Eagle

Lockheed had a starring role

by Wes C.

Mike McDaniel came into possession of a big stack of old Lockheed newsletters and publications. Idly thumbing through one from 1942, he came across mention of a Warner Brothers movie of that year that was shot in and around the plant, using actual Lockheed workers: “Wings for the Eagle.” What? A film shot at Lockheed? We were both immediately intrigued—after all, both my father and I had worked in the plant and knew it well.

I checked Netflix and YouTube for copies. Nothing! Then I checked with my film noir buddy who specializes in hard-to find movies—nothing there, either. But he happened to notice that TCM was broadcasting it the very next day (http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/333855%7C0/Wings-for-the-Eagle.html)! So, he recorded it for me and I watched it.

The film is corny and propagandistic by today's standards, and contains many film clichés. (For instance, when somebody in a film turns on a radio in 1941, you know you're about to hear a flash bulletin announcing the bombing of Pearl Harbor.) But think back. In 1942, we were fighting for our survival, and films of this type were well received with the general public. They were even necessary. As for me, I'm grateful that there's such good film documentation of what it took it build aircraft at Lockheed in the 1940s. I love the interior plant shots—it reminds me of when I worked there in 1979 and 1980.

The World’s Best Father

I worked alongside my dad one summer

by Lisa L.

My father started working for Martin Marietta in January 1962. His salary was $132 a week, which was considered very good at that time. Today, it would be well below the poverty level!

Dad worked on the Bullpup, Pershing and Sprint missile programs and on various research and development tasks. However, his most memorable program was TADS/PNVS. He was program director for PNVS and was technical director for TADS. He was selected as engineer of the year in 1979. A few years later, I worked for Martin Marietta during the summer of 1982 in the test program set arena where we wrote test programs for testing TADS/PNVS. It was a father-and-daughter scenario!

TADS/PNVS was the main weapon system used at the start of the Gulf War to neutralize Iraq’s air defense system. It worked to perfection with the entire Iraqi air defense systems destroyed in one evening engagement. My father was so proud of that system! It would be months later when he would get to see actual video from that engagement.

A Life Well Lived

Around the world, Hunt made a lasting impression

by Linda, Keli, and Jennifer C.

Hunt had the attitude of John Wayne, the style of James Bond and the brainpower of a rocket scientist. On his first day at work at Martin Marietta, Orlando, he may have expected to be greeted by his boss with "Welcome aboard!" Instead, he heard, "Who are you?" Why are you here?"

Throughout his 35-year career with Martin Marietta and Lockheed Martin, from Advanced Programs in Orlando to the Vertical Launching System (VLS) program in Baltimore, he excelled at his job. He flew over one million miles and traveled to six continents as he successfully marketed VLS internationally. He was known worldwide as a talented and fair businessman, for his excellent technical knowledge of the product and for his understanding of and respect for other cultures. He became lifelong friends with many of his customers.

Hunt always had time for his family. He was a great husband, dad and grandfather. He took the family around the world when he could. When he couldn't, he and wife Linda created their own legendary family adventures at Mount Rushmore, Key West, Niagara Falls, Canadian Rockies and so many more.

After retiring as Senior Vice President of Lockheed Martin's Naval Electronics and Surveillance Division in Baltimore, Hunt and Linda returned to Florida. As a retiree, he became involved in the Orlando community with the Kiwanis Club of Orlando. To his surprise, one year he was awarded the club's esteemed Kiwanian of the Year award for his service.

Thank you for this forum to share Hunt’s story, and thank you, Hunt, for making the world a better place.

A life well lived and a job well done!