Page 172 - MY STORY

handed off to Huntington Beach for engineering

development, while Long Beach would be the ultimate
manufacturing site for production. I’m talking about this
issue because it had a powerful impact on my future life.

MAJOR MOVE YET AGAIN 1972
The 60-mile one-way drive from home in the San

Fernando Valley to work at Huntington Beach was
beginning to tell on my family life. After looking at
homes in the Huntington Beach area, with their

postage-stamp size lots, we decided to consider moving
closer to family in the midwest and maybe spread out a

little. The thought being that moving 1,500 miles was no
more a problem than moving 65 miles. This was not an
easy decision for me – I had a good position and
thoroughly enjoyed my job. In this case, saving my

marriage was more important than my position and
growth potential at Huntington Beach.

I applied for a job transfer to St. Louis in 1972. My
interview with the management at McDonnell Aircraft

Co. in St. Louis did not satisfy me, mainly because of
their rigid work and management environment. It seemed
stifling. When I got home I received a call from Don K,

Chief Materials and Process Engineer in the Astronautics