Page 173 - MY STORY

Co. asking why I had not interviewed with him while in

St. Louis. I simply told him that upper management had
set up the interview with the airplane company and never
let me know he might have an interest in my joining the

Astronautics Company. He indeed had an interest and
offered me the job of chief M&P engineer for Space
Shuttle after the award to McDonnell Douglas. That was

good enough for me. I Accepted the job offer, put the
house up for sale in the middle of an aerospace job
depression on the west coast, got back enough to recover

the principal and real estate commission, and prepared to
move.

One week before our move to St. Louis the Space Shuttle
contract was awarded to North American Aviation!
PANIC!!! House sold, a job in Huntington Beach already

assigned to my successor, and my proposed assignment in
St. Louis “up in smoke.” I called Don K in panic mode,

but was assured that even without the Shuttle program
they had a need for me and “come on to St. Louis.”
Phew!!!! The beginning of a brand new chapter in my

professional history.