Page 31 - MY STORY

vision of my future state professionally. I also had

developed a strong desire to become part of the aerospace
industry – seems that my professional focus was starting
to sharpen up a bit.

I noticed a full-page ad in the Sunday Tribune where
Douglas Aircraft Co. in Santa Monica California was

looking for all kinds of engineering help to develop the
DC-8 jetliner. I could not let this one get by me! I sent a
résumé forthwith. A week later I received a telegram

asking me to meet their Dr. Leo S at the Palmer House,
Chicago for an interview. Man was I excited! The

following is a small vignette of that encounter:

On the day of the interview, I dressed to the nines and
drove to my appointment with Dr. S. I was to meet him in

the hotel lobby and have his name announced to
accomplish the meet. My problem surfaced starkly when

I realized that, in my excitement, I had forgotten to take
the telegram from Douglas with me. By the time I got
myself into the lobby, I had completely forgotten the

name, “Dr. S.” I could not call home to ask my wife to
read me the telegram – she was visiting with friends that
day. So I paced back and forth across the Palmer House