Page 47 - MY STORY

calculate “stress.” Without “area” I could not calculate

“stress” so the whole day of the experiment was a
complete waste. I was told to “go home, grab a beer, and
don’t make the same mistake tomorrow.”

ANOTHER LEO S EXPERIENCE

Near the end of my first year with Douglas, Leo S called
me into his office. He sat me down at his conference

table, lit up one of his big black cigars, looked at me
through furrowed eyebrows, and started the following
conversation:

>Leo: “So Whiteson, you’ve been here for a year. What
great things have you done for the Douglas Aircraft

Company?”

>Me: “Well, I accomplished fatigue damage and

amelioration studies for DC-8, wrote multiple reports,
evaluated high strength boron steels for landing gear, and
am now evaluating titanium alloys for advanced air

compressor turbines and material solutions for fuselage
rip stoppers.”