Page 48 - MY STORY
P. 48
>Leo: Gruffly, “I didn’t ask you what you worked on,
what your activities were, or what you accomplished!
Answer my question! What have you done to make the
Douglas Aircraft Company successful this last year!”
>Me: In pure panic now –“I don’t know how to better
answer your question, sir. Give me an example of what
you’re looking for if you might.” I was beginning to
envision this interview as a harbinger of the end to my
employment.
>Leo: “Well”, he said as he smiled between clenched
teeth, “you must have done something right for Douglas
because here’s your first pay raise! Congratulations
Whiteson – now get back to work.”
ASSIGNMENT TITANIUM (JOE W.)
The DC-8 was going to be using high strength titanium
alloy for the first time in a Douglas airplane. Problem
was that our one and only titanium specialist quit
suddenly, and there was no backup. Joe offered me that
job, which really excited me. I pictured doing all kind of
engineering effort (research, materials testing, component
development) to evaluate and select the very new
