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Robert was born on July 13, 1924 in San Francisco California. Both his parents were native-born Californians. His youth and schooling took place in Los Angeles, and lasted until 1941. At this time his father was transferred to Redding, California. Interruptions in schooling caused him to still be in school at draft registration time. He was then locked into being drafted after graduation. Seven days after his graduating he was sworn into the Navy via the draft and became a V6S. Boot camp was at Farragut Naval Training Station. After that was Class A Fire Control School at Treasure Island, California and then Class B School at the Naval Repair Station San Diego, California. With schooling all completed he was assigned to the Destroyer Pool back at Treasure Island. He then became a member of the Hadley Crew. From then on he shared the same experiences as the rest of the group. |
His General Quarters and watch stations were
both in the Main Battery Plotting Room with the group operating
the Mark 1 Computer. This group was part of the crew that was
ordered into the water and was later picked up by the
accompanying LSM(R). Bob elected to stay with the ship for the
long tow to Hunter's Point, California. He was still aboard for
the Decommissioning Ceremony and departed right afterward for his
thirty-day oversea leave. Reporting back to Terminal Island,
California he was assigned the to the General Pope AP110 at
anchor in the harbor. This resulted in a trip and liberty at
Yokohama, Japan. He was able then to see the extensive damage to
that city made by the incendiary bombs dropped in Fleet Carrier
raids and the B29's. Discharge took place on March 30, 1946.
After four months of 52/20 his father said work or get out, so he
started in what was twelve years wasted in low pay jobs in the
automotive field. In 1947 he joined the Naval Reserve, Class V6.
Low and behold in the spring of 1951 he was mobilized. First to
San Diego and then to Hunter's Point as a crewmember of the USS
Taylor DDE468, a Fletcher Class destroyer. It was completely
re-outfitted with ASROC (anti-submarine rocket) system. His GQ
Station was Director Operator of the Mark 56 FC System. This was
part of the new 3" 50 caliber battery that replaced the 40mm
weapons. The ship went through a shake down just like the Hadley.
After one year of service he was discharged. He then returned to
the same meaningless work but with new resolution to improve. At
this time he began to accumulate college credits with one thing
in mind, the high-paying aircraft industry. On July 21, 1958 the
Lockheed Aircraft Corp. in Burbank, California hired him. He
never left. After three years he was selected for a Management
job. His first five years there he was working Navy P2's,
originally called P2V. He was a member of the flight checkout
crew. These went out of production in 1963. At with time he
became a member of that secret society, the Skunk Works, also
known as ADP, Advance Development Projects. From that time until
retirement he was connected with the SR71 and it's predecessors.
He was by now a member of the design group that also supported
the craft in the field. All this time he maintained a home in
Lancaster, California. The Antelope Valley is the center for much
aircraft testing. His duties included supporting the aircraft at
it's two overseas bases, Kadena Air Base on Okinawa and RAF
Mildenhall in the UK. In 1987 he retired early to accept the same
job as a contract employee and has continued on as a consultant
up until present. Currently this entails only one or two workdays
a week. This all came to an end October 13, 1999. NASA retired their aircraft to flyable storage.
His time with the Blackbirds had ended, three months short of thirty-seven continuous
years. The military and NASA appear to have lost all interest in the bird. Short of a miracle there will never be another flight. The SR71, right now, is still the holder of world records as the fastest and
highest flying (air breathing) aircraft and the only vehicle to have MACH 3 cruise capability.
January 18, 1948 he married Carmella, a nice American-born
Italian girl. His Mother was also an American-born Italian. This
union still exists today. It has produced two girls and one son.
These kids have produced two grandsons and two granddaughters and
as of now, one great-granddaughter and one great-grandson. Stephen, after three
years at UC Berkeley has taken time off to work in a stock brokerage firm. David
is a graduate of Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of
Business and is now back in the business world.