Giles Arthur Whitson Sr.

Foil: 9 Panel: 4 Column: 1 Line: 106

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

Douglas Aircraft Co. El Segundo, California 1951 to 1958 - 7 years assistant leadman:

Flight line technician - 32 months

Flight line technician - 6 months at Naval Air Station Moffitt Field San Jose, California A4D fighter bomber, 1957; at Naval Air Station, North Island San Diego, California A3D bomber, 1957

Ground crew member three National Speed Record Runs, A3D, A4D and F4D aircraft.

Team crew member of slat invention on A4D aircraft. Slat in use today on all commercial aircraft.

Invented band saw safety shield.

Invented protractor wings, rudder, and elevator controls systems on A4D.

Installations of first use of titanium on Douglas aircraft. A4D emergency generator door.

Jet engine (J65) installed, removal, re-installed on A4D aircraft.

Hydraulic systems install, check-out; electrical systems install, check-out; instruments systems install, check-out in cockpit, and aircraft of A4D, A3D and F4D.

Landing gear check-out, operations from cockpit, with aircraft on jacks, A4D.

Structures assembly on A4D, A3D and F4D.

Liquid oxygen systems install, check-out.

Pilot seat armament check-out; ejection systems check-out.

Fuel tank modifications on A4D and A3D aircraft.

Vortex generator installations on wings of A4D and A3D aircraft. After wind tunnel experiment located placement.

Bomb bay door modifications and bomb bay aircraft spoiler retractable shield invention crew member on A3D aircraft.

Left aircraft work and went to missiles in 1959.

North America Aviation Inc., Rocketdyne Research and Development Space Division. Rocket Engine Test Center Santa Susanna Test Site, Canoga Park, California for 90 days in 1959:

Rocket engine static test research.

Exotic fuels and oxidizers test firing research.

Hypergolic fuels and oxidizers test firing research.

Missile sonic boom test machine invention crew member.

Lockheed Missile and Space Division, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Maria, California for 2 years from 1960 -1962:

Launch Technician.

Missile check-out and launch.

Launch team, ground crew member of Discoverer 13, first satellite ever orbited and retrieved from outer space. August 1960. A book was written about this project: "Discoverer, The Story of a Satellite" written by Michael Chester in 1969. On page 44 you will find my picture.

Launch Pad usage of handling of exotic and hypergolic fuels and oxidizers.

Hydraulic and pneumatic check-out and launch on missiles and satellite.

Ground crew member of invention of thruster engines; these are still in use today on many missiles and the space shuttle.

Launch pad assembly and mating of satellites "Discoverer", "Samos" and "Midas" to space launch vehicles "Thor" and "Atlas".

Discoverer, Samos, Midas satellites launch systems check-out in assembly building prior to launch and on launch pad prior to launch.

Rocket engine check-out prior to launch.

Launch pad re-assembly and clean up after launch. Very highly dangerous work for launch supply lines are still loaded with exotic and hypergolic fuels and oxidizers. These must be drained by hand.

Recording Secretary, Union Astronautical Lodge 2217

NASA prime contractor, Chrysler Corp. Missile and Space Division. Sub-contractor, Marshall Spaceflight Center Huntsville, Alabama for 51/2 years from 1963 to 1968:

Static test technician, Saturn Apollo.

Saturn Apollo missile, load in test tower from truck trailer, hold down in test tower, check-out, test fire, unload from test tower onto trailer.

Rocket engine check-out, test fire three times long duration, medium duration, and short duration. Remove and replace as needed.

Liquid oxygen systems load, test fire, unload. Very highly dangerous work.

Rocket fuel systems load, test fire, unload.

Rocket engine start fuel systems, "thi-ethel aluminum" (TEA) load test fire unload remaining wafers. Very highly dangerous work as TEA is very highly explosive upon contact with oxygen.

Very high pressure nitrogen systems amount into tank truck.

Hydraulic and pneumatic missile systems check-out, test, remove and replace as needed.

Invent, install protective system for engine area electrical wiring during test. Remove before flight.

Helped invent fiber optics as used on liquid oxygen tank baffle location. Installed fiber optics on tank top and television camera on test tower.

Ground crew member of Auburn University animal research of effects of Saturn - Apollo engine noise.

Ground crew member of monkey "Ham" project animal space program.