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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

Jim Blandford began a twenty-two-year career in the Army at West Point, graduating in June of 1944. He was sent to Germany later that year to work as a forward observer, sending back the information needed to direct artillery shells to their targets. He served with Company A, First Battalion, 259th Infantry, 65th Infantry Division of the 12th Army Group and was awarded the Bronze Star for bravery.
Jim went on to complete a master's degree in guided missile engineering at Johns Hopkins University. He published an article, required for the MScE degree, at the time. He chose the subject of semiconductors, finding little written about them. Jim's education at Johns Hopkins prepared him for a central role in the development of the Terrier, Minuteman, and Talos missile systems.
Probably Jim's most challenging assignment and also the most rewarding was his work for the Development Division of the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project. He remained at that location, Sandia Base, New Mexico, for four years. His Army career also took him to Colorado Springs, Colorado where he was involved with the Operations Center of NORAD, under Cheyenne Mountain. He was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for his work there. He then went on to a position as Commanding Officer of the Corporal Missile Battalion at Fort Bliss, Texas.
During his last assignment while in the Army Jim served as the nuclear weapons and guided missile specialist for SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe), the 15-nation military arm of NATO, near Paris, France. His main task while there was to plan for the operational employment of short-range low-altitude air defense systems in NATO Europe.
After retiring from the Army in 1966, Jim began a second career working for North American Rockwell, in Southern California, for 18 years. He was involved in the forefront of studies on the effects of galactic cosmic ray and solar flare heavy ions on microcircuits, leading to the recognition of single event upset (SEU) as a major problem area for space systems. He was responsible for much of the early SEU testing, which led to a reduction in errors in the Space Shuttle, guided missile, and satellite computer systems.
The above is a brief outline of two involved and dedicated careers of Jim Blandford. He continues to be quite proud of his contributions toward the protection of his country and its allies through the guided missile programs as well as his involvement in the space program. He is also grateful for the opportunities provided to him by his country.