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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Ms. Cynthia B. Kennedy

Leroy Howard Beale (1920 - 1987) began a lifelong fascination with the air and space industry when he was growing up in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. He went up in the air for the first time when the operator of a biplane offered rides at the County Fair. From that point on, he was committed to finding a place for himself in this fledgling industry.
He received training as an aircraft mechanic while serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II in the China-Burma-India theater. He contributed to the war effort through working to maintain and repair planes that were flying "over the hump". During this time period, aircraft mechanics were expected to go up in the planes for test hops in order to check out any indications of any further necessary maintenance. When the war ended, he remained in India for a time in order to help with the scrapping of aircraft that were no longer necessary for the war effort but which were deemed too expensive to fly back to the States.
Following his service in the Army Air Corps, he pursued his interest in the aviation industry by working for Trans World Airlines, Capital Airlines, and, eventually, United Airlines. During his tenure in the airline industry, he was first employed as an aircraft mechanic and was one of the first members of Capital Air Lodge 1759, the Washington, DC area local union of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
Taking a great deal of pride in the quality of his craft, he progressed to the area of inspection. He was one of the pioneers in the use of nondestructive testing in the inspection of aircraft engines. This field employs the use of radioactive isotopes, ultrasound scanning measures, and eddy current systems, among other procedures, to scrutinize aircraft structures for the detection of defects. Recognized for his expertise in this area, he served as a consultant to other airlines, including British Overseas Airways, and was an active member of the Air Transport Association Nondestructive Testing Forum, holding the office of President for a term.
He was a firm believer in the importance of the contributions of the many men and women who worked to build the passenger airline industry into what it is today. Building upon experiences acquired during military service to his country and during the period of rapid growth of the airline industry during the post World War II era, he dedicated his career to furthering the integrity and safety of the airliners that he had dreamed about as a boy.