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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

Mr. Gonzales received a BS in Chemical Engineering from NMSU in June 1953. In February 1988, he was awarded an Outstanding Alumnus Award from NMSU College of Engineering for contributions to the engineering profession through participation in U.S. missile and space programs.

Mr. Gonzales served in the USAF as a LT/Project Officer in the 4925th Test Group (Atomic) at Kirtland AFB during the period August 1953 - August 1955. He was responsible for development testing of Special Weapon Systems and associated handling equipment.

Mr. Gonzales worked for AVCO during the period February 1956 - July 1964, developing re-entry vehicles for Atlas, Titan, and Kirtland ICBMs. He participated in A/C drop and sled test programs staged from Kirtland AFB, NM, and flight test programs at Cape Canaveral, FL. He was Operations Chief of AVCO-Cape Canaveral during the period July 1960 - July 1964.

Mr. Gonzales worked for Grumman during the period July 1964- July 1976. He was a Test Engineer, Test Conductor, and Assistant Spacecraft Test Manager in the development and preflight testing of the Apollo Lunar Module (LM) during the period July 1964- January 1973. He received many Apollo Achievement awards for his contribution to the program. The most significant was an Apollo 13 Astronauts thank you plaque, containing a piece of cabin netting from the LM which flew around the moon, saving their lived when the Apollo Service Module malfunctioned. In January 1973, upon completion of the Apollo program, he was transferring to Grumman aircraft manufacturing facilities in New York, where he was a F-14/A-6 Engineering Coordinator and F-14/A-6 Aircraft Director, reporting directly to the VP of manufacturing. In July 1974, he joined the Grumman/Iran F-14 A/C management team where he had the responsibility to assist Iran Aircraft Industries obtain depot maintenance capability for the F-14.

Mr. Gonzales worked for Lockheed/WSTF during the period November 1978 - April 1980. He started as a Senior Engineer/Test Conductor on the Shuttle Aft Reaction Control System; after four months, he was promoted to Northrup Strip Operations Supervisor reporting directly to the Lockheed/WSTF Operations Program Director. He and his crew of engineers and technicians prepared the WSMR Northrup Strip as a shuttle landing approach training site and Shuttle Orbiter emergency landing site. In December 1981, he received a NASA certificated for Significant Contribution to the Shuttle Space Program, which contained an American flag flown in Columbia in November 1981.

Mr. Gonzales worked for DOA/WSMR, NM during the period April 1980 to December 1995. He started his Civil Service career as a HAWK Test Conductor, detailed to the position as Chief Air Defense Test Operations on July 1980 and was promoted to that position in December 1980. His organization, consisting of civilian and military personnel, supported/conducted tests for diverse test programs; e.g. HAWK Stinger, Chaparral, Safe Air, Strong Safety, STORM, Yellow Jacket, Special Launch Vehicle, Nautilus and others. She was Stinger Project Engineer during the period February 1986 - June 1988, and the Directed Energy Weapons Evaluation Test Suite Project Engineer during the period June 1988 - July 1990. The WSMR Commander awarded Project Engineer Certification to him in August 1992.