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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. Kenneth Smyth

William K. Smyth's association with the Defense Department and NASA spanned from 1951 to 1989. His efforts directly contributed to the achievement of NASA's primary mission: to successfully place an astronaut on the moon and return safely to earth.
His professional career began in the United States Air Force as a Radar Technician on the F94B and F98C aircraft. In 1956 he joined the Department of Defense as an Air Force Quality Assurance Representative (AFQAR). His first assignment was to the Air Force Plant Representatives Office (AFPRO) at the Northrop Aircraft Company facility in Hawthorne, California. His role was to perform quality assurance duties on the T38 aircraft and SNARK Intercontinental Missile. During the next thirty-four years his career as an AFQAR ranged from the flashlight and mirror level to the Division Chief management level.

The following is a summary of career assignments as an AFQAR directly under the command of AFPRO at the following contractor facilities:

1951-1955: US Air Force
Radar Technician on F94B and F89C aircraft.

1956-1958: Northrop Aircraft Company, Hawthorne, California
AFQAR assigned during the T38 and SNARK Intercontinental Missile program.

1958-1960: Douglas Aircraft Company, Santa Monica, California
Assigned during the manufacturing and delivery of the THOR Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile.

1960-1961: Vandenberg Air Force Base, Lompoc, California
Assigned during the assembly, test, and launch of the THOR missiles.

1961-1963: Beale Air Force Base, Marysville, California
Assigned to the Titan 1 ICBM site activation complex during the Installation, Checkout, and Turnover of the Weapon System.

1963-1968: Douglas Aircraft Company, Sacramento, California
Assigned to the NASA Saturn Program. The Quality Assurance over site functions performed by Mr. Smyth and sixteen other AFQARs directly contributed to the overwhelming success of the installation, checkout, and static firing of the SIVB Stage of the Saturn/Apollo program.

1968-1970: Handley Page Aircraft Company Ltd, London, England
Quality Assurance Representative for the manufacturing of C10 Aircraft for the US Air Force.

1970-1972: Air Force Contract Management Division HQ, Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Staff Quality Assurance functions including numerous on-site Q.A. audits at contractor's facilities throughout the United States.

1972-1977: United Technologies, Chemical Systems Division, Sunnyvale, California
Assigned to manage the AFPRO Quality Assurance Program for the Titan Solid Rocket Booster and Separation Booster Motors of the Shuttle Program.

1977-1985: Aerojet General, Sacramento, California
Quality Assurance Responsibilities for manufacturing, test, and delivery of the Peace Keeper ICBM and Orbital Maneuvering Subsystem of the Shuttle Program.

1985-1988: NATO Consortium, Brussels, Belgium
Quality Assurance Program Management for the manufacture and delivery of the European F-16 Aircraft.

1988-1989: Aerojet General, Sacramento , California
Quality Assurance Staff Manager, AFPRO for the manufacturing, test, and delivery of the Peace Keeper ICBM and Orbital Maneuvering Subsystem of the Shuttle Program.

1989: Retired from Federal Service, GM 1910-14