VOL 21. NO 2 The china laker Business Name Special points of interest:  Who was: William “Deak” Parsons?  CLMF 15th Annual Dinner and Auction  Blaze Baseball Game Who Was: William “Deak” Parsons? 1 President’s Message 1 Board of Directors 3 CLMF 15th Annual Dinner and Auction 3 Spotlight: Business Members 3 Inside this issue: As you enter the main entrance to the Naval Air Station China Lake, go halfway around the traffic circle and continue on East Inyokern Road. You pass McLean Laboratory on the left and then you come to the Training Center. The north- south cross-road there is Parsons Road. Parsons Road continues south through the now-cleared Old Duplex housing area, then, as the road turns to the east it suddenly becomes Groves Street, which ends at North Richmond Road. Parsons? Groves? Who were they? Most people might recall that Army LtGen. Leslie R. Groves, Jr. was the leader of the Manhattan Project, the Atomic Bomb program. Some might know that USN RADM. William Sterling “Deak” Parsons (1901-1953) was the leader of the Manhattan Project Ordnance Division responsible for the production of an atomic bomb into a deliverable weapon. Parsons was born in November 1901 in Illinois. He was a bright kid, who completed 12 years of schooling in eight years. He was admitted to the Naval Academy at age 16, two years younger than most cadets. His classmates gave him the nickname “Deak”, for deacon (playing on his last name). He graduated from Annapolis in the class of 1922. Parsons’ first sea assignment was on the Battleship USS Idaho. Deak was in charge of the Idaho’s main battery of 14-inch guns. Deak stood out because he was not just interested in his gunnery job, he wanted to understand everything about naval gunnery. He became an expert in all factors that influenced naval gunfire. After his tour on the Idaho, Deak attended the Naval Postgraduate School at Annapolis in 1927 with an emphasis on ordnance. Then he was assigned to the Navy’s proving ground for naval guns at Dahlgren, VA. Here Lt. Parsons met Dr. L.T.E “Tommy” Thompson, a ballistician, chief scientist at Dahlgren. Thompson was later to become the first Technical Director at NOTS, Inyokern. Thompson immediately recognized Parsons’ uncanny scientific abilities. Parsons and Thompson developed a lifetime friendship and collaborated closely through- out their careers. Parsons’ subsequent sea tour increased his awareness of Who was: William “Deak” Parsons? 8 May 2015 President’s Message Progress on our plan for the future is solidifying. We were not able to raise sufficient funds to buy the Marriott Office Building but have worked together with Jim Suver, CEO of the Hospital, who had the up- front money we did not have, and needs the whole building for the long term. He is working with us to finish and then lease to us the downstairs for our Museum for 5 years. We now are looking at this move as an interim step to establish our presence in Ridgecrest, to determine our business cash flow with our Gift Shop and some key displays, with paid admission. We are completing a business plan which shows we will be able to pay our daily operations bills and save donations for a simple core of the final China Lake Museum which we will simultaneously work toward building on the Kern Park land adjacent to Maturango Museum, with several phases of growth. Upon close of escrow, we will notify members of our Founders Campaign to enable them to express their wishes now that plans have changed again. We would appreciate your support (continued on page 2) (continued on page 4) , OCR Text: VOL 21. NO 2 The china laker Business Name Special points of interest:  Who was: William “Deak” Parsons?  CLMF 15th Annual Dinner and Auction  Blaze Baseball Game Who Was: William “Deak” Parsons? 1 President’s Message 1 Board of Directors 3 CLMF 15th Annual Dinner and Auction 3 Spotlight: Business Members 3 Inside this issue: As you enter the main entrance to the Naval Air Station China Lake, go halfway around the traffic circle and continue on East Inyokern Road. You pass McLean Laboratory on the left and then you come to the Training Center. The north- south cross-road there is Parsons Road. Parsons Road continues south through the now-cleared Old Duplex housing area, then, as the road turns to the east it suddenly becomes Groves Street, which ends at North Richmond Road. Parsons? Groves? Who were they? Most people might recall that Army LtGen. Leslie R. Groves, Jr. was the leader of the Manhattan Project, the Atomic Bomb program. Some might know that USN RADM. William Sterling “Deak” Parsons (1901-1953) was the leader of the Manhattan Project Ordnance Division responsible for the production of an atomic bomb into a deliverable weapon. Parsons was born in November 1901 in Illinois. He was a bright kid, who completed 12 years of schooling in eight years. He was admitted to the Naval Academy at age 16, two years younger than most cadets. His classmates gave him the nickname “Deak”, for deacon (playing on his last name). He graduated from Annapolis in the class of 1922. Parsons’ first sea assignment was on the Battleship USS Idaho. Deak was in charge of the Idaho’s main battery of 14-inch guns. Deak stood out because he was not just interested in his gunnery job, he wanted to understand everything about naval gunnery. He became an expert in all factors that influenced naval gunfire. After his tour on the Idaho, Deak attended the Naval Postgraduate School at Annapolis in 1927 with an emphasis on ordnance. Then he was assigned to the Navy’s proving ground for naval guns at Dahlgren, VA. Here Lt. Parsons met Dr. L.T.E “Tommy” Thompson, a ballistician, chief scientist at Dahlgren. Thompson was later to become the first Technical Director at NOTS, Inyokern. Thompson immediately recognized Parsons’ uncanny scientific abilities. Parsons and Thompson developed a lifetime friendship and collaborated closely through- out their careers. Parsons’ subsequent sea tour increased his awareness of Who was: William “Deak” Parsons? 8 May 2015 President’s Message Progress on our plan for the future is solidifying. We were not able to raise sufficient funds to buy the Marriott Office Building but have worked together with Jim Suver, CEO of the Hospital, who had the up- front money we did not have, and needs the whole building for the long term. He is working with us to finish and then lease to us the downstairs for our Museum for 5 years. We now are looking at this move as an interim step to establish our presence in Ridgecrest, to determine our business cash flow with our Gift Shop and some key displays, with paid admission. We are completing a business plan which shows we will be able to pay our daily operations bills and save donations for a simple core of the final China Lake Museum which we will simultaneously work toward building on the Kern Park land adjacent to Maturango Museum, with several phases of growth. Upon close of escrow, we will notify members of our Founders Campaign to enable them to express their wishes now that plans have changed again. We would appreciate your support (continued on page 2) (continued on page 4) , China Lake Museum,China Laker - Newsletter,China Laker 2010s,China Laker 2015,Newsletter May 2015.pdf,Newsletter May 2015.pdf Page 1, Newsletter May 2015.pdf Page 1