• Page Eight ROCKETEER September 14, 1979 Entry forms due Monday for '79 Desert Empire Fair parade Entry forms are due Monday for the big parade which each year is one of the major attractions of the Desert Empire Fair. The gala procession will be held on Saturday, Sept. 29, starting at 10 a.m. The parade chainnan, Roberta Leighton, said the committee in charge of this event is anxious to receive the completed entry forms in order that the work which goes into deciding upon the order of march can tiegin. Parade entry forms can be mailed to the Desert Empire Fair, P.O. Box 1178, Ridgecrest, or delivered in Person to the DEF office on the fairgrounds in Ridgecrest. Although about 130 entries are expected only 40 entries bad been received by mid- week, Mrs. Leighton reported, and she and her committee are bracing themselves for the volume of last-minute applications that . is eipected. "When the WestWas Fun" is the theme of the 1979 DEF parade, and a cbange has been made in the parade route. Custom,arily the parade begins at the triangle on N. China Lake Blvd., but this year it will begin at the intersection of French St., and N. atina Lake Blvd. The assembly point will be in the Kern County Regional Park with the procession proceeding nOl'tbward to the triangle near atina Lake Blvd. and Inyokern Rd., where it will disband. The reason for the change in the direction of the march was to leave access through Ridgecrest for people just passing through in their vehicles during the event. The Naval Weapons Center will he represented in the parade by the Sidewinder drill team and color guard. Also back for a Commissioned Officers' Mess Reservations are continuing to be tUen for the nen gala Membership Night fete at the Commissioned Officers' 'Mess, which will be held on Friday, Sept. 21. Featured on the menu for this occasion will be a prime rib of beef dinner served from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The evening's en- tertainment will be provided by the "Sounds of Country," a versatile group that plays everything . from rock to country~le music. The "Sounds of Country" will be coming here direct from a recent engagement in Las Vegas. The price for this evening of dining and dancing is $t for COM members and their spouses, and $5 for guests. Reservations can be made by calling the COM office, phone 446-2549. Tonight a seafond entree will be the special of the evening for diners from 4:30 to 6:30 p.., . at the COM. Ourir,: the coming week, two other special dinners are planned. On Tuesday there wtll be a steak cookout on the lanai. Patrons are invited to barbecue their own steaks and enjoy other fond from the salad bar and buffet. Nen Thursday, Sept. 20, will be in- ternational night at the COM dining room. Featured on the menu will be grand mar- iner Comsb game hen, teriyaki steak and New York pepper steak. On Tuesday and Thursday nights, dinner wtll be served from 6 to 9 o'clock. Enlisted Mess " Archer," a dynamite 4-piece rock band from the Los Angeles area, will be ap- pearing for the listening and dancing pleasure of Enlisted Mess patrons" tonight and tomorrow night from 9 to 1:30 a.m. On the menu this evening at the EM will I.... surf n' turf, which will be served from 6 to 9 o'clock. return appearance will be a mounted color guard from the Marine Corps Logistics Support Base, Pacific, at Barstow. The parade is to be divided into five divisions, each headed by a banner bearer selected from among local Boy Scout and 4- H Club units, as well as a division marshal to be selected from among nominations made by local clubs and organizations. A llkmit prologue of dignitaries, in- cluding the grand marshal, the mayor, the NWC Commander, Little Miss Desert Empire Fair and the Pioneer Days queen, will lead procession. Among the novel entries in the parade will be a wizard and troll from Magic Mountain and an Arabian costumed lady. Also returning will be tricycle rider Harold Hambey, who rode his tricycle across Death Valley and has his feat listed in the Guiness Book of Records. Plaques will be awarded to the first, second and third place winners in each of the various categories of parade com- petition. The plaques are made in the shape of Kern County with a star to mark the location of Ridgecrest. AT CPO CLUB- "Sounds of Counlry," a popular musical group, will be. here for a return engagement tonight and tomorrow night at the Chief PeHy Officers' Club. The Irio has played numerous engagements at military clubs and af night spots in the Southern California area. ~CalendarJ Sepl. 21 - Burroughs High School sophomore and varsity football games, 5:30 and 8 p.m. Sepl. 21 - COMO Membership Night, dinner 6:30 p.m., dancing at 8 p.m. to Sounds of A WACOM WELCOME - The Women's Auxiliary of the Commissioned OHicers' Mess (WACOM) held its annual membership coHee, poolside lit the Commissioned Officers' Mess on Tuesday. Among the new members being welcomed were O.·r.) Mrs. Jean Fish, wife of Howard Fish, head of the Parachute Systems Department, and Susan Aldana, wife of Capt. Louis P. Aldana, the new NWC Vice Commander. They are shown here with Mrs. Sharon Zabel (2nd from right). president of WACOM, and Mrs. Lou Hillyer, WACOM Thrift Shop supervisor. Maturango Museum to sponsor field trip to Talc City, Darwin area on Sat., Sept. 22 A good chance to learn more about the geology and natural history of the high desert will be offered to Maturango Museum members and other interested persons ' on Saturday, Sept. 22, when museum members K.en Pringle and Janet Westbrook will lead a field trip to the Talc City and Darwin area. Both trip leaders are specialists in these areas. They will share their knowledge during the course of the trip, Pringle in geology and Mrs. Westbrook in natural history. The trip will begin at 8 a.m. at the NWC main gate parking lot. A car caravan will proceed up Highway 395 and across High- way 190 to Dirty Sox Pool, then on to Talc City and Darwin, with stops along the way to look at old mines. Lunchtime will find the group at Darwin Disco dance planned to welcome students A disco music dance, planned .as a welcome to all new students at Cerro Coso Community College, will be held this evening, from 8:30 to 12:30, in the student center at the local college. Special guests of honor for the affair will be members of the 1979-80Coyote basketball team. Bill "Blue Jeans" Coy will be the disc jockey for this event. Tickets are priCed at $I for holders of associated student body cards, and $2 each for non"tudents. . A variety of refreshments will be available. Falls, a surprisingly undesertlike sl- . where drooping willow trees and lush ferns surround a waterfall. The return leg of the trip will be through Panamint Valley, where much of geological interest is to be seen. The trip is especially recommended to newcomers who may not realize the sur- prising diversity of the desert and to longterm residents who would like to be reminded of this area's natural wonders. Participants should bring their own picnic lunches and water. Cars should have full tanks of gas and tires that are in good shape for a dirt road trip. Anyone planning to go on the trip should call the museum by Friday, Sept. 21, to be included on the trip list. The museum, which is open from 2 to 5 p.m. each day, has a phone number of 446- 6900. .(0 All A(O[ \ AOMlTTEO (0,,_••,Aud ....c ,,~ P (O All A(O [ \ AOMITT[O P.o.",,'.' Guul,,,( , ~..qq.\ t" d I II R [ \ T R .e T[O U ndr•• , " . qUI'" .t(Cllm".".'''' p •••n l o . Adull (O.... . d ..." Regular startIng tlme - l :3Op.m. Fer synopsis information call Code-O·Phone 939·2"11 FRIDAY "QUINTET" Starring SEPT.14 Paul Newman and V ittorio Gassman (Fantasy.drama, rated R, 119 m in.) SATURDAY, MONDAY SEPT. 15,17 " MURDER BY DECREE" Starring Christopher Plummer and James Mason M ystery. rated PG, 12"min.) WEDNESDAY SEPT.19 " THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY" Starring Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland ( Adventure. rated PG, 111 m in.) FRIDAY,SATURDAY SEPT.21,22 "PSYCHIC" Starring Jennifer O' Neill and Marc PoreI (Drama, rated R, 91 min.) o. From: PLACE STAMP HERE MEET SOCIALLY - A Welcome Aboard was held last week for Parachute Systems Department personnel from EI Centro at the Commissioned Officers' Mess by the Women's Auxiliary of the Commissioned Officers' Mess. The event was attended by about 130 people. Among the attendees were (I.·r.) Capt. William B. Haft, NWC Commander; Bob Hillyer, NWC Technical Director; Mrs. Lou To: Hillyer, Mrs. Jean Fish; and Howard C. Fish, head of the Parachute Systems Departmenl. - Photo by Ron A1len ABHl John Kennard Kennard chosen as Bluejacket of Month bJ Iwe Aviation Boatswain's Mate (H) First Class John Kennard has won the coveted Naval Weapons Center's Bluejacket of the Month Award for August. ABHl Kennard directs and surpervises the daily activities of the 17 men in the Flight Support Branch of the Base Operations Division in NWC's Aircraft Department. His recommendation for the award noted that Petty Officer Kennard has the · capabilities to do an outstanding job in any task assigned and that he has willingly volunteered for additional duties and responsibilities in order to further his professional background. In addition to his regular duties, ABHl Kennard is also the Code 61 transporation representative, aviation fuels' coordinator, energy conservation petty officer for the airfield, and is on the NWC Athletic Com- mittee. A14-year career Navyman, he has served with Helicopter Training Squadron Eight at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla.; Naval Air Station, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico; Naval Missile Center, Point Mugu; (Continued on Page 3) Naval Weapons Center China Lake CalitOf'"nia il , September 14, 1979 Vol. XXXIV, No. 37 HONORED BY NWC - Six men, one of whom was unable to be present for the ceremony, were honored Wednesday .fternoon for their part in the eftort made to save the life of LCdr. Theodore (Ted) Faller, a naval aviator assigned to the Naval Weapons Center, who was the victim of a fatal airplane crash. LeHers of commendiltion and plaques were presented by CIIpt. W. B. Half (al right), NWC Commander, 10 (I.. r.) Jammie W. Adams, John T. Cunningham. Michael F. Higgins, Peter E. Brown, and John G. Wardell, III. Sleven L. Printy, another of _ who had an active role in the rescue attempt, was unable to attend. Six men honored lor attempts. to save life 01 Navy pilot killed'in plane crash During a solemn, dignified ceremony held Wednesday afternoon, .Capt. W. B. Half, NWC Commander, honored six men who directly assisted in efforts to save the life of LCdr. Theodore (Ted) Faller, who died on Aug. 13 in the crash of a QF-86F Sabrejet aircraft while on a routine training mission and aircraft familiarization flight. The crash occurred in Ridgecrest, near the Ridgecrest Heights School - recently renamed the Theodore H. Faller Elementary School in honor of the Navy pilot, who made sure his f1aming aircraft would avoid striking the schoOl or nearby homeswhen he made the crash 1anding that cleimed his life. Among those present for the ceremony Wednesday afternoon was Mrs. Betty Faller, whose husband was the pUot of the ill-fated aircraft that crashed shortly after takeoff from Armitage Airfield on the mornini! of Aug. 13. Singled out · to receive letters of c0m- mendation and NWC plaques ' that were presented by Capt. Half were Peter E. Brown, Steven L. Printy, Jammie W. Adams, John G. Wardell, ill, John F. Cunningbam, and Michael F. Higgins. Burke, gets Tech. Director Award for·work on ARBS - Brown, 19, is a self-employed landscaper who lives at. 1209 St. George St. in . Ridgecrest Heights. He'was one of the first two persons to arrive at the aircraft crash si~, and (using a sma1l pocket knife) at.. tempted to extricate LCdr. Faller from the burning aircraftby trying to cut through the shoulder straps that held him in the cockpit. The Technical Director's Award in recognition of his work on the Angle Rate Bombing System (ARBS) was presented to Carl Burkey, a system design engineer in the System Development Department's A- 4M 1AV-8 Project Office. The presentation was made by B. W. Hays, Deputy Technical Director, on behalf of Bob Hillyer, NWC Technical Director, on Monday morning during the weekly Commander'S meeting held in the Management Center of Michelson Laboratory. Burkey was commended not only for his key role in the exploratory development phase of ARBS, but also for his efforts to improve the system as it moved into the advanced development phase. In the letter of commendation from Hillyer which accompanied the Technical Director Award, it was noted that Burkey's "dedicated and excellent service to the ARBS program have been directly responsible for the successful developnent of a new and highly effective tactical lViorucs system.H In addition to the letter of commendation, Burkey also received an engraved paper- weight and a $200 stipend. Burkey, who has been employed at China Lake for the past 24". years was graduated in 1957 from California State Polytechnic College in San Luis Obispo with a bachelor's degree in electronics engineering. Since that time, he has worked on the develop- ment of aircraft weapon systems avionics. Prior to coming here, Burkey served a five year hitch in the Navy (October 1946 to October 1951), and had worked briefly in Civil Service as an electronics mechanic at Pearl Harbor. He first came to China Lake while on educational leave as a student at Cal-Poly in San Luis Obispo, and then was hired here full-time after receiving his BS degree. Burkey was a participant in the Junior Professional program during 1957-S8, and then began working on the development of attack systems as an employee of the old Aviation Ordnance Department. He has been involved in ARBS since 1964 - initially with AOD and then as a branch head in former Code 40. =--- • • FrOm 1965 to 1971, the latest recipient of the NWC Technical Director's Award led an engineering team in the successful development and flight test of two suc- cessive ARBS experimental models. These models used an analog computer to close the target seeker tracking loops. Measurements of' the seeker's llne«- sight(LOS) angle to the target and of the rate of change of the LOS angle eliminated Continued on S) EQUIPMENT CHECKED PRIOR TO TEST - carl Burkey inspeels Angle Rale Bombing Syslem (ARBS) equipmenl.in lhe nose seelion of an A·4M Skyhawk aircraft prior to a test. Burkey, who is a system design engineer in the Systems Development Department's A·4M ' AV·. Project Office, this week received .the Technical Director's Award in recognition of his key role in the development of ARBS. - Photo by Ron Allen Brown bad been driving in the vicinity of the airplane crash site when he first noticed that the Navy aircraft piloted by LCdr. Faller was in difficulty. Upon reaching the downed plane, he jumped up on a wing and succeeded in unbuckling one of the pilot's shoulder straps and, using fire ex- tinguishers provided by others, tried to put out the !lames. Brown worked closely with Printy, 20 of Ridgecrest, a contractor whose work is setting up and servicing mobile homes, as the two men tried unsuccessfully to free the (Continued on PageS) Capt. HaH to serve for full term as NWC Commander Capl. W. B. Half has been singled oul for the distinction of serving a full term (~pproJtimately two years) as Com· milnder of the Naval WNPOns Center. The - Center's former Deputy Laboratory Director and Tedlnial Officer, Capt. Haft was the interim choice 10 succeed Rear Admiral William L. Harris ' when the &an., terminated his Navy career during change of command ceremonies hekl on June 29. Announcement of Capt. Haff's ap· pointment to the post of NWC Com· mander was made by the Chief of Naval Material, and the information was received here last week. The news was greeted with en· thusiasm by Center milnagement, civilian employees and military per. sonnet. , OCR Text: • Page Eight ROCKETEER September 14, 1979 Entry forms due Monday for '79 Desert Empire Fair parade Entry forms are due Monday for the big parade which each year is one of the major attractions of the Desert Empire Fair. The gala procession will be held on Saturday, Sept. 29, starting at 10 a.m. The parade chainnan, Roberta Leighton, said the committee in charge of this event is anxious to receive the completed entry forms in order that the work which goes into deciding upon the order of march can tiegin. Parade entry forms can be mailed to the Desert Empire Fair, P.O. Box 1178, Ridgecrest, or delivered in Person to the DEF office on the fairgrounds in Ridgecrest. Although about 130 entries are expected only 40 entries bad been received by mid- week, Mrs. Leighton reported, and she and her committee are bracing themselves for the volume of last-minute applications that . is eipected. "When the WestWas Fun" is the theme of the 1979 DEF parade, and a cbange has been made in the parade route. Custom,arily the parade begins at the triangle on N. China Lake Blvd., but this year it will begin at the intersection of French St., and N. atina Lake Blvd. The assembly point will be in the Kern County Regional Park with the procession proceeding nOl'tbward to the triangle near atina Lake Blvd. and Inyokern Rd., where it will disband. The reason for the change in the direction of the march was to leave access through Ridgecrest for people just passing through in their vehicles during the event. The Naval Weapons Center will he represented in the parade by the Sidewinder drill team and color guard. Also back for a Commissioned Officers' Mess Reservations are continuing to be tUen for the nen gala Membership Night fete at the Commissioned Officers' 'Mess, which will be held on Friday, Sept. 21. Featured on the menu for this occasion will be a prime rib of beef dinner served from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The evening's en- tertainment will be provided by the "Sounds of Country," a versatile group that plays everything . from rock to country~le music. The "Sounds of Country" will be coming here direct from a recent engagement in Las Vegas. The price for this evening of dining and dancing is $t for COM members and their spouses, and $5 for guests. Reservations can be made by calling the COM office, phone 446-2549. Tonight a seafond entree will be the special of the evening for diners from 4:30 to 6:30 p.., . at the COM. Ourir,: the coming week, two other special dinners are planned. On Tuesday there wtll be a steak cookout on the lanai. Patrons are invited to barbecue their own steaks and enjoy other fond from the salad bar and buffet. Nen Thursday, Sept. 20, will be in- ternational night at the COM dining room. Featured on the menu will be grand mar- iner Comsb game hen, teriyaki steak and New York pepper steak. On Tuesday and Thursday nights, dinner wtll be served from 6 to 9 o'clock. Enlisted Mess " Archer," a dynamite 4-piece rock band from the Los Angeles area, will be ap- pearing for the listening and dancing pleasure of Enlisted Mess patrons" tonight and tomorrow night from 9 to 1:30 a.m. On the menu this evening at the EM will I.... surf n' turf, which will be served from 6 to 9 o'clock. return appearance will be a mounted color guard from the Marine Corps Logistics Support Base, Pacific, at Barstow. The parade is to be divided into five divisions, each headed by a banner bearer selected from among local Boy Scout and 4- H Club units, as well as a division marshal to be selected from among nominations made by local clubs and organizations. A llkmit prologue of dignitaries, in- cluding the grand marshal, the mayor, the NWC Commander, Little Miss Desert Empire Fair and the Pioneer Days queen, will lead procession. Among the novel entries in the parade will be a wizard and troll from Magic Mountain and an Arabian costumed lady. Also returning will be tricycle rider Harold Hambey, who rode his tricycle across Death Valley and has his feat listed in the Guiness Book of Records. Plaques will be awarded to the first, second and third place winners in each of the various categories of parade com- petition. The plaques are made in the shape of Kern County with a star to mark the location of Ridgecrest. AT CPO CLUB- "Sounds of Counlry," a popular musical group, will be. here for a return engagement tonight and tomorrow night at the Chief PeHy Officers' Club. The Irio has played numerous engagements at military clubs and af night spots in the Southern California area. ~CalendarJ Sepl. 21 - Burroughs High School sophomore and varsity football games, 5:30 and 8 p.m. Sepl. 21 - COMO Membership Night, dinner 6:30 p.m., dancing at 8 p.m. to Sounds of A WACOM WELCOME - The Women's Auxiliary of the Commissioned OHicers' Mess (WACOM) held its annual membership coHee, poolside lit the Commissioned Officers' Mess on Tuesday. Among the new members being welcomed were O.·r.) Mrs. Jean Fish, wife of Howard Fish, head of the Parachute Systems Department, and Susan Aldana, wife of Capt. Louis P. Aldana, the new NWC Vice Commander. They are shown here with Mrs. Sharon Zabel (2nd from right). president of WACOM, and Mrs. Lou Hillyer, WACOM Thrift Shop supervisor. Maturango Museum to sponsor field trip to Talc City, Darwin area on Sat., Sept. 22 A good chance to learn more about the geology and natural history of the high desert will be offered to Maturango Museum members and other interested persons ' on Saturday, Sept. 22, when museum members K.en Pringle and Janet Westbrook will lead a field trip to the Talc City and Darwin area. Both trip leaders are specialists in these areas. They will share their knowledge during the course of the trip, Pringle in geology and Mrs. Westbrook in natural history. The trip will begin at 8 a.m. at the NWC main gate parking lot. A car caravan will proceed up Highway 395 and across High- way 190 to Dirty Sox Pool, then on to Talc City and Darwin, with stops along the way to look at old mines. Lunchtime will find the group at Darwin Disco dance planned to welcome students A disco music dance, planned .as a welcome to all new students at Cerro Coso Community College, will be held this evening, from 8:30 to 12:30, in the student center at the local college. Special guests of honor for the affair will be members of the 1979-80Coyote basketball team. Bill "Blue Jeans" Coy will be the disc jockey for this event. Tickets are priCed at $I for holders of associated student body cards, and $2 each for non"tudents. . A variety of refreshments will be available. Falls, a surprisingly undesertlike sl- . where drooping willow trees and lush ferns surround a waterfall. The return leg of the trip will be through Panamint Valley, where much of geological interest is to be seen. The trip is especially recommended to newcomers who may not realize the sur- prising diversity of the desert and to longterm residents who would like to be reminded of this area's natural wonders. Participants should bring their own picnic lunches and water. Cars should have full tanks of gas and tires that are in good shape for a dirt road trip. Anyone planning to go on the trip should call the museum by Friday, Sept. 21, to be included on the trip list. The museum, which is open from 2 to 5 p.m. each day, has a phone number of 446- 6900. .(0 All A(O[ \ AOMlTTEO (0,,_••,Aud ....c ,,~ P (O All A(O [ \ AOMITT[O P.o.",,'.' Guul,,,( , ~..qq.\ t" d I II R [ \ T R .e T[O U ndr•• , " . qUI'" .t(Cllm".".'''' p •••n l o . Adull (O.... . d ..." Regular startIng tlme - l :3Op.m. Fer synopsis information call Code-O·Phone 939·2"11 FRIDAY "QUINTET" Starring SEPT.14 Paul Newman and V ittorio Gassman (Fantasy.drama, rated R, 119 m in.) SATURDAY, MONDAY SEPT. 15,17 " MURDER BY DECREE" Starring Christopher Plummer and James Mason M ystery. rated PG, 12"min.) WEDNESDAY SEPT.19 " THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY" Starring Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland ( Adventure. rated PG, 111 m in.) FRIDAY,SATURDAY SEPT.21,22 "PSYCHIC" Starring Jennifer O' Neill and Marc PoreI (Drama, rated R, 91 min.) o. From: PLACE STAMP HERE MEET SOCIALLY - A Welcome Aboard was held last week for Parachute Systems Department personnel from EI Centro at the Commissioned Officers' Mess by the Women's Auxiliary of the Commissioned Officers' Mess. The event was attended by about 130 people. Among the attendees were (I.·r.) Capt. William B. Haft, NWC Commander; Bob Hillyer, NWC Technical Director; Mrs. Lou To: Hillyer, Mrs. Jean Fish; and Howard C. Fish, head of the Parachute Systems Departmenl. - Photo by Ron A1len ABHl John Kennard Kennard chosen as Bluejacket of Month bJ Iwe Aviation Boatswain's Mate (H) First Class John Kennard has won the coveted Naval Weapons Center's Bluejacket of the Month Award for August. ABHl Kennard directs and surpervises the daily activities of the 17 men in the Flight Support Branch of the Base Operations Division in NWC's Aircraft Department. His recommendation for the award noted that Petty Officer Kennard has the · capabilities to do an outstanding job in any task assigned and that he has willingly volunteered for additional duties and responsibilities in order to further his professional background. In addition to his regular duties, ABHl Kennard is also the Code 61 transporation representative, aviation fuels' coordinator, energy conservation petty officer for the airfield, and is on the NWC Athletic Com- mittee. A14-year career Navyman, he has served with Helicopter Training Squadron Eight at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fla.; Naval Air Station, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico; Naval Missile Center, Point Mugu; (Continued on Page 3) Naval Weapons Center China Lake CalitOf'"nia il , September 14, 1979 Vol. XXXIV, No. 37 HONORED BY NWC - Six men, one of whom was unable to be present for the ceremony, were honored Wednesday .fternoon for their part in the eftort made to save the life of LCdr. Theodore (Ted) Faller, a naval aviator assigned to the Naval Weapons Center, who was the victim of a fatal airplane crash. LeHers of commendiltion and plaques were presented by CIIpt. W. B. Half (al right), NWC Commander, 10 (I.. r.) Jammie W. Adams, John T. Cunningham. Michael F. Higgins, Peter E. Brown, and John G. Wardell, III. Sleven L. Printy, another of _ who had an active role in the rescue attempt, was unable to attend. Six men honored lor attempts. to save life 01 Navy pilot killed'in plane crash During a solemn, dignified ceremony held Wednesday afternoon, .Capt. W. B. Half, NWC Commander, honored six men who directly assisted in efforts to save the life of LCdr. Theodore (Ted) Faller, who died on Aug. 13 in the crash of a QF-86F Sabrejet aircraft while on a routine training mission and aircraft familiarization flight. The crash occurred in Ridgecrest, near the Ridgecrest Heights School - recently renamed the Theodore H. Faller Elementary School in honor of the Navy pilot, who made sure his f1aming aircraft would avoid striking the schoOl or nearby homeswhen he made the crash 1anding that cleimed his life. Among those present for the ceremony Wednesday afternoon was Mrs. Betty Faller, whose husband was the pUot of the ill-fated aircraft that crashed shortly after takeoff from Armitage Airfield on the mornini! of Aug. 13. Singled out · to receive letters of c0m- mendation and NWC plaques ' that were presented by Capt. Half were Peter E. Brown, Steven L. Printy, Jammie W. Adams, John G. Wardell, ill, John F. Cunningbam, and Michael F. Higgins. Burke, gets Tech. Director Award for·work on ARBS - Brown, 19, is a self-employed landscaper who lives at. 1209 St. George St. in . Ridgecrest Heights. He'was one of the first two persons to arrive at the aircraft crash si~, and (using a sma1l pocket knife) at.. tempted to extricate LCdr. Faller from the burning aircraftby trying to cut through the shoulder straps that held him in the cockpit. The Technical Director's Award in recognition of his work on the Angle Rate Bombing System (ARBS) was presented to Carl Burkey, a system design engineer in the System Development Department's A- 4M 1AV-8 Project Office. The presentation was made by B. W. Hays, Deputy Technical Director, on behalf of Bob Hillyer, NWC Technical Director, on Monday morning during the weekly Commander'S meeting held in the Management Center of Michelson Laboratory. Burkey was commended not only for his key role in the exploratory development phase of ARBS, but also for his efforts to improve the system as it moved into the advanced development phase. In the letter of commendation from Hillyer which accompanied the Technical Director Award, it was noted that Burkey's "dedicated and excellent service to the ARBS program have been directly responsible for the successful developnent of a new and highly effective tactical lViorucs system.H In addition to the letter of commendation, Burkey also received an engraved paper- weight and a $200 stipend. Burkey, who has been employed at China Lake for the past 24". years was graduated in 1957 from California State Polytechnic College in San Luis Obispo with a bachelor's degree in electronics engineering. Since that time, he has worked on the develop- ment of aircraft weapon systems avionics. Prior to coming here, Burkey served a five year hitch in the Navy (October 1946 to October 1951), and had worked briefly in Civil Service as an electronics mechanic at Pearl Harbor. He first came to China Lake while on educational leave as a student at Cal-Poly in San Luis Obispo, and then was hired here full-time after receiving his BS degree. Burkey was a participant in the Junior Professional program during 1957-S8, and then began working on the development of attack systems as an employee of the old Aviation Ordnance Department. He has been involved in ARBS since 1964 - initially with AOD and then as a branch head in former Code 40. =--- • • FrOm 1965 to 1971, the latest recipient of the NWC Technical Director's Award led an engineering team in the successful development and flight test of two suc- cessive ARBS experimental models. These models used an analog computer to close the target seeker tracking loops. Measurements of' the seeker's llne«- sight(LOS) angle to the target and of the rate of change of the LOS angle eliminated Continued on S) EQUIPMENT CHECKED PRIOR TO TEST - carl Burkey inspeels Angle Rale Bombing Syslem (ARBS) equipmenl.in lhe nose seelion of an A·4M Skyhawk aircraft prior to a test. Burkey, who is a system design engineer in the Systems Development Department's A·4M ' AV·. Project Office, this week received .the Technical Director's Award in recognition of his key role in the development of ARBS. - Photo by Ron Allen Brown bad been driving in the vicinity of the airplane crash site when he first noticed that the Navy aircraft piloted by LCdr. Faller was in difficulty. Upon reaching the downed plane, he jumped up on a wing and succeeded in unbuckling one of the pilot's shoulder straps and, using fire ex- tinguishers provided by others, tried to put out the !lames. Brown worked closely with Printy, 20 of Ridgecrest, a contractor whose work is setting up and servicing mobile homes, as the two men tried unsuccessfully to free the (Continued on PageS) Capt. HaH to serve for full term as NWC Commander Capl. W. B. Half has been singled oul for the distinction of serving a full term (~pproJtimately two years) as Com· milnder of the Naval WNPOns Center. The - Center's former Deputy Laboratory Director and Tedlnial Officer, Capt. Haft was the interim choice 10 succeed Rear Admiral William L. Harris ' when the &an., terminated his Navy career during change of command ceremonies hekl on June 29. Announcement of Capt. Haff's ap· pointment to the post of NWC Com· mander was made by the Chief of Naval Material, and the information was received here last week. The news was greeted with en· thusiasm by Center milnagement, civilian employees and military per. sonnet. , China Lake Museum,Rocketeer Newspaper,Rocketeer 1970s,Rocketeer 1979,Rktr9.14.1979.pdf,Rktr9.14.1979.pdf Page 1, Rktr9.14.1979.pdf Page 1