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  Paul G. Dembling, Esq. / N.A.C.A to NASA

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Author Topic:   Paul G. Dembling, Esq. / N.A.C.A to NASA
capcom9
Member

Posts: 48
From: Wesley Hills, New York
Registered: Feb 2006

posted 12-24-2006 06:35 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for capcom9   Click Here to Email capcom9     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
This past week I had the great pleasure of spending some time with Paul G.
Dembling, author of the Space Act of 1958, establishing what became NASA. We met at his home in Boynton Beach, FL, where Mr. Dembling shared some of his memories of his work at N.A.C.A. under Ike, and the creation of NASA. The walls of his den were lined with framed photos of Mr. Dembling with the likes of Werner Von Braun, John Glenn, Gus Grissom, Frank Borman, Presidents Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy. Additionally, a framed flag flown to/from the moon aboard Apollo 17 with a dedication from the crew...plus many other very cool signed photos.

Mr. Dembling described his participation in the hearings that followed The Fire, and told interesting stories involving the procurement of the facilites at the Cape and Houston. He retired from NASA in 1969 after Apollo 11, and went on to other legal positions in Washington. It was an honor to meet him and a pleasure to have had the opportunity to spend time with a man who was invloved with the birth of NASA and its golden era of flight.

Mr. Dembling has an on-line video oral history which can be found at the link below.
http://www.law.gwu.edu/Burns/rarebooks/archives/spcol_Dembling.htm


[Edited by capcom9 (December 24, 2006).]

[Edited by capcom9 (December 25, 2006).]

[Edited by capcom9 (December 25, 2006).]

KC Stoever
Member

Posts: 1012
From: Denver, CO USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 12-25-2006 06:55 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for KC Stoever   Click Here to Email KC Stoever     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
That's a great report on a venerable figure from when NACA became NASA. I didn't know of his work on the Apollo 1 accident hearings. I'll bet his recollections of the events then (and of other happier times) are fascinating.

capcom9
Member

Posts: 48
From: Wesley Hills, New York
Registered: Feb 2006

posted 12-26-2006 11:57 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for capcom9   Click Here to Email capcom9     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
You know, Kris, I was with him for about 45 minutes and wanted to stay longer, but felt it would be too much to ask. I had my photo taken with him, but thought it would be a bit rude to ask if I could photograph his memorabilia. Those walls were awesome.

One cute story he told was about a call he got from one of Nixon's people telling him to come up with a fast fix to a sticky situation that the President had gotten himself into. It seems that Mr. Nixon decided to throw a big party in Los Angeles in honor of the crew of Apollo 11. (Sure, now he wants to hop on the bad wagon...)
All the Hollywood big-wigs were there, as well as the Apollo 11 crew, contractors and VIPS from NASA. The cost of the affair turned out to be about half a million bucks. Well, the President decided - after the fact - that NASA should pick up the tab. Mr. Dembling had to do some pretty quick research into whether such expenditure was, in fact, legal, as otherwise the President would be in a bind with a certain Senate subcommittee that was monitoring the situation closely. As it turned out, there was a law on the books that allowed for a "government entity" to pay for a celebratory affair that honors a very significant event that occurs to the country. Landing on the Moon seems to have been considered to be such a significant event, and like it or not, NASA ended up paying the tab...

KC Stoever
Member

Posts: 1012
From: Denver, CO USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 12-26-2006 01:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for KC Stoever   Click Here to Email KC Stoever     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A great Nixon-NASA anecdote. I'll bet Mr. Dembling has many stories, unique just to him. I think I'll toddle over to that online history site. . . .

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