posted 01-04-2024 11:08 AM               

From 1966 to 1973, I was Lead Technician of Propulsion and Environmental controls for Grumman's Lunar Module support team at Kennedy Space Center. In this capacity, I was responsible for the planning, coordination and supervision of the Induction Heating (Brazing) System Operations. I oversaw and participated in the brazing of all fuel lines (pressurization, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen tetroxide, RCS thrusters) from LM-1 (Apollo 5) through LM-12 (Apollo 17). I was also responsible for qualifying all test equipment at the MSO and launch complexes.

At the end of June 1969, during the Countdown Demonstration Test (CDDT), I was asked to do an emergency squib valve replacement within LM-5's decent stage. At the time, Apollo 11 was staged for launch on Launch Pad 39A, and we had to enter the SLA (Spacecraft Lunar Module Adapter) where the Lunar Module "Eagle" was secured within the Saturn V rocket.

As with most repairs on the "LEM", as we referred to it, Kapton foil insulating blankets (as much as 25 layers) had to be removed and replaced in order to gain access to the affected areas. Realizing the historical significance of Kapton foil removed from Eagle only days before its launch, I saved the sheets I removed for posterity. They have been in my possession for almost five decades. Some pieces of this foil have Kapton H-film tape which was used to seal seams and attach foil to the lunar module.

For my contributions to the LM-5 repairs, I received NASA's coveted Silver Snoopy award, signed by Astronaut Alen Bean and presented to me by Astronaut Al Worden.

Certified by me this 20th day of August, 2016.