Bob Hardy
Then
Two weeks after graduating, I went to work for Rocketdyne at the Santa Su Test Facility. There I was a rocket engine technician and got to work on several engines associated with the trip to the moon. First the H-1 engine that powered the Saturn 1 rocket, then the J-2 which was the second stage of the Saturn-5 moon ship. At the same time, I was attending Peirce College starting on am engineering degree. I was then transferred to the Canoga Park location and got to work on the Roll and Yaw engines that steer the Apollo capsule. Everything was going great except for the units that I could get on the second semester. Between work and school, I needed 11.5 to keep my school deferment but I could only get 11. So instantly, I was changed to 1A in the draft. I was ready to go into the Army when my Aunt found an Air Force recruiter in North Hollywood that needed six people to join the Air Force. So I called and was number one. Instead of going into the army in April 1966, I went into the Air Force. After Basic training in Texas and Fire protection Tech school in Illinois, I was sent to Mt. Home AFB Idaho. I became an Airborne Fire Protection Specialist. (I was a rescue fireman on an HH-43B Helicopter). Because of my work schedule working every other day, six fireman and I lived in Boise where one of the perks was that I got to ski every other day during the season. It was great.
I had volunteered for Vietnam but never was picked to go! There must have been a reason, because in October of 1969, I met the love of my life Cathy Marshall. I was schedule to get out of the Air Force the third week of Jan 1970. So what else? Cathy and I got married Jan 10, 1970 and have been together ever since. We had four children: Shauna, Bobby, Rody and Suzie. It seems like our family grew quickly and all four finished college. Shauna has two boys and became a math teacher at her high school. Bobby received his degree in IT and works at his father-in -law’s business. Rody earned his Electrical Engineering Degree and works in Portland and Suzie earned her degree in Music Education . She is now the music director at John Muir Middle school. They were all married and together we have eight grandchildren. With Suzie wanting to play Bagpipes when she was in junior high, we all got involved. Suzie and Bobby play the pipes, Cathy Shauna and Robby ( her son) play the tenor drum and I play the bass. We have played with the Pacific Coast Highlanders since 1985.
I had volunteered for Vietnam but never was picked to go! There must have been a reason, because in October of 1969, I met the love of my life Cathy Marshall. I was schedule to get out of the Air Force the third week of Jan 1970. So what else? Cathy and I got married Jan 10, 1970 and have been together ever since. We had four children: Shauna, Bobby, Rody and Suzie. It seems like our family grew quickly and all four finished college. Shauna has two boys and became a math teacher at her high school. Bobby received his degree in IT and works at his father-in -law’s business. Rody earned his Electrical Engineering Degree and works in Portland and Suzie earned her degree in Music Education . She is now the music director at John Muir Middle school. They were all married and together we have eight grandchildren. With Suzie wanting to play Bagpipes when she was in junior high, we all got involved. Suzie and Bobby play the pipes, Cathy Shauna and Robby ( her son) play the tenor drum and I play the bass. We have played with the Pacific Coast Highlanders since 1985.
Now
When I left the Air Force, I went back to claim my old job at Rocketdyne and found that I was laid off. I then picked up a job working for Pacific Aeromotive Corp. working on jet engines. This paid the bills for four years and then I was recalled to Rocketdyne, but this time I was on the (AI) Atomic International side of the hill. I was the lead on the development of an underwater plasma torch that was used to cut up the SRE Sodium Reactor Experiment. This was the first reactor to power a city and I got to help take it apart. It powered the city of Moorpark, CA. in 1957.
I became the lead Engineer for AI’s (ISI) In Service Inspection group. We traveled around the world performing automotive ultrasonic inspection of the reactor pressure vessel. (translation: we looked for cracks in the metal using ultrasound). I designed most of the equipment that we used and I received a patent for one of my designs that helped us inspect . This kept me busy for the next 23 years and then the company decided to get out of the business. At that point, the movement was to clean up the Hill. I was bored with this very quickly and a VP from the rocket side of the house Rocketdyne asked me to help the group that was testing small special rocket engines at Edwards AFB. I spent another year living out of a hotel in Palmdale, but Cathy got to come up and visit. I was headed back to Santa Su for clean up when the Main Base called and asked if I wanted to help the group that was developing the ABL Air Borne Laser. So I gladly said yes, but this meant full time at the base. I had converted a 1962 Greyhound Bus into a motor home in 1990 and repositioned it in the city of Rosamond, near the Base. This is where I lived for the next two years working at the base. Cathy and I started looking for property in the Tehachapi area and found a 2 1/2 acre lot south of town. We purchased a 2600 sq. ft. manufactured home out of Oregon and had it set up on our property. After only seeing homes that were off grid (no wires going to the house) in Popular Science, we decided to try it because the cost of getting SCE power was outrageous. We have a wind generator, solar panels with 32 batteries and a backup diesel generator installed in 2005. The system works great !
I spent the next eight years as one of the lead Test Engineers working on the ABL program when I retired from what was now The Boeing Co. after 45 total years . I tell everyone that I was one of the few that can say that I helped put a man on the moon and finished my career shooting missiles down.
Cathy and I are blessed because we got to send our whole family (all eighteen of us), on an all-expense paid trip to Disney World the summer of 2013. It was great to see all of us with a smile on from the time we left LA to the time we got back.
I became the lead Engineer for AI’s (ISI) In Service Inspection group. We traveled around the world performing automotive ultrasonic inspection of the reactor pressure vessel. (translation: we looked for cracks in the metal using ultrasound). I designed most of the equipment that we used and I received a patent for one of my designs that helped us inspect . This kept me busy for the next 23 years and then the company decided to get out of the business. At that point, the movement was to clean up the Hill. I was bored with this very quickly and a VP from the rocket side of the house Rocketdyne asked me to help the group that was testing small special rocket engines at Edwards AFB. I spent another year living out of a hotel in Palmdale, but Cathy got to come up and visit. I was headed back to Santa Su for clean up when the Main Base called and asked if I wanted to help the group that was developing the ABL Air Borne Laser. So I gladly said yes, but this meant full time at the base. I had converted a 1962 Greyhound Bus into a motor home in 1990 and repositioned it in the city of Rosamond, near the Base. This is where I lived for the next two years working at the base. Cathy and I started looking for property in the Tehachapi area and found a 2 1/2 acre lot south of town. We purchased a 2600 sq. ft. manufactured home out of Oregon and had it set up on our property. After only seeing homes that were off grid (no wires going to the house) in Popular Science, we decided to try it because the cost of getting SCE power was outrageous. We have a wind generator, solar panels with 32 batteries and a backup diesel generator installed in 2005. The system works great !
I spent the next eight years as one of the lead Test Engineers working on the ABL program when I retired from what was now The Boeing Co. after 45 total years . I tell everyone that I was one of the few that can say that I helped put a man on the moon and finished my career shooting missiles down.
Cathy and I are blessed because we got to send our whole family (all eighteen of us), on an all-expense paid trip to Disney World the summer of 2013. It was great to see all of us with a smile on from the time we left LA to the time we got back.
My yellow 1958 Volvo, the day of graduation
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1975 Open House at Atomics International at Rocketdyne. My wife Cathy, Uncle Joe, Shauna and Bobby. Nice pants. I think I still have them...not!
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Our family cruise, 1992
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The car I wish I still had. My 1968 Torino GT. I traded it for a 1973 Pinto Squire wagon during the 1973 gas crisis
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All of the Hardys at DisneyWorld 2003
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Cathy and I on our 40th Anniversary Cruise to Hawaii
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The Pacific Coast Highlanders at Pleasanton Highland Games. Bottom Row: Wife Cathy, Grandson Robby, Daughter Shauna. I'm behind the bass drums. Our son Bobby is above Cathy and Robby
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Cathy and I in Dublin taking a selfie
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Comments
Bob: Thanks for taking the time to put your story down on paper, or computer, whichever. I enjoyed reading about your life after graduation. What an interesting one it was, too. You actually did help put a man on the moon!
You must have had some very interesting episodes while doing fire rescue on a helicopter. Would like to hear about those. Hope you are coming to the 50th so we can get a chance to talk about those experiences.
Congratulations on the wonderful family you have raised. Enjoyed seeing your pictures, too. Glad you are reaping the joy of a successful career and life.
Jeff Davis
You must have had some very interesting episodes while doing fire rescue on a helicopter. Would like to hear about those. Hope you are coming to the 50th so we can get a chance to talk about those experiences.
Congratulations on the wonderful family you have raised. Enjoyed seeing your pictures, too. Glad you are reaping the joy of a successful career and life.
Jeff Davis
Wow Bob, your life is a storybook one! Long term marriage, big beautiful family & you helped us all get on the MOON! You are a shinning Cavalier! See you in 2015 & please keep us all updated on your adventures now! Bagpipes! Hm...Maybe we can all hear you play!
Your Classmate
Gloria Dorcy
Your Classmate
Gloria Dorcy
Dear Bob,
Your life's story since graduation is filled with so many impressive achievements and interesting adventures with a beautiful loving family to compliment it all!! You deserve to be so amazingly proud of all you have done and accomplished since graduating! Thank you for sharing this great story of your life.
Fyi......... I love, love, love, listening to bagpipes! So haunting and beautiful inspirational music!!
Will look forward to meeting you at the 50th.
Donna (Irwin) McGarr
Your life's story since graduation is filled with so many impressive achievements and interesting adventures with a beautiful loving family to compliment it all!! You deserve to be so amazingly proud of all you have done and accomplished since graduating! Thank you for sharing this great story of your life.
Fyi......... I love, love, love, listening to bagpipes! So haunting and beautiful inspirational music!!
Will look forward to meeting you at the 50th.
Donna (Irwin) McGarr