Posted by Yale Weatherby on April 30, 2011:

Doug and I shared about 3 years together at Philco-Ford, in Palo Alto, California. I joined Philco-Ford, Western Development Labs in 1967. I was the Marketing Manager for the Tactical Military Communications Satellite Terminal Program; this is when the DOD First Satellite System was built by Philco-Ford Space Systems Division and the System was called: Interim Defense Communications Satellite Program, "IDCSP". It wasn't until 1968, that I discovered that Doug Dwyre and I had been separated by a cinder block wall, separating the "Ground Terminal Division" and the "Space Systems Division". My major programs were the: NATO Satellite Ground Terminal for Nato Headquarters in Beligum and the South at Naples, Italy. A program and Doug and I shared interest in was a AF program called "Igloo White" for Viet Nam, which was to put a "same frequency transponder" in a Beech Baron Aircraft to intercept sensor signals and relay the signals to NKP. Being a Space Systems Engineer, he solved a major problem: how do you create a system that a pilot would endure the heat from the electronics package. Doug borrowed from the space arena a technique called: Heat Pipe, which is the same that today, you see on power user's pc computers to remove the heat from the computer chip on the motherboard. It was his idea that helped to win a major contract for our company. Doug and I worked on an internal committee looking at Satellite Surveillance Systems and Satellite Navigations Systems. Doug had a team that would conjer up the simulators that one could play "what if varients", which were great for selling ideas to the DOD customers. In the 80's, I was in Falls Church, VA working for Computer Sciences Corporation and the President of the Armed Forces Communications Electronics Association, "Northern Virginia Chapter" (which ended up being the world's largest AFCEA Chapter with 3000 + members). Doug was my guest speaker to our chapter monthly meeting, and he always presented what the audience needed to hear about the direction that our industry research was heading and what programs appeared to be viable targets for the community. Doug was a bright star in our field of work, an asset to the nation. Job well done.... Rest in Peace !! Classmate and a Friend----- Yale D. Weatherby

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