Thomas Pettit:
CLASS OF 1964
Sunbury High SchoolClass of 1964
Sunbury, PA
Thomas's Story
Join the Air Force Aug 64. Spent 1 year at Lowery AFB in Denver, learning about B52 Bombing Systems (Radar, Computers, Navigation and Operation). Stationed after Lowery at Mather AFB Sacramento Calif. Spent 3 years here with 3each 6 month Tours to the WONDERFUL Island of Guam. Got out of the Air Force in Aug 1968. Started working for the Penn Central Railroad as a Fireman and Engineer. Worked 3rd shift at the Engine House and attended SIU Southern Illinois University. Transferred with the Railroad to the former New Haven and Hartford RR. Running trains out Grand Central Terminal to Stamford and New Haven while attending New Haven Collage. (Still Single). Decided to go back in to the Air Force, really it was SAC not the Air Force. Back to Mather AFB spent 5 + years there and got orders to go to Minot AFB in North Dakoda. My Wing Command promptly got those Orders Cancelled. Saw the writing on the wall and volunteered to be an Instructor at Lowery AFD Denver. I graduated from Lowery AFB with the second highest Grade point average back in 1965. I was also a subject matter expert in the bombing system and automated Test Equipment use to maintain the Bomb Nav System. Lowery quickly accepted me as an instructor. I only taught senior Techs & Levels. The Assigned to a special Project "OAS". This was the upgrade of the Bomb Nav System to support Cruise Missiles and Smart Bombs. This program was done at McConnell AFB in Kansas. Spent a year or so there and was suppose to go back to Lowery after the Factory Program was to be completed. They latter told me there was a change in the plan and I would be going to each base that would be upgraded to the new B52 Bombing System. They said sergeant you have 3 years left on your enlistment and you will be doing this, 30 day later I was Out of the Air Force with and Honorable Hardship Discharge. It helps to have a wife that worked on Senator Gary Hart's campaign committee, Who is in 1980 the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Left the Air Force o...Expand for more
n Friday Oct 24th 1980 and on October 27th 1980 started working for Martin Marietta in the Electronic Manufacturing Building as a Test Engineer. Working on electronics used on various programs (MARS, MX Missile, Titan Missile and NRO Satellites, In ay 2001 I transferred to the Ocala Division as a Senior Staff Engineer, my aging parents now lived in Ocala Florida. Started learning and designing test Targeting systems F18 Nighthawk, F15 & F16 Lantern targeting and Navigation Pods, also the New Sniper Targeting Pod. In 2001 September 11th, Thing changed in Ocala we had 262 people working here and when I retired in July 31st 2014, we had over 1000 employees working in Ocala Fl.
I now live in Summerfield Florida with my wife I met in June 2001. We live on 8 acres and frequently enjoy Ocean Cruises . We have each more than 350 days at sea. Visited UK, Iceland, Norway, Paris, London, Monaco, Italy, Naples Rome, Venice. Athens Greece, Malta, Gibraltar, Casablanca, Azores Islands, Hawaii, Canary Islands, Columbia, Porta Rico, Panama, and ALL over the Caribbean. The this year we flew to Malborne Australia and took a Ocean Cruise around New Zealand & back to the USA visiting various Islands across the Pacific Ocean including Tahiti an Hawaii again 51 days at sea. Hobbies Cars (2 Corvettes, Cadillac trucks Van and a fleet of Volkswagen Beetles (My Wife's Car of choice). My 3000 Square foot toy shop has a car lift and Lathes and verticals Mills. I cave and electronics area with scopes Logic Analyzers, Spectrum Analyzers. I have trouble shot every thing in my life from 12 story Titan Missiles (East Coast & West Coast) to child's toys. By the way I have NO children I know of. The wife I wrote about from Denver. We divorced she went to Seattle, Washington and I moved to Ocala Florida. Separation is a GOOD thing. :0).
Linda my present wife was married twice before we married, Told me and reminds me, that both of her ex-husbands died after their divorce, She is now a retired Middle School Science Teacher.
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