The Life of Eric George Lemmon
Eric George Lemmon died on July 9, 2016 after a year-long bout with pancreatic cancer. He was born on April 29, 1943 in St. Louis, Missouri, the youngest of three children of Elizabeth Arretta Reel Lemmon and Vernon Wilber Lemmon. Following his graduation from University City Senior High School, Eric spent some time working in the retail hardware business before enlisting in the Air Force in 1963. His training in the AGM-28B Hound Dog missile system resulted in assignment to Wurtsmith AFB, MI and then to Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. While assigned to the latter base, he flew on zero-gravity missions in support of the Apollo Project. He has logged more than 500 hours’ flight time on B-52 and KC-135 aircraft. In 1967, Eric was assigned to Chanute AFB, IL as an instructor in the AGM-69A cruise missile system. He also taught classes on the electrical systems in B-52, KC-135 and F-4 aircraft.
In 1970, Eric transferred to Vandenberg AFB, CA to become a member of the 10th Aerospace Defense Squadron, at the time the Nation’s only “all blue-suit rocket launch team.” This unique outfit used THOR rockets to place military and scientific payloads into polar orbit. Eric spend 11 years in this unit, progressing from the entry-level position of Gyro Spin Motor Monitor to and Expert-Certified Launch Control Officer. He was the LCO for the final launch of a THOR rocket from Johnston Island, an atoll some 900 miles southwest of Hawaii, and the site of many nuclear tests in the early 1960’s. Eric has the dubious distinction of being third I line for the most number of days spend on Johnston Island, accumulated during 14 temporary-duty trips.
In 1981, following the termination of the THOR launch program, Eric was transferred to the Shuttle Activation Task Force to assume the position of Activation Engineer for the Space Shuttle Launch Control Center at Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex Six. Eric earned both a Bachelor’ degree from Chapman College and a Master’s degree from the University of Southern California during his tenure at Vandenberg AFB. His education credentials and extensive aerospace background led to his selection for Chief Master Sergeant with just 21 years of service. However, he chose to retire from active duty in October 1985 to accept a management position with Lockheed Space Operations Company.
The Challenger disaster in January 1986 ended the possibility of launching the Space Shuttle from Vandenberg AFB, and Eric left LSOC in 1989. He worked as a consultant for a few years before collaborating with the late entertainer Jonathan Wild to found Synergy Productions, a digital recording studio intended to showcase Wild’s considerable talents.
In August 1996, the McDonnell Douglas Company hired Eric to perform on the Delta II rocket pretty much what he had been doing on the THOR rocket, two decades earlier. The Delta II space booster is a direct descendant of the THOR, and the current Delta II launch pad was originally built for the THOR as a training pad for Royal Air Force missile men. McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing, and Boeing then merged with Lockheed Martin to create United Launch Alliance. During his 18+ years with these companies, Eric first was a Tele3metry Monitor Console Operator, and later moved into the Engineering & Infrastructure Department as the Principal Facility Electrical Power Engineer. He retired from ULA in October 2014.
Eric was a Life Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, and of the IEEE Power Engineering, Industry Applications, and Vehicular Technology Societies. He was a longtime member of the International Association of Electrical Inspectors and of the International Congress of Building Officials. He was the founder and historian of The Thor Association, a group of former THOR launch crew members. He has been an Amateur Radio Operator for several decades, holding the Extra-Class call sign WB6FLY. As an experienced geodesist, Eric enjoyed recovering survey markers and charging rural roads. For more than a decade, he has been a volunteer member of the Lompoc Police Department, assisting in DUI Checkpoints and maintain databases.
Eric is survived by a brother, Alan Vernon Lemmon of Harrisonburg, VA, and a sister, Janet Elizabeth Lemmon, of Moscow Mills, MO.
Inurnment will be in West Laurel Hill Cemetery, PA
In 1970, Eric transferred to Vandenberg AFB, CA to become a member of the 10th Aerospace Defense Squadron, at the time the Nation’s only “all blue-suit rocket launch team.” This unique outfit used THOR rockets to place military and scientific payloads into polar orbit. Eric spend 11 years in this unit, progressing from the entry-level position of Gyro Spin Motor Monitor to and Expert-Certified Launch Control Officer. He was the LCO for the final launch of a THOR rocket from Johnston Island, an atoll some 900 miles southwest of Hawaii, and the site of many nuclear tests in the early 1960’s. Eric has the dubious distinction of being third I line for the most number of days spend on Johnston Island, accumulated during 14 temporary-duty trips.
In 1981, following the termination of the THOR launch program, Eric was transferred to the Shuttle Activation Task Force to assume the position of Activation Engineer for the Space Shuttle Launch Control Center at Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex Six. Eric earned both a Bachelor’ degree from Chapman College and a Master’s degree from the University of Southern California during his tenure at Vandenberg AFB. His education credentials and extensive aerospace background led to his selection for Chief Master Sergeant with just 21 years of service. However, he chose to retire from active duty in October 1985 to accept a management position with Lockheed Space Operations Company.
The Challenger disaster in January 1986 ended the possibility of launching the Space Shuttle from Vandenberg AFB, and Eric left LSOC in 1989. He worked as a consultant for a few years before collaborating with the late entertainer Jonathan Wild to found Synergy Productions, a digital recording studio intended to showcase Wild’s considerable talents.
In August 1996, the McDonnell Douglas Company hired Eric to perform on the Delta II rocket pretty much what he had been doing on the THOR rocket, two decades earlier. The Delta II space booster is a direct descendant of the THOR, and the current Delta II launch pad was originally built for the THOR as a training pad for Royal Air Force missile men. McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing, and Boeing then merged with Lockheed Martin to create United Launch Alliance. During his 18+ years with these companies, Eric first was a Tele3metry Monitor Console Operator, and later moved into the Engineering & Infrastructure Department as the Principal Facility Electrical Power Engineer. He retired from ULA in October 2014.
Eric was a Life Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, and of the IEEE Power Engineering, Industry Applications, and Vehicular Technology Societies. He was a longtime member of the International Association of Electrical Inspectors and of the International Congress of Building Officials. He was the founder and historian of The Thor Association, a group of former THOR launch crew members. He has been an Amateur Radio Operator for several decades, holding the Extra-Class call sign WB6FLY. As an experienced geodesist, Eric enjoyed recovering survey markers and charging rural roads. For more than a decade, he has been a volunteer member of the Lompoc Police Department, assisting in DUI Checkpoints and maintain databases.
Eric is survived by a brother, Alan Vernon Lemmon of Harrisonburg, VA, and a sister, Janet Elizabeth Lemmon, of Moscow Mills, MO.
Inurnment will be in West Laurel Hill Cemetery, PA