After I retired in 1977, I attended ST. Clair County Community College and Majored in Electronic Technology. I completed my associate degree studies in 1 year and graduated cum laude. While attending school I helped teach some of the courses I was taking and also tutored several students.
In 1978, I was hired by Detroit Edison as a Startup Test Technician at Fermi II Nuclear Power Plant. I directed instrument repairmen in instrument calibration, repair and Startup systems testing. I also wrote initial procedures for calibrating instrument and control loops.
In 1983, as an Engineering Technician, I was the Instrument And Control Procedure Coordinator. I reviewed Surveillance Procedures, scheduled the rewriting of Procedures and implemented Procedures by performing Initial tests and calibrations of Instrument and Control Systems.
In 1987, as a Senior Engineering Technician, I worked in Plant Safety as an Operating Experience Coordinator. In that position I reviewed Nuclear Power Plant Operating Experience Reports (OER) to determine applicability to Fermi. If found to be applicable, any corrective actions that were found to be needed, were taken to avoid similar occurences at Fermi. I also input OER information into data bases and maintained files.
In 1993, I retired from Detroit Edison. I had, by then, had two silent heart attacks that caused major damage to my heart muscle. This left me with only one functioning artery and no possibility of correction with bypass surgery.
After retiring from DTE, I was hired by Target as a Building Specialist. I was in charge of all store maintenance. This included lighting, wiring, painting and repairing of all store equipment. I also wrote preventive maintenace procedures for items such as the Store Emergency Generator and Trash Compactor.
In 1998, I retired from Target and have remained retired.
Aircraft/Missile Information
Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star was a US Air Force/US Navy airborne early warning radar surveillance aircraft. A military version of the Lockheed Constellation, it was designed to serve as an airborne early warning system to supplement the Distant Early Warning Line, using two large radomes, a vertical dome above and a horizontal one below the fuselage. EC-121's were also used for intelligence gathering (SIGINT).
It was introduced in 1955 and retired from service in 1978, although a single specially-modified EW aircraft remained in service with the U.S. Navy until 1982. The US Navy versions when initially procured were designated WV-2 and WV-3. Warning Stars of the U.S. Air Force served during the Vietnam War as both electronic sensor monitors and as a forerunner to the E-3 Sentry AWACS. U.S. Air Force aircrews adopted the civil nickname, "Connie" (diminutive of Constellation) as reference.