Thiokol Oral History Collection

Don Wilson and Patty Thorpe-Wilson

Don was born in Dora, AL, in 1934; he went to Auburn and studied chemical engineering. When he joined Thiokol, he worked as an engineer on the BOMAR program, as well as on the CASTOR program. He worked at the company for 37 years in total. Patty was…

Roy Willis

Roy was born in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. When trying to complete an engineering degree, he joined the Army to avoid being drafted, and served in a communication reconnaissance outfit. After his service was complete, he finished his degree at…

Lisa Williams

Lisa was born in Vietnam, and her father brought her and her mother to the United States. Her father retired in Huntsville, and Lisa graduated from UAH with a bachelor's in chemistry. Her first job was at Thiokol, from 1985-88,beginning in the liner…

Glen Webb

Glen was raised in Montgomery, AL. He earned his BS&E degree from Auburn in 1957. He accepted a job with Thiokol but had to serve in the US Army Corps of Engineers first, where he supported the Redstone program and then Pershing. He returned to…

Samuel Vance

Samuel was born in Louisville, KY, in 1936. He earned his degree in chemical engineering from Vanderbilt in June 1958, and joined Thiokol on the recommendation of Roy Willis. He began and largely remained in the process development & research…

Tom Turner

Tom Turner moved to Huntsville in 1960; his father worked on quality control for the Saturn rockets. Tom became a mechanical engineer, earning his degree from UAH in 1981. He worked briefly at the Air Force's propulsion wind tunnels, and joined…

Jim Tucker

Jim Tucker was born in Madison County, entering the National Guard from high school (where he found much success in athletics) in 1950. He went to Korea in early 1951, serving as a medic. He went to work for Thiokol in 1953, working with the company…

Gene Thomas

Gene Thomas was born in East Tennessee, went to Tennessee Tech and recieved a degree in electrical engineering in 1956. Following several interviews, he worked in Birmingham for a brief time, then interviewed with and joined Thiokol. He was quickly…

Cecil Stokes

Cecil was born in Anniston, AL, and his family moved frequently in his youth. He went to Auburn and graduated with a mechanical engineering degree in 1958. In interviewing, he found Thiokol very appealing for the passion of its employees. He provides…

Dr. William Stevens

Dr. Stevens went to college at Bowling Green University and earned a bachelor's in chemistry, and received his PhD from Vanderbilt. He came to Thiokol in 1959, beginning as a lab chemist. He also spent several years working at Goodyear, but returned…

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