You will not want to miss our upcoming speaker William Vietinghoff, an Aerospace Engineer and
retiree of the Boeing Company.
His degree is in Chemical Engineering. He is originally from Chicago, Illinois.
He moved here to Canoga Park with his wife in 1953 upon graduation from
Northwestern University. He worked for Rocketdyne for most of his career as
a development engineer on many major programs such as the Atlas missile and
Space Shuttle Main Engine, and for many years represented Rocketdyne on the
Canoga Park Chamber of Commerce. He currently volunteers as a member of the
Board of Directors of the Canoga Park Community Center and as the Treasurer.
He and his wife, Gladys, reside in Thousand Oaks.
Many people in the San Fernando Valley, Simi Valley, and neighboring areas know of the
presence of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory that was operated by
Rocketdyne for 58 years. But only a few are aware of the range of activities
in rocket engine development and space program achievements that were made
possible by the testing activities at that site. Many of the programs were
classified and never made public. That information is now available and will
be covered in this talk. Of great concern is the related issue of
contamination of the site as the result of rocket engine and energy
research. That topic will be addressed only briefly, but the speaker will
explain how more information can be obtained on that matter. The most
important message of the talk today is that we have a historic landmark at
our doorstep, unique in America, that may not be fully appreciated.