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Walter Melnick Kettering, OH QCWA # 14068 Chapter 9 |
MELNICK, Walter, age 87 of Kettering, Ohio, passed away on Friday, November 2, 2007.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Mary (Polovy) Melnick.
Walter is survived by his wife of 57 years, Nadine (Huntsman) Melnick, daughters Renee Melnick and Denise Melnick and by his brother Victor Melnick.
Walter was a senior electronics engineer in the Flight Dynamics Directorate, Wright Laboratory.
Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1920, he was greatly influenced by the appreciative and fundamental beliefs of his immigrant parents.
Walter tried hard to put these beliefs into practice during his half-century with the Air Force. A draftee into the Army Air Corps during World War II, he was selected for aviation cadet training in 1942. While attending Yale University, he emerged as an electronics officer. In the military he served as a B-29 crew member on ballistic test missions for the Manhattan Project; as a test engineer for first-time trials of new avionics in modified tactical aircraft; and with the Air Technical Intelligence in the European Theater of Operations. He remained an active reservist, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.
At the end of WWII, he became a civilian electronics engineer with the newly created Air Force. As a civilian, some of the programs to which he has contributed include the Airborne Early Warning System; the DynaSoar re-entry research vehicle; and the Tri-Service Electronic Identification/Altitude Reporting (DOD/AIMS) Program. During this time, against great odds, Walter caused the unscheduled replacement of thousands of the venerable, error-prone 3-pointer altimeters, with the present counter-drum-pointer altimeter- across all three services. His work continued with the Microwave Landing System and Flat Panel (solid state) cockpit instruments technology. Walter maintained an uninterrupted, engineering, cost- sharing, USAF relationship with the Canadian Government for 16 years, with significant benefits to both governments.
Walter's interest in children covered a broad spectrum: past member of Montgomery County Children Services Board; board member of the Juvenile Court "Building Bridges" program; an active Science and Engineering Fair Judge for thirty-five years; and was a legislation representative for the Kettering PTA.
Cremation arrangements were made in care of TOBIAS FUNERAL HOME.
Published in the Dayton Daily News on 11/14/2007.