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Long Beach Eagle
October Edition 1991
Volume 9110000001 October 31st, 1991
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS CORPORATION
FLIRTING WITH DISASTER
SABOTAGED FROM WITHIN? ..
THE FIRST C-17 IS AIRBORNE
THE BEGINNING OF AN ERA OR IS IT THE END OF AN ERA?
by Don Karg
Edwards Airforce base was immediately informed (September 15, 1991, 3:47) that the C-17 was well on its way after a beautiful take-off in Long Beach. The emotional crowd saw their achievement and the proof of their ability lift-off into the hazy skies; this event was a long awaited success, which could be seen in every spectator's eyes, however there were uncertainties of the future as this aircraft faded from sight -- its longevity is still being questioned by all.
However, this monumental event [under the present conditions in manufacturing and in the community] was tragically disrupted a day before (9/14/91) by a sputtering single-engine plane which lead to a orange colored skyline of flames casting most in the crowd of anticipating Douglas employees into an all time low-morality. Some employees stated later the next day that the morale of the spectators is at "rock bottom."
This maiden flight of the $244 million C-17 was "postponed" due to this tragedy, and the inevitable outcome from the media-coverage by our local mass media. Many spoke of the tragedy the next day that took the Long Beach, St. Mary's Hospital Doctor Thomas Buhl's three (3) family-members. Many of the spectators had to explain to their children what had happened (Buhl's plane crashing into a local machine-shop), many spectators had displayed anger and resentment on the shadow that this event had caste on this C-17 Project, and others had different thoughts from the past.
Many here in the City of Long Beach have little knowledge of the origin of this company, many residents have forgotten and overlook this fact; and the local press (Knight Ridder's Press Telegram) has not really reminded the newcomers in our families what this company represents, nor has the local paper provided the "out of towners" an insight on its (McDonnell Douglas) importance to other towns and cities in this nation. Los Angeles City Council member Nate Holden stated "Hostility and the lack of public suppon may end up killing a key state industry; and further adds, "the continuing decrease of the aerospace segment in our economy creates a negative ripple effect that touches all of us." But this sounds great coming from one who should know, but this writer knows in governrnent everyone smiles while their sticking it to you, and use the now well-known "code of silence" to ignore the blood and the cries of protest. Bill Applegate (Torrance) is one who sits back smiling while the foundations are eroding -- his investments are secure. In October (25th) 1991, the L.A. Times article titled, "Political Bloodshed Over Stanching Red Ink," shows the level of representation the taxpayer in the State of California receives when the "politicians" try to close the $14 Billion Budget Gap. And as the banking industry continues their CHARGE-OFF RATE to levels like never seen before (which is now surpassing $30 billion, according to the L.A. Times 8/19/91). Germany starts to acquire companies in the world. With that kind of Support, the people's political representation, that could have made Rome burn a lot sooner.
The importance of producing a real product is now finally being understood by all in manufacturing as the computer companies are taking an "unexpected fall" in the marketplace, October of 1991. Leaving the early 1990s high expectations of great sales in the Soviet Union deleted in a global memory transfer (removed from current history). Even Robert Mosbacher (U.S. Commerce Department) had to realize that sometimes things go different, that even good customers can change their minds, leaving companies like AST (in Orange County, CA) to find their own customers.
To understand a system is necessary; and Westinghouse understands this quit well, that is why they hired Nikola Tesla. The Public, The Worker, The Government is a team working in an intense competi- tive environment. The team must flow smoothly down the corridors in cooperation through the MARKET, NEEDS, LABOR, CONSUMER, RESOURCES, POLLUTION on one side, and DCASR, DCMAO, DCIS. F.A.A., F.B.I., and Local Government on the other. From Research and Devel- opment to Production, and from production to the end Goal, the sell of the REAL PRODUCT must be in harmony with the above variables. If one element pulls too hard (or not at all) to one side, turbulence is developed. If more than one element pulls a distorted picture develops, McDonnell Douglas. And if the intensity continues or the elements pull excessively, "Societal breakdown" occurs, Los Angeles County 1991. And if there are massive lies and cover-ups to this distortion, a false picture is presented, Amnesty
" International London is presently questioning who holds the correct picture, in September 1991. And for a man, severely overlooked politically, he had given his time to the world before his death, by stating that "we better wake up, or we all will end up in slavery."
And John A. Jackson's in "Shadow Government" in the Easy Reader 10/17/91 points to part of the prob- lem that ",..the truth could be knowable, could even be known, and would still be ignored if it did not suit the inquirer's interests." We all must adhere to the words of the president Gary J. Peterson, from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, publisher of Manufacturing Engineering, "We must realize that, what ever our level of schooling, we will never graduate," August 1990.
For this reason, in the midst of the beginning of the "Societal Breakdown," this writer wishes to provide for the first time --an attempt to give an understand- ing, to one of Long Beach's main asset to the citizens of California; Long Beach's McDonnell Douglas Corporation. McDonnell Douglas, the Ports, the Shipyard, and the Dutch (and British) Shell Oil Company, is what made Long Beach what it is today, in 1991. These are the areas to be protected, and to keep from being undermined by Domestic and For- eign Enemies.
As history is stated, the company's beginnings are similar to the Wright brothers in 1909 (1903, Kitty Hawk, N.C.), "Donald Douglas started the Davis- Douglas Company in the back of a Los Angeles barbershop in 1920 and built the Cloudster biplane for David Davis, who intended to fly it in the flfSt nonstop transcontinental flight in 1921," A severe economic downturn was currently affecting the nation, knocking out many small businesses that prospered before the end of the WWI (Nov. 1918). This was six years before (1927) Charles Lindbergh Jr. 's trans-alantic flight, which received world attention; after taking-off from the Roosevelt Field in New Jersey and landing in Paris, France. Since Mr. Davis could not achieve his goal after the transcontinental flight failed, he left the company.
Please note: Long Beach Home Telephone & Telegraph Company on the 24th of October, 1903, Directory No.1, showed some signs of manufactur- ing, but nothing resembling what had developed over the next few decades. In 1908 Henry Ford's produc- tion line started, in the same year when the San Fran- cisco earthquake, disturbed the tranquil population; and they realized then, that $7 million of their hard earned money wa,~~unJ1eJe_d j}1!p private pockets -- .and the marble the pai6' for, ~e.
The firm was/then renamed Douglas Company, which soon became a company that achieved aviation excellence by setting records, including the first round-the-world flight in 1924. Just before the Stock Market Crash (1929), the company changed its name to Douglas Aircraft, in 1928. This was the same year (3/13/28) the St. Francis Dam broke and the political power of the well respected Mr. Mulholland (Chief Engineer of the Municipal Water Department) began to erode.' He was too cautious to state sabotage at that
time in History. This was also the time when Lock- ( heed was having financial troubles in their first de- s sign, manufacturing John Northrop's "Vega"; they ( sold out in 1929 to the Detroit Aircraft Company, but l even this company --went in to bankruptcy in 1931. t
As the Thirties began, major changes occurred in , our Field of Education, as Albert Einstein publicly I disagreed with Mr. Rockefeller's "ideal of the nation's j education system" (this same system Jay Rockefeller' is still pressing to keep); Al Capone who was "dicker- ing" in California, was soon to be cut off by Congress; the Banking Industry collapsed (Rothschild's selling off their Bank of California); and in the Automobile Industry, General Motors was taking on the dominant role in the industry. As the nation's medical industry ~e indulged itself heavily into lobotomies, electrical I"", shocks, and sterilization --for those "uncontrollable individuals" in America. In New York, the Vander- belts were getting the same attention as Donald Trumps receives today; only at that time, Railroads were in, not Casinos. And in the begilUling of the year in 1932, the Russians, in the "Worker's Paradise," telephoned Ferdinand Porsche to become their "lead- ing designer of the country," with a promise of a blank check from the Bank of Moscow --that Stalin already had planned his famous "purges" (1933-36) he appar- ently forgot to mention to the professor. At that time, over here, our California author, Mr. John Steinbeck, he was being inspired to write his book, Grapes of Wrath; a book on the "adventures" of the working" man's life in California; during the time when police was refusing unemployed Americans entry into the Golden State --on the order of Los Angeles Police Chief Davis, which was later backed by City Attorney Chesebro. However, Congress was soon to reverse their actions based on the;Constitution. In New Jersey, another famous law-enforcement officer, StOmling Nomlan's father, was heading the investigation of the Lindbergh kidnapping. Mr. Schwarzkopf's efforts were appreciated at that time by the mother of the murdered victim; in retrospect, she might be thinking different.
Here in Los Angeles (the Golden State of Califor- nia), the City was ripped apart by the well known event --the Police Chief and the Department's Bomb Squad planned the bombing of (author) Chandler's friend. Chandler was also a former Shell Oil (Signal Hill) executive. And the City of Long Beach and the State's Governor was just starting to change their ways too, and soon, three miles off the coast, the owners of the oceanliners were willing to dump their gambling tables in the ocean. While all these "histori- cal events" were going on around this aircraft compa- ny, it produced the first DC-3 airliners, that became a symbol of dependability, and a possible competition to the popular airships.
Suddenly war in Europe broke out (from Planned Conspiracies) this plane became an overwhelming success, and was heavily used in WWII (10,000). Quickly this company moved into position as a MAJOR PRIME for the AirForce building attack bombers such as the Skyraider, Sky Hawk, and Sky- warrior. However William Edward Boeing and Conrad Westervelt's past achievements were dominat- ing the aviation industry in which the Douglas Air- craft was operating in. In 1934, the governrnent inter- rupted the company's (Boeing) business by a change in airmail "regulations." This was five (5) years before St. Louis' James McDonnell started as a subcontractor in 1939 --maillly as a supplier of air- craft components.
As thousands of dedicated "McDonnell Douglas employees who were killed serving their country in World War n [Long Beach Review 1/3/89]," there were troubles at home as a powerful movement started during the month of June in 1943. And the workers at Douglas Aircraft Co.'s EI Segundo plant, "...voted against selecting any union organizations..." according to the LA. Times. As America bombed the last two (2) manufacturing cities ill Japan with Atomic Weapons, and the world slipped iIlto an anns race sillce Japan's .August 15, 1945 surrender, there were many planing" their strategies --through out the world, ill Teheran. A few years later, a man left unattended, left his book open, to a Greek poem in An Anthology of World Poetry, where it reads that "...when reason's day sets rayless-joyless-quenched in cold decay, better to die and sleep"; just before falling out of a 16th floor hospital window, on the 25th of May, in 1949. The fifty-seven year old man who committed "suicide" was our Former Defense Secretary James Y. Forrestal who just left his post five (5) days before --due to "excessive fatigue," according to the LA. Times. And in October of 1951, on Cecilia Street, in the Bell District, an explosion ripped through the Douglas Aircraft Company. An oven curing a new (paper) material (a six months old project), a honeycomb insu- lation material, was the cause of the explosion which blew out at least a 100 foot section of the building. The blaze required four county fire companies to put the fire out, which destroyed some of the iIlsulation material in inventory.
That was during the time Howard Hughes was achieving speed records, and a few years later in Culver City the company began to construct the Sprouse Goose. This aviation project came under extreme attack by the U.S. CONGRESS for the mil- lions spent. PLEASE NOTE, Roy Disney and his Brother (Walt) started Disneyland with the same amount of money about .ten (10) years later --ona L overnight sketch of Disneyland for the bankers l [Federal Reserve] to see the next day; and their plan was accepted. Another beneficiary of modern technology was back then, in 1952, our still popular and prominent County Supervisor; he used the new media (T. V.) extensively, and Kenneth Hahn was elected to his flIst tenn in that county office.
Prior to the "Vietnam Experience," [bringing China to the bargaining table], the time period what President Johnson called "MURDER INC.", and the disappearance of the "Red Car" by a~onspiracy; about the time when Russia was sending up Sputnik (report- ed by AP. 10/5/57), America was being introduced to Disneyland --it was opened by actor Ronald Reagan, as the Douglas DC-8 failed to be accepted in the market-place, since the Boeing's 707 was the pre- ferred airliner in 1958. Another blow to Long Beach came when the closing of the Ford Plant became a reality to the spirit of "The Beach" in 1959 (March 20th), this plant had produced 1,169,970 units, according to the Press Telegram, in September 23, 1990.
After the Astronaut, John Glenn, became our first man in space (three orbits) in late February of 1962, Douglas's next attempt, the DC-9, was a complete success in the world, in 1965 -while Watts was under extreme pressure before and after the riots (Governor Pat Brown's U., Glenn Anderson, was in charge), and there was also a Strong nation-wide push for CIVIL RIGHTS. The City of Long Beach began an expan- sion that would not stop for decades. Although every- thing seemed great for our leaders in the community (including the "chamber"), grim thoughts were in management's minds as development cost of the DC-9s and the slow sales of the DC-8s crippled their .. operations, forcing them to "invite" merger proposals from financially healthier companies. This writer wonders if their cost-overruns in the space programs were tacked-on to the commercial accounts, at that time? Since the loss of the C-5A contract, they were looking to at keep the contract for the Manned Orbit- ing Laboratory (Air Force).
Because in 1967 McDonnell Aircraft acquired Douglas Aircraft for $68.7 million. Both compli- mented each other in their involvement in manufactur- ing launch vehicles, missiles, and spacecraft manufac- turing from early sixties (1960s). But there were dif- ferences involving old alliances, engine companies, other vendors, and manufacturers. The hostilities began to rollover into purchasing and engineering with the pencils used by the engineering. While all this was going on, achievement did come from the out-spoken John F. Kennedy, and this prosperity was making Los Angeles County a very important area of highly skilled minds. In 1961, Boeing officially became known as The Boeing Company. Soon after McDonnell Douglas developed the DC-10 in 1970, and as Henry A. "Kissinger distrusted the concept of
.detente' with the Soviet Union- a concept that had been winning widespread acceptance since President Eisenhower's 'Spirit of Camp David' meeting with premier Khrushchev" (1959, according to the book by Marvin Kalb and Bernard Kalb called, KISSINGER) which continued to prosper was benefiting McDonnel1 Douglas' business; who began to build numerous Fighter-planes (F-15, 1972; F/A-18, 1978, AV-8B, 1978). Through a ten year stretch, starting in 1974, McDonnel1 Douglas never earned a profit. And since the early '80s, the company was considering closing down the Long Beach Plant.
As Disney World opened in Florida in 1971, as a "very independent" local government, new players came into being; Clark M. Clifford, and lames R. Schlesinger became our Secretaries of Defense --and many years later, they are stil1 factors to be consid- ered. B.C.C.I. was just starting to operate in the World, and BNL was to soon foUow. And billionaire Mr. Ludwig began planning his move out of Los Angeles (lot next to Greystone Mansion), and starting his astonishing project the Pulp-Mil1 (built in Japan), shipped to the middle of the Amazon; in partnership with the Brazilian government in the early '80s. This was before the Cattle ranchers started the destruction of the rain forest --to provide the meat to the fast food chains --mainly for Joan Kroc's McDonald's (Hamburgers), starting to expand world-wide (even Moscow got its own in 1990), but also for the British chain Burger King.
Numeric Control Lathes, and Mil1s, were just beginning to appear in many of the average "Mom and Pop" machine shops, and the inventor Albert Halter (California) who invented the cheaper alternative -- the "Slide-matic," a machine-tool accessory for the American Hardinge Lathe, prospered heavily. And even the wel1-known Timex company couldn't buy just one; eleven (11) of them they purchased, to improve the competitiveness of their own products -- as theoldtimers Levin (Lathes) and Copley (Watches) were suffering, and the Copley family ventured into the newspaper business (incl. Daily Breeze). That was also the time when McDonnell Douglas purchased the Hughes Helicopter Co. in 1984, inheriting the produc- tions of many helicopters, including the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter --just minutes before G.M got their hands on the rest of the company, the HUGHES Medical Co.
Many fights broke out on the union properties in Long Beach where police were called in, as Mr. Rios recalled (L.A. Times 10/24/91), over who controls the union; Mr. Doug Griffin was in charge. Hughes Aircraft was just acquired by General Motors, and Mr. Muchler and other executives, told a group of manu- facturers of the future features which wil1 be in the G.M. cars; that group were the members of the Akron Tool and Die Association, in 1985. This writer at that time questioned the capabilities of an average execu- tive paying for such a "sophisticated" car. Later to find out that one of the men from Detroit, Michigan, was an associate of a member of this writer's family.
Some months later, a non-G.M. Hughes Aircraft corporate executive, "a fellow worker, a hands on kind of guy" was given a very large some of money --to leave the fInn, after the acquisition was completed.
Those anti-critics, pro-ego-management, and the yes-men (those Miss MaryAnn Keller spoke of, in her book A Rude Awaking) saw in horror, the NASA's Shuttle "Challenger," carrying the first school teacher on board, explode in front of their eyes, as the nation watched (including Judith A. Resnik's family from the writers home-town) on live-To V. The accident made many reconsider their positions (and responsibilities) in manufacturing, and left the President of the United States in "stunned silence," according to AP (1/27/86).
Some executives in our industry where getting the message on after the October, 1987 stockmarket crash, and others had to be blatantly told in a Monday, June 20, 1988, article of the USA Today:
"Fear: Nationalization, Special for USA TODAY Some defense industry sources fear the Pentagon scandal could be the 'last straw' that goads Congress into nationalizing military industries, Defense News reports today. The article quotes a source saying that industry self-governance 'is probably down the toilet.'
Others tried their best to keep their people informed, such as Slide-matic on September 11, 1988, . The California Hawk reported:
Pat Maio, aerospace rewriter for the Daily Breeze, states that "several thousand other jobs will be created at 50 major subcontractors throughout the country, including Allied Signal Aerospace Co. and International Light Metals Co., both in Torrance, and Teledyne Controls Co. in West Los Angeles." The C-17 transport-plane which is capable of airlifting 86 tons of heavy equipment, and which is able to operate from small airfields, are now in full production. It is said to be a large defense program to carry over into the 1990's, and the program director is Airforce Brig. Gen. Michael Rutchko at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. So, it seems there's plenty of work coming up!
Also the time period in which the McDonnell Douglas invested into Duane Brown's efforts to use a "New Gage for Tooling Fixtures" his photogrammetric system, according to Metalworking News 3/21/88. During this time, many manufacturers (Purchasing and Engineering) were in the quest for newer materials, to out perform the present materials used, and in the '80s the main objective was to cut the costs of materials. Paul Stifel, branch Chief of technology for composites at McDonnell Douglas emphasized the need for a good supplier in Bob Foster's Article McDonnell Douglas Corp., in 1988. That was at the time when "machining at three times the speed of sound using a high velocity water- jet stream" was a novelty at LTV's Vought Aero Products division, Dallas. And Reynolds Metals' sheet and plate plant in McCook, Illinois was just understanding machining their largest part ever for the MD-11 (84-foot-long wing skins). However things were changing in late 1988 internally as McDonnell Douglas was faxing their suppliers new drawings of the modifications needed for the "three" lighter C-17 ordered by the Pentagon's Purchasing Agents, which put a monkey wrench into the whole works.
AAG (Alaska Airlines) ordered six MD-80"s, costing $180 million [635 delivered at that time], according to the Orange County Register 9/15/89. South Korea was to buy 120 F/A-8 jets, according to the same paper (12/12/89), costing $4.2 billion states the L.A. Times 12/21/89 [Dumps the Jets for General Dynamics on 3/28/91]. Garuda Indonesia Airways, the Indonesian National Airline made a major pur- chase of MD-lls, and so did Air Zaire in Africa in February of 1989. In the mid to late 1980s, the "Business-world" was over-joyed by the mass orders being placed by airlines to buy aircraft. Many executives could not believe the stories of unethical manufacturing practices, many looked upon anyone mentioning problems as a "trouble maker." McDonnell Douglas was trying to distance themselves from the image of Northrop's officials in November of 1989, even though McDonnell Douglas was Northrop's subcontractor in a massive $64 billion Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program [which Lookheed received the contract in 1990]. The media was proclaiming that "they are especially hopeful that the booming market for commercial jets -- Boeing and McDonnell Douglas have huge order backlogs from the airlines that will last at least a decade -- will soften the blows of defense cuts," as best stated in the L.A.Times in Dec. 24, 1989. However optimistic low level executives making under 100,000.00 a year was that McDonnell Douglas was back in a "loss position" on the MD-80 according to an analyst at Bateman Eichler, Hill Richards (LA. Times 4/2/90). In December of 1989 this writer, at a social outing (the Portage Country Club) in Akron, Ohio, discovered many middle-managers (including Goodyear's) who were suspicious at statements made by top-managers.
"Although orders for the airliners reached record levels in 1988 and 1989, the transport segment of McDonnell Douglas endured a $222 million operating loss in 1989 due to a reorganization and a rapid production buildup for the MD-80 (developed from the DC-9) and the MD-11 (a descendant of the DC- 10)," we could read in the papers. Not to mention, in 1989, when Lookheed Corporation pulled-out of the subcontracting work for McDonnell Douglas on the C-17 transport after suffering tremendous losses -- still remembering their "difficulties" with the C-5A. The Daily Breeze article by Pat Maio, dated 3/29/89 stated, "McDonnell Douglas Corp. faces contract penalties that could total millions of dollars because of delays in delivering jetliners to airlines." In person Pat was a lot more outspoken -- and was interested in finding out more about what's going on behind the scenes; soon afterwards, he disappeared! And spokesman Don Hanson, for McDonnell Douglas, stated that: "This is really a temporary disruption that we are looking at here." Reading Berkeley Rice's The C5A Scandal makes us wonder how temporary these disruptions will be. In spite of all that McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Co. continues to consider a new facility near Ellington Air Force Base in Houston, Texas; and Larry Griffin, the executive director of Clear Lake Area Economic Development Council stated: "It is not a done deal, but they are getting to the point that it is looking very, very good," Press Telegram 4/19/89.
At this time period, Mr. Cohen and other employees of McDonnell Douglas offered this writer a purchasing position. And after consulting with Mr. Bruce Gordon (purchasing), and a high connection John Mario(?), Mr. Mario's suggestion (April 10, 1989) was for me to be in the department of contracts...this was just after the Two Part Corporate Restructuring: First the change of the Chain-of-command, and' second, the implementation of the NUMMI (New United Motors Manufacturing Inc.) style of training (a G.M. Program in Japan), Douglas now calls Total Quality Management System (TQMS).
In February of 1989, the corporate politics were racing still through the company to fill the vacuum of power left behind after Louis F. Harrington, Joel D. Smith, John D. Wolfe, David O. Swain, Joe B. Pirkle departed (or changed position) in Hood's re- structuring to "reduce" the delays. This was when Robert Hood ordered in all his managers, supervisors and executives in a large hanger (5,200 employees), and blew open the doors with a bombshell, by stating that they were fired. This plan (to cut costs) was developed in secret sessions by people who never built airplanes before; in 12-hour sessions, in Hood's basement at his St. Louis home, which one executive stated "ponder the imponderable," according to Ralph Vartabedian LA. Times, 10/15/89.
By the time those pieces hit the ground in the Long Beach hanger, Douglas had cut off the subcontracting work at Delco, General Electric, and Honeywell.
It was amazing the Joel D. Smith, Vice President of Quality (and a former UAW official), was with James Henry MacDonald who made the first rough plan (team oriented manufacturing techniques) in Hood's basement [however in 8/90 he left the compa ny]. The only ones who were surviving the trauma and the "poorly executed plan" were the non-management jobs, as stated in Ralph's article. Some formed their own opinions, and Vice President of the United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 148 (14,000 members) stated, "They split everyone into little teams, and the whole result is to rat-on- your-buddy system." Only now at this time the people on the Long Beach's streets, including the tellers at the local banks knew something was wrong, but they still feared to discuss the problems openly.
At about that time, while this writer was heavily involved in recovering stolen machinery, which a landlord stole (Claude P. Williams), from this writer's former general manager of Slide-matic, Mr. Heinz Halter [third party equipment] -- an employee of (Frank) Robinson's Helicopter, Jerry Parks, also was laying out the hooks by promises of tooling work from Robinson, and a safe place to keep vital documents; since everyone was having a field day with Slide-matic's Government Blueprints (and tooling). This Robinson (now former) employee, Jerry Parks, at the request of this writer to hand over the material held in safe-keeping, still refuses to release those documents, now, three years later. Allied Signal's employee on April 2nd, 1989 (Percy) explained to this writer that the problem comes from "higher up." And an inspector in May of 1989, who was formerly from Marvin Engineering -- Ken Mehta (A Slide-matic Customer), at ROTA MACHINE in Harbor City stated to this writer, who was employed there as an Aerospace Estimator, "that it comes from East." And this writer's neighbor's, stationed on the V.S.S. Missouri, had a "riot" blowing holes into the wall with their riot-guns, and smashing out a plate-glass window, in the apartment next door (April 8, 1989); a few days after the ILLEGAL CLOSURE OF SLIDE-MATIC, by County Marshal Robert F. Mann's agents, according to the REAL COURT DOCUMENTS. The tellers at the local branches of major banks, could not believe the stories.
Even while all this was going on, McDonnell Douglas had their chips on the table for "High Stakes" in a deal with China, the MD-82 program. This program was also "plagued by delays and changes, ending up as an assembly-kit operation that was a greatly scaled-down version of the original intention to build an aircraft from scratch, pretty much what China wants to do now," according to the New York Times 5/1/89. In that same article, the general manager of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, James T. Johnson states, "If anything, we believe we're a bit of an underdog in this area. On McDonnell Douglas, he added, 'They are going to be awfully aggressive.'" Then the news hit the Long Beach Plant of the plane crash (Press Telegram, 5/7/89), where a team of three (3) Douglas employees (Orville Stoll, Mahmoud Abulkheir, yu Hoang) from the Engineering Test and Evaluation Division, crashed, and burned on the 605 Freeway, closing off the freeway for 8 hours.
Two months later McDonnell Douglas seeks to settle a civil suit filed in 1987 {False Claims Act) of "several hundredS ~ousand dollars" caused by Whistle-blowers "alleging that the firm overcharged the Army for Attack Helicopters, according to Rod Stillwell, the plaintiff in the case." L.A. Times 7/22/89.
c
Stillwell's attorney from Encino, William Ramsey, gave no details of the case
Then the fired frustrated employees, vandalized four (4) jets awaiting test nights. causing McDonnell Douglas to increase security, and begin an investigation. Orange County Register 7/26/89. This news compounded the current problem, all four of its major aircraft prpgrams are losing money. Making the decision easy to sell off the'McDonnell Douglas Info. Systems based in Irvine. Orange County Register 8/1/89.
Even the most notorious competition (The Boeing Company) was having delivery problems. and their rival Airbus Industries was capturing the new orders. Even with Airbus' recent crash on Airbus' Maiden Flight orders continued. the crash was caused by the gross negligence of the veteran pilot who flew too close to the ground. and crashed into the trees (1989?). On December 19, 1989, "McDonnell Douglas Corp. announced" that the company will move the its' T-45 Navy jet (train.er) program from Long Beach to St... Louis, as a "part of a strategy" to reduce production lag times. Daily Breeze (12/20/89).
Bixby Knolls residents began voicing their frustra- tions over the noise level at the Airport in October of 1989. And further in to the year. "Roars From Doug- las' Tests of Jet Engines Bring Protests" as we can read in Michele Fuetsch LA. Times article (12/31/89). In that article corporate officials stated. "It dependS on the winds. the temperature and even the clouds cover sometimes." The opposing attorney for several airlines is Mr. John J. Lyons, andfor the City Airport Mr. Lee Blackman. both attorneys have to live with the U.S. District (L.A.) Judge Lau~in E. Walters' ruling that is an controversial ordinance.
Already this year (1989) the scientist and engineers were losing their numbers in the industry by 6,000. and the trend will continued, according to the L.A. Times (12/14/89). And in an Advertisement in the Long Beach Business Journal (12/12-1/8/90) Joe Guthrie. Manager, Missile Systems Estimating and Budgeting. ICOW and Sales (Formerly Manager, Direct Staffmgand Analysis) was quoted:
"The data we needed on costs, quality assurance, and scheduling was there all along. We needed a way to integrate it, to bring it together -- physically -- in order to measure performance and spot potential problems quickly. I organized it in what we call our 'factory health room' --literally hundreds of graphs and tables that detail our up-to-the-minute production and financial status. It's working well. It proved to me that you don't have to reinvent the wheel, or even spend money, to solve some problems.
As the 1990s rolled in the plant well known for its sabotage, the 190th Torrance Plant was already up for sale; and a "divestiture" of manufacturing facilities surprise many on-lookers as their usual corporate strategies turned around dramatically (L.A. Times 1/26/90). Some employees at the McDonnell Douglas Computer Systems were fired just after the "New Year." But no one cleaned up the problem, neither the U.S. Attorneys, nor the Torrance City Council, in Slide-matic's case, nor did McDonnell Douglas' management, everyone there was just glad to see Singapore Airlines at the door ordering 20 MD-l1 on 1/14/90. Lockheed's Chairman Daniel M. Tellep proposes the L-1011 (Tri-star) jetliner program to McDonnell Douglas so Lockheed can "diversify away from the weapons business as Pentagon spending falls." Fokker Aircraft and Airbus Industries have walked away from the proposal. By the end of the month, the company found out that the MD-11 was two (2) tons over the planned weight, and Vice President Louis Harrington immediately stated they are not in violation of any contract specifications, and that "they" are "convinced" the problem is under control.
McDonnell Douglas refuses to renew the Lockheed Pact in early February of 1990 for subcontracting work because of overruns and schedule delays ($1 billion of jobbing). "McDonnell Douglas won an $8.8 million AirForce contract for the first phase of the service's new Tanker Transport Training Systems,'I. according to the Orange County Register (2/22/90).
In March of 1990, McDonnell Douglas annual earnings fell from $8.6 billion to $8 billion, a noticeable sum for any company (L.A. Times 3/6/90). The Tokio stock-exchange skidded into a three year low) on March 20th, 1990, forcing the Governor of the Bank of Japan (Yasushi Mieno) to increase discount rates as the Yen lost its backing. And in April of 1990, as "Teamsters OK McDonnell Douglas pact" --Kathleen Murray, Orange County Register, McDonnell Douglas' Deputy President John P. Capellupo stated the conditions in the plant Oust four months since his arrival] made him "sick," according to the LA Times 4/21/90, after recent interviews uncovered severely low morale and lack of training, and poorly motivated. But that's O.K. McDonnell Douglas is still the No. one (1) Defense Contractor (3/90). Is it O.K.? Is there a hidden cost we don't know about? And there is plenty of cheap labor out there since General Motor plants to shut down the Van Nuys Plant.
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So the public is still will have to get pieces of infonna- tion from the L.A. Times' writer Ralph Vartabedian who spoke with this writer a few times (including May's conversation, 1991); and for Mr. Mueller's (Flug-Revue interviewed this writer and his general manager in 1988-89) technical views that the L.A. Times have not provided, yet. However this writer, again, wishes to stress that even though these writers are well respected, including the names of their media, they are not providing us the proper infonnation (feed- back) to continue our life in harmony with the World and the Nation's Economy. Apparently the McDon- nell Douglas board is getting the message (or the Governor Pete Wilson May 28, 1991, Pow-wow may have knocked some sense into the company) as it authorized its' company to take the customer's orders for the 375 passenger MD-12X jetliner, with a range of 9,200 miles that can make a non-stop flight from Hong Kong to Los Angeles (L.A. Times 10/26/91). The MD-12X components will be manufactured by South Korean fimls, such as: Korean Air; Samsung Aerospace Industries; and Daewoo Heavy Industries, 5/20/91 L.A. Times. In the same (5/20/91) article, prospecting Douglas' vice president Don Synder, was in contact with Alena of Italy, Casa of Spain, Northrop, Generaf Dynamics, and Rockwell International. And the company is also pushing for the Deal with China to manufacture the MD-90 and the MD-95.
As management surpasses the threshold of desper- ation (asking for a rich partner), the explosion of internal conflicts are just beginning as we have seen, including the "Labor Troubles At Douglas" in Ralph Vartabedian and Tom Furlong (dated 10/24/91). As we read in that article, the Long Beach plant "is locked in an ugly internal struggle inflamed by the unrelenting pressures on California's shrinking aero- space industry," and plans are in the works to increase security.
Back in January of 1991, while the company was disputing late payments to their supplier in the Orange County Register and the LA. Times on (1/31/91), "the president of the largest union at Douglas Aircraft Co. was scheduled to go on trail" 1/7/91, on allegations (JohnFlower's)ofviolatirtghis union's international. constitution... But even with heavy opposition an August 29, 1991 letter went out to UAW president, Owen Bieber from the 148 Local (Richard Rios), "We at Douglas ate largest fooitl'iil the UAW, let alone (he region; yet we:are virtuaUy:ignoredby the director [Bruce Lee].. The6iily tirlie the'he makes an appere- ance at the Do,uglasplant i$ wti~ri he meets with tile officiers of the company:" L::A} Times 9/24/91. As America have seed o'vet the'nlaily years-, and especial- ly in Cleveland, Ohio (Teamsters), that union (Bill Presser) and management (U.S: Officials) always had a large BACKDOOR policy, and an EXIT for the rights of the working class was if not larger. Owen Bieder (UAW President), and Richard Rios (Local President) must remain in this view of discretion.
Tom's article (10/24/91) further states, "Dissident union member such as those leading Local 148, are challenging the UAW's national leadership, asserting that too much ground has been ceded to management for the sake of cooperation." As these writers of L.A. Times stated, that the conflicts not only are caused by the upheaval in the Aerospace Industry, " but also the tough choices facing unions at a time when their influence is eroding." State Senator Cecil Green (Norwalk), and his agent George Burden got out of the way of a recent outbreak of publicized infighting. Who needs to take a dive like Forrestal? Ask Steward Linda Gray who suffered separated shoulder from getting inbetween Edward R. Lopez and John Ortiz-- how it feels to be close to windows?
The union's influence is not at stake! When rumors are going around that there is financing for a Lake Tahoe casino, and efforts to move the production out of state (Utah); this path is a long way off from the promises in June of 1943. On March 24, 1991, "after overwhelmingly rejecting a new labor contract in a fracious meeting Sunday, workers at McDonnell Douglas Corp.'s Douglas Aircraft division in Long Beach began working without a contract..,"LA. Times (3/26/91). Then the newsprint began to spread across the very conservatiye Press Telegram in April 6, 1991 about "Workers fed up with union, firm" by George Cunningham, and "Douglas contract in limbo by" Julie Rees, as the stories of lake Tahoe and others gathered attention from the UAW's director of nine (9) state Western Union, Bruce Lee, according to LA. Times reports. What is at stake is representation of the worker, especially here under conditions of a "societal-breakdown!" And the ability for both management and workers to communicate in a efficient manner. Apparently people are waking up, and some people are finally getting the message and cutting off the Back Door Policy as the AFL-CIO did by not inviting Labor Secretary, Lynn Martin to the Convention of 14.2 million members this year. This fact of real communication and not monitoring is seen by Jerry Tucher ," (former regional Director UAW) fonning his own group who views are similar. Jerry Tucker states in Tom's article, "! think this boils down to the fact that the international leadership has forgotten who they work for: Even the AFL-CIO leaders are tired of the pre-fabbed ideas as they best stated in their comments,"We find out most of her stands and opinions by reading newspapers and magazines," Press Telegram 10/1'1/91. ' "Who Really Controls?" ...by the Opinion editor of Los Angeles Harbor College's Tides newspaper in 1984 caused an up-roar, and a major Federal Lawsuit was filed by the ACLU in behalf of the writer, Joe Fields (over the loss of Constitutional Rights). After years of investigation, and little corrective action from those administrators (Dr. James Heinselman and Dr. Standen included), America can see who and how "they" are holding onto their "given power"; and there's always another Schechter (ADL) watching over them, to make sure they stay on their assigned path. Holding on to a glimpses of time, over-riding Honor and Dignity. This also pertains to many including the Chairman of the union, Jesse Salazar who stated, "We're on the edge of someone getting serious hurt, perhaps even killed." This writer wonders if there is a connection to those on the ballot. in the race for City Council in Montebello (Kathy Salazar/Nurse,53; Larry Salazar/Marketing consultant, 34). "Murder Inc." is back in business, and gambling is high, and crime is like the weather, it is always there -- Can America Grow-Up?
And for THE BIG ONE the Pentagon (Richard E. Donnelley, Assistant Secretary of Defense) was concerned about in October of 1989 is finally COMING; however not as they expected -- as years of corruption now can be seen through the mere cracks in wall, some still think aapparently the "cozy old boys' network at the Pentagon continues unabated," as stated by U.S. Congressman John Conyers Jr., in a L.A. Times letter to the Editor. (8/30/91). However, the word is on the street the the Pentagon is bracing for Congressional Investigation. Not only what is missing in action (MIA) is on their agenda, AirForce Col. Charles Sellen's agreed upon payment of $6.6 to $6.8 billion of tax- payers money to McDonnell Douglas may come up in their conver- sations. And "the trickle down effect" from the Reagan Years can be seen like the Niagrau Falls as a House Energy and Cornrnerce Committee reported that McDonnell Douglas is withhold more than $400 millions to its major aircraft components suppliers, resaons stated that the parts are were deficiencies and of poor quality, LA. Times (10/2/91). All that doesn't take a genius to see it! Also stated in that article that "...the deferrals appear to be part of independent government and private industry efforts to prop up McDonnell. And" a top Pentagon official told McDonnell Douglas Corp. Chairman John McDonnell earlier this year in a letter that the company was not yet taking difficult but crucial austerity measures to overcome very serious cash flow problems' and raised the prospect of serious restructuring at the fInn," LA. Times 10/3/91.
McDonnell Douglas has been a successful company for staying above the turbulent waters of our environment which is totally corrupt in manufacturing, with a fake government constituting law, and where many in the Law Enforcement and the Judicial system participate in the crimes [most have been exposed, but not removed], leaving America unprotected in this "Societal Breakdown." At this point McDonnell Douglas is out of control over indu1ging in new progects on one side and perging on the other side, To look at reality is urgent, even though it is painful. our problem here in California can be solved. There has been too many statements made out of McDonnell Douglas --"It was human error." How long is it until the F.A.A. pulls the DAC's production tickea
We must find the leaders who do not live the "Big Lie" and the citizens must back them with support -- before our schools crumble (like the Music Building at Cal State Long Beach [Dukemejian & Reynolds]). This is a complex problem from the conspiracy which faces citizens of Long Beach, and the manufacturing industry in California. To rebuild our government WITH REAL PIECES using the proper personnel (LEADERSHIP) to correctively construct and direct the TASK with the highest regards to quality to insure our RIGHTS per the State of California and U.S. Constitution. Who needs another ERA with out the Red Cars?
McDonnell Douglas [John Wolf] Executives are wavering our SAFETY has been exposed in the Press Telegram 28 & 29 of 1991. The wantonful sabotage of what Paine Webber's analyst Jack Modelewski called "the key" for McDonnell Douglas Corporation --the MD-11. This reshuffled management (L.A. Times 4/30/91) is SABOTAGING OUR FUTURE and our manufacturing base here in Southern California. That is yet to be further exposed!
What did St. Louis think would happen after Capellupo was yanked from the project in April of 1991, surprising even the veterans of the traumatized company? At least the girl scouts got a message from John B. Smith's financially troubled bus company who refused to fix the brakes, Mayflower Group Inc. "Douglas [executives, including their spokes people Don Hanson, Barbara Anderson, John Thorn, Michael I. Burch (St. Louis), and Bob O'Brien (Wash.)] refused Monday to discuss the tests or the injuries, or to answer questions...," Press Telegram who's courage to cover the story in a timely fashion, not waiting what the plans from above" wanted them to print -- writers Neil Strassman and George Cunningham (10/29/91) --are welcomed, from those at the Long Beach Eagle.
Most in Cities in the Southbay have not heard the News! How do we expect other citizen to help in other states, to evaluate if there are corporate saboteurs playing rambo with our industry? The citizens of aerospace must be told of the conditions?
To the McDonnel Douglas Top Executives the Lines areOpen!
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"Long Beach Eagle" (Oct. 31, 1991)
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----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2006 8:39 PM
Subject: BOXER and Mayor Beverly O'Neill, and at right Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald
Hello, Don!
Things are cooking, in your hometown, and the Big Ones are getting pissed off!
We know the "Bürgerintitiative PUCH" was helpless, back in 1987, but we were not, thanks to our Boxer, in 1991/92. Now it's time again to lend a helping hand, or the last traces of Douglas Aircraft are soon gone!
Karlheinz
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"Beyond the 5,750 Long Beach workers who would lose their jobs, employees also would be dismissed from Palmdale; Mesa, Ariz.; St. Louis and Macon, Ga.
"The federal government would sustain higher charges if more than a few years pass before the decision to resume manufacture of C-17s was made, since Boeing would likely sell off its 424-acre site in Long Beach. The cost of re-establishing capacity at a new site would be about $3.2 billion the cost of buying nearly 17 planes.
"Other parts of the aerospace industry also would suffer. According to the analysis, 40 percent of employees at Ducommun AeroStructures in Gardena, which makes large aircraft fuselage skin sections, are tied to C-17 contracts. The company reported it would have to cut its skilled work force in half without Boeing's business.
"'The company owns a unique aluminum sheet stretching press, the only one of its kind in North America. It is not certain whether the company could justify retaining this tool once C-17 production ceases,' the report found.
"Similarly, the General Dynamics armament division in Marion, Va., which produces C-17 wing flaps and landing gear, could lose a number of employees. About 38 percent of its work force of 381 people is involved in C-17 work.
"In the Los Angeles area, the situation is even bleaker."
Today -- 02/23/2006
Sen. Boxer in the ring for Boeing C-17
On visit to L.B. plant, lawmaker calls mothballing program senseless.
| By Felix Sanchez, Staff writer |
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LONG BEACH — With hundreds of Boeing Co. C-17 factory workers cheering her on, California U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer took aim at the Bush administration on Wednesday, calling its intended decision to mothball the C-17 program senseless and out of touch with defense expert opinion.
And it's a potential multibillion-dollar mistake as well, the Democrat said.
Boxer wasn't alone in her attack.
A contingent of local politicians joined Boxer in an almost pep rally-like event at Boeing's C-17 factory in Long Beach to pepper the Pentagon with criticism for leaving funding off the 2007 budget to order more C-17s for the U.S. Air Force. |
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Dear Lou Dobbs,
I'm informed by my friend in Arizona, of the good effort you are making, in the process of turning America around. My friend Don Karg is busy at the time, for he plans to replace the Congressman in the 4. District of Arizona (Phoenix), who does not see these things very clearly.
Our Congresswoman here in our treasured 36th District of California, Rep. Jane Harman, she is already very outspoken, trying to wake the people up. And yes, we also can count on U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer too.
Don has a very good picture, of what's wrong with America, but he's also aware of our precious Qualities.
Jan Harman spoke of the New Direction for America at the Redondo Beach Library, last night, and many alert citizens took note.
But it was our U.S. Attorney Fred Heather, who said, already back in 1988, in the "L.A. Times" ("FRAUD...," on 7/17/88), and also asked, how do we "quantify the effect of driving honest people out of business"?
Yes, how do we, and how did we? Don Karg has been around, here in our South Bay (of L.A.), from 1988 through 1993; and first hand he had experienced, how such things really work. He already spoke at out Forum, in April of 1992, at the Alpine Village (Torrance), when he was making the effort for the first time, to become our Representative in Congress (36. Congressional District).
I feel, you should know about it also, how America was undermined, and how the influence of valuable people had intentionally been eroded.
Yours sincerely,
and the Best Wishes,
from Arnie's Golden State,
Karlheinz A. Halter
(310) 517-9041
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