OCTOBER 28, 2024 – Six pioneers in American space and missile development were honored in a ceremony hosted by Space Systems Command in recognition of achievements in astronautics that began as early as the 1950s and continue to resonate in today’s contested space environment.
“Today we honor six people who had the imagination, the courage and the persistence to act on their dreams and contribute to today’s reality of U.S. superiority in space,” said Lt. Gen. Philip A. Garrant, commander of Space Systems Command. “These incredible achievements inspire us to be bold, have courage, and be innovative, which is especially important as we are in an era of Great Power Competition.”
Garrant’s remarks were part of the 10th annual Schriever Wall of Honor Ceremony, which took place this year on Sept. 26th in the Schriever Courtyard at Los Angeles Air Force Base. The event is named for Gen. Bernard Schriever, who successfully led the Air Force’s ballistic missile and satellite projects during the early years of the Cold War and was commander of SSC’s predecessor organization, the Western Development Division.
“Honoring our past has been an ongoing theme this year as we have been celebrating the 5th anniversary of the Space Force, the 3rd anniversary of Space Systems Command and the 70th anniversary of the Western Development Division,” Garrant said. “We stand on the shoulders of greatness and (the honorees) stand as reminders of the grit, perseverance and willingness to take risks that are required for us to continue to succeed against the threats our nation faces.”
Each year since 2014, the names of six individuals are inscribed on the Schriever memorial wall in honor of their contributions to the beginning, growth, and evolution of national security space and/or missile programs. The theme of this year’s ceremony, Yesterday’s Dream, Today’s Hope, Tomorrow’s Reality, draws from a quote by American rocket pioneer Robert H. Goddard, who said, “It is difficult to say what is impossible, because the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.”
Several hundred attended this year’s ceremony, which honored these pioneers:
Retired Maj. Gen. Edward L. Bolton Jr., United States Air Force (1976-2013), whose lengthy Air Force career included serving as the chief engineer for the Titan space launch program in the early 1990s and subsequently overseeing accelerated operations tempos on both the western and eastern ranges.
The late retired Brig. Gen. Maurice A. Cristadoro Jr., (1920-2008), United States Army and U.S. Air Force (1941-70), who supported the first broadcast of a human voice from space (President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1958 Christmas message) and the beginning of satellite communications.
Dr. Antonio L. Elias, Orbital ATK (now Northrop Grumman), 1986-2018, who managed Pegasus, the first privately developed space launch vehicle.
The late retired Col. Francis J. Hale (1922-2020), United States Army and U.S. Air Force (1944-65), who served on multiple USAF ballistic missile programs, including Minuteman and Thor.
Retired Lt. Gen. Susan J. Helms, U.S. Air Force (1977-2014) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (1990-2002), whose distinguished career includes service as the U.S. military’s first female astronaut.
Mr. Edward M. Lassiter, Aerospace Corp., 1962-95, who helped develop the Global Positioning System, the most significant development for the safe navigation of aircraft and spacecraft since the introduction of radio navigation.
Following Garrant’s opening remarks, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Thomas Taverney, who worked directly with several of the honorees, highlighted the notable characteristics that contributed to each honoree’s leadership skills and achievements.
“You’ll hear a lot about their accomplishments, but I want to talk about their characteristics – especially for the next generation to learn from,” said Taverney, who related how each led their organizations through challenging circumstances. “Ed Lassiter (for example) is a phenomenal mentor, and he still is mentoring today. That is a key element of everybody who is a strong leader.”
With support from industry partners, the Air and Space Forces Association’s Schriever chapter sponsored and commissioned a statue of Schriever, and in 2007, the statue and wall were dedicated as the General Schriever Memorial. The first six names were engraved on the wall in 2014, when SSC celebrated its 60th anniversary. The class of 2024 brings the number honored to 66.
By Brad Smith
Space Systems Command, Public Affairs