California the Movie (Emily Quirke)

Movie #4: #2 New Jobs

The second scene of the 4th movie narratives the occupations that Joseph and Raymond have over the next few years. Almost immediately after the ending of World War II, the airplane design and manufacturing  sector collapsed. But, for Raymond and Joseph, this was not the end of their careers. Only a few years after the close of the second World War, the US began pumping money into satellites and missiles. This was in because of the beginning of the Cold War. 
 
Though Raymond and Joseph were laid off from their jobs as airplane designers, they were quickly approached to help design and research missiles and satellites. Raymond had reinvented his job before; in Movie 3, Raymond switched from airplane engineer, to a hollywood airplane designer, to a farmer, and then back to an airplane engineer. Raymond was assigned to a government organization that built and regulated satellites. These satellites were rather basic, but they were very important; they paved the way for much further complex  satellite development and helped create the satellites that we have today.
 
“Simply designed, with no moving parts, each is expected to have a lifetime of one and a half to three years in orbit, with a capability of linking ground stations 10,000 miles apart. Air Force spokesmen pointed out that satellite communications give the military great flexibility, particularly in a conflict such as the Vietnam war, where a brigade or a division can become an isolation island of resistance” (“Eight…Links”, 1967). 
 
Joseph was selected to be a part of a top secret missile design group located in downtown LA. Having just graduated from USC, and the completing a master at Cal Tech, Joseph was a leader in the field. These missiles were used all throughout the Cold War, and his team was accredited with much of the success that they brought. 
 
“A Thor intermediatie-range ballistic missile will blast off from Cooke Air Force Base early this fall and soar far out over the ocean to christen the Pacific Missile Range and serve as a roaring prelude for satellite and spacecraft launchings to come…The shot will inaugurate 64,000 acre Cooke AFB as the nation’s first site with long-range ballistic missile combat capability, although the primary mission of the vast base will be the training of missile men for the Strategic Air Command. From launching pads now nearing completion 140 miles north of Los Angeles, but intercontinental and intermediate-range missiles will be hurled over full-range trajectories which in the case of the ICBM means 5500 nautical miles” (“Thor..Range”, 1958).  
 

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