Paul was born in Pasadena, a lifelong California dude, leaving southern California for only a brief 3-year active-duty assignment at the Air Force Materials Laboratory, WPAFB. Ohio. 2nd Lt. Propp reported for duty at ML in the summer of 1960. A short special AF project in Newfoundland was part of his Dayton assignment. He remained at WPAFB until 1964 when, as a civilian ML employee, he returned to LA to be ‘co-located’ at the new ML West Coast Office. This brand-new office had been setup there in 1962 by George Peterson [a future ML director] in the headquarters of the newly established Air Force Space Systems Division. When George returned to WP in 1965 Paul became the chief of the WCO. He remained in this capacity for nearly three decades until his retirement in 1993. For a few years after that he was a space technology consultant for ML, AFRL and the Air Force. His home in Hawthorne, CA was a mile or two from the Manhattan Beach/Redondo Beach Pacific Ocean front and just a few blocks from the AF Space & Missile Systems/Aerospace Corp. complex housing the WCO. He lived in this home with his longtime partner Cathy until his passing in the spring of 2020. Paul and George opened the WCO in the very center of dramatic aerospace arena actions which would literally change the world. These developments were just one part of the tragedy and triumph of the 60s. (“The 60s – the Story of a Decade”, The New Yorker, Random House Hardcover & e-Books, December 2016). For the Air Force, the United States and the world the space age dawned in the early 1960s; a few years earlier, in the mid-50s, so did the long-range missile age. The US aerospace space and missile technology-system industries were concentrated in the southern California area. At that time, all military space, ICBMs and all other new AF system developments were directed by Gen. Bernard Schriever (Time magazine cover, 8 April 1957) who’s headquarters was located there as well. Amazingly ML was prescient enough to establish a new materials and manufacturing office in the center of everything in the very building housing Gen. Schriever’s headquarters. Another smart move was assigning Paul directly on site there to initiate and manage the new partnerships. Larry Hjelm joined the WCO office in 1965 for a 4 year LA tour. Paul credited Larry and a vast array of helpers and colleagues who together brought ML and AF technologies into these new system arenas. It is accurate to say, none the less, that Paul himself was the heart and soul of ‘ML west’ for over 3 decades. Gen. Schriever was fully aware that all these new systems required new technologies. To focus these critical developments, he launched a sweeping AF technology planning initiative, Project Forecast, in the early 60s. Through Paul and George ML was well positioned in exactly the right place and right time to lead ML participation. ML contributions to the initiative was highly impressive to Gen. Schriever and were acknowledged in his two personal visits to ML during this period. Along with great opportunities Paul faced significant challenges in his new assignment. It was also an extremely competitive environment with industry, government laboratories and a vast array of technology support contractors vying for the technology program funding needed by all the new systems. And he was fully aware that these new systems customers required space and missile technologies well beyond just those offered by ML so to be effective he needed to be knowledgeable of the full array of AFRL portfolios. Even though young and inexperienced he quickly found his way to the right places and the right people. Paul was consistently successful introducing ML and other AFRL technical experts to exactly the right customers and partners whether a general, a lieutenant, an industry tech expert or a corporate executive. Recognizing that most space and missile materials and processes technology challenges were common across industry he also launched a very innovative and successful action coalition bringing together groups from many different companies and AFRL The consortium formulated recommendations and joint programming to attack these shared M&P/MT challenges. Quite remarkably, the ML portfolios Paul advocated during this period included entirely new materials which were just emerging; these proved to be critical for Gen. Schriever’s new systems: boron/carbon fiber composites, IR sensor materials and carbon/carbon thermal protection materials. Equally important, ML had just assumed leadership of the AF-wide manufacturing technology program. Practical, cost-effective manufacturability was, of course, vital for any new technology thus Paul was able to advocate key programming in this arena. This programming was not just for ML technologies but for all the other new technologies emerging from elsewhere in AFRL. This broad AF corporate approach was the core hallmark feature of the WCO engagement strategy throughout Paul’s career. The number of ML, MT and AFRL space and missile technologies successfully transitioned during Paul’s tenure were remarkable – he highlighted sixteen of these in his documentation of WCO history. The ‘Star Wars” Strategic Defense Initiative and the formation of the Missile Defense Agency in the early 80s under President Reagan presented tremendous new opportunities to apply new AF technologies. Again, quite remarkably, ML offered a number of unique new materials which proved to be vital. Paul’s in-place space and missiles technology ‘infrastructure’ was tailor made for ML and AFRL to respond. Finding the right paths through the new AF/MDA organizational structure was an additional unique challenge. Significant joint programs between, MDA, the AF and AFRL were undertaken. More dramatic, perhaps than all the new aerospace arena action in the LA basin was the “California Dreamin” beach scene emerging there full force in the early 60’s. Paul was in the middle of this action as well. His new ‘ML Yacht’ was moored in Kings Harbor Marina Redondo Beach and according to the Beach Boys “Surfin USA” (1963), Redondo Beach was the place to be. An identical sailboat, moored adjacent to Paul’s, was captained by Jach Bohn, a lifelong friend for TRW. When you visited Paul there was sure to be an invitation to the beach. Especially for those from colder climes in the east, there was a brief immersion in this amazing scene. Strolling on the beach and sailing were always accompanied by relaxing early evening gatherings in the marina for a glass of wine and good camaraderie with Paul and often with Jack. A short walk to the beach brought you directly to center of the west coast beach scene - the piers and the esplanade extending for miles along the Pacific. Paul was very easy going and most enjoyed the southern California scene, hiking in Colorado and in the California mountains and deserts accompanied by friends and colleagues. The beach area gatherings with friends and colleagues continued for nearly two decades after Paul retired. The WCO was the first and most successful of the ‘co-located engineering’ offices ML established throughout all the AF system program offices. This consistently successful operation was the flag-ship technology transition management strategy eventually adopted throughout the Air Force. Paul was dedicated to the Materials Laboratory, the Air Force, southern California and to a wide circle of colleagues and friends. Just before he passed away he concluded his brief history of these times this way: “From my WCO vantage, I know of no other government laboratory that has contributed more broadly and effectively to space and missile systems applied technology. AFML I salute you” ML WCO HISTORY DOCUMENTATION BY PAUL PROPP “AFML West Coast Office, Status and History”, briefing, (October 1988). “A Legacy of Achievement – One Man’s Recollection of AFRL’s Accomplishments in Space Technology” AMPTIAC Quarterly – Materials in Space, Vol. 8, No. 1, pp 11-13, (2004). “ML Post-War History”, memo to Warren Johnson, (Jan 2011). “Space System Support and Affordability – S3A – A distinctive ML/Industry Cooperative”, memo, (February 2019). “AF Materials Laboratory West Coast History – Recalling Names and More”, (March 2019).