We are sad to report that Dave Mazi passed away on January 21, 2009, after a courageous fight with cancer.  We had barely begun to get caught up about the last 50 years.

In August of 2007, we also heard from Dave Mazi Jr (MAJ, Armor CDR, TF-San Diego, Operation Jump Start) who was working on his own little "secret project" regarding a surprise for his dad, and wrote the following:

My father, Dave Mazi, Sr., showed me your website just this past week.  The Sputnik story was one I was not aware of until a family reunion 4 years ago when my uncle Frank (whom I hadn't seen in 35 years) mentioned it which led to a discussion of what my dad did in High School and the historical significance of the entire radio club.

I understand my father sent you . . . a short biography of what he has been up to for the past 50 years.  I would love to get a copy of it. My father's computer took a dump and it is not currently available or my mother would forward it to me.  I would ask him directly to recreate it but I don't want him knowing I was asking.

He spent fifty years working in the defense industry on a variety of projects to include guidance systems of the Mark 48 torpedo, Stinger Air Defense System, Phalanx ship defense system, and MILES (Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System, the army's laser tag).  I am currently researching several military branch / department of defense service awards which he may be eligible for based upon his years of work.

My father has never been one for awards or recognition for what he has taken part in or accomplished . . . I would appreciate any assistance you may be able to provide.

So here is what I was able to send to Dave-Jr., --some of Dave's remembrances about the SJHRC and the many interesting adventures that followed.  Dave clearly had a pivotal role in developing key systems for the security of the free world!:

1956-57: I [passed the 5 word per minute code test and] got my Novice license KN8DUD.  About all I really remember is the tape and ink code machine that sent code to practice on, - and then trying to get to 13 wpm for the general test!

1957-58: I got my General Classe license sometime during that school year and became K8DUD, but I don't really remember when.

The launching of the first Sputnik was the big excitement - enough for a lifetime, I guess.  I think it's what really got me hooked into the electronics.

It was sometime that year Dennis "Mike" Cegelski and I, --and I think also Joe Marsey, got the idea to try to read brain waves from a rabbit.  We named her Eloise.

We had to get the head bare of any hair so we could attach the electrodes.  The first time, we talked a barber into shaving her head!  Later, Cegelski bought "Nair" at the drug store to get the hair off the rabbit!  (I recall later, the hair then grew back with a vengeance -- and there was an extra long "tuft" right between the ears! --K8DTS.)

We really didn't understand much about those Very Low Frequency amplifiers, or a how to make a good ground system for that matter - but I did have interesting times at the Cleveland Clinic getting info and some schematics of their system.  It could have worked!

1958-59: Early in the school year I got the First Class Radiotelephone commercial license, and did some more work with Eloise I think.  I do remember snaking wires through the internal tunnels under the school, learning how to arc-weld, doing a valve job on my father's car, and working on fixing the Link Trainer.

1959: I did a summer internship at Cleveland Police Dept (KQA550 endorsement).  I remember flying with Bro. Mike more than once -- what a thrill -- I really wanted to get a license -- but it was just not do-able at the time.

1959-60: I remember we started doing things with the Teletype machines and planning Moonbounce, but soon it was May.  I was 1-A in the draft, not enough money for college, and no good job prospects, - therefore, upon graduation. . .

1960: I enlisted in the Navy.

1961: I spent some time at the NSA, then got attached to the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia, Cyprus.

1961-1964: --Assignments in the Middle East.  Due to extensive time overseas, I never did renew either the General Class ham license or the First Phone Commercial license.

1965: --Returned to Cleveland, and attended night school at Fenn College (which changed to Cleveland State), while working as Jr. Engineer for Clevite Ordnance.

I worked on several torpedo programs: 21B12 submarine simulator, MK 46 torpedo, EX10 / MK 48 torpedo and an explosive mine program or two.  I got a little wet more than once working at the at the Keyport, Washington test range! Lots of good stories,  I left after Clevite Ordnance was bought out by Gould Ocean Systems, and by . . .

1973: I had gotten my BSEE degree.  I moved to King Electronics as chief engineer, where I designed and built automotive test equipment, engine analyzers, absorption spectrometers, etc.  The most successful project was an automotive scope that I designed and built for Snap-On Tools, marketed under their name.  A few thousand were sold, which was a big deal at the time.  But it was not a good place for me to work.

1976: --Moved to California, got a job with General Dynamics as Sr. Engineer, working several different missile programs - Standard Arm, Standard Arm D2, Sparrow, Standard Missile, Red Eye (very early Stinger), etc. --Worked on the Navajo reservation facility, as well as Camden, Arkansas facility. --Lots more good stories. --Fun at White Sands.

1979: --Moved to Xerox as Chief engineer and head of manufacturing for the MILES laser engagement system. Very interesting stuff. Ask about Sandia Corp. and Fort Irwin!

1982: --Moved to Aerojet General Ordnance Division as chief engineer and head of manufacturing for the FASCAM program (anti tank and anti personnel mines) primarily improving the flux gate magnetometers, and how they're tested.  Not a good job.  But interesting. --Strange company more ways than 1!

1982: --Worked on a Masters degree in Systems Engineering.

1984-1987: --Returned to General Dynamics to help complete development of the Stinger hybrid guidance system, Chief engineer for development of the NATO Stinger Hybrid facility (Guidance) in Ankara, Turkey.  Developed all training programs for foreign nationals, all required disciplines, and trained over 150 engineers in the U.S. over an 18 mo. period while the factory was being built.  The factory was completed on schedule, and the Stinger guidance systems were built under budget and ahead of schedule.  This was the first successful International program under NATO auspices.

1987-1989: --Worked as Scientist/Engineer for the Sr. Subsystems Engineering and Integration Depaertment. --Worked on advanced guidance concepts for Standard Missile 3, and the Sea Sparrow Missile using multi-mode target acquisition.

1990-1993: --Worked as Head of mechanical systems integration for the first exo-atmospheric kill vehicle (star wars) which is a kinetic kill vehicle.  The first unit was a proof of concept multimode target tracking system, which was a success, and did prove the concept.

1994-2005: --Worked as Sr. Principle Electrical Engr. Missile Systems.  Worked on the design, development and production integration of the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile as part of NATO consortium involving 10 countries.  This was the first multi-national vertical launch missile accepted by NATO for all fleet deployment --also first NATO weapon system to be AEGIS and NATO radar compatible.  --Good test range stories from White Sands and Vandenberg.

2005: --Happily retired.
--Seven kids, 12 grandkids and another on the way.
--Guess you could say that I really did get into rocket science!
--What has taken place over the last 50 years has never ceased to amaze me!
--I know I still have my old log/log/deci-trig slide rule here somewhere!!!

Hobbies: --Woodworking, bass fishing, old cars.

Countries I worked with at one time or another: --Canada, England, Scotland, Norway, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey, Italy, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Australia