Heck, they could have used a properly shaped hunk of wood! But there were reasons for the special hammer - it was not something you could just buy at Ace hardware.

Here's a funny "twist" to the story, and one that would justify media/public ire with our acquisition process. Prior to my arrival, they were processing every individual order for a spare/repair part (including tools and support equipment) as a separate and unique proposal to the Navy. The paper flow, as you could imagine, was a very expensive nightmare, and slow, which could cause delays in delivery which the company could not suffer because, as a strategic program (defense of the nation at stake) we had a contractual requirement to be capable of supplying any needed stocked item, anywhere in the world, within 24 hours. This is one reason we were located right next to Moffet Field, so the Navy could bring in a C-130 for big stuff, or a fighter for small stuff, for expedited transport. But with our extended logistics system, such deliveries were quite rare.

I was hired on to assist my boss (a Phd) in implementing a new contracting approach where money was allocated up front based on expected demand as determined by MIT-developed computer models (1970s). Bottlenecks were removed for the majority of requirements, and the processing cost went way down.

Processing cost before implementation: (coincidently) ~$500 per order. Afterwards it was some small fraction of that amount.

That boss was one of the best bosses of my career, perhaps the best. Real smart guy, personable, with great teaching skills (he was also a professor at San Jose State - evening classes). He must have been impressed also. I had worked there for about a year in a related area, but then left to assist my dad in a successful small business he'd started. I came back to Sunnyvale almost a year later looking for work and heard this guy had an openning. I called him on a Wednesday, and in the phone call was directed to report for work the following Monday (my clearances were still in effect).

Just another one of my little "war stories" while we wait..... Look out or I may start spewing about the West Coast Space Shuttle program - where one of the most commonly used buz-phrases was "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?"!

SGE