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Information Technology (IT) Pioneers

Retirees and former employees of Unisys, Lockheed Martin, and their heritage companies

Web Site Contents

1. VIP Club Pages

Page # Page Name Sections of the Club Pages
0 Site Map THIS PAGE! Club Pages, Legacy Chapters' contents, Design Framework, Site Navigation, File folders, and Revision History. 
1 Home Search this Site, Welcome, Announcements, Prior Notices, Save the Dates, FAQs, Browsing Tips, and the Site Disclaimer.
2 About Us Introduction, The Board, Committees, Elections, and Revision History Log.
3 Activities, Social Future Events and Meetings; Recap of the Recent Events, Periodic Group Gatherings; VIP Club Recreation; Golf Club, Bowling League, Histories of the Geek Squad, Old Timers, Roseville Good Old Days, Syttende Mai, Unihogs/Uniturkeys, and Volunteer Luncheons; plus Venue Locations.
4 Membership Dues, Link to a printable form, membership benefits, membership qualifications, and Membership Types definitions.
5 Newsletter Introduction, Archive of Club newsletters since 2004, Sperry Newsletters,link to the most recent CBI newsletter, and  Links to the final Blue Bell retirees group newsletters.
6 Recreation Obsolete as of 4/8/25. see Activities; had Golf League, Bowling League, Electronics Club, and a linked listing of the Twin Cities' area senior centers.
7 Club History History, Club Milestones, Previous Officers, Birth of the VIP Club by Millie Gignac.
8 Contacts-Links Board Contacts; Search the Site, Twin Cities Links; Associated Retiree Web Sites; Technology Research Sites; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); and Links from by Club Members.
9 Gallery This page of pictures replace the previous 'who is it page". Introduction, Recent Additions, Plant 4 Closing, Winnipeg 1984 employees, and Who Is It?
  404 Invalid link due to error or obsolence of code.
10 Picnic Form Annual announcement, reservation form, and venue directions - annual update
11 Volunteer Form Obsoleted at the June 2025 board meeting.  Announcement, survey/reservation forms, and venue directions - annual update
12 Thanks 2 U Obsoleted, 4/8/25. A thank you page that pops up after a person has submitted the Membership data change form from page 4.
13 Cruise Form Obsoleted, 4/8/25. Introduction, driving directions - registration form - Change per event desired.
14 FAQ's Frequently asked questions -
15-16   Reserved for new Club items. Old page #s, i.e. page 15 was documents before we started Our Stories.
17 Test pages Page to experiment with embedded membership change scripts. Or volunteerism survey on-line form. Or old membership form.
18 Blank Page Blank template for the build of new Club pages, uses master.dwt.
19 Blank Chapter Blank template for the build of new Legacy Chapters, uses master2.dwt.

2. Legacy Anthology Chapters and sections therein 

  • Chapter 1 - IT Anthology: NEW changes, Search Box, Overview, Background, CHAP, Committee, Success Log, Thank You, Acronyms, Site Design, Site Navigation. 
    • Chapter 2 - ERA to LMCO; 75-year Introduction, Corporate Name History, General Managers,
    • Chapter 3 - EMCC to UNISYS; Philadelphia Introduction, UNISYS Corporate Genealogy, UNISYS Exec-8 Milestones, UNISYS Computers, Networking History, and UNIVAC III pictures. 
    • Chapter 4 - Burroughs, etc.: Introduction, Burroughs bought Sperry, RCA,  {place holders for other predecessors}
    • Chapter 5 - Minnesota's Technology Wellspring Milestones, by decade from 1946 to 2020
    • Chapter 6 - Commemorative Plaque, Corporate spinoffs of ERA and CDC 1953-1994; Northport Engineering; and Printware Inc.
    • Chapter 7 - Artifacts: Models, Printed Circuit Cards, Memory Modules, and Power Supply.
    • Chapter 8 - Mementos: Service Awards, Plaques, Retirements, and Trinkets.
    • Chapter 9 - Place holder for future topic
  • Chapter 10 - People: Introduction; Listing of Career Summary submittals; 9/11 experiences by Doll, Taipale, Halls, Roselle, and Reischel; Diversity tidbits by Shoquist, Benson, Chin, and Unke; and Promoted People!
    • Chapter 11 - People A-B: 28 Article contributors; 21 Career Summaries by Abbott, Alton, Andrews, Arnold, Allen, Becker, Behnke, Benjamin, Benson, Blackmer, Blattie, Block, Bohne, Bolton, Bougie, Bower, Bro, Bukovich, Burns, Burrell, and Butler. 
    • Chapter 12 - People C-F: 33 Article contributors; 20 Career Summaries by Casey, Champine, Chappelear, Christ, Covington, Cray, Cross; Davis, Devlaminck, Doll, Donaldson, Dotzler, Duncan, Debelak; Edwards, Enstad, Esch; Fedor, Lyle Franklin, and Les Flugum.
    • Chapter 13 - People G-H: 33 Article contributors; 22 Career Summaries by Geiger, Gignac, Gildemeister, Giles, Goulding, Granberg, Gregory, Grendzinski, Grewenow, Gunderson, Gunderson, Gunther, Halverson, Hambleton, Hanson, Hartmann, Heiden, Hileman, Hoffman, Horne, Hove, and Hyslop.
    • Chapter 14 - People I-L: 39 Article contributors; 17 Career Summaries by Irwin, Iskos; Jurgens; Kenny, Kistler, Kloner, Klugherz, Kolling, Koltes, Kratz, Kuhns, Lahti, Langer, Lantto, Loran, Lovely, and Lundgren.
    • Chapter 15 - People M-N: 31 Article contributors; 18 Career Summaries by Mager, Manning, McCarthy, McKenna, Ross Metzger, Michaud, Miller, Moe, Mortison, Mozak, K. Myhre, P. Myhre, Bob Myller, Nellis, Curt Nelson, Dean Nelson, Ed Nelson, Kathy Nelson, Ken Nelson, Les Nelson, Neumann.
    • Chapter 16 - People O-R: 31 Article contributors; 19 Career Summaries by 'Ole', Jim Overocker, Jim Olijinek, Pagac, Parkins, Petschauer, Patton, Pejsa, Phipps, Pickering, Plait, Prokop, Quiggle, Rapinac, Raveling, Reiter, Roberts, Roessler, and Rougier.
    • Chapter 17 - People S: 21 Article contributors; 16 Career Summaries by Sandstrom, Sandusky, Santoski, Sater, Scholz, Schwitters, Sinkula, Soller, Spearing, Spitzmueller, Stephenson, Svendsen, Sloan, Schmidt, Suckstorff, and Spring.
    • Chapter 18 - People T-Z: 20 Article contributors; 14 Career Summaries by Tilford, Tofteland, Taipale, Thompson; Valentini, Vraa, Walzer, Weidenbach, Weinhold, Westergren, Widenkopf, Widdoss, Wold; and Yahr.
    • Chapter 19 - Deceased: Introduction; Obituary Logs; and 25 Testimonials for Arndt, Bergum, Blixt, Casey, Champine, Cohen, Franck, Hargesheimer,Higgenbothem, Hill, Homan, Huberty, Joseph, Keye, Kiesling, Kucera, Markfelder, McDonald, Ream, Reid, Rubens, Tomash, Wesslund, Zimmer, and Williams.
    • Chapter 20 - They Flew: Oscar Lundbeck; Ensuing ASW flyers: Tomisch, Barness, Kratz, Nickell, and Ronneberg; Noyes; Jack Anderson and Lowell Benson; Quent Fabro; Ron Handy; Tricia Myhre; John Enstad; Special Program flyers Cady, Bezdicek, and Ken J. Nelson; Hydrofoil flying Cady, Herbster, and Benson; and ABCCC flyers - Svenson, Rossman, Vitale, and DuBrall. 
    • Chapter 21 - Anecdotes: HSA Recollections by Ole and Benson, Musings by Rapinac, John Alton's Recollections, Legend of Jerry Green, John Markfelder, Marketing by Franklin, Environmental Laboratory by Schleski, NTDS software by Pickering, and SHINPADS by Ron Schroeder.
    • Chapter 22 - People Interviewed Introduction; Interviewee Snippets of Rapinac, Hargesheimer, Shoquist, Jack Hill, Larry Debelak and Rich Daly.; Interview questions by Ole; ERA Old Timers - recordings of Bill Butler, Jim Wright, Jerry Williams, Ed Nelson, Jack Ross, Bernie Jansen, Bob Wesslund, Leo Bock, Alden Allen, Phil Phipps, Chuck Homan, Gale Jallen, and Warren Burrell; Additional videos of Myron Lecy, Roy Valentini, Manny Block, and a 2nd of Phil Phipps. AND Additional interviews by the VIP Club, Minnesota Historical Society, and Ramsey County Historical Society.
    • Chapters 23 thru 28 - These are place holders for new people stories or to resize some of the larger chapters of 11 thru 18.
    • Chapter 29 - People Index: 1) Alphabetical index of people mentioned within Legacy chapters and 2) Chapter by chapter of names of people who have contributed to the chapter. This chapter needs verification.   
  • Chapter 30 - Locations - Introduction; Original ERA buildings overview by Benson, Commerated by Lundgren, recollections by Wise, Other ERA Buildings, plus NSTR by Michaud and Nilsson. 
    • Chapter 31 - Twin Cities': Introduction; 1987 facilities listing; Descriptions of Plant 1, Plant 3, Plant 4, Plant 5, Plant 6, Plant 6 the second, Plant 7, Plant 8, SemiConductor facility, the MACS building, and Others.  
    • Chapter 32 - United States sites: Introduction; Manufacturing Facilities in Salt Lake City UT, Clearwater FL, Pueblo CO, and Clear Lake IA; Customer sites in Rockville MD, Valencia CA, and San Diego CA; TSD offices; and Marketing Offices.
    • Chapter 33 - International sites: Introduction; Canada; Europe's Bad Gödesberg and Paris; Pacific Rim; and Australia, Africa, and Asia.
    • Chapter 34 - Blue Bell history: Introduction; List of ENIAC firsts; UNIVAC I, II, and III; Technical Publications; Other design efforts; and Stories from Blue Bell Pioneers Chapline, Bartik, Gehring, Smoliar, Wilson, and Chintz; plus the UNIVAC Magnetic Tape plating facility.
    • Chapter 35 - place holder for Clearwater, FL.
    • Chapter 36 - place holder for Pueblo, CO.
    • Chapter 37 - St. Paul Operations: An Emmett Johnson organization chart -
    • Chapter 38 - Winnipeg Operations,: Introduction, 2012 Reunion, People, Facilities, and Products
    • Chapter 39 - place holder for tbd.
  • Chapter 40 - Engineering - Introduction; Frank Kline tidbits; PC Design by Bob Langer; Maintenance Panels by Larry Bolton; Embedded Processors by Harry Wise; and Computer Aided Design (CAD) by Earl Vraa, et al.   
    • Chapter 41 - Couplers & ERA Products: Introduction; Antenna Couplers, Program and Business; Crosley GSE; Doppler Wind Drift Indicator; and other ERA products.
    • Chapter 42 - Component Engineering: Introduction, Component Analysis, Pulse Transformers, Motley Crew, Procurement, Product Assurance, Semiconductor Development, and Jack Metzger Recollections of circuitry for 1218, 1219, and CP-667.
    • Chapter 43 - Field Service: Introduction, History of Field Service by Dick Roessler, Johnston Island and Vandenberg AFB by Neumann and Sandusky, and Refurbishment by Koltes.
    • Chapter 44 - Interface engineering: Introduction, Point-to-Point, Low Level Serial, Fiber Optics, 1773, SHINPADS, communications systems, and Hyper-channel by Jim Andrews.
    • Chapter 45 - Memory Engineering: Introduction, Drum Memories, Braided Wire Memory, Plated Wire Memory, Bubble Memory, Film Memory, Core Memory, and Semi-conductor Memory.
    • Chapter 46 - Patents: Introduction, Archi Lahti, Lee Granberg, Gary Grundy, Charles Kiesling, Gerald Williams, Cost Savings, and Dockets.
    • Chapter 47 - Peripherals: Introduction, DEAC by Kuhns, Commercial I/O consoles, Ruggedized I/O Consoles, Magnetic Tape Units, Display Units, Repertoire cards, and Technical Manuals.
    • Chapter 48 - Software: Introduction; Athena; MAPPER Stories by Del Fiacco, Schlueter, and Thalhuber with Code Cards; NTDS by Byrne; Computer  Aided Design, Simulation Development by Pluimer, Navy Compilers by Clyde Allen; and 1103 Software by Ross.
    • Chapter 49 - Training: Introduction; Recollections by Lyle of TAC, Mod 0 File Computer, Technician Training, and UNIVAC Scientific; and People stories of Glen Kregness and Gary Holthusen.
  • Chapter 50 - Computers: Introduction; Level 2 Chapter summaries, Computer Genealogy, ERA Publications, Message system and File Computer start, Genealogy Comments by Harry Wise and NTDS Computer Models.
    • Chapter 51 - 24-bit CPUs: Introduction; Genealogy Chart; CPUs Classified, ATLAS 1101, ATHENA, 1824, CP-818, CP-823, and Speed Tally; Repertoire Cards; and Technical Manuals.
    • Chapter 52 - 30-bit CPUs: Introduction; User feedback, Technologies; CPU summaries for the 1104, USQ-17, M-460, USQ-20, CP-642A, CP-642B, CP-808, CP-823, Phoenix, 1230, CP-890, CP-901, 1830B, UYK-8, 1530 MTC, FAA IOP, and ARTS III IOP; Repertoire Cards; and Technical Manuals.
    • Chapter 53 - 18-bit CPUs: Introduction; Computer Family; Type 580, Unit descriptions of 1218, U1500, 1219B, 1219C!, 1818, 1819, UYK-11, and 418 computer series; Repertoire Cards; and Technical Manuals.
    • Chapter 54 - 16-bit CPUs: Introduction; Genealogy; Unit descriptions of 1616, UYK-15, MPC16, 3760, UYK-20, AYK-14, UYK-5056, 1834, UYK-44, and UYK-507; Repertoire Cards; and Technical Manuals.
    • Chapter 55 - 32-bit CPUs: Introduction; Computer Family; Unit descriptions of UYK-7, AYK-10, CP-140, S-3B, and UYK-43; Memory Processor; Repertoire Cards; and Technical Manuals.
    • Chapter 56 - 36-bit CPUs: Introduction; Unit descriptions of 1103, 1105, and CP-667; Repertoire Cards; and Technical Manuals.
    • Chapter 57 - AF Units: Introduction; Genealogy Chart; and Unit descriptions of 2052, RMF-400, WASP, B-2, YF-23, and JSF (Joint Strike Fighter).
    • Chapter 58 - Special Purpose: Introduction; 1624; Unit descriptions of UDT, NIKE, RISC, CP-2044, USQ-69 & UYQ-70, T3067 suitcase, and CLC; Special Purpose by John Alton and Wayne Olson; and MOD 0 by Lyle Franklin.
    • Chapter 59 - Commercial Computers: Introduction; Computer Tree 1950-63; Early Customer Lists; Early Computer References; Computer Tree 1962-80; Design Standardization; Beyond 1980; Repertoire Cards; and Technical Manuals. 
    • Chapter 60 - Systems: Introduction; Systems Evolution; Tactical Air Command, and Drone Systems.  Many of these systems used our computers, software, and other products as described in the following level 2 tabs.
      • Chapter 61 - Air Traffic Control: Introduction; Genealogy of systems; ATC Locations; Hardware descriptions; Software descriptions; Systems descriptions; Documents; Associated sites; and ZKSD.
      • Chapter 62 - Airborne: Introduction; ASW stories by Blixt, Clement, Hunter and others; P-3 to S-3A by Rapinac; ABCCC by Debelak; Quicklook by CW4 Nesheim; and others such as LAMPS and Drone Systems.
      • Chapter 63 - Government Systems: Introduction; NEXRAD by Pickering, Lang, and Les Nelson; Postal; Agricultural; and Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems.
      • Chapter 64 - International: Introduction: Canadian by McCarthy; Japanese by Lovely and Francis; Egyptian Navy by Booher; and European, Australia, Africa, Taiwan, and Thailand country summaries by Lundgren; Iran by Keith Myhre; and Germany by Uwe Schmidt.
      • Chapter 65 - Marines: Introduction, TPQ-27 demonstration, MTDS, MATCALS, and TERPES.
      • Chapter 66 - Aerospace: Introduction, Vandenberg AFB, Johnston Island, AF Missile Tracking, Australia tracking station, Remote Tracking, NASA in Houston, and Others.
      • Chapter 67 - Navy Systems: Introduction; Surface Systems; Systems' descriptions; Submarine systems; a Carrier Ride, TRANSIT GPS; two NTDS Service Test stories from Pickering; System Retiring - 20Bs on USS Carl Vinson; and NTDS Papers/ Technical Manuals, 
      • Chapter 68 - ASOC: Introduction, System Chart, and Product Evolution - thanks to Lauren Cady.
      • Chapter 69 - Commercial Systems: Introduction, Topical info, Precision Agriculture, and Flight Reservation Systems.
    • Chapter 90 - Legacy Exhibits: Lawshe Memorial Museum in S St Paul; Volunteering; Photo Essay, Unisys in Eagan; Charles Babbage Institute in Minneapolis; Minnesota Historical Society Museum in St. Paul; The Computer History Museum, the USS Midway Museum, American Computer and Robotics Museum, the Vintage Computer Federation, Vintage Technology Association, the Southwest Museum of Engineering, Communications and Computation, System Source Computer Museum (SSCM), the Hagley Museum, and Museum of Technologies in Germany.
    • Chapter 100 - Our Stories: Introduction, Monthly Articles, Slide Shows, a listing of Books, and unpublished articles - each of which tells parts of our story.

    Folders containing documents, images, etc.

    This 4th level level consists of documents which open in their own window for easy return to the linking page. These are Print Documented Format (pdf) documents, Power Point slides, or jpg charts that supplement topics on the individual level 1 and level 2 chapters/pages.

    • Articles => This folder contains the Articles for the Month linked from the Our Stories chapter.
    • Artifacts => This folder contains the hardware artifact snapshots linked from the Legacy, Artifacts chapter; thanks to Larry Bolton for the listing and snapshots.
    • ATCntl => This folder contains the doc, ppt, jpg, and pdf files linked from the Systems, Air Traffic Control chapter.
    • BitsBakUp =>We have copied the ERA/UNIVAC/Sperry/UNISYS documents from http://bitsavers.trailing-edge.com/pdf/ for quick linking from our site and as a back up should their site disappear.
    • ClubForms => Contains forms used by the board for awards, newsetters, etc.
    • CodeCards => Volunteer Keith Myhre has scanned over 100 code cards/repertoire cards for linking from various chapters. 
    • Documents => This folder contains the data files linked from the About Us and Contacts-Links pages.
    • EngDocImg => This folder contains the files linked from the Engineering and Computer chapters. 
    • ERA Guys => Interviews of 13 at a First Friday Luncheon by John Westergren.
    • Gallery => This folder contains images for the photo gallery.
    • images => This folder contains the icons and pictures linked from Club pages and icons common to multiple pages and chapters.
    • LegacyDocImg => This folder contains things associated with the Legacy Anthology chapter and its' sub-chapters not otherwise noted herein.
    • LegacyVideos =>  Presentations made by committee members and others.
    • Newsletters => This folder contains the Club newsletters' print file links dating back to 2004.  Also, a few archived Blue Bell and Sperry newsletters.
    • PeopleDocImg => This folder contains the documents and image files linked from the People and Locations chapters.  This also has the archive of the annual 'deceased' listings. 
    • phpjs and styles => These two folders have the page and chapter formats as referenced by the master.dwt files.
    • SysDocImg => This folder contains the files linked from the Systems and Locations chapters.
    • Temp => This folder contains images and documents which are in use temporarily. 

    5. Revision History

    • 2025, added a Volunteering section to the Exhibits chapter. Added 6.11 to the Exhibit chapter.
    • 2023, included a CHAP section in the Legacy Anthology chapter.
    • 2022, Updated page and chapter layouts from three columns to a primary and right sidebar column. This eliminated the left side navigation tabs in favor of top only tabs. Also, added navigation links into footers - different for Club pages and Legacy Chapters.
    • 2021, Suspended use of embedded Perl scripting for on-line forms, cleaned up broken links and duplicate images. 
    • 2019, Began the webmaster transition from Lowell Benson to James Andrews
    • 2018, Revamped page numbering to use Page #s for the Club information foci and to use Chapter #s for Legacy Anthology information.
    • 2015, Transitioned from Sharepoint Designer to Microsoft Web Epression 4 web editing software.
    • 2011, When Microsoft started charging for their URLs, we evaluated hosts and chose Webhostinghub.com as best meeting our cost and editing ease needs. Transitioned from .aspx formats to .html scripting language using Microsoft's Sharepoint Designer editing software.
    • 2008 through 2016, journeled the site updates as the Legacy Anthology grew.
    • 2007, We merged the Club and Legacy pages onto a 'free' Microsoft site, using FrontPage. 
    • 2006, Lowell Benson started a Legacy page on his personal site, used Microsoft's FrontPage editing software.
    • 2002, Joe Schwarz started a VIP Club web page on Yahoo.

Page 0 edited 7/25/2025,
Scroll down to:

  1. Club Pages (left)
  2. Legacy Chapters
  3. Site Design Notes:
  4. Site Navigation hints
  5. Site Revision history

3. Site Design

Our four design levels are:

  1. Level 1, our three primary pages tabbed as Home, Legacy Anthology, and Contacts & Links; Note that each of these has an embedded Google search function to aid browsers.
  2. Level 2, the pages and chapters under the Level 1 tabs, i.e. Activities, Membership, Newsletters, etc. 
  3. Level 3, the sections within the Level 1 and level 2 pages and chapters,
  4. Level 4, folders containing the articles, documents, images, and newsletters linked from the text within level 1, 2 and 3 sections.

Each right sidebar has the last edit date.
The webmaster uses Microsoft Expression Web 4 to update content.

4. Site Navigation:

We've implemented features to aid reader's and browser's navigation:

  • In this sidebar column we provide quick links to topics within the Club pages or Legacy chapters. Also, page or  chapter supplemental information.
  • All of our footers have tabs to Level 1 pages plus several pages of interest, i. e. the site map.
  • All footers have a "TOP" icon for a quick scroll up.
  • On longer pages, there are "TOP" icons at the right of several sections.
  • Google 'Search' blocks to find items or names on this site are on the Home page, the Legacy Anthology chapter, and the Contacts and Links page.
  • Occasional 'send message' links to Club personnel.