+ 1970 News Releases (7.6 Mb PDF file) - NASA

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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
MANNEDSPACECRAFT . . Houston
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.'. 70-36
483-5111 April 2, 1970
Texas
Houston_ Texas --- Paul E. Purser_ Special Assistant to Robert
R. Gilruth_ Director of the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center_ will retire tommorrow
(April 3) after more than 30 years service to the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration and its predecessor_ the National
Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).
In announcing the retirement Dr. Gilruth said_ "Mr. Purser joined
NACA in 1939 as an aeronautical engineer and has served as Special
Assistant to the Director since the Space Task Group was formed in
1958. During his many years of service he has made many significant
contributions to the success of the manned space flight program.
As Special Assistant to the Director Mr. Purser was responsible for
much of the detailed technical administration of MSC_ serving as Acting
Director of the Center in the absence of the Director smd Deputy
Director.
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Mr. Purser was also active in the Center's many relationships .'.,_.
: with the nation's colleges and universities and made significant
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contributions to engineering education. He was granted a 1 year's
leave of absence from M£C in Septemoer, 1968 to assist Dr. Philip G.
Hoffman_ President of the University of Houston. Ne has served as a
visiting professor and guest lecturer at several colleges, led in the
development of a graduate-level space engineering co_rse and contributed :i
to and co-edited a college textbook entitled "Manned Spacecraft: 4'_',_
Engineering Design and Operation." , '_
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