[rouxroux]

Yes, it was a wonderful era. Dr Von Braun was also a great supporter of the arts, saw him at many concert events. I was in one of the first groups to play in the civic/concert center that bears his name. I was playing in the University Of Alabama Wind Ensemble and we had Dr. William Revelli come in to direct a concert at the VBCC right after it opened. Von Braun was also known to pick a mean banjo and sing as well at parties at his house on Monte Sano mountain. If you ever get a chance to go to Huntsville, by all means visit the Alabama Space & Rocket Center, the best space museum on Earth, and take a bus tour (if they are still doing that) out to Redstone Arsenal/Marshall Space Flight Center.

EDIT...and speaking of the static tests, yes, the entire valley felt like a mild earthquake with 7.5 million pounds of thrust rumbling. I remember news reports that the tests could be heard as far away as Birmingham and close to Nashville (both about 100 miles away). At school, we'd all go outside during the tests, then usually on the same days practice our "duck & cover" drills.