Click on photo to see larger image

In September and October of 1945, a group of JPL employees tested the 16-foot WAC Corporal missile at White Sands Proving Ground, New Mexico, for the Army Ordnance Department. More than 10 test rounds were launched, with variations in configuration and fuel loads.

With each launch, the missiles were photographed, filmed, tracked and the pieces were recovered from the impact point -- sometimes alarmingly close to the launch team. What was considered to be the first successful launch of a fully-fueled WAC Corporal missile occurred on October 11, 1945.

The image above shows WAC Corporal round 5 being weighed by Paul Meeks, Frank Malina and Bob Terbeck.

For more information about WAC Corporal and the history of JPL, contact the JPL Archives.

_______________