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Charles “Charlie” Dillon Perrine, Jr. was born in Cordoba, Argentina, August 16, 1911. His father of the same name was an American astronomer and director of the Argentine National Observatory. His father was formerly at UC's Lick Observatory on Mt. Wilson. His mother was Bell Smith Perrine, a graduate of UC in 1906. Charlie resided in Argentina until he was 12 and has the distinct and chief recollection that there were no schools worth mentioning in Cordoba. “Life was free and easy.” When Mrs. Perrine returned to California in Sept. 1923, with the children to complete their education, the two youngest were only able to speak English brokenly. When Charles moved to the U.S.A. he attended Redondo Union High School. He graduated in 1929. In 1927 he started Station W6CUH in a small room in his backyard. “Charlie’s chief hobby from the beginning has been radio. He has communicated with over 190 foreign countries.” “From high school he entered Cal Tech and emerged with a BS degree in Experimental Physics in 1933.” Lived at Blacker House while at Cal Tech as a freshman and junior. “He was married (to Hester “Pat” Coolidge) in 1931 and lived in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa until recently when he bought a house in the Valley (San Fernando?).” “Started earning bread and beans by working for So. Cal. Telephone Co. until 1934.” 1934-36 -- “He left and went to work for Studio Products Co. in Hollywood. . While working here he designed broadcast, aircraft, radio and sound equipment.” “He left there in 1936 to work with Radio Television Supply Company as sales engineer until late in 1937 when he joined the Hughes Aircraft Company to work on radio equipment for the Hughes Round-The-World Flight.” Charlie also acted as ground supervisor and Contact man during the (Howard Hughes) Round-The-World Flight in 1938. 1941, April -- “Charles Perrine is Chief of Radio (for Hughes Aircraft Company).” 1954, Oct. --- “C. D. Perrine, Jr. has joined the Pacific Division of Bendix Aviation Corp. as director of engineering, it was announced yesterday by R. C. Fuller, general manager of the division. Perrine has played a prominent part for many years in the development of aircraft electronics and guided missles.” Engineering executive for General Dynamics - trips to Washington,DC for funds of defense projects, firing missles from submarines. Tests off Point Mugu near Santa Barbara.” 1961 - Promoted to vice president of research and engineering at General Dynamics, Pomona. He and Pat moved from Walnut Creek to Santa Rosa in 1981. Pat passed in May 1995. Charlie passed away in April, 1996 and was interred at Forest Lawn Cemetary in Los Angeles.

As of: Apr 26, 2009