Diane L. and Walter E. Baumann Mechanical Engineering Endowed Scholarship
Walter is originally from Wahpeton, North Dakota and Diane from Hankinson, North Dakota.
Walter attended the North Dakota State School of Science in Wahpeton after graduation from Wahpeton High School. He completed a two-year pre-engineering course and upon graduation entered the Military Naval Aviation Cadet program (NAVCAD) in Pensacola, Florida. He was stationed at Saufley Field, Pensacola, Florida where he flew the T-34 Mentor in primary training, the T-28 Trojan in basic training, and on to advanced training in the F9F-8 Cougar at NAS Beeville, Texas. This completed pilot training prior to being assigned to a fighter squadron and Walter received the wings of gold and commissioned to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps! He was assigned to VMF-333 flying the FJ-3 Fury at the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort, South Carolina. During Walter’s tenure in the Squadron which included normal flights, aerial refueling, a couple months of training at NAS Roosevelt Roads and Puerto Rico, aerial gunnery, and shipboard operations aboard the aircraft carrier USS Independence #62; which included 6 catapults and 6 arrested landings in the FJ-3!
Walter’s father passed away, late in the year 1959. During the year 1960, his two older brothers approached him and asked Walter if he would like to get off active duty to “farm” the family farm and watch over and assist their mother (who did not drive). After much thought and contemplation, Walter decided to depart active duty at the end of his tenure on December 4, 1960, but remained in the US Marine Reserves.
Walter farmed for three years. During this time, he met Diane; and they were married in June of 1964. The fall quarter of 1963, Walter returned to college at NDSU and pursued his education, receiving a degree in Mechanical Engineering- Aeronautical option in the Fall of 1965. After marrying in June 1964, Walter and Diane lived in a duplex in North Court on the NDSU campus! Diane was employed by a bank in Fargo.
Walter accepted a job with Vought Aircraft (LTV) in Dallas, Texas, moving Diane and Walter to Arlington, TX in January 1966. Walter worked on the XC-142 Tiltwing and the A-7 Corsair II.
The next assignment from Vought was a Field Service Engineer supporting the A-7’s at NAS Lemore, California. His Marine Reserve assignment was flying the A-4D at NAS Los Alamitos, California. After two years in Field Service, he transferred into the System Safety Department supporting the S-3A Viking being built by Vought/Lockheed Aircraft, which did its carrier suitability operations at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
In 1977 Walter left Vought Aircraft and was employed as a System Safety Engineer at Bell Helicopter for 26 years, he supported the V-22 program for 21 years. During all this time in the Dallas- Fort Worth area he remained in the Marine Reserve flying the F-8U Crusader and the F-4J Phantom II. Walter retired from the United States Marine Corps Reserve after 32 and a half years of military service as a USMCR Colonel; he retired from Bell Helicopter after 26 years of employment in 2003.
Walter and Diane were married for 56 years and have three sons (Troy, Todd, and Ryan) and six grandchildren.
This scholarship is intended to encourage students to pursue a career in engineering and continue the legacy of developing innovative products that improve the lives of others.