Alvin M. Baughman

08/25/1922 - 05/23/2012

Alvin M. Baughman
Alvin Baughman passed away in his sleep early Wednesday morning May 23, 2012.  He was 89 years old.
Al was born in Kansas City, Kansas, on Aug. 25, 1922.  When he was very young the family moved to Colorado, where his father worked for the railroad in the high mountain passes between Fraser and Boulder. Recently graduated from high school in 1940, he moved with his father, mother, and older brother to Riverdale, CA.
Al was shooting rivets assembling P-51 Mustangs for North American Aviation in Los Angeles on Dec. 7, 1941. Shortly thereafter he joined the Army, and was assigned to an amphibious tank battalion in the Pacific Theatre. Most notably, his battalion was involved in the retaking of Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippines; and later on April 1st Easter Sunday 1945, his amphibious tank deployment led the assault on Okinawa. It was the largest amphibious operation in history, and the bloodiest battle of WWII. More than 250,000 people lost their lives. The United States Navy sustained the largest loss of ships in its history.
After the war Al returned home and was a part-time bus driver for Riverdale High School when he met Rose Mary Hogue. They were married in June 1946 and spent 65 wonderful years together before Rose's passing last year.
After Russia launched Sputnik, the first man-made satellite, Al was one of seven engineers in the United States selected to train in a new scientific field called "cryogenics" at the National Bureau of Standards. At a highly classified site in California, these seven engineers developed, constructed, tested, and eventually operated the first mass-flow liquid hydrogen facility in the free-world. The liquid hydrogen was then transported to Edwards AFB for testing in emerging missile engines.
In the fall of 1958, Al and family moved to Oceano. He was employed by the Convair Division of General Dynamics where he was lead flight test engineer for the first Atlas missile (ICBM) ever launched from Vandenberg AFB. Over the final 20 years of his career, Al held various management positions working for the Air Force at Vandenberg, Andrews AFB, the Pentagon, and on various classified projects at Space Headquarters for the Western Missile Test Range in El Segundo, CA.
Al received his bachelor's degree from the University of Redlands, and was a graduate of the Air War College and Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, CA. He holds several US patents in cryogenics; is listed in Who's Who for Engineers in the Western Hemisphere; had both commercial and amateur Radio licenses; and held a private pilot's license.
Al was a Freemason, belonged to the American Legion, and was a founding and charter member of the Oceano/Five-Cities Elks Lodge, where he served as its third Exalted Ruler in 1976-77.  Al was a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians for 55 years, and was a member of the Magic Castle in Hollywood.  Anyone lucky enough to see his magic still marvels at it today.  And he had another kind of "magic." Whenever you finished a conversation with Al (didn't matter if you were a store clerk, a company CEO, or 4-Star General), you always came away thinking you'd just spoken with your very best friend.
Al and wife Rose worked tirelessly for their community. Al served on the Oceano School Board prior to Lucia Mar unification; was involved with the Oceano Improvement Association for over 50 years, serving as president for 15 years; he served on the original South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District and the Oceano Sanitation District Board of Directors.  Beginning in 2001, Al served a term as a trustee and later president of the Lucia Mar School District Board of Education, and in 2005 spearheaded the return of the county library to Oceano.
Alvin is survived by his son Larry and wife Nancy; son Dennis and wife Lynn Carrigan; grandchildren Nicole, Benjamin, and Rachelle; brother-in-law Marshall Hogue and wife Nancy; sister-in-law Barbara Jenkins; sister-in-law Marjorie Hogue; and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held for Al at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 9, at the First United Methodist Church, 275 Halcyon Road, Arroyo Grande. A reception will follow at the Oceano/Five Cities Elks Lodge on Pier Avenue in Oceano.
Donations would be very welcomed in Al's name to the Boys and Girls Club of South San Luis Obispo County, 1830 19th St., Oceano, CA 93445.
Arrangements are under the direction of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel, Grover Beach, Ca.(805) 489-5552.