Oral history interview with Fred Laccabue

Abstract

This oral history briefly addresses Fred Laccabue’s early career with Convair, and his work on the COOP monitor and other early Control Data Corporation (CDC) software systems, but the bulk of the interview focuses the Air Force’s Advanced Logistics System. Control Data was the lead contractor for the ALS of the Air Force Logistics Command, and Laccabue was the project manager for seven years—from the pre-bid stage until late in the project. The interview details CDC’s pre-bid work, bidding for the project, the problematic design specifications in the Air Force RFP, the challenges of the project, project redefinition and renegotiation, and the decision to discontinue ALS. It also touches briefly on Laccabue’s work with CDC’s STAR program, and, after leaving CDC, his work with Fairchild Semiconductor and Tandem/Hewlett-Packard.