Michael Umberto Salvagno

Michael Umberto Salvagno was born December 03, 1952 in San Antonio, Texas to Albert and Augustine Salvagno of San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from Saint Gerald's High School and in 1972 went to work for a sub contractor for the Air Force during Vietnam. He was drafted into the Army in 1972 and after 10 days in, he extended his service to get full college benefits. He put in his time and went to college at night at Chose Chief Jr. College while during the day he was stationed out in Arizona. Later, he was honorably discharged from the Army and came back home to attend San Antonio Jr. College and rodeo.

He moved on to Southwest Texas State College in San Marcos, Texas and was on a rodeo team for bull riding. He made the 1978 College Finals for the southern region in bull riding his first year at San Marcos. He would go on to work for NL industries in Beeville, Texas in 1982. He was a drilling fluid engineer and a assistant warehouse field foreman. In 1984, he went to work for UPS as Christmas help and in 1985 was hired by the Navy as a mechanic helper. Michael was trained by the Navy on two jet engines and worked his way up to a Journeyman Mechanic for the Navy. He was also a tested and certified Collateral Duty Inspector on both jet engines and the 4790 for the Navy. As the Navy started to go contractor with their AMID, he moved to Corpus Christi Army Depot to continue his civil services career in 1989. He worked the T-55-712 gas turbine engine assembly and test cell troubleshooting on the 712 and worked the TF-40 beach landing craft for the Navy Assembly. He worked in disassembly, working on disabling all gas turbine engines and helping any sub shops that he could get in to help out with the workload. This included T-63, T-53, all all T-700 engines and subs in disassembly. He also worked some repair shop work for the T-700 engines.

In 1994, he was picked up by Engine Quality Control for the assembly and sub assembly's shops as an Inspector. in 1996, Michael went to night school to get his Airframe License from FAA and during the day he went to get his Power Plant License from FAA to get both A and P license. In 1998, he was sent to Airframes to help work the Airframe QC as a part of their team. He worked in every hanger to include fight test on the Black Hawk, Pave Hawk, Sea Hawk, Schnook, Super Cobra, and Apache as a QC Inspector for the Army. He worked QC area for engine quick change gear and transmission area in Building 8 also. Michael was called back to engines due to the workload increase and went on to work for a year in test calls and in the Gold Stripe Program as a Engine Inspector and PSA. In 2002, he was picked up in Pre Shop Analyses for engines both for the Army and the Navy along with FMS. He worked on the reset program for the Long Bows with Mr. Denis Williams when he was working on the program as a contractor. He later held a temp for one year as PSA Supervisor. He was picked as permanent Supervisor, not only for engines but also for transmissions and both records areas, until 2008, when transmissions was given its own supervisor. He retired as Branch Chief of Engines PSA and records office in March 2012 due to health reasons.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Denise Coquat Salvagno. Michael is survived by his two sons, Jacob Richard and Dillon Michael Salvagno. Mike loved to go hunting, fishing, visit with family and attend friends BBQ with a cold drink in hand.

May he rest in peace. Yip-ka :) The Ghost Rider