Wilson's training and naval background; Early ONR Laser R&D unknown to him; learns of the AVCO/Hughes laser program; visits to AVCO-Everett Research Laboratories and his impressions of Arthur Kantrowitz; decision to invest in gas dynamic laser development; awareness of the Triservice Laser (TSL) Study; David Mann's management of the Eighth Card Program; the poor relationships between the Navy and the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA); Wilson writes an Advanced Development Objective for a High Energy Laser program in the Navy; The Triservice Laser Program is established; planning the Chesapeake Bay Navy Triservice Laser; Navy Contract funds for laser developemnt; Service Coordination; PMO-405 established; following the carbon monoxide laser development at Northrup; building the Chesapeake Bay TSL Site; Walt Sooy and the organization of the Laser Technology Program Office; the Fleet Defense Module; Science Applications Inc., and systems support for the Navy HEL Program; shift to the chemical laser; success of the Baseline Demonstration Laser; carbon monoxide laser not a serious alternative; dealing with safety considerations; the sinking of the Coastal Crusader; the Navy philosophy of test bed development and a comparision with the Strategic Defense Initiative; systems engineering; the engineering staff of PMO-405; The DOD High Energy Laser Review Group; results of damage study; pulsed laser work: Thumper, Big Bang, Big Big Bang, Pulsed chemical laser; adaptive optics; reflections on the Navy High Energy Laser Program & its bureaucratic difficulties; transfer of PMO-405 to Al Skolnick; Sooy leaves NRL.