October 12, 1995




Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Corporation Finance
450 Fifth Street, NW
Stop 1-4
Washington, D.C. 20549-1004

Attention:  Filing Desk

RE:  Thiokol Corporation
     Commission File No. 1-6179
     Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 12, 1995

Ladies/Gentlemen:

This Form 8-K is being filed  electronically  on EDGAR pursuant to Item 5, Other
Events.

Sincerely,


s/R. Robert Harris
- ---------------------
R. Robert Harris

Enclosures

cc:   New York Stock Exchange (w/manually signed copy of report)
      Chicago Stock Exchange (w/manually signed copy of report)









                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    ---------


                                    FORM 8-K

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):     October 12, 1995


                               Thiokol Corporation
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                   Delaware
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)


              1-6179                                     36-2678716
    ------------------------                  ---------------------------------
     Commission File Number                   (IRS Employer Identification No.)


2475 Washington Boulevard, Ogden, Utah                    84401-2398
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)                   (Zip Code)


                                (801) 629-2000
                         -----------------------------
                         Registrant's Telephone Number











                           ITEM 5 - OTHER EVENTS



News Release                                                October 12, 1995



THIOKOL AND CARLYLE GROUP TO ACQUIRE HOWMET CORPORATION

     Ogden, Utah, October 12, 1995 -- Thiokol Corporation and the Carlyle Group,
announced  today the  formation of a jointly owned  affiliate to acquire  Howmet
Corporation  and certain of its  affiliates,  including the Cercast  unit,  from
Pechiney International, S.A., a multinational French firm. Howmet, headquartered
in Greenwich, Connecticut with annual revenues of approximately $900 million, is
a  recognized  world  leader in the  investment  casting  industry.  The company
manufactures precision castings of superalloys and titanium, used primarily for
jet aircraft and  industrial  gas turbine  engine  components.  The Cercast unit
manufactures  aluminum and copper alloy  investment  castings for the commercial
aircraft and defense  electronics  industries.  Howmet operates 30 facilities in
North America, Europe and Asia employing approximately 8,500 worldwide.

     The total purchase price for Howmet and Cercast is $750 million.  The sale
closing is expected in December.

     The Carlyle  Group,  a Washington,  D.C.  based private  merchant bank with
substantial holdings in the aerospace and defense industry,  will own 51 percent
of the new  company.  Thiokol will own 49 percent and have an option to purchase
all of Carlyle's interest in Howmet after three years.

     James R. Wilson,  Thiokol President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "The
Howmet  investment with our partner Carlyle  provides  Thiokol with an excellent
opportunity  to continue the  strategic  expansion of our business base into new
commercial  aerospace and  industrial  markets.  Howmet is a well managed,  high
technology business with superior product lines. This investment,  combined with
the option to acquire 100 percent of Howmet in the future,  further enhances our
opportunity to grow Thiokol profitably and improve long-term shareholder value."

     William E.  Conway,  Jr., a  managing  director  of  Carlyle,  added,  "The
complementary  strengths of Thiokol and Carlyle  will enable  Howmet to continue
its already  outstanding track record. This is a great transaction for all three
companies."

     Thiokol  Corporation  (TKC-NYSE)  is a major  producer of solid  propulsion
systems,  ordnance and composite products for the space and defense  industries,
and high-technology,  proprietary fastening systems for aerospace and industrial
applications.

                              (END NEWS RELEASE)







                                  SIGNATURE


Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  and Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                              THIOKOL CORPORATION
                                  (Registrant)



                                                  s/R. Robert Harris
Dated: October 12, 1995                  By: _________________________________
                                                    R. Robert Harris
                                                   Vice President and
                                                    General Counsel