Interviewer(s): E. Bernier; R. Higgins; D Austin; B.Plumb. Morgan City, LA

Affiliation: University of Arizona

Mr. Ed Dilsaver is a member of the Old Salts Club in Morgan City (Mobil retirees club). I met him at the club's weekly morning breakfast. I asked all of them for their names, but Ed was the only one to come up to me after the breakfast and ask if he could be interviewed right away because he didn't like to put things off. He also suggested several other men to call right away, namely Burt Ross and Santo Russo. When I called to confirm the interview he asked if I wanted to talk with his wife, Tess, who worked for Kerr McGee in 1947. I said yes and it was determined that Tess would be present for the interview. Both Ed and Tess were extremely helpful and descriptive in their answers to my questions. The second interview was conducted as part of the study of the links between WWII and the offshore industry.

Tess began working in the front office for Kerr McGee in 1947 when she was 19 years old. She was confused about the lingo so they decided to take her out to an offshore rig - she describes the day with much detail. Tess remained at Kerr McGee for 9 years. She describes her time at Kerr McGee as fun and "wild."

Ed was born in North Carolina in 1925 and moved to Florida as a child. He served in the Navy during WWII and then returned home and earned a business degree from Florida State University. He compares the drilling department to a "war program" because they seemingly had unlimited resources, money and personnel. He worked for Shell the first 10 or 11 years of his oil career. Because of his education and experience in the Navy, his starting position was as an "oil buyer" in 1955. In the mid 60's he went to work with his brother on his boat, which was contracting out to Mobil at the time. In 1967 he went to work for Mobil as the marine foreman. After retiring in 1982, he went to work in Houston for the Trans-Co Energy Company, which he describes as the best company in the world. The company offered him a lot of money and listened to his ideas and suggestions. His bosses even supported his quest to patent an Emergency Boarding Net he invented while working there.