Interviewer(s): Diane Austin; Tom McGuire; Emily Bernier. Houma, LA

Affiliation: University of Arizona

Tom Becnel referred us to Joe Robinson, a 94-year old who worked in the oil and gas industry and is a member of his church. He talked to Joe and told him we would be coming by, so we called to confirm the time. Tom and I met Joe and Mildred at their home. While we were there, Emily called and came over as well.

Joe Robinson has been involved in the oil industry his entire life. His father worked in the oil fields when Joe was young. For Joe the oil industry offered one of the only possibilities for finding work during the Depression. Joe started working January 8, 1937 and spent about five years working for Texaco. He went to welding school in New Orleans and returned to the company in the engineering department. He then went back to work on a workover rig doing maintenance and then onto a regular drilling rig where he worked his way up to toolpusher. He stayed in that job for 15 years and, at age 60, after 33 years on the water, he retired. Mildred was a schoolteacher and continued working until her retirement in 1974.