Interviewer(s): D. Austin. Morgan City, LA

Affiliation: University of Arizona

Several divers talked about Sanford Brothers and wanted to know if I had interviewed Joe. I mentioned this to Jean Shirley and learned that Joe's wife, Susie, teaches Sunday school with Jean. Jean agreed to tell her about the study so she could talk with Joe about it. She was a bit concerned about whether he could participate because he had a stroke a couple of years ago. I called the Sanfords and left a message that I would be in Morgan City. Then, Hurricane Lili hit. On Saturday, I called again, and Susie said that Joe was awake and that I should come on over. I arrived to find Joe on the back porch. He led me into a large kitchen and dining area where Susie was preparing a huge pot of chili for the weekly Sunday family dinner. She joined us, and we sat at the dining room table for the interview.

Joe was born and raised in South Carolina and got into the diving business after leaving the Marine Corps in 1954. He dove for a couple of years on the east coast until he received a call from a friend to come to the Gulf Coast to dive for Sea Engineering. After Joe had been at Sea Engineering for four years, the owner, Jack Tucker, had a heart attack and sold the company, and its insurance policy, to Joe and his brother. They formed Sanford Brothers and moved to Morgan City. They were able to obtain work because at that time they were the only diving company working in the area that had insurance, and the oil companies were starting to require their contractors to carry insurance. Within a few years, the company grew from Joe and his brother to a 45-50 person operation. In 1967, Westinghouse officers approached Joe to buy the company. After they made a couple of trips to Morgan City and Joe made a couple of trips to Pittsburgh, a deal was made. Joe stayed with Westinghouse for two years until Westinghouse sold the company to Santa Fe Drilling Company. After a few months, Westinghouse paid Joe off. Within a couple of years, Santa Fe had gone broke and was out of the diving business. Meanwhile, Joe and a former employee purchased Morgan City rentals, a company that rents equipment to petroleum and service companies. After Joe had his stroke, he sold the business to his son.