Interviewer(s): R. Higgins. Donner, LA

Affiliation: University of Arizona

Garver Watkins (RH006) and Howard Thibodaux worked together at McDermott for over 20 years. When I talked with Garver, he told me that I had to interview Howard. Howard's family used to own some of the land where McDermott now sits. Garver called Howard the next day and then called me to let me know that Howard was interested. Howard and his wife live in Donner. They have a newer, small home near the highway. In the living room, there are various plaques recognizing Howard's years of service with McDermott and a few pictures of structures he helped build. Howard, his wife and I sat at the table and started the interview. Early in the interview, Howard's wife got up to serve us coffee and then returned to the table. I told Howard and her about the project and then turned on the recorder. It was interesting to have her participate in interview. Though she spoke only occasionally, when she did, it was often to correct Howard or to remind him to include some detail. She also communicated similar things without speaking; it appeared that her gestures occasionally affected what Howard said.

Howard was born in 1929 and grew up in Amelia. When he attended grammar school, first, second and third grades all met in the same classroom. He got his first job when he was still in high school. He worked as deckhand on a tugboat for Great Lakes Dredging Company during at least one of his high school summers. After finishing high school, he went to work on a dredge barge but did not like it, so he quit and went to work running a grocery store in town. By 1949, he was back working for the same dredging company, but this time on a dredge barge itself. He joined the Air Force for 4 years. During those 4 years, he spent a lot of time in Biloxi learning radio technology and teaching it. During his military years, he also got married and spent one year in Korea. Three months after getting out of the Air Force, Howard went to work for McDermott.