Interviewer(s): J. Christy. Morgan City, LA

Affiliation: University of Houston/History International

John Henry "Dickie" Written was born in Morgan City, Louisiana in 1937 but was raised in Texas. His father worked for Shell Oil on an exploration team and as a consequence Mr. Written moved around a great deal. He moved in with his aunt and uncle in Morgan City to finish high school and graduated from Morgan City High School in 1955. Mr. Written began to work for Shell Oil in June 1955 and continued to work part-time in Baton Rouge, Louisiana while he went to Louisiana State University. Mr. Written was drafted in to the Army in 1956 and spent 13 months in Korea. After returning from Korea, he returned to work for Shell and went to East Bay, West Lake Verret, Gibson, and New Orleans. Mr. Written began working for Shell as a roustabout then moved up to lease operator, operations foreman, production foreman, and then maintenance foreman for the entire East Coast and Gulf of Mexico. Mr. Written spent 30 years working for Shell Oil before his retirement.