Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): D. Austin. Morgan City, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaI was referred to Walt Daniels by Steve Shirley. Dr. Daniels has been practicing medicine in Morgan City since 1961 and is also an active member of the civic community there. He was born and raised in Gueydan, Louisiana where his father, one of the original West Texas rig builders, worked for Pure Oil Company. Dr. Daniels decided to become a physician because he disliked his early experiences...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): T. McGuire. Larose, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaAllen Danos, "semi"-retired now from Danos and Curole, still comes in to his office in the modest shop on the bayou-side along Hwy 1 in Larose, D&C's main operation is on the other side of the bayou, up near the Intracoastal Waterway. Hank, Allen's brother, pretty much runs the multi-faceted business from there. Ronald Callais suggested I talk to him; when I called, Mr. Danos politely asked...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Diane Austin; Jessica Piekielek. Boothville, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaMichael Dardar is the tribal historian for the United Houma Nation. He grew up on South Pass in the southernmost end of Plaquemines Parish and then moved with his family to The Village, a trailer park in Venice, when the parish government relocated the families from South Pass there. His family moved to Boothville, within the levee, when his father bought land and Michael...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Ari Anand; Nicole Crosby. Houma, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaI had seen or met Thomas Dardar a few times in various contexts before this interview-when he danced at the Native American Liturgical Celebration in Dulac, at the United Houma Nation Tribal Council meeting at the Robichaux residence in Raceland, and again at the Robichaux residence at the Houma community strategizing meeting, where he suggested we interview his father. We decided...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Diane Austin; T. McGuire. Golden Meadow, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaWhitney Dardar is the father of Brenda Dardar Robichaux, principal chief of the United Houma Nation, and husband of Delores Dardar. He has lived in Golden Meadow all his life and is a trawler and oysterman. He worked as a crewboat and tugboat captain for several years as a young man. I first met Whitney when working on the baseline study for the MMS in 1996 and have talked...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): T. McGuire. Houma, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaHistorian Tom Becnel suggested we talk with Elton Darsey, a still-practicing lawyer with an office near the courthouse in Houma. During the interview, he frequently calls out to Ms. Bee in the outer office to help with facts and dates. The interview contains some interesting discussion of both the Intracoastal Waterway and the Houma Ship/Navigation Canal, the first taking its route through the...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): D. Austin. Mandeville, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaI met Walt at the divers' reunion on March 10, 2002. He spent quite a bit of time talking to me about the diving business and showed me the diving hat he had developed. He agreed to participate in the study and gave me his card to call him. When I called, he was happy to arrange a meeting and also agreed to contact other divers because he said he thought they would remember more if they were in...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): S. Wiltz, D. DiTucci; and D. DiTucci. Lafayette, LAAffiliation: University of Louisiana at LafayetteMr. Charles de Gravelle was born in Thibodaux, LA. His father was a doctor and graduated from Tulane University. In 1930 he began attending Louisiana State University, where he received his undergraduate and law degrees. While at the university he met his wife Virginia. He went to work for Stanolin Oil and Gas (later Pan American, then Amoco) in 1937 and...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): E. Bernier. Lockport, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaI met Raymond DeFelice, or Rainbo as he likes to be called, and his wife at the Exxon retirees luncheon. We scheduled the interview for the afternoon so that he could be out with his cattle in the morning. Since retiring from the oilfield in 1983, he has kept himself busy with real estate and cattle ranching. He talks a lot about what kinds of jobs and characteristics got a man a raise as...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): A. Anand. Houma, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaLucy and Esmiel "Dee" DeHart were referred to me by Audrey and Maudrey Bergeron as having a room available in their Bed and Breakfast, which it turns out is two of the three rooms of their home. Mr. Dee had spent many years in the oilpatch, and both he and Ms Lucy seemed interested in the project, suggesting many other people with whom I could speak.Mr. Esmiel DeHart was born in September...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): A. Gardner. Delcambre, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaClifton Delcambre was referred to my by Jimmy Hernandez. I met Clifton at his house. His friends call him "Slick." We had a good discussion about his history of the oilpatch, and after the interview, we had a look at his boats and the nets he uses for shrimping.Clifton Delcambre started work as a roustabout for a contractor in 1951. He got a job with Shell in 1953. His first job...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): J. Piekielek. Boothville, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaI met Edward Denet at the Boothville Senior Center; the coordinator of the center introduced him to me after I explained the project to her. She had talked with Mr. Denet just the other day about his work, and remembered that he used to run boats for the oil companies. Edward Denet agreed to do an interview right away, and we met in a quiet room at the center. Edward Denet was a well...

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Interviewer(s): Steven Wiltz

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): D. DiTucci. Lafayette, LAAffiliation: University of Louisiana at LafayetteRonald Deshotels was born in Kaplan, Louisiana in 1934. His father was the first person to organize a Credit Union in the United States in the early 1950s. Ronald graduated from Louisiana State University in Geology and Economics. When he finished school there were too many geologists so he became a mud logger. He worked for Universal, Baylard, and then Oil Base. He was laid off...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): D. DiTucci. Lafayette, LAAffiliation: University of Louisiana at LafayetteMr. Lee Dias was born in Paincourtville, Louisiana. His father worked as a truck driver and later operated a general merchandise store. He started his career in the oil industry working as a roustabout for Danos and Curole in 1967 or 1968. He worked for several other companies, gaining experience as he worked his way up to driller, before he went to work for Baker Oil in 1976. At...