Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): J. Sell. Houma, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaWarren Waguespack was one of the people contacted by Diana Edmonson of the Council on Aging. Warren started working with Texaco on a gravity meter crew in 1954. Because of the low pay and rough working conditions, he went to work with Halliburton the next year. In 1958 he was laid off by Halliburton, but immediately got a job with Union Oil, "which was the best thing that ever happened." That year...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Diane Austin; Christina Leza; Colleen O'Donnell. Larose, LA.Affiliation: University of ArizonaCharlie Wallace learned of the history study when he visited Carol Mathias at the Ellender Archives at Nicholls State University to give her a copy of the book he created about his experiences in WWII. She learned that he had worked in the oil and gas industry and asked if he would be interested in sharing his story. He agreed and was my first interviewee....

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): D. Austin. Slidell, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaI was introduced to Al Warriner by Walt Daspit. Walt arranged for us to go to Al's shop and talk with him. We found him in his office in Slidell. Al was very receptive to the interview and talked almost nonstop for three hours. He had an active career and continues to work with his son. He lamented the fact that he was not allowed to renew his pilot's license this year because of his age (85)....

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): R. Higgins. Morgan City, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaGarver Watkins was born in 1933 in Patterson, Louisiana. He grew up in Berwick and attended high school in Morgan City. During the summers he worked in boat businesses that supported the oil industry, first with his father and then his uncle. He spent some time at the University of Southwestern and was drafted into the Army, serving two years in Korea. When his father's health declined,...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): D. Austin. Houma, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaAnnie Weaver was referred to me by Tom Becnel. He knew that her husband had worked in the oil and gas industry and recommended Annie as a good source of information on Houma and how it was impacted by the industry. Annie is 92 years old and moved to Houma with her husband and three children in 1939. They were planning to stay 2 years and then leave, but they were adopted by their French neighbors...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): J. P. Theriot. Clear Lake, TXAffiliation: University of Arizona/History InternationalCaptain Bob Webbon is a Houston Pilot. He was raised in Port Arthur and became interested in maritime activities through his father, who was chief engineer on vessels. Captain Webbon attended Texas A&M Merchant Marine Academy began working for EXXON Shipping in 1985. He spent twelve years transporting crude via ship on the West Coast from Alaska to Panama. He has...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): A. Gardner. New Iberia, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaAdam Welcome was referred by Susan Lissard. I met with Adam at his home outside New Iberia. Adam is the first black oilfield worker I interviewed, and he provided a glimpse of the race relations implicit in the industrial labor force in the South. At the same time, his work for the Exxon Employee Federation helped illuminate some of the strategies the energy companies sought to avoid outright...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): T. Priest. Washington, D.CAffiliation: University of Houston/History InternationalRobin West received his B.A. from University of North Carolina and his J.D. from Temple University. He served in the Ford Administration on the White House staff (1974-76) and as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Economic Affairs (1976-77). During 1977-1980, he was a first vice president of Blyth, Eastman, Dillon & Co., Inc., an investment...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): D. Austin. Lafayette, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaI was referred to Dean Whitaker by Maryann Galletti. Dean worked for J&J Diving in the 1960s. I tracked Dean down in Lafayette and met him at Charlie G's restaurant there. We began the interview in the restaurant and then went over to his office to continue talking.Dean Whitaker is from New Orleans. His parents were migrant farmworkers and would travel from place to place picking...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): B. Beauboeuf. Houston, TXAffiliation: University of Houston/History InternationalCarl Wickizer went to work for Shell in 1954 after graduating from Oklahoma State University in 1954. After training, his first assignment was to New Orleans as a production engineer in 1957. He worked in various capacities until 1971 when he first worked with the offshore Gulf of Mexico. In 1973 he became Project manager for the pilot subsea system and he spend the...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): D. Austin. Belle Chasse, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaWayne Willet was referred to me by William Brown. Wayne was one of a small group of divers who had come down from Canada in the 1960s. He was born in Quebec in 1930. He got into diving when doing construction work in Canada and followed his boss, Max Rieher, to the Gulf in 1964. Wayne worked for Deep Sea Divers for two years and then went to work for Dick Evans. He stayed with Dick Evans and...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): T. McGuire. Galliano, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaMr. Andrew "Pep" Williams, an "oldtimer," was referred to me by Harrison Cheramie. When I arrived for the interview, Pep and his wife, Bertha, were sitting around their back patio, and he was doing some watering. Their well-kept house has many visible patriotic displays, and Bertha dwelled on the "war" and the hardships it would pose for south Louisiana boys who might be called upon to fight in...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): A. Gardner. Bayou Vista, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaBill Williams was recommended to me by John Ryan. I had a hard time finding him - there were several Bill Williams in the phone book - but I was finally able to track him down. He was the oldest person I interviewed, and we got along fine. He makes hootch as a hobby, and we had some after the interview. Bill lives alone; his wife passed away several years ago, and although he talks slowly,...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(S): Diane Austin; Jamie Christy. Morgan City, LAAffiliation: University of Arizona, University of Houston/History InternationalI was referred to Bill Wilson by Harry LeBoeuf. Bill and Harry are among the few supervisors and managers employed by Texaco's Morgan City office who have remained in the community. When I called Bill, he said that he had talked with Andrew and agreed to do an interview but never heard again and therefore thought he had missed his...

Scope and Contents Interviewer(s): Diane Austin; Rylan Higgins; Betsy Plumb. Morgan City, LAAffiliation: University of ArizonaI was referred to Dewey Wilson by Captain Carl Moore at the Young Memorial Campus of the Louisiana Technical College. Dewey retired from the technical college in the summer of 2001 and was very well liked and respected by the marine instructors there. As he and I talked, I came to realize that my early impression that Dewey had a long history with Young Memorial...