The Manhattan Project Heritage Preservation Association, Inc.

"Preserving, Exhibiting, Interpreting and Teaching the History of the Manhattan Project"

Back to Directory

Fran to Bill.  August 7, 1945, Mon.  New York City 

Fran Carroll (SAM Columbia) to Bill Allman (SED Oakridge) 

Dear Bill,

  Are you all as excited as we all?  I wish I were there or you were here.  Bobbie & I were up in Dr. Booth’s office making out expense accounts when Dr. Booth came thru & remarked there was always a radio going for this or that event and why didn’t we tune in on some really big news.  What big news?  I say.  He made his statement, leaving us gasping, & wandered out to lunch.  Whereupon we raced to the nearest radio & listened to the one o’clock news, a re-iteration of the twelve-thirty.  A couple of days before leaving down there I had heard the rumor that everything was going to be released to the papers within a few weeks.  I donned my most disbelieving sneer.  Which goes to show you should listen to each & every rumor.

   Can hardly wait to buy up all the papers tonight.  Everyone is gathered in knots around the building.  And each new broadcast, the announcers become more & more explicit.  The last one describes Oakridge, & how it grew, tells about the first bomb in a tower in New Mexico when touched off made vapor of the steel tower holding it.  Between news broadcasts we have explanations of energy pouring from the sun & surmise as to peace time possibilities of the new force.  Of course you’re hearing all this.

  I didn’t believe it would be used in this war.  I’m glad I’m wrong.  This must be the end of the war.  Today I feel a definite desire to go back to school- to acquire the fundamental knowledge necessary to the understanding of the new developments that will come.

   Can’t look at your picture, read my valuable notes, study the TVA project, have nothing to wear because my Baggage is still plotting its course in the direction of Manhattan.  Never check your stuff thru on your ticket if you should ever take a trip.  The sun & the sand & the waves were especially wonderful yesterday.  It seems it’s been raining in NYC all the time we’ve been gone.  I slept solidly from the time we arrived till we left minus a couple of hours fighting flies.

   Talk, talk, talk- but no mention of Nash.  There was an obscure reference to a Manhattan laboratory where experiment started. 

                                                                                Tuesday

   Since all the papers here carry practically the same story, The Knoxville Journal must also.  Pictures & everything?  I’ll send some.      Fran