The Manhattan Project Heritage Preservation Association, Inc.
"Preserving, Exhibiting, Interpreting and Teaching the History of the Manhattan Project"
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The Manhattan Project Heritage Preservation Association, Inc. "Preserving, Exhibiting, Interpreting and Teaching the History of the Manhattan Project" |
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| In conjunction with our commitment to the Veteran History Project of the Library of Congress, we proudly present the Veterans of the Manhattan Project. Below are the personal histories of 12 of these veterans. Please "click" on a name below to go directly to that veteran's section or simply page down to view them all. Please "click" here to go to the Veteran Archives Directory. |
Manhattan Project Veteran Archives
Archive Section
16 of 50 
16-1
| Name: Hyde,
George E
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Table | Location: Oak Ridge, TN Assigned Unit: Y-12; Bldg 9203 Job/Position: Chemist Dates of Service (if Known): 2/23/44 to 9/5/47 Information Submitted By: Ralph E. Hyde, Son Archival Record #: OR-CS-GHYD-1103 | Picture 1 | Document 1 | Story 1 |
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 George
Hyde was born on Feb 27, 1922 in Springfield, Mass. He received a BS with
high distinction in Chemistry form Worcester Technological Institute. He
was employed by Tennessee Eastman and Carbide and Carbon Chemical Corp. He
worked on the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, TN starting around Feb 27,
1944 and ending around August 5, 1947. He worked primarily at the Y-12
electromagnetic enrichment plant in building 9203. In addition to general
chemical analysis he apparently worked on improving methods of monitoring
radiation exposures of his coworkers. At Oak Ridge, he met Margaret
Estelle Callaway of Maryville, TN where she worked as a secretary. They
were married on June 22,
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16-2
| Name:
Horne Jr., Walter A. |
Table | Location: Oak Ridge, TN Assigned Unit: Y-12 Job/Position: Chemist Dates of Service (if Known): 1943 - 1945 Information Submitted By: Walter Horne IV; Grandson Archival Record #: OR-CO-HORW-1203 | Picture 1 | Document 1 | Story 1 | |
Met his wife, Emma Jean Arnold, who also worked at Oak Ridge through the Tennessee Eastman Corporation. She worked primarily in Alpha, and describes accidentally lowering the temperature and getting a higher yield, resulting in a permanent change to the process. She also describes being evacuated while the MP's looked for and found saboteurs. My grandfather, WA Horne Jr, in a resume letter he wrote in 1957, said he was from the Chemical Warfare Dept of Huntsville Arsenal, AL after 1 1/2 years to the Manhattan Project, where he served for two years until the War was over. He stayed in Oak Ridge for four more years, working in Research & Development for the Nuclear Fuel Rod Recovery Program, but left after suffering radiation sickness from overexposure. |
16-3
| Name:
Mekenas, Ernest J. |
Table | Location: Los Alamos Assigned Unit: Provisional Engineer Detachment Job/Position: Post Office Dates of Service (if Known): 1943 - 1945 Information Submitted By: Mark Mekenas, Son Archival Record #: LA-MO-MEKE-0204 Picture 1 | Document 1 | Story 1 | |
Biography is for my father, Ernie Mekenas, who is still alive, and living
in El Cajon, California. After leaving the Army, married June Topel in
Chicago, Il, in 1952, moved to San Diego, Ca., had 6 kids, 5 daughters,
1 son, and retired from the liquor business. He still travels about, and
lives with June in the San Diego Area. |
16-4
| Name:
Haywood, Oliver G. |
Table | Location: Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, Washington, DC, Oper. Crossroads Assigned Unit: Military Job/Position: Gen. Groves' Staff Dates of Service (if Known): 5/46 - 12/46 Information Submitted By: Robert C. Haywood, Son Archival Record #: DC-MO-HAYO-0604 Picture 1 | Document 1 | Story 1 | |
Col. Oliver G. Haywood had a career that took him from an expert
in saber on horseback to reserve commander of the US Missile Range.
Along the way he graduated first in his class at West Point, receiving
his Degree in 1936 from General Pershing. In 1938 the Army sent him to
Harvard to get a Masters Degree in Civil Engineering, but he decided he
would rather have a Doctorate and so simultaneously enrolled in MIT
getting both degrees in 30 months. He was the Executive Officer for
Personnel for General Marshall ("Only time I had 12 million men working
for me!". After the war he was on Gen. Groves staff and witnessed the
Bikini Island tests in 1946, in 1947 was loaned to the Atomic Energy
Commission to establish the Research Division. Worked in Plans and
Operations Division of USAF formulating atomic war plans in 1947-1949,
and was a staff scientist at Los Alamos in 1950-1951. following that he
was founder of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Chief
Scientist of the Air Force, and after leaving the service in 1953 stayed
in the reserves and served on the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board,
and as Reserve Commander of the US missile range.
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16-5
| Name:
Vorwald, Alan G. |
Table | Location: Los Alamos Assigned Unit: Special Engineer Detachment Job/Position: Mathematician - IBM Machines Dates of Service (if Known): 1/45 to 2/46 Information Submitted By: Gary R. Vorwald, Son Archival Record #: LA-SD-VORA-0604 Picture 1 | Document 1 | Story 1 | |
After returning from the war, I returned to Queens College
to complete my Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, which I
received in 1947. I became a teacher of high school mathematics in NYC
and later on Long Island. I subsequently became an elementary school
principal and retired in 1983, after more than 38 years as an educator.
I married Sarah Goldberg who was a biology teacher. We had three
children, Brian, Gary, and Lynn, and currently have six grandchildren.
Two of my proudest accomplishments since my military service are the
publishing of a book and earning a doctorate in education. My book,
"From Sand Table to Electronic Brain," was published in 1961. It became
very popular and was translated into several languages. I earned my
doctorate from Nova University in 1975. My wife and I enjoyed traveling
throughout the country with our family visiting almost every state and
many national parks. I particularly enjoyed participating in nature
photography, a skill nurtured by my wife Sarah who was an excellent
photographer. I am fully occupied with my interest in all sports, and
particularly in watching my grandchildren's participation in sporting
events. I am still an active bowler at the age of 80. |
16-6
| Name:
Smith, Jr., Edward A. |
Table | Location: Oak Ridge Assigned Unit: K-25 Plant Job/Position: Chemical Engineer Dates of Service (if Known): Unknown Information Submitted By: Edward A. Smith IV, Grandson Archival Record #: OR-CS-SMIE-0704 | Picture 1 | Picture 2 | Picture 3 | Document 1 | Story 1 | |
Grandpa was an amazing man. He could speak four languages and could play the violin among things. He was born in 1917 and passed away in 1993. During the depression he put himself through college and upon graduation in 1939 he was employed by Eastman Kodak. Except for a short stint at Oak Ridge he worked at Kodak his whole career. He holds 4 patents with Kodak. During the war he worked at Oak Ridge on the gaseous diffusion process. He didn't talk about it much but I'm pretty sure he was part of a team working on the diffusion membrane. I was recently given several mementos of his (including a copy of the same Jan 1945 telephone directory) and was amazed by his accomplishments and honors. I wish I had known all of this while he was alive. |
16-7
| Name: Eilers,
Herbert H.
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Table | Location: Wendover, UT & Tinian Island Assigned Unit: 509th Composite Group Job/Position: Military Police Dates of Service (if Known): 1944 - 1945 Information Submitted By: Helen Robinson, Daughter Archival Record #: CG-MO-EILH-0804 Picture 1 | Document 1 | Document 2 | Story 1 | |
Herbert H. Eilers was born May 14, 1918 in Pottsville, Texas. He was the oldest
of 4 children of William & Helen Eilers. He married Mary Virginia Kendrick on
January 13, 1944, in Eden, Texas. Mother and Daddy were married 48 hours before
he shipped out for Wendover Field, Utah. There were two daughters born to them,
Helen Vaughniece, and Patti Kay. Then in 1952, Daddy lost the Love of his life,
our Mother to Cancer. Then in 1954, he married Neta Mae Canter, who was a widow
with 3 children. They were married 46 years before we lost Mom to cancer. I have
two wonderful Step-sisters and a wonderful Step-brother. My Step-Sisters are
Faye Van Buren of Houston, Texas, and Barbara Walker of Claremore, Oklahoma.
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16-8
| Name:
Amenta, Jane M. |
Table | Location: Los Alamos; Oak Ridge; Washington, DC Assigned Unit: WAC Detachment Job/Position: Personal Secretary - Col. W.B. Parsons Dates of Service (if Known): Unknown Information Submitted By: Joan M. Houston, Daughter Archival Record #: OR-MO-AMEJ-0804 Picture 1 | Document 1 | Story 1 | |
 Personal
secretary to Col. W. B. Parsons, Director of Military Intelligence in
Oak Ridge; personal secretary to Drs. Edward Teller Frederic de Hoffman
in Los Alamos as civilian |
16-9
| Name:
Suazo, J. Frank |
Table | Location: Los Alamos Assigned Unit: Civilian Staff Job/Position: Kitchen Helper / Painter Dates of Service (if Known): 8/42 to 5/54 Information Submitted By: Sostenes Suazo, Son Archival Record #: LA-CO-SUAF-0804 Picture 1 | Document 1 | Story 1 | |
J Frank Suazo was born in Abiquiu, NM, in October 4, 1906.
Abiquiu was one of the early Spanish settlements. Frank met and married
Carmen Valdez in Ignacio, Colorado in April, 1935. Carmen was working as
a nurse with the sisters of Mercy in Durango, Colorado. Neither had
education beyond the middle grades. They had a son, Sostenes and a
daughter, Linda. The family moved to Espanola, NM in 1942, so their son
could start grade school. Frank got a job with the Manhattan Project in
Los Alamos, some time in 1942. Exact date is not known. He would ride a
Government bus to and from Espanloa to Los Alamos, every day. The bus
was painted Army Drab Green. In early 1954, the family moved to
Albuquerque, NM so Sostenes could start college at the University of NM.
Frank's job was transferred from Los Alamos to Sandia Labs. Exact date
is unknown. He retired from Sandia (date unknown). Frank passed away in
May 1994.
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16-10
| Name:
Sloan, Flonnie E. |
Table | Location: Oak Ridge Assigned Unit: Bldg 9201-1; Y-12 Plant Job/Position: Dates of Service (if Known): 1943 to 1945 Information Submitted By: Millard F. Sloan, Nephew Archival Record #: OR-CO-SLOF-0804 Picture 1 | Document 1 | Story 1 | |
 Flonnie has four children and six grandchildren. She lives in Camden,
South Carolina and is a member of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 195.
She was recently chosen as South Carolina's American Legion Auxiliary
Member of the Year and given a certificate of appreciation from Gen.
Larry Ellis, U.S. Army for her work in helping to send over 400,000
discount coupons to troops and military families overseas.Favorite Story: I remember getting on "cattle cars" going to work with our shoes in our hands. After we got to the Y-12 plant, we washed our feet and then put our shoes on. All we had was mud, mud everywhere! |
16-11
| Name:
McGuire, Joseph C. |
Table | Location: Y-12 Plant; Oak Ridge, TN Assigned Unit: Special Engineer Detachment Job/Position: Chemist Dates of Service (if Known): Unknown Information Submitted By: Kenneth S. McGuire, Son Archival Record #: OR-SD-MCGJ-0904 Picture 1 | Document 1 | Story 1 | |
Joe McGuire was born in 1920 is Columbus, OH, and currently lives in Santa
Fe, NM. Following WWII he worked as a civilian for Argonne National
Laboratory, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, McDonald Douglas
Laboratories, and, finally, Westinghouse Laboratories in Richland, WA.
He was married to Lois Jeanne Duffy who passed away in 1997. He has four
children and four grandchildren. |
16-12
| Name: Rogers,
Bonnie P. |
Table | Location: Y-12 Plant; Oak Ridge, TN Assigned Unit: Civilian Job/Position: "Racetrack" Operator Dates of Service (if Known): Unknown Information Submitted By: Joy R. Rogers, Daughter Archival Record #: OR-CO-ROGB-0904 Picture 1 | Document 1 | Story 1 | |
My Mother, Bonnie Pauline Hardwick Rogers, was very proud to have worked
for shortening the War. She had several brothers in the war and met my
father, Eugene Rogers, while working at Y-12. After they married Mom
realized that more even more family members were fighting the Great War.
Mother often talked of her devotion to shortening the war, whatever it
took, to get this awful killing to come to an end. Mom and Dad lost
several members of the family to the war and even with that they had no
regrets in helping the Manhattan Project. Mom lost a baby while working
at Y12 and she often told me how really glad she was to have me, Joy,
after her loss.
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