Mentors  and experiences

Ralph Phillips Ralph was a southern man Electrician  very sharp guy.

Friendly and helpful

 Ralph took time to show me the tips and tricks  in the local knowledge of the Bevatron and other  major installations.

How to diagnose issues thoughtfully and systematically.

One example. we had a big Air transformer that had glass spaces and insulators  separating the windings. it was in a large metal enclosure. to inspect it would require several hours just to  see inside.

it was air cooled and open  space of about 4 inches from the floor. He said "Don't take it apart to look just lay on the floor and look under the transformer. if you see any glass or pieces of insulation then you need to open it up other wise there is nothing wrong."

Ralph told a tory about his time in the Navy in WWII  in the pacific.  He  said they had been told the Japanese were not vey good at naval gunnery . He then described  the day when suddenly there was an explosion and the gun turret in the  rear of his ship was blown off the ship. in a first shot hit by Japanese from over the horizon.

Joe Bosco Joe was my foreman on the construction crew for the  TFTR project.

Joe was an exacting very particular journeman electriccian. a complete professional.

I saw joe as difficult but such a resource that I coudl learn from . I volunteered for the toughest jobs doing things aI had never done. I was a technician not a construction welectrician. I had bent pipe up to perhaps one inch. With Joe I learned to bend everythign up to 6 inch. we had ahydraulic benders etc.

Joe pad very high standards. noet only did your woirk have to be functional but it had to be elegant. examples , he wanted all screwheads  orieinted in th esame direction. . Pipe that we burried in concrete had to be level. He woudl count the threads on a piece of threade pipe stubbed up.

I saw at least on Electrician get dso frustrated at Joe's standards he just unbuckled his tool belt let it drop and walked off the project.

Stoney was number one  on Joes crew  he liked me and said soon I woudl be number 1 since he was leaving.

Bob hokeson , was Jooe's assistant. Short stout guy I did not get to know long since he camne to work one day and had a bad headache went up to medical and died right there of a stroke.

IJooe woudl give instructions very clearley let you know what he expected and then ask"Do you follow me?" my nmost remembered quote.

Joe seemed hard but had an Italian heart  he was a good man. He had pride in his work and wanted the work of his team to reflact hsi pride.

I stayed on Joes crew for a couple years  until we finished the TFTR project. Tokamac Fusion  calorimiter and Beam power supply 175,000 volts 70 amps. Rumored to be the basis for some Neutral beam weapon tech.

Bob Stewart

Bruce bagnoli

Michel

Gary peterson

Nate Hawks

Ditrich

John Hutchings

Joe Demello

Beth

Jody

Binaca

Bldg 6  crew

Alma Flores (peterson)

Shari

Stephanie

Gene Broughton

Bob Guterez (roof)

Butch Holeman

Roger

Bill Smales

Ken Hardester

HArry Helliwell

Kurt JAekkel

Terry White

Johnny Hansen (71)

Stoney

Jean Louie (Jamacian)

Hokenson

Van VanVleck

Ray Monaco

Elmer Silva

Glenn Seaborg

Others

Dolph Hargis Wife Irene Hargis

Owned Alert Alarm Was also A& H Electric

They lived on Bridge road in San Leandro off estudillo

He had a son and two daughters

Roger Pam Joyce (Hargis)

Pam = mental illness

Alert Alarm 995 Williams St San Leandro

Pre MC versus post MC

Dolph helped me soldering assembling

Dale Gant  Unisec, electronics design Ultrasonic

Dale Killed in Puerto Rico

Sonitrol system I designed.A

Jerry Guggemos Laney department head offered me a choice of Job referrals  One in Richmond as a Radar tech and t e other in San Leandro doing security work Alarm tech

I remember the interview when the technician (John) A guy a couple years older then me , Asked a bunch of quesitons and then comically want into the next office which was just a partition . Dolph asked him If I knew anything and John said "I think he knows more than I do"

Later that came up in conversation between me and John at lunch. Where John expressed some concern that I would take his position because I was better educated. I said Look you share your knowledge and I'll share mine and we will both do better. If you choose to not share, I'll know what I know and  then I'll learn what you know . That's the way I'll pass you up.

He smiled and we helped each other.

Quick memory of a few vehicle  events.

They had three vehicles. one old Phone truck late 40's early 50's lucky if it could do 50mph.  Hated that truck.

The other was a Dodge power wagon with a 318 v8 with side bins.

I remember pulling out of the yard and into the intersection of Williams and (995) when the side bin opened up and dumped a few thousand screws into the street. we blocked traffic and swept up the screws no flats were had. (My screw up)

They also had a Valiant Station Wagon. I had a lot of calls and needed gas but put it off. Finally I decided to stop coming down park Blvd from Mountain Blvd  in Oakland As I rolled down the hill the engine stopped and I coasted right into the gas station right to the pump..Smiled

Memories are a bit scattered  I recall leaving to go mining and coming back injured (MC accident)

In my poorest times recovering Dolph came otthe rescue and offered me $5.00 a board to sloder power supply boards together assembly work. This when i was still recovering and coud not yet work

Later in LIfe Dolph was very old, earlyl 90's I would occasionally visit him at home and just take him for drives around San Leandro. Dolph was blind in one eye and  in later years could not drive. I felt good about being able to help him around town. Drove him in my 89 Mustang

Dale Gant  story .. deserves its own article

Mary Simon

Return deposit bottles  to cornerstore Granada and Garfield

3 cents for smalls 5 cents for large

Mary was a sweet womand , her husband Joe was not social.

Mary had a collection of National Geographicd and Life magazines covering the late 30's and 40's Great education on th epopular hisotorey pf WWII

MAry died of Cancer. First real sense of losing a friend.

Mary made a living from winning contests.

1957 - 1960 +/-

THe corner store owner was compassionate  THey mad sandwiches  the least epensive was 10 cents a slice of cheese french roll a few thin slices of salami.

I could often convince theowner to give me the small ends of Salami to chew on.

The corner store kept a credit book for most families in the neighborhood.the store owner got paid up on Saturdays since most paydays were Friday

I tried to mow lawns , just too tough for a reel mower and a little kid.

News paper boy News Call buliten  ( was ther efor the merger Sunday examiner Chronicle and Folding of th eNews Call Bullitin. )

30+ afternoon customers and 140 +/- Sunday 4:00 AM the sunday news inserts were dropped off.

6 stacks of 25 papers. . It was a tough route since it was steep hills. I struggled but made it in time to get my extras down to Ocean ave to sell before the Drug store opened.

I made from $30-$60  / month depending on collections and Sunday extras. THis was decent money for a 10 -11 year old.

Playland and the toy store got a lot of my Money.

Slot cars Stingrays sicycles Skateboards were a new thing.