May 24
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
