Oscar Elgert and Lorie Swearingen

00:06 I'm Lori Ann lingle Swearingen. I'm 53 years old today is August 10th 2011 and we are at the Pasco Washington library.

00:19 Oscar and I are new acquaintances and Friends.

00:28 I'm Oscar elgart.

00:31 My address 92

00:33 This again. I get his August 10th, 2011 or

00:39 In the Tri-Cities at the Pasco Library

00:43 Were recent acquaintances and

00:48 Having friends

00:52 So ask her you told me that your family had been in Poland for quite a few Generations.

01:04 But still considered themselves German

01:07 Yes.

01:10 About 1,800 Catherine the Great the tsarina of Russia invited or S Germans to come in to the Russian Empire and then she offered them land with the understanding that they could keep their own language drawn church and their own schools.

01:30 I saw.

01:32 Samuel elgart my water. My forefathers took advantage of the Radke is which was my mother's maiden name.

01:43 And they move to Poland.

01:47 Learn German groups. Also. We're went to Ukraine and other parts of Russia.

01:56 My

01:59 Father was a high school teacher his father with Sonya Walger doll. So they're great grandson of the first Samuel Eldred in Poland.

02:12 They were he married to my mother body and near a key at 1913.

02:20 And they had four children Eleanor, Erica Oscar and Melita.

02:29 So even though your father was born in Poland, he considered himself German as well as math, but they generally the group that people are not considered themselves. German. Yes. So how did your family end up in the United States from Poland?

02:59 Well, the first try on it was in 1920 when my father travel to Warsaw to find out the status of his request for getting on the immigration list the white horse and buggy down about 85 miles or so. So we starting around trip. I guess I found out that

03:24 There was a long list and he was going to have to wait 20 years a little late since Russia and Germany invaded Poland in 1939 often wondered why he didn't go to Germany and get on their immigration list, but the Germany had 30 to 35% unemployment than those years. I saw the probability of his getting a teaching job particularly next to nothing. That would have been difficult.

04:04 So then your father

04:07 Was was conscripted into the army invaded Poland in 1921.

04:16 He was conscripted into the

04:19 Military there his unit was

04:24 Captured and thrown into a prison camp a hell of a prison camp. He contracted tuberculosis there and he was discharged. He died a year later.

04:39 So, what do you remember of your father just a few little things before that would be in 1922?

04:57 We had a Christmas tree and I got a chocolate lyrics Andy which I thought was great.

05:09 Yeah, that was that the last Christmas that you had your father.

05:20 So then what did your mother do with children?

05:26 Her father Wilhelm Rocky had a big farm. There is a good farmer apparently and he had

05:37 Gotten the job and the Germany and East Prussia near Marine Bourg to

05:47 Be head of it at the farm. He was the manager of the farm for somebody whoever that was so he packed us up as well as his family move to Marin Berg.

06:04 And we along with him and I made it there when I got there like mother got on the immigration.

06:11 Have a blessed.

06:13 And there was a three-year which you have to wait 3 years for for that. So then when the three years were up you wish you were able to emigrate.

06:31 Chicago at 1

06:35 Richmond Beach Washington and The Anthem Chicago set us the $300 for a second class.

06:45 Accommodations in the SS Reliance so

06:54 Take a train to Hamburg.

06:57 I got a board. Do you remember anything about the right on the ship liner?

07:12 I'm going through the English Channel.

07:15 I was around a rough morning for most of the passengers stayed in their rooms or sick or something. I wasn't I never got seasick and in my whole life. So so how old were you then?

07:33 So this was a grand Adventure was one of the few and the dining hall for breakfast. So I had soft-boiled egg. Great breakfast at treat.

07:52 I made a friend there. It was said if I come along he would give me some fruit every morning. So I had to

08:05 Problem with ditching my sister and getting my fruit. I was loud.

08:13 Fun, I guess.

08:15 Also later in May. This was in may we arrived in New York and went to Ellis Island.

08:26 I know you said that they wanted to send you back.

08:30 Well, there was a widowed mother with no.

08:35 Means of supporting a family of four

08:39 I saw they were going to send us back and they held us and Ellis Island for 10 days, but it made a while.

08:45 My aunt and uncle in Richmond Beach who I wanted us back there. So why are the senator from Washington State and it was on the Ways and Means Committee and the he both she and her husband and

09:08 At Augusta on it her husband bad grades while they had agreed that they would guarantee that we'll never be on welfare.

09:21 So the government didn't want you if they were going to have to support.

09:32 Video Senator, why are they immigration service to let us an and they did.

09:40 So it took a train from there to Chicago.

09:44 And stayed a week in Chicago.

09:50 And I know it took me another train to Milwaukee St. Paul and so forth train to Seattle.

09:59 I was probably about a three-day. That would be a long ride. And what do you remember about the train right? Well, I remember going through the Rockies.

10:12 I thought that

10:14 As we went through the heels that look like to me that the railroads were sticking out faster if there and I could see nothing but a deep ravine at the end of that so

10:35 Anyway, we arriving in Seattle located went on to Richmond Beach.

10:45 Now then your mother didn't find a job right off though.

10:54 She doesn't she couldn't find a job in Seattle. Apparently, she didn't have many skills. She did them to Chicago back to Chicago and got a job as a governess for some wealthy people in Chicago.

11:12 Until he died.

11:16 He was so crushed by a concrete block.

11:24 So he died go back a little bit the

11:31 Are getting into this country. You can see the hand of God and that.

11:38 Scenario bothan and

11:43 Germany and Poland Germany. Yes, we moved into Poland who who would have thought he would have my grandfather would have been able to get a job with 35% unemployment. But he did he got into the us we at the intersection of the congressman to let us know. I mean your mom went back to Chicago as a governess, but you kids didn't go with her.

12:19 And I'm done I got so Johnson, how long was that for my tears?

12:27 Let's go back just a little bit too because we have to learn a language teachers Summit Elementary Miss Jones who taught us the English language in a little over a month or so very quickly. So that would be so I went into the to help me back into the first grade. I had gone through the first grade in Germany, but the help me back and then I shall not had the second or third grade and the same school enrichment Beach. I mean the same room here to the 4th, so they held you back, but you caught up.

13:24 It's nine years is a long time for a mother to be separated from her children. She came back to Seattle.

13:37 28 or 29 somewhere in there. I got a job as a governess with the Donahue family.

13:45 And so she she was there she got I think board and room and $50 a month something like that. So she was there.

13:56 But of course not living with us, so you saw her on weekends or saw her.

14:08 So we did interact with her.

14:13 All I want some

14:15 Stripes there. I'm sure there was

14:23 La la

14:25 Maya

14:28 Number to sister Erica

14:32 She worked hard to get to.

14:39 Through High School

14:41 There's some problems with my uncle there.

14:48 She went through high school and three years left to the Edmonds High School in Snohomish County for one summer.

14:57 And she had the highest grade average.

15:01 Of any student that went through the Richmond Beach High School have a 2 B pluses and the rest areas.

15:11 So when then what did she do after school when she finished high school what you're going to want to?

15:19 I business school, and I got a job in.

15:27 As a bookkeeper for Marshall brokerage for her $100.

15:42 Yeah, that was when didn't she come and get get you and your little sister too and and you moved in with her Johnson?

15:59 Then think we appreciated their help enough. So they took my younger sister and I

16:14 Dropped us off at her.

16:16 Studio apartment

16:24 Obviously we couldn't stay there. We have to find a

16:30 What's the weather for this upon a Sunday?

16:33 So we found a furnished apartment on Union Street.

16:42 For $25 a month.

16:47 We moved our stuff in there during. Day.

16:51 So that started a new career that you face.

17:00 So how old were you then when you moved away from Johnson's?

17:07 So you probably thought you were pretty much grown up then.

17:11 I don't think so. And you still had high school to finish two years and she went there for 3 years.

17:26 So I graduated in 1937.

17:31 Of course, sir.

17:33 LaRosa middle of the depression and things are getting worse instead of better.

17:39 Because I think it would go wrong policies.

17:47 So I best I could do is to

17:51 Odd jobs

17:53 I worked at the post office. So there ain't a Christmas rush. I was fine for manufacturing manufacturing moving there.

18:11 Good stew I have another building from where they were and maybe a month most of the time I worked for a

18:23 Parking lot. That was run by a man in a wheelchair. He had polio.

18:28 Why didn't pay me anything if if any of the people that aren't there with one of the car wash I could wash the car and keep.

18:39 You mentioned that you'd also worked on a milk run. I'll look in a little later.

18:53 My mother got frustrated with me. I guess she moved in with us shortly after we got there and she got a job at a clothing manufacturing. She had a struggle there first to 50 to $5 a week. This piece work.

19:22 Got better and I got up to the high teens and then pretty soon. She was the high twenties 2027 $28 a week and I was pretty good and she gave I should I got up into the mid thirties. Wow, that is good those building those lists on the average where it was around $0.40.

19:43 So she did just great.

19:53 So then

19:55 You worked odd jobs, and then you said later on.

20:04 My uncle had a high blood pressure problem heart problem. The doctor told him he had to take a year off the rocket is he was a Milkman he has his own route.

20:20 And so he was

20:24 He called me and asked if I would run at 4, so.

20:32 I said yes, even though I have to stop going to the diesel engineering school left my mother at submit to 1939.

20:48 I took over as Mel Mel crafts for a year.

20:52 Granite $2 a day

20:57 Plus my lunch, which was about $0.35.

21:01 For that to you got a hamburger and a piece of pie and coffee.

21:10 There's money was worth a lot more in those days.

21:16 Saran wrap for a year and then one that was up here got me into the Union. So that opened up other jobs for me a particular area where he bought his milk provider early for the workers in the dairy Plus for him and that and occasionally another person after had a milk around and I would

21:48 Run for them

21:52 So it's I'm by this time. It must be approaching World War II.

21:57 Well, yes course happened at the end of 41. I was way down on the draft list.

22:12 Apparently, however the best I can figure it out my employer Producers Dairy and Seattle got me a deferment at least for a year.

22:25 Because they never called me up. I should have called me up the air to 68 a year anyway.

22:31 But they never called me up. So then

22:37 Early February in 43 probably the first Sunday in February. That's the Army. Air corps was accepting high school graduates private. They are required at least a couple years of college.

22:58 How about they wear something high school graduates now, so I called up the number that was given to me and I was told to go down to such and such a place on Wednesday. Take a written exam.

23:14 And they're about 80 of us and we're taking you that makes it happen.

23:18 I did very well. Give me a second. I think.

23:25 Oh, yeah, they sent me to McChord Air Base for a physical.

23:31 Oh, that's very well on that particular. My side was good in those days a lot better than today.

23:40 2016 and 2018. That's pretty good.

23:45 But I was a little skinny. I was about 25 pounds underweight for a while for my eyes.

23:53 But they were happy to have me I swore me in on Tuesday so from

24:02 In about ten days. I went from the first hearing about the Army Air corps to being sworn in.

24:13 Really fast. So so what did you end up doing any Army Air corps?

24:25 Well, this was for pilot training.

24:29 I waited and waited for hours. I was told all that Tuesday and February to wait for hours. I kept waiting and waiting.

24:39 It seemed like they were going to write me.

24:46 So I actually went back to work and I also want fishing up at Neah Bay.

24:52 For a few days

24:55 Since I figured I wouldn't be doing any more fishing for a while.

25:06 Then they finally can't the orders game of the report to King Street Station railroad station at 2 on May 30th.

25:18 5 months months later in about 5 months. So you had to wait quite a while. So where did you end up? Well first thought was in the field, Utah for basic training and then two

25:35 Decatur, Illinois James Millikin University for a lot of data

25:42 Theoretical stuff. Flight meteorology

25:48 Math various things

25:51 And like he was early part of November. I went to San Antonio.

26:00 Texas for pre-flight and there again, we were given a lot of tests both mental and physical.

26:09 And you got scores for the for the

26:15 How are you didn't attack us and this for a testing for pilot Navigator and Bombardier.

26:24 And I scored well enough on all of that. I had my choice.

26:34 I saw that Ali.

26:38 I went to Fort Stockton, Texas.

26:41 For primary training

26:45 Southwest Texas, Texas for basic training

26:54 And then finally Advanced Flight Training in Victoria, Texas.

27:00 I got my wings and

27:04 2nd Lieutenant Commission in August 4th of 44

27:13 So and then where did you where were you stationed then you got orders.

27:26 There were such a shortage of B-24 crew members particular Pilots that they took a lot of us fighter pilot trained.

27:39 Man, and the sent him to Biloxi Mississippi to train for a co-pilot for B24.

27:48 Porsche

27:51 0 yard must have helped here again because they cancel that program.

28:01 So then I was shipped to Fort Worth Texas flight trainer for other potential piles.

28:13 Waiting for assignment for overseas.

28:17 Alarm na Christmas of 1944. I went home on leave.

28:23 While I was gone and I was

28:27 I received orders to report for overseas training to go to a P-51 Squadron in Germany or Europe. I should say.

28:40 When I came back, however, even though I had plenty of time to go on at my the base commander had assigned somebody else to it. Since I wasn't around I guess protect my position there any side him to it wouldn't let me go back on it. So I was stuck in was the Panama Canal Zone.

29:08 So then. Louis in February again of 45.

29:19 Received orders to go to the

29:22 Of course, he is training camp in the

29:25 North Carolina and from there. I went down to Florida.

29:31 West Palm Beach and the flu down to the Panama Canal song

29:38 C3

29:41 Well and there you didn't you didn't have any combat experience really and God God kept you alive to come back. And for some reason I thought he didn't want me to go to the and the combat so and so anyway, I can figure it sitting after the war was over came back and went to school and got a degree.

30:13 They are man.

30:16 Well actually arrived home on July 3rd.

30:26 My I had enough leave to that. I was still there in a through August 24th, but then I yes I went to school at the University of Washington chemical engineering graduate there and 1950.

30:46 Only had one job offer.

30:48 I-275 a month which was a card from I had worked summers at Carnation milk company for

30:59 Okay Belmar, then 375 a month then you

31:05 Really ended up in the nuclear industry and you traveled all over the country but ended up here in the Tri-Cities the University of Illinois for my Master's Degree instead of taking that job coming out of there. I have two job offers wanted for her to my house and the other 375

31:28 Australia $400 a month when I was here back here on the West Coast and I took a bath and the

31:36 I put a new Fairfield so I took a course in radio chemistry. So I knew something about regular chemistry her radio some of the things that you had done later in your career would have saved the government a lot of money so bad about at the house is that

32:09 What value did did the United States get out of me being here? So.

32:25 The job that I took in in California, California research and development Corporation was on a proton accelerator.

32:36 Filipina Target fart, it's

32:41 One of the fellows in my

32:48 Group Charlotte, it didn't make sense to do that was cheaper in a better type of material would be produced in a reactor. So then they close at 7. And then I went up to Idaho Falls to the materials testing reactor at the national reactor testing station.

33:08 Camaro SS

33:12 Tara

33:14 Idaho Falls I made from Idaho Falls. I went to St. Louis to internuclear company and I got a very varied experience in a nuclear field.

33:24 And then I went to

33:27 Oh and that company sold out I went to.

33:35 Astra nuclear laboratory in Mountain View, California

33:44 That I help them closer nuclear business out there. And then what did when you came to the Tri-Cities when you came to Richland? What did you do there?

33:57 I was hired as a deputy director of a chem processing in Waste Management division.

34:10 I was promoted to acting division director in 1967 or 67 gotten a job in July 66.

34:25 Atlanta acting was taken off.

34:30 Angela Rye

34:35 Their number of things I was able to do that.

34:42 There's a lot of them are either a substantial reduction and

34:48 Radioactive emissions even though the emissions worth

34:53 Or were they on standards at that time and also things up for assaulting a substantial savings $2, for example.

35:09 And

35:12 1968

35:15 They had an evaporator. I mean they had the job of trying to evaporate the

35:23 Radioactive waste in the tanks and they had a scheme where they were put in Electro electrical heaters in

35:35 In there and I got them to go to.

35:44 Food Machinery Corporation. I get an evaporator crystallizer. I know it's about a $10 saving.

36:04 68

36:14 Ordered the contractor to extend the fueling. I mean the cooling. Of the for the field before it's processed and from 135 days 275 days. Contractor made of 280 days and that is substantially reduced to iodine 131 admissions all side all the way up.

36:43 I watch the

36:46 Quarterly and annual environmental reports no longer no longer found. I'd on 131 in any of the samples off site 8 or so. I'll are melichar vegetation and meet and animals above detection limits.

37:13 Then in 1971 when the reactor was ordered to be too.

37:25 Reduce pre producer put on them for the breeder reactor program.

37:32 Everyone assumed that we would continue producing 9% plutonium 240 and I knew that the reader program should want a higher acid volume to 40 and so I ordered

37:50 I went to the ranch or people just to confirm. And I said yes, I would rather have it between 12 and 15% while I didn't think we could go to 15% because we have to do a development program. But at 12% I figured we should have a very substantial Financial benefit.

38:08 I'm so

38:12 We proceeded through that and we've produced for average 4.4 billion kilowatt hours per year.

38:23 Which was at least 1.5 billion more than they had produced prior to that time. So I text emails per kilowatt-hour that's 24 million a year. I'm 70 years that we were in this mode now that's 168 million and then a really big saving it was the fuel reprocessing. Alright believe we saved about 1.7 billion.

38:56 Also in fuel fabrication, we probably saved around 12 to 14 million.

39:02 Very substantial ones

39:05 Hello, the one I liked what's up with an interesting one in the 72-73 budget? I thought we were a million and a half short. So I started going through the contractors.

39:20 Financial

39:25 Papers I have to cook the contractors one was the Arco at the 200 areas and the other one was the United nuclear at the reactor and react turn on Darius Industrial Fabrication cost a thing that popped out was that the overhead count for pensions was a lot floor about a million a floor for Arco then for United look for and I should have been the same or Arco should have been a little bit more so I call it again.

40:03 They found that this has been going on is that it was falsified from the widowed. Mom that look like she'd be a welfare person. There was a lot of benefit not

40:31 Separating. I'll drop him and sees him.

40:36 About that was about a half a billion dollar saving.

40:43 So that's a substantial that is.

40:47 Set it.

40:59 Well, I feel those words start of the highlights. I guess I missed a lot of interesting details.

41:07 What do ice question what are you most proud of?

41:18 I don't know whether I'm very proud of me saying I'm glad that I was able to do a lot of things.

41:28 One of the things that you did do you think we were you the most happy that you could do?

41:36 What meant the most to you?

41:39 Well already my family was the most important with

41:45 I think the work at the Hanford was was.

41:50 Very heavy I would say are very demanding but very rewarding also.

42:04 That's that would be something to be proud of you did a lot of good work there.