Link Trainer, September 1945
Title
Link Trainer, September 1945
Creator
Ed Westcott
American, 1922 - 2019
Ed Westcott was the official US Army photographer of the Oak Ridge, Tennessee site for the Manhattan Project. Westcott went to work for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1941. The following year he became the official government photographer of the Manhattan Engineering District (MED) in Oak Ridge. Among the first in the new secret city, Ed shot thousands of photos documenting the construction and operations, as well as the lives and times of Oak Ridgers from the beginning.
Westcott shot hundreds of exposures and processed over 5,000 prints before the war even ended. The National Archives is the repository for all of Westcott's negatives and offers an extensive collection of his photos from the period.
After the war, Westcott stayed in Oak Ridge as an employee of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), until he was transferred to AEC headquarters in 1966. Westcott retired in 1977. He passed away on March 29, 2019 at the age of 97.
American, 1922 - 2019
Ed Westcott was the official US Army photographer of the Oak Ridge, Tennessee site for the Manhattan Project. Westcott went to work for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1941. The following year he became the official government photographer of the Manhattan Engineering District (MED) in Oak Ridge. Among the first in the new secret city, Ed shot thousands of photos documenting the construction and operations, as well as the lives and times of Oak Ridgers from the beginning.
Westcott shot hundreds of exposures and processed over 5,000 prints before the war even ended. The National Archives is the repository for all of Westcott's negatives and offers an extensive collection of his photos from the period.
After the war, Westcott stayed in Oak Ridge as an employee of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), until he was transferred to AEC headquarters in 1966. Westcott retired in 1977. He passed away on March 29, 2019 at the age of 97.
Date
1945
Format
archival inkjet print
Type
photograph
Description
After World War II, Oak Ridge retained its function as a nuclear research center. While scientific experiments continued under the secretive veil of the laboratories and production facilities,
“homemade” experiments—like the link trainer depicted in this
photograph—were undertaken by children in the surrounding community.
It is interesting to note that, while at one time the use of the word “atom” in any context might have caused a federal investigation, it fell into universal usage after the war.
“homemade” experiments—like the link trainer depicted in this
photograph—were undertaken by children in the surrounding community.
It is interesting to note that, while at one time the use of the word “atom” in any context might have caused a federal investigation, it fell into universal usage after the war.
Source
United States Department of Energy, Oak Ridge Office, Photography Archives
Citation
Ed Westcott
American, 1922 - 2019
Ed Westcott was the official US Army photographer of the Oak Ridge, Tennessee site for the Manhattan Project. Westcott went to work for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1941. The following year he became the official government photographer of the Manhattan Engineering District (MED) in Oak Ridge. Among the first in the new secret city, Ed shot thousands of photos documenting the construction and operations, as well as the lives and times of Oak Ridgers from the beginning.
Westcott shot hundreds of exposures and processed over 5,000 prints before the war even ended. The National Archives is the repository for all of Westcott's negatives and offers an extensive collection of his photos from the period.
After the war, Westcott stayed in Oak Ridge as an employee of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), until he was transferred to AEC headquarters in 1966. Westcott retired in 1977. He passed away on March 29, 2019 at the age of 97.
, “Link Trainer, September 1945,” Ewing Gallery Permanent Collection, accessed May 7, 2024, https://ewinggallery.omeka.net/items/show/96.