From Our Historian

In “Y-12: Local Treasure — National Resource,” a series of articles printed in the Oak Ridge Observer beginning in June 2007 and continuing into early March 2009, and more recently as part of the series “Oak Ridge Treasure, National Resource” published by The Oak Ridger, Y-12 Historian D. Ray Smith provides richly detailed stories about Y-12 evolving missions.

Y-12: Oak Ridge Treasure – National Resource
Series published in The Oak Ridger

2015

  • 2015-02-12, One Team – A Historical Perspective

2014

  • 2014-10-22, A brief history of the Union at Y-12
  • 2014-09-19, Y-12's environment, safety and health history part 3
  • 2014-08-28, Y-12's environment, safety and health history part 2
  • 2014-08-07, Y-12's environment, safety and health history
  • 2014-07-11, B&W Y-12 and 14 Years in Oak Ridge, part 2
  • 2014-07-02, B&W Y-12 and 14 Years in Oak Ridge
  • 2014-06-13, Y-12's favorite stories, part 4
  • 2014-05-16, Y-12's favorite stories, part 3
  • 2014-05-09, Y-12's favorite stories, part 2
  • 2014-04-24, Some Y-12 stories captured by Bill Wilcox
  • 2014-03-28, Y-12 and the history of clearance designators
  • 2014-03-20, Y-12 and the Jack Case Center
  • 2014-03-13, Y-12 and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park — a grand partnership, part 3
  • 2014-02-21, Y-12 and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park — a grand partnership, part 2
  • 2014-02-14, John William (Bill) Ebert Jr. — Longtime Y-12 Maintenance Manager
  • 2014-02-07, Y-12 and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park — a grand partnership
  • 2014-01-24, Little known heroes of the nuclear age, part 4
  • 2014-01-17, Little known heroes of the nuclear age, part 3
  • 2014-01-03, Little known heroes of the nuclear age, part 2

2013

  • 2013-12-27, Little known heroes of the nuclear age
  • 2013-12-20, Y-12 – 70th Anniversary, part 2
  • 2013-12-13, Y-12 – 70th Anniversary
  • 2013-11-15, BIll Wilcox – The transformation and second birth of Oak Ridge, Part 4
  • 2013-11-08, BIll Wilcox – The transformation and second birth of Oak Ridge, Part 3
  • 2013-11-01, BIll Wilcox – The transformation and second birth of Oak Ridge, Part 2
  • 2013-10-25, BIll Wilcox – The transformation and second birth of Oak Ridge, Part 1
  • 2013-10-18, A brief overview of some historical details of the city of Oak Ridge, part 10
  • 2013-10-04, A brief overview of some historical details of the city of Oak Ridge, part 9
  • 2013-09-27, Steve Laggis’s Dad
  • 2013-09-20, Bill Wilcox and Y-12
  • 2013-09-13, A brief overview of some historical details of the city of Oak Ridge, part 8
  • 2013-09-06, Ed Westcott at Y-12 and the Westcott Center in Oak Ridge
  • 2013-08-30, A brief overview of some historical details of the city of Oak Ridge, part 7
  • 2013-08-23, A brief overview of some historical details of the city of Oak Ridge, part 6
  • 2013-08-16, A brief overview of some historical details of the city of Oak Ridge, part 5
  • 2013-08-09, “Awesome Eyeballs”— an amazing group of students visit Y-12 and ORNL, part 2
  • 2013-07-26, “Awesome Eyeballs”— an amazing group of students visit Y-12 and ORNL, part 1
  • 2013-07-12, A brief overview of some historical details of the city of Oak Ridge, part 4
  • 2013-07-05, A brief overview of some historical details of the city of Oak Ridge, part 3
  • 2013-06-28, A brief overview of some historical details of the city of Oak Ridge, part 2
  • 2013-06-21, A brief overview of some historical details of the city of Oak Ridge, part 1
  • 2013-06-07, A brief overview of some historical details of Oak Ridge, part 4
  • 2013-05-31, A brief overview of some historical details of Oak Ridge, part 3
  • 2013-05-17, A brief overview of some historical details of Oak Ridge, part 2
  • 2013-05-10, A brief overview of some historical details of Oak Ridge, part 1
  • 2013-04-19, Janice’s start at Training & Technology
  • 2013-04-12, Clifton Truman Daniel’s visit to Oak Ridge and Y-12, part 2
  • 2013-04-05, Clifton Truman Daniel’s visit to Oak Ridge and Y-12, part 1
  • 2013-03-22, Union Carbide’s Last 20 Years in Oak Ridge — part 4
  • 2013-03-15, Union Carbide’s Last 20 Years in Oak Ridge — part 3
  • 2013-03-08, Union Carbide’s Last 20 Years in Oak Ridge — part 2
  • 2013-03-01, Union Carbide’s Last 20 Years in Oak Ridge
  • 2013-02-15, A look back at Union Carbide’s first 20 Years in Nuclear Energy [Union Carbide in Nuclear Energy]
  • 2013-02-08, A look back at Union Carbide’s first 20 Years in Nuclear Energy [The Y-12 Plant Milestones]
  • 2013-01-25, A look back at Union Carbide’s first 20 Years in Nuclear Energy [The Y-12 Plant]
  • 2013-01-18, A look back at Union Carbide’s first 20 Years in Nuclear Energy [The Oak Ridge National Laboratory continued]
  • 2013-01-11, A look back at Union Carbide’s first 20 Years in Nuclear Energy [The Oak Ridge National Laboratory]

2012

  • 2012-12-28, A look back at Union Carbide’s [first] 20 Years in Nuclear Energy [The Gaseous Diffusion Plants]
  • 2012-12-21, Y-12 Apprentice Program
  • 2012-12-14, A look back at Union Carbide’s 20 Years in Nuclear Energy [The Nuclear Age]
  • 2012-11-23, Colonel Bruce P. Crandall, Medal of Honor recipient visits Oak Ridge
  • 2012-11-02, A charm that has been in space
  • 2012-10-26, More on the term “Fission” continued
  • 2012-10-19, More on the term “Fission”
  • 2012-10-12, Y-12 and the Knitting Nook
  • 2012-09-21, Y-12 and Stone & Webster
  • 2012-09-14, Y-12 and uranium history
  • 2012-08-31, Y-12, early records from the National Archives at Atlanta
  • 2012-08-24, Y-12, submarines, work for others and AVLIS — Reader Response:
  • 2012-08-17, Y-12, submarines, work for others and AVLIS
  • 2012-06-29, Y-12 Work for Others — a historical perspective, part 3
  • 2012-06-22, Y-12 Work for Others — a historical perspective, part 2
  • 2012-06-15, Y-12 Work for Others — a historical perspective
  • 2012-06-08, Y-12 Shift Change, famous Ed Westcott image recreated
  • 2012-06-01, Y-12 and the "super enriched Uranium 235"
  • 2012-05-11, Y-12's Building 9212 and the Uranium Processing Facility, part 2
  • 2012-05-04, Y-12's Building 9212 and the Uranium Processing Facility, part 1
  • 2012-04-27, Y-12 and East TN Broadcasting System — A Nuclear Family Video Miniseries
  • 2012-04-20, Y-12 and the 2000 decade — Modernization to Transformation, part 2
  • 2012-04-12, Y-12 and the 2000 decade — Modernization to Transformation
  • 2012-04-06, Y-12's moonbox — a big hit in Texas
  • 2012-03-30, Y-12 and the 2000 decade — Modernization
  • 2012-03-23, Y-12 and the 2000 decade — infrastructure reduction continued
  • 2012-03-16, Y-12 and the 2000 decade — infrastructure reduction
  • 2012-03-12, Y-12 and the 1990s
  • 2012-03-02, Another key Y-12 General Foreman remembered
  • 2012-02-24, Y-12 entered the 1990s and encountered major difficulties
  • 2012-02-17, Some key Y-12 General Foremen remembered
  • 2012-02-10, Y-12: Seawolf to National Prototype Center, part 2
  • 2012-02-03, Y-12: Seawolf to National Prototype Center
  • 2012-01-27, Y-12 and some leaders in 1980s, part 3
  • 2012-01-20, Y-12 and some leaders in 1980s, part 2
  • 2012-01-06, Y-12 and some leaders in 1980s, part 1

2011

  • 2011-12-23, Y-12 and dramatic changes of early 1980s
  • 2011-12-16, Poem gives glimpse into Christmas past for one Y-12 worker
  • 2011-12-09, Y-12 finishes the 1980s in award winning fashion
  • 2011-12-02, Y-12's history in brief and the early 1980s
  • 2011-11-25, Y-12 enters the 1980s
  • 2011-11-18, Y-12 continues to make changes in the 1970s
  • 2011-11-11, The Power of Choice — Cold War Patriots’ Day of Remembrance, part 2
  • 2011-11-04, The Power of Choice — Cold War Patriots’ Day of Remembrance
  • 2011-10-28, Y-12 History Center and some special artifacts
  • 2011-10-21, Y-12's and ongoing environmental biomonitoring
  • 2011-10-14, Y-12's Biomonitoring and Water Quality
  • 2011-10-07, Y-12 continues missions while focusing on environment
  • 2011-09-30, A Christmas letter from Leon Love
  • 2011-09-23, Y-12 and environmental regulations — a way of life
  • 2011-09-09, Y-12 and emerging environmental regulations in 1985
  • 2011-09-02, Y-12 and the emerging environmental concerns
  • 2011-08-19, Ernest O. Lawrence and Y-12 Calutrons
  • 2011-08-12, Y-12 takes on the Cold War
  • 2011-08-05, Manhattan Project National Historical Park
  • 2011-07-29, Electromagnetic separation of isotopes at Oak Ridge — L.O. Love (part 2)
  • 2011-07-22, Electromagnetic separation of isotopes at Oak Ridge — L.O. Love (part 1)
  • 2011-07-15, Y-12's reputation brings even more diverse missions
  • 2011-06-03, Y-12 and the National Nuclear Security Administration make continuing progress
  • 2011-05-27, The Future is bright for Y-12 — and diverse
  • 2011-05-13, Lawrence Pack, train conductor, and Y-12's uranium?
  • 2011-04-22, Technologies Enabling Agile Manufacturing (TEAM) — An ORCMT success story
  • 2011-04-15, The Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technologies — Skills Campus
  • 2011-04-08, Manufacturing Means Jobs — Mike Arms
  • 2011-04-01, Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology — The Manufacturing Skills Campus
  • 2011-03-25, Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology — What if we got rid of the wires?
  • 2011-03-21, Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology — The Manufacturing Skills Campus
  • 2011-03-18, Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology — Partnership and Impact on the Semiconductor Industry, part 2
  • 2011-03-11, Bill Sergeant — An icon of Oak Ridge Security
  • 2011-02-18, Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology — Partnership and Impact on the Semiconductor Industry
  • 2011-02-11, Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology — Insights from Jack Cook
  • 2011-02-04, Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology — Dave Beck tells how it all started
  • 2011-01-28, Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology — testimonials
  • 2011-01-20, Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology, part 2
  • 2011-01-14, Oak Ridge Centers for Manufacturing Technology, part 1
  • 2011-01-07, Ed Westcott’s photography goes on the road

2010

  • 2010-12-24, Critical Experiments Facility and Harold Cofer’s perspective
  • 2010-12-17, Building 9213’s earliest history — Bill Sergeant
  • 2010-12-03, Oak Ridge Critical Experiment Facility (Building 9213)
  • 2010-11-26, Building 9213 — A long and varied history
  • 2010-11-19, Y-12 apprentices and instructors speak up
  • 2010-11-12, New Hope Center making history at Y-12
  • 2010-11-11, 48 Star American Flag from Y-12 Plant in 1943
  • 2010-11-05, Y-12 apprentice programs through the years
  • 2010-10-29, Y-12 apprentice programs are a lot like TAT
  • 2010-10-22, Nautilus reunion visit to Y-12 and ORNL
  • 2010-10-15, Y-12's Training and Technology — How it ended
  • 2010-10-08, Y-12's Training and Technology — Janice Smith's story
  • 2010-09-10, Y-12's Training and Technology — TAT and Ricky Seals
  • 2010-09-03, Y-12's Training and Technology — TAT and Don McMurray
  • 2010-08-27, Y-12's Training and Technology — Richard Rookard — TAT instructor
  • 2010-08-20, Y-12's Training and Technology — TAT and Dave Miller
  • 2010-08-13, Y-12's Training and Technology — John Royster's TAT success story
  • 2010-08-06, Y-12's Training and Technology — TAT and Tony O'Dell
  • 2010-07-30, Y-12's Training and Technology — Case Histories
  • 2010-07-23, Y-12's Training and Technology — TAT and John Ray
  • 2010-07-16, Y-12's Training and Technology — Bob Gouldy's dad and TAT
  • 2010-07-09, Y-12's Training and Technology — "A Design for Success"
  • 2010-07-02, Y-12's Training and Technology — Mayme Crowell
  • 2010-06-25, Building 9731 tour was a huge hit
  • 2010-06-18, Special announcement: Building 9731 shines again
  • 2010-06-11, Y-12's Training and Technology instructor's story — Evelyn Watson
  • 2010-06-04, Building 9731—Secret City Festival’s Y-12 public tour
  • 2010-05-28, Y-12's Training and Technology instructor's story — Terry Barnes
  • 2010-05-21, Y-12's Training and Technology — An exemplary success
  • 2010-05-14, Y-12 and the Nuclear Posture Review
  • 2010-05-07, Y-12 through the decades
  • 2010-04-30, Y-12 Moon Rocks and Jim Williams
  • 2010-04-23, Y-12's first open hour—September 2–3, 1967, part 2
  • 2010-04-16, Y-12's first open hour—September 2–3, 1967, part 1
  • 2010-04-09, Union Carbide's 20 years in nuclear energy, part 2
  • 2010-04-02, Union Carbide's 20 years in nuclear energy, part 1
  • 2010-03-26, Secretary Chu, HEUMF and Dr. Chris Keim
  • 2010-03-19, Quality at Y-12, part 3
  • 2010-03-12, Quality at Y-12, part 2
  • 2010-03-05, Quality at Y-12, part 1
  • 2010-02-19, Roy Williams as recalled by Margaret Morrow
  • 2010-02-12, Y-12 and the National Park Service study, part 2
  • 2010-02-05, Y-12 and the National Park Service study, part 1
  • 2010-01-29, Roy Williams as recalled by his son and family
  • 2010-01-22, Roy Williams as recalled by Bill Wilcox and others
  • 2010-01-15, Roy Williams and others — Keys to Y-12's success
  • 2010-01-08, A brief history of the Biology Complex, part 2
  • 2010-01-02, A brief history of the Biology Complex, part 1

2009

  • 2009-12-25, Y-12, ORNL and the origin of “work for others”
  • 2009-12-18, Muddy Boots, Y-12 and looking to the future
  • 2009-12-11, Y-12, the Cold War, and nuclear weapons dismantlement
  • 2009-12-04, Y-12 continues to push the state-of-the-art in machining
  • 2009-11-27, Y-12 leads the way in specialized machining
  • 2009-11-20, Y-12 builds capacity to meet nuclear testing schedule
  • 2009-11-13, Y-12 sets the pace in precision machining
  • 2009-11-06, A brief history of the Y-12 Development Division, part 2
  • 2009-10-30, A brief history of the Y-12 Development Division, part 1
  • 2009-10-23, Y-12's 1958 nuclear criticality accident and increased safety
  • 2009-10-16, America Recovery and Reinvestment Act at Y-12
  • 2009-10-09, Y-12 grows and expands in the 1950’s
  • 2009-10-02, Harold Cofer and the COLEX process, part 6
  • 2009-09-25, Harold Cofer and the COLEX process, part 5
  • 2009-09-18, Harold Cofer and the COLEX process, part 4
  • 2009-09-14, Harold Cofer and the COLEX process, part 3
  • 2009-09-04, Harold Cofer and the COLEX process, part 2
  • 2009-08-28, Harold Cofer and the COLEX process, part 1
  • 2009-08-21, Y-12 weapons work expands in 1950s
  • 2009-08-14, Dr. Googin and the Y-12 COLEX Process
  • 2009-08-10, Dr. Googin and his early days at Y-12, conclusion and community involvement
  • 2009-07-31, Dr. Googin and his early days at Y-12, part 12
  • 2009-07-24, Apollo “Moon Boxes” made at Y-12, part 2
  • 2009-07-17, Apollo “Moon Boxes” made at Y-12
  • 2009-07-10, Dr. Googin and his early days at Y-12, part 11
  • 2009-07-03, Dr. Googin and his early days at Y-12, part 10
  • 2009-06-26, Dr. Googin and his early days at Y-12, part 9
  • 2009-06-19, Dr. Googin and his early days at Y-12, part 8
  • 2009-06-12, Dr. Googin and his early days at Y-12, part 7
  • 2009-06-05, Dr. Googin and his early days at Y-12, part 6
  • 2009-06-01, Dr. Googin and his early days at Y-12, part 5
  • 2009-05-22, Dr. Googin and his early days at Y-12, part 4
  • 2009-05-15, Dr. Googin and his early days at Y-12, part 3
  • 2009-05-08, Dr. Googin and his early days at Y-12, part 2
  • 2009-05-01, Dr. Googin and his early days at Y-12, part 1
  • 2009-04-24, The Scientist of Y-12 — Dr. Googin
  • 2009-04-17, Y-12 lithium-6 production
  • 2009-04-10, Why “25”? and Y-12 mercury losses
  • 2009-04-03, Y-12 reopens Buildings 9201-4 and 9201-5
  • 2009-03-27, Just 'another day' at Y-12 plant, the National Lab
  • 2009-03-20, Beta calutrons and Y-12 experiments
  • 2009-03-13, Y-12 Plant prepares to separate lithium isotopes

Y-12: Local Treasure – National Resource
Series published in The Oak Ridge Observer

2009

2008

  • 2008-12-25, The Cold War approaches and Y-12's workload grows
  • 2008-12-18, NEPA — A grand new idea
  • 2008-12-11, Lilienthal and Groves comments on CEW transfer to AEC
  • 2008-12-04, Tennessee Eastman letter on Y-12 reduction in force
  • 2008-11-27, Y-12 uranium storage facility — A dream come true — Part 2
  • 2008-11-20, Y-12 uranium storage facility — A dream come true — Part 1
  • 2008-11-13, Zirconium-related accident at Y-12
  • 2008-11-06, Zirconium and hafnium separation at Y-12
  • 2008-10-30, Oak Ridge picking up momentum
  • 2008-10-23, Even more Oak Ridge Transitions
  • 2008-10-09, Y-12 replaces “Fort Knox” as standard for security
  • 2008-10-02, AEC and Oak Ridge Institute for Nuclear Studies
  • 2008-09-25, UT gets involved at Oak Ridge
  • 2008-09-18, AEC and Oak Ridge transitions
  • 2008-09-11, Y-12's second era grows
  • 2008-09-04, Y-12's second era begins
  • 2008-08-28, DOE Oak Ridge Operations managers
  • 2008-08-21, AEC and changes at Y-12, K-25 and X-10
  • 2008-08-14, AEC and Oak Ridge High School
  • 2008-08-07, AEC and Oak Ridge Operations
  • 2008-07-31, Major General Kenneth David Nichols
  • 2008-07-24, AEC and Oppenheimer
  • 2008-07-17, AEC and control of nuclear weapons
  • 2008-07-10, USAEC, David Lilienthal and Oak Ridge — Part 2
  • 2008-07-03, USAEC, David Lilienthal and Oak Ridge — Part 1
  • 2008-06-26, United States Atomic Energy Commission formed — Part 2
  • 2008-06-19, United States Atomic Energy Commission formed — Part 1
  • 2008-06-12, United Nations Atomic Energy Commission stalls out
  • 2008-06-05, Moving closer to the Atomic Energy Commission
  • 2008-05-29, Preliminary steps to the Atomic energy Commission
  • 2008-05-22, Clinton Lab occupies many Y-12 buildings and becomes ORNL
  • 2008-05-15, The Clinton Laboratory begins to expand to Y-12 Buildings
  • 2008-05-08, Y-12 transition and birth of the national laboratories
  • 2008-05-01, Production work up for grabs
  • 2008-04-24, Nuclear testing continues
  • 2008-04-17, Special Engineer Detachment
  • 2008-04-10, Still more radical changes at Y-12
  • 2008-04-03, More radical changes at Y-12
  • 2008-03-27, Y-12 makes first radical changes
  • 2008-03-20, Post World War II missions emerge for Y-12
  • 2008-03-13, Bob Ellingson remembers — Part 2
  • 2008-03-06, Bob Ellingson remembers — Part 1
  • 2008-02-28, Ivory (soap) flakes and historic artifacts
  • 2008-02-21, Jack Case — Tool and die make to plant manager
  • 2008-02-14, Jack Case — The man who helped bring uranium machining to Y-12
  • 2008-02-07, Smithsonian video history interview — Part 2
  • 2008-01-31, Smithsonian interview video history interview — Part 1
  • 2008-01-24, More on buildings at Y-12
  • 2008-01-17, Heritage Tourism and Y-12, K-25 and X-10 history
  • 2008-01-10, Some of the buildings constructed at Y-12
  • 2008-01-03, Operating Oak Ridge’s “calutrons”

2007

  • 2007-12-20, Both construction and operations continue to increase
  • 2007-12-13, More production buildings and expanded operations
  • 2007-12-06, Operations start and shipments begin
  • 2007-11-29, Construction of Building 920101 — Part 2
  • 2007-11-22, Construction of Building 920101 (Alpha 1) — Part 1
  • 2007-11-15, A calutron stool appears and more
  • 2007-11-08, 9731: It all started here
  • 2007-11-01, General Groves and Ernest O. Lawrence visit 9731
  • 2007-10-25, 9731: Chauncey Starr — First operations manager
  • 2007-10-18, 9731: First building completed at Y-12
  • 2007-10-11, 14700 tons of silver at Y-12
  • 2007-10-04, Buildings go up at Y-12
  • 2007-09-27, Design of the Y-12 calutrons
  • 2007-09-20, OSTI and Science.gov — Not your ordinary website — Part 2
  • 2007-09-13, OSTI and Science.gov — Not your ordinary website — Part 1
  • 2007-09-06, Early planning for construction at Y-12
  • 2007-08-30, Y-12 electromagnetic separation process wins approval
  • 2007-08-23, Final decisions that led to Y-12
  • 2007-08-16, General Groves takes charge
  • 2007-08-09, Colonel Nichols comes on board
  • 2007-08-02, Decisions that led to Y-12
  • 2007-07-26, Vannevar Bush and Ernest Lawrence — Two key individuals
  • 2007-07-19, Events leading to Manhattan Project
  • 2007-07-12, Ribbon cutting at Y-12
  • 2007-07-05, Before Y-12
  • 2007-06-28, Introduction to Y-12 history