b'C HAPTER S E VENS A F ETY I N S I D E A N D O UTSIE D T H E F E N C E SWas it dangerous? Against todays climate of guaranteed safe, predicted, nuclear operationwe would have to be judged somewhat open loop. Dick [Dr. Richard Doan] must have realized that the key to safe operation in a game still subject to surprises was to tap thatinsatiable desire of some people to explain even the most trivial departure from the known and understood norm.Marion E. ThomasO At ten oclock sharp, Doan strode into posed by now everyone knew that some -the room, went to the head of the table,thing was going on in Idaho and thatn a fall day in and delivered what might have been thePhillips had been chosen to be part of1950, a research physicist named shortest briefing in history. He sup - it. He said that each of us had beenDeslonde deBoisblanc picked up the selected but that until we receivedBartlesville, Oklahoma, morning paper Secret clearances, the nature of the pro -and read that the AEC had chosen his ject couldnt be revealed. Furthermore,employer, the Phillips Petroleum arrangements had been made for the lotCompany, to manage a classified gov- of us to go to Oak Ridge, Tennessee,ernment project. He went off to work without spouses, for an acceleratedcontemplating this news with great course in nuclear technology as well asinterest. specialized training tailored to our indi -vidual assignments.1When I reached the laboratory therewas a note that I was to attend a Others of the chosen group were on10:00 a.m. meeting in Dr. Doans con - field trips, and to these Doan placedference room. That meeting was unlike phone calls and said, Ive got news foranything that I had ever experienced you. Youre going to Idaho. They soonbefore, or have since. About thirty learned that their mission was to run thepeople, not all from the Research MTR reactor. 2Division, were seated, wondering whythey were there, some having guessed Doan, a man apt to be seen in his off-that it was related to the announce - hours wearing blue jeans, western-stylement, but still puzzled. Bonneville Museum - Bonneville County Historical Society, March 1963, P h iltro nshirts with scalloped pockets, and a ten-Dr. Richard Doan gallon hat pushed back on his head, told5 4'