Engineer Memoirs
Q:
Fort Peck?
A:
Fort Peck. Ernie, as a little boy, would sit there with his eyes and ears wide open when
[Lieutenant] General [Thomas B.] Larkin came to dinner when he would be in
Washington from the site out there and tell his father--Ernie's father--about building
the dam and the problems and the excitement and all. And this is just what Ernie was
bought up on.
So, one, to have civil works jobs as you go along was exciting. But to be Director of
Civil Works--all his life he had seen this as the most exciting job. And it turned out to
be a very exciting job at the time he had it, but I think his only regret is that he didn't
have it longer. It was a very short time.
Q:
But DSAA wasn't an anticlimax because it was--
A:
Oh, no, no. That was totally different. That's apples and oranges. It was an absolutely
different environment. You see, an awful lot of people who are in international security
affairs have come through the attach jobs.
Q:
That's right.
A:
We had never had that experience. So, yes, it was totally different. But again, it was a
big management job. There was a great deal of money involved--keeping track of it all.
It was very exciting. It really was. But the civil works, that was fun. That was good.
Q:
Is there anything else we should talk about?
A:
I don't know. I think you've gotten a feel for the way I feel about the Army. I guess
that was what you wanted.
Q:
I sure did. And I thank you.
A:
Well, I thank you. I'm very pleased to have been of any help.
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