Jacob H.
techniques and design criteria. Of course, Harry Thompson didn't have the experience
that some of the engineers have today in the Corps' larger districts, where they have been
involved with more large projects.
Is there anything else you can remember from your time in LA District that you want to
discuss?
A:
No, I don't think so.
Involvement in Professional Engineering Organizations
Let me go back and ask you a question about your time in the Bureau, and it applies to LA
District, too. Were you encouraged to participate in the professional associations, the
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and other professional engineering
organizations? Not only to join as a member, but to prepare papers and go to meetings.
Was there a lot of interchange, interaction, espoused by your superiors?
A:
Most of my superiors participated in professional engineering organizations and
encouraged the younger engineers to do likewise. They never pressured anyone to present
papers or attend meetings.
Did you do any writing and publishing at that time?
A:
Yes, I did. I spent the last couple of days assembling all the papers that I wrote for
publication. I have a total of 34 technical hydraulic engineering publications, of which 32
are papers, and the other two are contributions to the Handbook of
and
a book, Safety of Existing Dams. The first paper I had published was on Green Mountain
Dam, which I model tested during my first year at the Bureau of Reclamation. It was
Engineering journal, dated March 1940.
published in the
While with the Los Angeles District, I wrote several papers on flood control channels and
debris basins. When in the Chief's office, I wrote about a dozen papers, of which most
Journal of
were published in the
international associations, like the Commission on Large Dams, Association for Hydraulic
Research, PIANC [Permanent International Association of Navigation Congresses], and
Irrigation Drainage Congresses, I presented papers at the meetings which were published
in the proceedings of the meetings. Luckily, I have copies of those papers. I'm going to
have them retyped in the same format and published in a book called my Career Book.
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