Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster Oral History

  • Collection DOI:
    Principal Investigator:
    Louis M. Kyriakoudes
  • NOAA's Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster Oral History documents the experience of people living in Gulf  of Mexico  oil-spill-affected fishing communities. The oral history data complements other social and economic data about the spill collected by NOAA and other governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations.

Interviewee Collection Sort descending Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Kim Hai Dinh Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster Oral History

Kim Dai Dinh is a Vietnamese-American, living in East Biloxi, who worked in seafood processing plants.

Linda VanZandt, Angel Truong Phan Biloxi, MS NOAA-NMFS, University of Southern Mississippi - Northern Gulf Institute
Henry Martinez Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster Oral History

Henry Martinez is a commercial fisherman in the Louisiana wetlands. He was born on November 25, 1942, in Arabi, Louisiana, to Mr. Felipe Martinez Ortega (born on October 4, 1986, in Garrucha, Spain) and Mrs. Mary Molero Martinez (born on February 2, 1908, on Delacroix Island, Louisiana). His father was a fisherman in Spain and around Delacroix Island. As a young man he was a merchant marine and fisherman. His paternal grandparents were fishermen, and his maternal grandparents were farmers. His mother’s father was a fur trapper.

Barbara Hester St. Bernard Parish, LA NOAA-NMFS, University of Southern Mississippi - Northern Gulf Institute
Earl W. Ross Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster Oral History

Earl Ross is a commercial shrimper in the Gulf of Mexico. Ross was born on December 13, 1947, in Biloxi, Mississippi, to Mr. Wildon Ross (born April 22, 1922, in Biloxi) and Mrs. Ruth Wallis Ross) born September 27, 1929). His father was a police officer, taxicab owner, and shrimper in Biloxi. His mother was a bookkeeper. His father’s family were shrimpers who owned local businesses, including grocery stores, clothing stores, and taxicabs. His mother’s family were shrimpers and bakers. On November 17, 1968, he married his wife, Charlene (born December 14, 1947).

Barbara Hester Biloxi, MS NOAA-NMFS, University of Southern Mississippi - Northern Gulf Institute
William W. Walker Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster Oral History

Mr. William W. Walker is a resident of the Gulf Coast. At the time of this interview he was Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. Walker was born on September 16, 1945, in Hammond, Louisiana, to Mr. and Mrs. William Byrd Walker. Mr. Walker attended Hammond High School, Southeastern Louisiana University for his bachelor’s degree, and Mississippi State University for his master’s and doctoral degrees, graduating in 1972. He married Sharon H.

Stephanie Scull-DeArmey Biloxi, MS NOAA-NMFS, University of Southern Mississippi - Northern Gulf Institute
Le Van Dong Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster Oral History

Le Van Dong is a Vietnamese-American shrimper living in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Mr. Le Van Dong was born January 9, 1958, one of three children, in My Tho, South Vietnam. In 1968, Mr. Dong moved to the port city of Vung Tau, South Vietnam. Mr. Dong’s father was a guard in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnamese Army), and took responsibility for raising his young children upon the early death of Mr. Dong’s mother. Mr. Dong began catching and selling fish at the age of fourteen to help support his family. Mr.

Linda VanZandt, Angel Truong Phan Ocean Springs, MS NOAA-NMFS, University of Southern Mississippi - Northern Gulf Institute
Robert McDuffie Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster Oral History

Mr. Robert McDuffie is a subsistence fisherman living in Moss Point, Mississippi. McDuffie was born on March 19, 1941, in Semmes, Alabama, to Robert Lee McDuffie (born April 1, 1905) and Oren Moss McDuffie. He and his wife Jerry were married in Moss Point, Mississippi. They have three children, Stephanie Swinea (born January 2, 1961), Jeffrey McDuffie (born January 18, 1963) and David McDuffie (born March 1, 1970). McDuffie has fished all of his life for subsistence.

Stephanie Scull-DeArmey Pecan, MS NOAA-NMFS, University of Southern Mississippi - Northern Gulf Institute
Walter Eley Ross, Sr. Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster Oral History

Mr. Walter Eley Ross Sr. is a retired commercial fisherman on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  He was born on March 16, 1924, in Biloxi, Mississippi,to Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Ross. His father was a commercial fisherman, house builder, and boat builder. His mother was a housewife. Mr. Ross began fishing with his father commercially when he was a teenager, and he continued in that profession for fifty-three years. Ross also served in the US Air Force, achieving the rank of sergeant. He is a Catholic.

Barbara Hester Biloxi, MS NOAA-NMFS, University of Southern Mississippi - Northern Gulf Institute
Norman Yandell Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster Oral History

Mr. Norman Yandell is a resident of Long Beach, Mississippi, a net-maker, creator of Norm Bait handmade lures, and a lifelong fisherman on the Gulf Coast. Yandell was born on August 12, 1934, in Gladewater, Texas, to Jessie Andrew Yandell and Minnie Quave Yandell (born December 25, 1918, in Poplarville, Mississippi). Yandell moved to the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a young boy, residing with his mother and his stepfather Earl Holley (born January 1, 1916).

Stephanie Scull-DeArmey Long Beach, MS NOAA-NMFS, University of Southern Mississippi - Northern Gulf Institute
John Philip Falterman, Jr. Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster Oral History

Captain John Philip Falterman Jr. is owner-operator of Therapy Charters LLC, of Slidell, Louisiana, specializing in inland fishing in Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Borgne, and the Biloxi Marsh.  Mr. Falterman was born November 25, 1974, in Fairbanks, Alaska, to Mr. John P. Falterman Sr. (born September 29, 1952, in New Orleans, Louisiana) and Mrs. Deborah Bays Falterman (born October 17, 1952, in New Orleans, Louisiana). His father is the owner of Johnny’s Welding Service in Kenner, Louisiana.

Stephanie Scull-DeArmey Slidell, MS NOAA-NMFS, University of Southern Mississippi - Northern Gulf Institute
Cui Nguyen Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster Oral History

Mr. Cui Nguyen is a Vietnamese-American shrimper living in East Biloxi, Mississippi. Nguyen was born in 1954, one of seven children, in the city of Rach Gia in the Kien Giang Province of South Vietnam. His father, Ngoc Van Nguyen, was a fisherman. His mother, Kau Thi Nguyen, farmed rice. They all worked together to fish and sell at the local market. In 1972 Mr. Nguyen served in his town in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnamese Army). In 1981 Mr.

Linda VanZandt, Angel Truong Phan East Biloxi, MS NOAA-NMFS, University of Southern Mississippi - Northern Gulf Institute