Lenore Kumulani Van Gieson was born June 16, 1935 in Hilo, Hawai'i. Her father, Ebenezer Coit Hobron Van Gieson, was from a Honolulu family and educated at Kamehameha Schools; her mother, Victoria Kumulani Todd Van Gieson, a Hilo native. The oldest of four siblings, VanGieson grew up on property owned by her mother's side of the family in the Keaukaha section of Hilo. This section, known as Pu'umaile by old-timers, was an area where many of Hilo's elite resided full-time or part-time in beachfront homes and cottages.

On January 29, 1986, Michael Kline interviewed Hank Thompson, Jim Blosser, Bryan King, and Michael Parsons for the Tucker County, West Virginia Flood Audio Recordings project. The interview focuses on their experiences during the devastating flood in November 1985. Hank Thompson recounts the night of the flood, when he and others were trapped in a house by rapidly rising waters. He reflects on the fear they felt as the water levels increased and parts of the house were destroyed. The group prayed together, finding comfort in their faith despite the danger.

On May 14, 1986, Michael Kline interviewed Elmer and Edith Nestor for the Tucker County, West Virginia Flood Audio Recordings project. Elmer and Edith Nestor are long-time residents of Tucker County who have witnessed significant events and changes in their community, including the devastating flood of November 4, 1985. The interview begins with Edith recounting the night of the flood, noting how unusually dry their basement remained despite the surrounding chaos.

On February 26, 1986, Michael Kline interviewed Bob Klein for the Tucker County, West Virginia Flood Audio Recordings project. Bob Klein, who had lived in Parsons since 1973, provides insights into his background in ministry and drug rehabilitation, which led him to work as a mental health professional in Tucker County from 1978 onward. The interview primarily focuses on Klein’s observations and experiences during the November 4th flood and its aftermath in Tucker County.

On March 27, 1986, Michael Kline interviewed David Humphrey for the Tucker County, West Virginia Flood Audio Recordings project. David Humphrey, born in Alexandria, Virginia, has lived in Parsons, West Virginia, for nearly 25 years. His father, Floyd C. Humphrey, was a miner and mechanic, while his grandfather, Fitz Humphrey, worked in logging camps. In this interview, Humphrey recounts his family's history in the area and the devastating impact of the flood on their lives.

The first part of Mrs. Olivia Mariam Williams Haynie's (1917-2006) interview is spent in bitter recollection of the atrocities committed by the Yankees during the Civil War, tales of great incivility passed down from her grandparents who witnessed affairs firsthand. From here Miriam Haynie takes listeners from her Reedville home to and through the Baltimore. Steamboats occasioned close relations between the Northern Neck and this cosmopolitan city.

On February 26, 1986, Michael Kline interviewed Steven Craig Wilfong for the Tucker County, West Virginia Flood Audio Recordings project. Steven Craig Wilfong, born and raised in Tucker County, is a lifelong resident who worked in various industries before becoming an automobile parts store owner in 1982. In the interview, Wilfong discusses his family background, including being the youngest of seven children, and his employment history, which includes work in the Parsons Tannery, the automotive industry, and insurance sales.

With a father and grandfather who ran a cannery at the steamboat wharf, John Cowart's telling brought to life the Adams Floating Theatre, the rich singing of the Black men in his family’s oyster house, and the dynamic interaction at the country store.

On February 14, 1986, Michael Kline interviewed Helen Sites in Tucker County, West Virginia, for the Tucker County Flood Audio Recordings project. Sites recounts her upbringing in a large family of fourteen children on a farm in Brushy Run, Wingo, where her father, Guy Auville, also ran a store and post office. She describes her experiences during the November 4, 1985, flood, detailing the days of continuous rain leading up to the disaster and the harrowing moments when rising water forced her and her friend Helen Wooddale to seek shelter in a nearby barn.

On January 29, 1986, Michael Kline interviewed Amy Renee Moore for the Tucker County, West Virginia Flood Audio Recordings project. Amy Renee Moore, born on January 5, 1965, in Parsons, West Virginia, is the daughter of Bob and Faith Moore. Her family has deep roots in Tucker County, with her father's parents being from Thomas and her mother's family originally from Michigan before settling in Hendricks. The interview begins with Amy recounting her life in Parsons, moving through various neighborhoods before her family built a new home in Holly Meadows.

On March 19, 1986, Michael Kline interviewed Ronald (Bo) Haddix for the Tucker County, West Virginia Flood Audio Recordings project. Ronald Haddix, known as Bo, grew up in Parsons, West Virginia, and experienced the devastating flood that struck the area, profoundly impacting his family and community. The interview begins with Haddix describing his family background, noting that his mother, Barbara Haddix, lived in Davis, West Virginia, while he was uncertain about his father's whereabouts.

Roger Griffis is a climate change coordinator for NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. He has a B.S. in Biology from Carleton College and a Master’s in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from UC Irvine. Griffis grew up in Minnesota with a fascination for lakes and streams, and was particularly inspired by the complexity of ecosystems. Wanting to play a role in protecting the environment, he was led to conservation work through the Knauss Sea Grant Fellowship in Washington D.C in 1994.

Dr. Patricia Clay is a fisheries anthropologist with the Social Science Branch of NOAA, where she has worked since 1993. She has a B.A. in Anthropology and Modern Languages from Notre Dame, and a PhD in Anthropology from Indiana University. She works with the NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts from the NMFS headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Bradford Brown was born in 1939 in Worcester, Massachusetts. He received his undergraduate degree from Cornell, his Master's from Auburn and his PhD from Oklahoma State University. He began working for the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries at the Woods Hole lab in 1962. He worked in Woods Hole, Massachusetts from 1962 – 1965 and 1970- 1984. In between he served as Assistant Leader of the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Oklahoma Cooperative Fisheries Units and as Assistant Professor of Zoology at Oklahoma State University.

Interview includes discussions of: experimental design, Chris Chambers‟s work in Newfoundland, life cycles of mosquitoes, flounder, cod, capelin, nuclear power plants, individual based models, and contaminants.

Chris Chambers describes his experience with experimenting with different species throughout his career, and how this led to becoming involved with the Northeast Fisheries Science Center.

Dr. Rusty Brainard began work for NOAA on the first day he graduated from Texas A&M University in May of 1981. Shortly thereafter he was assigned as Station Chief for the Geophysical Monitoring for Climatic Change Station at the South Pole, Antarctica. From 1984-2002, he was based at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in Monterey, California studying

Kurt Fresh was born in 1953. He attended the University of the Pacific for his undergraduate degree and received his Master's in Fisheries Science from the University of Washington in 1979. He began his career at the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife in 1978. He moved to the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in 2002. Kurt’s focus has long been on salmon life histories and ecology as well as estuarine habitats. At the time of this interview, he was the Estuarine and Ocean Ecology Program Manager at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center.

Edward DeMartini was born in San Francisco, California in 1946.His father died when he was four years old, and he was introduced to fishing when he was six by his cousin who acted as a surrogate father at the time. Ed says he was a natural historian at a young age and credits his mother with giving him the latitude to be an avid explorer and sparking his early interest in fish. Ed graduated with a degree in biology from the University of San Francisco in 1968, and a Master’s in Biological Oceanography in 1970.

Dr. Walton "Walt"Dickhoff was born in Wisconsin in 1947. He received his Ph.D. in Physiology from the University of California Berkeley in 1976 and joined the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in 1986 working in the Coastal Zone and Estuarine Studies Division. Dr. Dickhoff is the Division Director of the Environmental and Fisheries Science division, and his research focuses on salmon growth and development.

Michael (Mike) Ford was born in Colorado in 1967. He received his Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Stanford University and his PhD in Population Genetics from Cornell University in 1991. In 1995, Mike began working at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center as a national research associate where he studied the local adaptations of Chinook salmon using molecular genetic data. Since 2003, Mike has been the Director of the Conservation Biology Division at the Center.

On September 23, 2006, Janice Gadaire Fleuriel interviewed Carol Brown and her daughter, Pamela Brown, as part of the Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project. Carol shares stories of her father-in-law, Captain Frank Brown Sr., a Portuguese fisherman who settled in Gloucester, becoming a well-respected captain.  She describes his fishing practices and life in the industry, as well as more personal details, like his sense of style and personal integrity.

On September 27, 2009, Madeleine Hall-Arber interviewed Charlotte Enkosen as part of the Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project. Born in 1949, Charlotte Enoksen grew up in a tight-knit immigrant community, where many families were involved in the fishing industry. Charlotte shares details of various aspects of her life, from her childhood in a fishing family to her own marriage to a fisherman.

Captain Frank Gargas, Sr., and his two sons, Frank Jr. and Steve, reflect on their experience as a fishing family. Frank Sr. relays a time when the family was with him on the tuna boat and they encountered rough weather from Hurricane Camille (1969). Steve talks about his mother and what she faced as a wife of a fisherman, having her husband at sea much of the time. Frank Jr. reflects on what drew him to become a fisherman.

August Felando was born in San Pedro, California, in 1929. His family roots reach back to Viz Island, Croatia, and Guernica in the Basque province of Spain. He fished on two-family owned tuna and sardine purse seine vessels during 1946-1950. In 1951, he became a co-owner of the F/V Challenger, a tuna baitboat, and as managing owner sold the vessel in 1958 for conversion to a tuna seiner. From 1960-1991, he managed the affairs of the American Tunaboat Association, including participation in hearings before the California State legislature, Congressional Committees, and federal agencies.

Captain Frank Gargas, Sr., and his two sons, Frank Jr. and Steve, reflect on their experience as a fishing family. Frank Sr. relays a time when the family was with him on the tuna boat and they encountered rough weather from Hurricane Camille (1969). Steve talks about his mother and what she faced as a wife of a fisherman, having her husband at sea much of the time. Frank Jr. reflects on what drew him to become a fisherman.

Nick was born in Hvar, Croatia, in 1914, and his family moved to Oregon when he was young. He started salmon fishing at a young age in Astoria, and then went with his brothers to fish in Alaska when he was a bit older, and that is where he first became a cook for a fishing crew. He moved to San Pedro, California, at the invitation of a friend and became the cook for many years on a tuna boats owned and operated by Captain Frank Gargas, Sr.

Cape Verdean men have struggled for generations to work in professions, guaranteeing enough income to provide for their families.  They have gained a foothold on New Bedford’s docks unloading and loading foreign ships, particularly because workers on those ships often don’t have passports or papers that allow them to debark from the ship within the United States. Thus, longshoremen up and down the United States seaboard provide those services.  Many of these longshoremen are part of the International Longshoremen’s Union, abbreviated as the ILA.

On February 5, 1981, Robert Livingstone, Jr., a retired fishery biologist from the National Marine Fisheries Service, interviewed Mildred Wells at her home in Falmouth Heights as part of a project documenting the history of the fishing industry in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Wells, originally from New Bedford, moved to Woods Hole in the late 1920s to work as a bookkeeper for Sam Cahoon’s fish market. In the interview, Wells discusses her responsibilities managing accounts, handling sales, and paying fishermen, providing insight into the daily operations of Cahoon’s business.

Eliezer “Eli” Lopez is a retired fish cutter who was born in Puerto Rico and moved to New Bedford as an infant. He dedicated over 40 years of his life to working in the fishing industry in New Bedford. In his interview, he mentions the different fish houses he worked for and the people he worked with. Eli also describes the culture of the time, and his experience with alcohol and substance abuse, and shares his personal journey towards spirituality, highlighting challenges and lessons learned.

Pantaleón Tono Tono, an experienced welder, originally from Guatemala, as part of the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center (NBFHC) oral history project "Casting a Wider Net.” Pantaleón was born in Aguilix in the village of Chujuyub, municipality of Santa Cruz del Quiché, Quiché department, Guatemala. Pantaleón recounts his difficult life path, from a childhood marked by poverty and limited education.

In this interview, Silvina “Sal” Sequeira speaks about immigrating from Cape Verde to Portugal as a child with his family and then from Portugal to the United States with his wife as an adult. He discusses his luck in having the opportunity to learn how to weld, which helped him obtain the job he has held as an industrial welder for 27 years at Blue Fleet Welding in New Bedford, MA. He talks about how physically demanding his job is but also notes that he relishes the challenges and is happiest when his work requires a variety of skills and knowledge.

In this interview, Francisco “Chiquinho” Almeida describes his journey from Cape Verde to Portugal to the United States and the many jobs he held before becoming a scalloper. He describes the role of language in the commercial fishing industry and how regulations have affected him and the commercial fishing industry at large.

Carlos Morales came from Guatemala to New Bedford to find work to provide for his family. He shares his experiences in the seafood processing industry and about his job as a fish cutter. We learn about life in Guatemala and his education there, as well as how it set him up for success in aspects of his job. He closes his interview with his aspirations for his kids as well as for his future.

In this interview, Francisco Cardoso speaks about growing up in Cape Verde, immigrating to the U.S., and working first as a boat painter and later as a Hydraulics and Control Lead for Atlantic Shellfish Inc. Francisco discusses the economic pull factors that led him to the U.S. as well as the ways he takes pride in his Cape Verdean heritage. He discusses the challenges of learning a new language and how the ethnic and linguistic diversity and mentorship of his co-workers in the commercial fishing industry helped him acclimate to life in the U.S.

Dianne Herman was interviewed by Anjuli Grantham on June 22, 2015, in Village Islands, Uganik Bay, Alaska, as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. Dianne was born in Michigan in 1945, and after studying and traveling for a number of years, moved to Alaska in 1976 seeking adventure and wilderness. She wound up in Kodiak and began beach seining with locals at Packers Spit.

Anjuli Grantham interviewed Dexter Lorance on June 14, 2015, in Larsen Bay, Alaska, as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. Dexter was born in 1951 in Oklahoma, went to school in California, and moved to Alaska in 1971 with his girlfriend, seeking adventure. He is the cannery foreman at Larsen Bay cannery, but his first job in Alaska was at the Whitney-Fidalgo cannery plant in Anchorage, where he worked long hours processing fish that arrived by rail and tender.

Geneneiva (Deedie) Pearson was interviewed by Anjuli Grantham on June 12, 18, and 26, 2015, in Kodiak, Alaska as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. Deedie Pearson came to Kodiak in 1941 at the age of seven, when her father’s job with the Territory of Alaska brought the family to the area. (Her father was Alfred Owen, who represented Uganik Bay in the 1st Alaska State Legislature, 1959-60, as well as other political offices before and after statehood).

Linda Lindberg was interviewed by Anjuli Grantham in Village Islands, Alaska, on June 22, 2015, as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. Linda was born in Vancouver, Washington, in 1943 and moved to Alaska in 1957 when her father found logging work at the Dal Valley Sawmill. She describes life at the logging camp, how she had to stop going to school at a young age, and the impact of alcohol on her father’s employment when she was a child.

Lacey Berns was interviewed by Anjuli Grantham in Bern Pile, Viekoda Bay,  Alaska, on July 6, 2015, as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. Lacey was born around 1955 and grew up in California, spent several of her teenage years in Anchorage with her family, returned to California, and moved back to Alaska to Kodiak in 1977. She began setnetting for a cannery in Uganik Bay, learning how to fish and work with the gear without any previous experience.

Dillard Wilkerson was interviewed on August 22, 2008. This interview was very productive because it took place on the site of Mr. Sprinkle's net shop and footage of a shrimp net being constructed was filmed. Both men used to shrimp and own their own boats. However, both are retired from the shrimping industry because of high costs of maintaining a boat. The two spoke about the shrimping industry in the past and present, in addition to discussing the techniques and materials used in shrimp net making.

Mark Thissen was interviewed by Anjuli Grantham in Larsen Bay, Alaska, on June 13, 2015, as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. Mark was born in Minnesota in 1957 and followed his siblings for summer work in the canneries when he was around 14. He describes his work at the canneries, the Kodiak connections to Mankato, Minnesota, and how he started fishing and tendering when he was 20.

Jane Petrich was interviewed by Anjuli Grantham on August 1, 2015, in Farside, Larsen Bay, Alaska, as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. Jane was born in Seattle and grew up around boat building and fishing, spending her college summers working in canneries in Bristol Bay. She moved to Kodiak to work at Larsen Bay Cannery in 1971 and recalls the party atmosphere of the time. After teaching for a number of years, she and her husband bought their first setnet fishing permit in 1978.

Jeanne Shepherd was interviewed by Anjuli Grantham on June 20, 2015, at Uganik Bay, Alaska, as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. Jeanne was born in 1955 in Seattle but moved to Kodiak in 1978. She describes the heady times at the tail end of big-money fisheries in the area and beginning a career of fishing after one summer in a cannery. She describes many memorable village characters and her love of a lifestyle of subsistence and self-sufficiency.

Mark and Sheila Beardsley were interviewed by Anjuli Grantham in Larsen Bay, Alaska, on June 13, 2015 as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. Mark and Sheila were born in Hood River, Oregon. Mark’s uncle owned a cannery in Kodiak, he has been visiting the area since 1974 and started fishing in 1980 in Uyak Bay when he was around 11. Sheila worked in the cannery as a teenager and college student, and has been fishing with Mark since they bought a permit together 21 years ago.

Janet Brashler is a forest archeologist with the USDA Forest Service, specializing in prehistoric Native American sites in the Eastern United States. She holds an undergraduate degree in anthropology from Northwestern University, a master's in anthropology from Michigan State University, and a Ph.D. from the same institution. Brashler has taught college for seven years and has worked for the Forest Service for almost eight years. Her research interests focus on the adaptation and coping of prehistoric North American Indians, particularly in the Eastern United States.

Michael Kline interviewed Darrell and Joan Heckler on April 14, 1986, for the Tucker County, West Virginia Flood Audio Recordings project. Darrell Heckler, a resident of Tucker County, has worked at Firefox for approximately twelve years, and Joan Heckler, born Joan Ellen Wiles, has been actively involved in the community. Both have witnessed significant changes and challenges in their hometown, particularly the devastating flood that impacted St. George and surrounding areas. In this interview, Darrell and Joan Heckler provide a detailed account of their experiences during the flood.

On March 7, 1986, Michael Kline interviewed Icy Victoria Shahan Sampson in Tucker County, West Virginia, as part of the Tucker County Flood Audio Recordings project. Sampson recounts her life growing up in Saint George after being born on Pifer Mountain in 1915. She describes her family’s relocation to Saint George when she was six weeks old, her father’s career as a rural mail carrier and former schoolteacher, and her experiences attending the local two-room schoolhouse.

On February 19, 1986, Michael Kline interviewed Danny Hebb for the Tucker County, West Virginia Flood Audio Recordings project. Danny Hebb, an employee at the West Virginia Power Plant in Mount Storm, shared his experiences during the devastating flood that impacted Tucker County. Hebb comes from a family with deep roots in the area, with his great-grandfather originally working in the coal mines before settling in the region. Hebb had been employed at the power plant for over two years at the time of the interview and had previously worked in construction.

On March 19, 1986, Michael Kline interviewed Denise Thompson for the Tucker County, West Virginia Flood Audio Recordings project. Thompson, originally Denise Ann George, was born and raised in Tucker County, where her family has deep roots. She lived in the sheriff's residence in Parsons at the time of the 1985 flood, working as a cook for the jail. In this interview, Thompson reflects on her experiences during the devastating flood of November 1985, particularly the challenges she faced while trying to care for her two young sons and manage the rising waters.

John T. Anvill was born in St. George, Tucker County, and has lived in the area his entire life. He was born to William Anvill and Loretta White, who were also lifelong residents of Tucker County. John was raised in a large family of nine siblings, consisting of one brother and seven sisters. Growing up in St. George, John attended school at Mount Olive, located three miles away from his hometown. He went through at least the eighth grade before taking civil service examinations, though he did not pursue a career in that field.

Juanita Miller Wampler interview 5-27-1986 

Dr. Jim Vangundy interview 4-17-1986 

Hank Thompson Flood Story 1-28-1986 

Don Goss 3-5-1986 interviewed by M. Kline 

Frederick Binkowski, a senior research scientist at the Water Institute, has dedicated a significant portion of his career to the study and conservation of sturgeon species. Binkowski studies sturgeon biology, including the intricacies of their feeding habits, breeding, and rearing in laboratory conditions. His work has not only advanced the scientific community's understanding of sturgeon but also contributed to practical conservation efforts, such as the rehabilitation project on the upper Fox River initiated in 2002.

Annette Caruso is a retired fisherwoman who has participated in both the drift and set net commercial fishery. In this interview Annette talks about environmental changes she’s witnessed, including tundra fires, increased bear activity and increased tundra cotton. She also discusses her personal history in the area, including how her grandparents and mother grew up, as well as how she got started drift netting with her father.

Steven Holler, a lobsterman out of Boston, MA, begins by talking about the flooding that was happening in Boston at the time of the interview and its effects on the fishermen and his family. He speaks about his experiences fishing out of Boston since he was 14 years old and about the different fishing communities in Maine. Holler shares his thoughts about the current whale entanglement issues and explains why he has decided to lobster only in summer and fall.

Tap Pryor, an aquaculturist through Maine Shellfish Developers from Brunswick, ME, is currently attempting to grow oysters more efficiently and sustainably by growing them onshore. He speaks about his experience being on the original commission that founded the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), how NOAA was named, and his work growing oysters on land first in Hawaii and now in Brunswick.

Eugene Biettler was born in Winchester, Wisconsin, on October 13th, 1940. He grew up in a family of four children, with two brothers and two sisters. His father worked for Winnebago County, while his mother was a housekeeper. His introduction sturgeon fishing began in 1962, following his completion of a course at Reinhart School, which sparked his initial interest in the activity. Biettler was known for his involvement in the community and tradition of sturgeon spearing, often sharing stories and experiences related to this activity.

Frederick Binkowski, an aquaculturist with a significant focus on sturgeon propagation, has contributed extensively to the field of fishery science through both practical and research-oriented endeavors. His career, marked by a dedication to understanding and improving the conditions for raising sturgeon in controlled environments, spans several decades. Binkowski's work has been pivotal in addressing the complexities associated with sturgeon aquaculture, including breeding, egg incubation, and larval rearing.

Tyler Childers and Anson Kelley, lobstermen and high school students enrolled in the Eastern Maine Skippers Program in Jonesport, ME, are old friends who speak about their experiences in the Eastern Maine Skippers Program, their current work trying to improve bait quality and pricing, their current fishing locations, and the locations they plan to fish in the future.

Tyler Childers and Anson Kelley, lobstermen and high school students enrolled in the Eastern Maine Skippers Program in Jonesport, ME, are old friends who speak about their experiences in the Eastern Maine Skippers Program, their current work trying to improve bait quality and pricing, their current fishing locations, and the locations they plan to fish in the future.

Sam Ladley, who summered on Matinicus, ME, as a child, started to go lobstering with his father and fellow youngsters by the age of 8. Ladley shares stories from his childhood fishing with his family and friends including how he survived a sinking ship accident and how, another time, their boat’s engine broke in a thick fog.

Voices of the Maine Fishermen’s Forum 2018 is a project of Maine Sea Grant, The First Coast, College of the Atlantic, and the Island Institute, with support from the Maine Fishermen’s Forum Board of Directors.

Interview with Walter Eley Ross, Sr., born March 16, 1924 in Biloxi, Mississippi. Ross was a fisherman and gear manufacturer.

James Bohnsack was born on September 3, 1947 in Flint, Michigan. He began working at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center in 1984 as a research fishery biologist. At the time of this interview in 2016, he was the Division Chief at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center, a position he has held since 2004.

Barry Berejikianwas born in 1967 in Panorama City, California, and spent his childhood summers going north on camping and fishing trips, particularly for trout and salmon. As a behavior ecologist, he leads the Behavioral Ecology Team and the Hatchery Reform Science Program at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Manchester, Washington. He received his B.S. in Environmental and Systematic Biology from California Polytechnic State University in 1990 and his M.S. in 1992 and his PhD. in 1995 in Fisheries from the University of Washington.

Kimiko Kuwana Sakai, daughter of Japanese immigrants, Hisa Muranaka Kuwana and Jitsuzo Kuwana, was born on April 26, 1916, in Pahoa, Hawai'i. She is one of eight children born to the Kuwanas. Her mother's main responsibility was running the household and caring for the children. Her father was a foreman at 'Ola'a Sugar Company plantation. Sakai graduated from Hilo High School in 1934 after completing Hilo Intermediate School and her primary grades at schools in Pahoa and 'Ola'a. After graduation, she worked as a kitchen helper at Dr. T. Kutsunai's hospital in Papa'ikou.

James "Jimmy" Low was born January 24, 1930 in Hilo. Beginning in 1926, his parents, King Yong Low of Kwangtung, China, and Mary Chow Low of Hilo, ran a grocery store on Keawe Street. 'Three years later, they branched out and opened the original Sun Sun Lau Chop Sui House on Haili Street. In 1939, the restaurant relocated to Kamehameha Avenue in downtown Hilo. Low, the fourth of seven children, grew up around the restaurant. As soon.as he was old enough, he helped his parents cook in the kitchen and set up for banquets.

June Mitsuko Odachi Shigemasa was born September 27, 1935 in the Shinmachi district of Hilo, Hawai'i. Her parents, Kinzaemon Odachi and Kameki Tsuno Odachi, were immigrants from Japan who came to Hawai'i as Tenri-kyo [a Buddhist sect] ministers. Shigemasa, her parents, and siblings lived in a two-story house on the temple grounds. She was attending nearby Waiakea Kai School when World War II broke out. Following the Pearl Harbor attack, Kinzaemon Odachi was arrested by the FBI and interned at Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Hayato Okino was born August 18, 1912, in the Waiakea Town section of Hilo. He was the fourth of five children of Shimakichi Okino and Tsune Hamasaki Okino, who both immigrated to Hawai'i from Japan in 1901. Okino attended Wa.iakea Kai, Hilo Junior High, and Hilo High schools, graduating in 1932. His first job after graduation was an auto parts salesman for Ruddle Sales and Service in Hilo. Twenty-three years later, in 1955, he started his own auto parts business, Automotive Supply Center. The building was complete destroyed in the 1960 tsunami.

Josephine Nelson Todd was born November 9, 1906 in Pepe'ekeo, Hawai'i. She was the seventh of eleven children born to Hans Peter Nelson, an immigrant from Denmark, and Mary Morgado Nelson, an immigrant from Portugal. Hans Peter Nelson was an employee for Pepe'ekeo Sugar Company. When Todd was a young girl, the family moved to Hilo. She grew up in the Villa Franca section of Hilo, an area populated predominantly by Portuguese. Portuguese was Todd's flrst language.

The oldest of two children born to Willard Hogle Branch and Elizabeth Mason Branch, Jeanne Branch Johnston was born in Hilo on December 2, 1939. Johnston's maternal grandfather, Charles William Mason, was the inventor of Canec, a fiberboard made from sugarcane bagasse. Mason became the superintendent of Hawaiian Cane Products Company, Ltd., located in Hilo near the site of the Waiakea Mill Company. After spending her early childhood in Hilo, Honolulu, Midway Island, and California, Johnston and her mother returned to Hilo in 1944.

Herbert Sadamu Nishimoto was born June 15, 1929 in N"mole, Hawai'i. He is the youngest of Senichi Nishimoto and Misano Masukawa Nishimoto's five children.

Kapua Wall Heuer was born February 1, 1912 in Kainaliu, Kona, Hawai'i. She was the youngest child of Allen Wall and Christina Lilinoe Roy Wall. Heuer's maternal grandparents were William F. Roy, a Scotsman who arrived in Hawai'i in 1860, and Eliza Davis Roy, a native Hawaiian. Together, they took up ranching in Kona. Growing up in Waihou, an area mauka of Kainaliu town, Heuer lived the ranching lifestyle. She rode horses, and learned to rope, herd, and ship cattle. Beginning in 1918, Heuer spent most of her time in Honolulu attending Punahou School.

James Tatsumi Ohashi was born March 2, 1928 in a sugar plantation camp in Kipii-Hule'ia, Kaua'i. The seventh of eight children of Bunjiro Ohashi and Ima K.anemori Ohashi, he attended Hule'ia Grammar School and graduated from Kaua'i High School. After receiving his degree from the University of Hawai'i, Ohashi enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He rose to the rank of colonel. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War and also served in Japan before retiring in 1973. Ohashi is an avid and prolific writer and a student of local history.

Jim Toteff, Jr. and Joe Lindholm were interviewed by Anjuli Grantham in Larsen Bay, Alaska, on June 13, 2015, as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. 

Richard Lather was interviewed by Anjuli Grantham in  Shark Cove, Uganik Bay, Kodiak, Alaska, on  June 19 and 20, 2015, as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. Richard was born in Chicago in 1945 and came to Alaska in 1959 with his family when his father got a job teaching in Ketchikan. Richard spent summers working in fishing and, after high school in 1964, joined the Coast Guard, where he worked for twenty years, stationed in Homer, Alaska, and locations on the mainland before returning to Kodiak in 1977.

Weston Fields was interviewed by Anjuli Grantham at Bear Island, Uyak, Alaska, on July 31, 2015, as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. Weston was born in Long Beach, California, in 1948 and moved to Kodiak with his family when he was one. Although they moved to work at a church in Kodiak, his father, and the family soon switched to seining, beach seining, and eventually setnetting.

Roy Madsen was interviewed by Anjuli Grantham in Kodiak, Alaska, on June 11, 2015 as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. Roy was born in 1923 in Alaska in the village of Kanatak on the Shelikof (now abandoned), where his Danish father ran a general store for the oil industry. He describes how his father established the Mush Bay bear camp on the west side of the island in 1929, as well as the other residents and canneries in operation then.

Sandra Earle was interviewed by Anjuli Grantham in Bird Rock, Uyak Bay, Alaska, on 1 August, 2015 as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. Sandra was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1945. She and her now-husband Dan moved from Baltimore to Alaska in 1969, where her older sister had already relocated. She recalls her experiences on her first job teaching at the Munsey Bear camp on Kodiak Island and her positive impressions of the self-sufficiency and helpfulness of local residents.

Pam and David Pingree were interviewed by Anjuli Grantham in Quartz Creek Lodge, Alaska, on June 20, 2015, as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. Pam was born in Kodiak in 1959. Her father was a mechanic and had come to Kodiak through his service in the Navy. She describes the appeal of the area as a wild west, and a hard-working, drinking man’s town. David was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, and came to Alaska in 1980 as part of the US Coast Guard.

Tollef Monson was interviewed by Anjuli Grantham in Uganik Bay, Alaska, on June 19, 2015 as part of the Kodiak Historical Society’s West Side Stories project. Tollef was born in Minneapolis, in 1979 and moved to Alaska at the age of 20 for a winter job handling sled dogs, and soon began seasonal fishing on the west side of Kodiak. He describes the work ethic that was instilled in him by locals and the working in Kodiak as a style of life different from a job, and his decision to buy a site in 2007.

Jennifer Potts was born in Utica, NY, but moved at an early age to Oxford, NC. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife and Fisheries at North Carolina State University in Raliegh, NC, in 1988. After graduation from NCSU, Jennifer moved to Carteret County, NC. She was hired by the Reef Fish Program at NOAA’s Beaufort Laboratory in early 1989. Her initial duties for her supervisor, Dr. Charles Manooch, involved aging wreckfish, a deep-water grouper, utilizing the fish’s ear stones, or otoliths, as aging tools.

On September 30, 2021, Molly Graham interviewed David Kennedy remotely for the NOAA 50th Oral History Project. Kennedy, born in Oskaloosa, Iowa, on June 24, 1947, has a background in anthropology and served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force before transitioning to a career in environmental research and response. His military service included flying C-130 aircraft in Alaska, supporting scientific research missions in Greenland, and working with the National Science Foundation.

Sarah Calhoun interviewed Aaron Longton in Port Orford, Oregon, on July 18, 2014 as part of the Voices from POORT (Port Orford Ocean Resource Team) project. Aaron discusses how he began his commercial fishing career in his late 30s by buying a boat and salmon permit, upgrading with salmon disaster compensation money, and working hard. He discusses how privatization of the fishery has made it more difficult for younger people to enter the fishery, the pros and cons of privatization, including its negative social impacts on small communities.

Lyle Keeler was interviewed by Sarah Calhoun in Port Orford, Oregon, on July 17, 2014 as part of the Voices from POORT (Port Orford Ocean Resource Team) project. Lyle discusses his career in small-boat fishing, the involvement of his household in the fishing business, and the more greater difficulties he now encounters making a living from fishing, offering advice for aspiring fishermen.

Monique Arsenault is a marine observer with a background in biomedical science. Born in April, she grew up in Pelham, New Hampshire, near the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border. Both sides of her family hail from Canada, with her maternal grandparents working in mills and factories in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and her paternal family originating from Prince Edward Island. Arsenault's interest in marine biology began in college, where she initially majored in the subject before switching to a broader biomedical science degree.

Leesa Cobb was interviewed by Sarah Calhoun in Port Orford, Oregon, on June 23, 2014 as part of the Voices from POORT (Port Orford Ocean Resource Team) project. Leesa discusses her involvement in the fishing industry after marrying a second-generation fisherman and becoming politically involved the Pacific Fishery Management Council when the social impacts of catch share management became apparent to her.

Jeff Miles was interviewed by Sarah Calhoun in Port Orford, Oregon, on July 17, 2014 as part of the Voices from POORT (Port Orford Ocean Resource Team) project. Jeff began commercial fishing with his father while he was in junior high school, after the demise of the timber industry in the area. He talks about the kinds of fishing he enjoys, problems with management and overcapitalization in fishing, and his role as an industry advisor for the Pacific Fisheries Management Council.

Marylinda Guerin was interviewed by Sarah Calhoun in Port Orford, Oregon, on July 18, 2014 as part of the Voices from POORT (Port Orford Ocean Resource Team) project. Marylinda recounts how her father, growing up a rancher then a lumberman, built his first boat in the 1930s and began fishing in Port Orford. She discusses how she began fishing with her father as a teenager and the later challenges of balancing family life with fishing.

Sarah Calhoun interviewed Danny Keeler in Port Orford, Oregon, on July 18, 2014 as part of the Voices from POORT (Port Orford Ocean Resource Team) project. Danny started fishing in 1969, working first as a deckhand for his uncle. He talks about changes in the industry, such as greater attention to regulation to ensure sustainability. He describes how fishing is vital to the community of Port Orford since the decline of the logging industry, and the need for an association like POORT to ensure a voice in management that better reflects local needs and knowledge.

John Norwood McCarty (1916-2012) was born to a farming family outside of Lively in Lancaster County, Virginia. His boyhood interplay with steamboats involved raising produce that he and his family then delivered to the bustling steamboat wharf to board the vessels for sale. McCarty provided vivid accounts of a rural steamboat wharf community, from a cooperative grower’s packinghouse to the local Speakeasy.

Ed Martell was a distinguished nuclear scientist with a focus on atmospheric chemistry, radioactive material, and nuclear science in general. His academic journey began at West Point, where he graduated in the class of 1942. Following his graduation, Martell served as an officer in the Corps of Engineers for eight years, participating in combat in the Pacific during the Second World War. After the war, Martell had the opportunity to further his studies at the University of Chicago as a lieutenant colonel. It was here that he earned his Ph.D. in nuclear chemistry and radiochemistry in 1950.

Oral history interview with Peggy LeMone, 2001. Interviewed by Diane Rabson and Nicolle Alida. Interview is about the Electra aircraft. 

Copyright Information: Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Dr. Akira Kasahara is a renowned climate modeler who has made significant contributions to the field of atmospheric science. He has been associated with the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) for a considerable period, where he has been instrumental in developing and improving climate models. Dr. Kasahara's research experience spans over a decade, during which he has led and mentored several young scientists, including Warren Washington, a fresh Ph.D. graduate from Penn State.

Oral history interview with Judy Green, 2015. Interviewed by Kathleen Legg. Forms part of the UCAR/NCAR Oral History Collection. Judy Green, long time telecommunications assistant at NCAR, shares her unique perspective of NCAR, its people and culture. Green discusses her early career as a telephone operator at Mountain Bell in Cheyenne, Wyoming and how her and her family came to NCAR. Green talks about her experience with the various telephone systems at NCAR over the years, including the old “cord board”, the short lived Harris system, the Rolm system and Voice Over IP (VoIP).

In this interview Walter Orr Roberts discusses the war time (World War II) and working in isolation at the observatory in the mining community of Climax, Colorado. He talks about observing the Sun’s corona, using the chronograph and doing special cosmic ray work with gold. The observatory was eventually incorporated jointly with the University of Colorado. Roberts wanted to get the Climax Company’s permission to name the observatory the Climax Solar Observatory, but timing was not on his side. Jack Evans and Roberts decided on a different name, the High Altitude Observatory (HAO).

William Mankin begins by speaking about the origin of his “Physics of a Cup of Coffee” seminar and his relationship with Jack Herring of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, New York. After graduating from Southwestern (now called Rhodes College), Mankin received a scholarship to attend the Summer Institute in Space Physics offered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) where he learned about radiative transfer.

Timothy Brown reminisces about his early fascination with astronomy, building telescopes and an observatory as a child with his father. Brown talks about his undergraduate school experience at Wesleyan University, a small liberal arts school in Middletown, Connecticut, and his work with the physicists on campus, specifically his mentor Jim Faller. Brown did his graduate studies at the University of Colorado, but completed most of his work in Tucson, working for a professor from the University of Arizona as an HAO (High Altitude Observatory) graduate student.

In this interview I.M. Pei, chief architect of the Mesa Laboratory and the Fleischmann Building, speaks passionately about his inspirations; the placement of the structures and the relationship between building and setting; the design process, down to the selection of materials; and how the Mesa Laboratory marked a very important turning point in his career.

Copyright Information: Copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.