Lyman Karl Porter
Though the phrase is trite, it is still appropriate to say that "I (like Nephi) was born of goodly parents." My father, Joseph Smith Porter, was a farm boy, raised in Porterville, Morgan County, Utah. In his early manhood he spent a few months in Colorado as a cow puncher and served a mission in the Southern States.
When he returned from his mission, his brother Hyrum said, "I have just the girl for you." my father said, "Thank you, but I can find my own girls." He met Elizabeth Maria Lambert and went to several parties with her. He accepted a church assignment to go to Idaho for several months to organize a young people's auxiliary, the M.I.A.
On returning from Idaho, he resumed his friendship with Miss Lambert and subsequently asked her to marry him. His brother then told him, "That is the girl I had picked for you."
For eight years the union was childless, then their first child was born. They named her "Faith," for, though the doctors had told Mother that she was unable to bear children, she never gave up her faith that her patriarchal blessing would be fulfilled, which promised that she would be a mother in Zion.
Two years later, on her birthday, she bore a son, Osgood Lambert. A daughter, Martha Electa, was born after another two years. When Martha was born, she was very small. When mother's brother saw her, ha said, "She's no bigger than a dot." She has been called "Dot" ever since. Most of her friends think her name is Dorothy.
Faith May married Roewell Lyman Partridge. They had three children - Richard Lyman, John Arthur, and Shirley May.
Osgood Lambert married Emily Brocket. They had two children Carlene and David Joseph.
Martha Electa (Dot) married Albert Palmer Holt. They had five children - John Robert, Nancy, Thomas Albert, Janet and Susan.
On the afternoon of March 31, 1914 Mother's brother, Will, brought his car over, loaded Mother, Father, my brother and sisters, and headed for the L.D.S. Hospital on 8th Avenue and "G" Street. At 6th Avenue and "E" street, his car stalled. Mother and Father continued the remaining distance on foot. At 10:30 p.m. I was born in the L.D.S. Hospital in Salt Lake. My mother often joked that she had to hurry to save me from being an "April Fool." Some people have questioned that she succeeded.
My early childhood presented a few crises to my parents. Shortly after I was able to walk, I managed to climb into a cement cooler vault, which was cooled by the water from a flowing well. I was discovered in time to save me from drowning.
The family moved to a homestead about 10 miles west of Fillmore. The area was called Flowell, because of its large artesian wells. My father had built a frame house, a barn, and a chicken coop. In a large knoll he had excavated a rectangular area of three dirt walls with a fence at the opening. This was to be used as a pig pen. One day I ran over the knoll end fell into the excavation. I was knocked unconscious. When I regained consciousness, Mother noticed that my eyes were crossed. She took me to Salt Lake, Where, after examinations, I was fitted with glasses. This was the beginning of a long string of fights, as I was very sensitive to being called "Four Eyes," "Cockeye" or "Specks."
Near my fourth birthday, we moved to Nephi, where my father went into a partnership with his brother, Moriancumer, in operating a butcher shop. We moved into the "parsonage" of a protestant church, my most vivid recollections of this era were ringing the church bell on holidays, the influenza epidemic of World War I, with the asafetida bags worn around our necks, and the burning of the Kaiser in effigy on Armistice day.
Shortly thereafter Grandmother Lambert died and we moved back to Salt Lake into Grandmother Lambert's home. This was my home throughout my childhood and up until the time I was married.
I began school at the Jefferson School. Shortly after starting school, during a recess period some children and I were playing by climbing on an inoperative drinking fountain and jumping off. As I was about to jump, my toe caught on one of the pipes and I dove off onto my head. I was "knocked out" and did not regain consciousness until I was part way home, being carried by my brother, Lambert. I can verify that when you are knocked out, you do hear whistles and bells.
In the years of my childhood, a curfew whistle would sound at 9:00 p.m. every night, a time for all children to be home. It would also sound on holidays or other special occasions. One day the curfew sounded incessantly for hours. Being curious, some friends and I went to the origination of the sound, which was the D&RG Railroad yards at 4th South and 6th West. We went up on the viaduct which spanned the railroad yard and became interested in the activity of the railroad equipment. One engine, puffing black smoke, approached the viaduct where we were standing. As it passed under us, we started to run to the other side of the viaduct to see it emerge. We were oblivious of the automobile traffic; and the next thing I knew, I was flying through the air, having been hit by a car. I got up on my feet about 20 feet away, a little shaken but feeling unhurt. However, that was not a fact, since I had broken the headlight on the car and the glass had put a gash in my left elbow. The driver took me to the emergency hospital, where they treated my wound; however to this day I still carry a "golf club" shaped scar on my left elbow to remind me of the day Charles A. Lindberg landed in Paris after making the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
Most of my father's family lived in Morgan County in Porterville, Richville or Morgan City. Consequently, most of our outings were made to that area.
One summer, while visiting our cousins in Porterville, my brother, Lambert, and I were helping to bring the hay down from the dry farm. The rack was loaded and ready for the trip to the barn. I had been tromping the hay and was going to stay on the wagon and ride down. As the wagon crossed through a small ditch, it lurched and overturned. The driver jumped clear, but I went over with the hay and was buried under it.
There was quite a little excitement and activity. They didn't dare use the pitch forks for fear of sticking me. After frantically removing hay with their bare hands, they uncovered me. Fortunately I had landed face down in a dry ditch so that little of the weight of the hay rested on me. Everyone was relieved to find me safe and unhurt.
I had several pets, one of which was a smell white spitz dog. Of course, he was named "Whitey." On one occasion we had been visiting our relatives in Porterville. We had persuaded Father to let "Whitey" go with us. The open fields, the birds and squirrels were very appealing to him, and he spent many hours running and exploring. When it was time to return home, Whitey could not be found, so we had to leave without him. As we started down the road I could see Whitey following the car. Father thought that the country would be a better place for the dog and would not stop for him. Several days later Whitey showed up at home, tired, but as happy to see us as se were to see him. However, our joy was short lived, since about two days later he was hit by a car end killed.
We had several cats, but one was special to me. He was all black except for a smell white patch on his chest and white paws, giving him the appearance of wearing a black suit and a white shirt. His name? "Blackie," of course. I taught him to jump for food. He could jump as high as I could hold a scrap of food, and snatch from between my fingers with unerring accuracy. I also taught him to jump onto my shoulder. One dark night, as I was returning from a Mutual meeting, I was frightened half to death, when Blackie leaped on my shoulder while I was still some distance from home.
There are some things that I did in my youth that I am not proud of and that my parents would not have approved - such things as hooking rides on the back step of the street cars or on the freight trains that passed at the back of our yard. We would play in the brickyard and heckle the workmen by pulling the bottom pipe from a stack. We would dig underground tunnels and smoke cigarettes made of cedar bark. Fortunately, I outgrew those things and have duly repented.
The year 1929 was a memorable year, as it was the beginning of the "Great Depression." My father was one of the lucky ones who did not lose his job; however his salary was drastically reduced. A neighbor, Joseph Degraw, was unemployed. Earlier in his life he had been a farmer. The government was offering free seed potatoes. He applied for seed and arranged for the plowing of a vacant field across the street from our house. With the help of neighbors and ward members, the seed was cut and planted. The city furnished water from the fire hydrant, the crop matured, and an abundant harvest was forthcoming. Under the direction of our Stake President, Harold B. Lee, the potato plot became a stake project.
Allied Builders had contracted to tear down an old building, and they offered to give the lumber to the stake in exchange for the labor of razing the building. A large pit was dug at 6th South and 7th West, and a roof was made from the salvaged lumber, thus providing a storage place for the potato crop. From this humble start the Church Welfere Program was born, and I can say that I was there and contributed a small part.
In my teen years, I attended South Junior High School at 13th South and State Street and continued on to high school, graduating from West High.
Some time during this time, I began to be aware of the girls. My sensitivity to wearing glasses and my crossed eyes had caused me to develop an inferiority complex.
Mother had noticed my problem, and she took me to a young eye specialist, Dr. E. B. Fairbanks. Arrangements were made for surgery to straighten my eyes. The doctor felt that a more successful operation could be accomplished if I were awake to respond; consequently, the surgery was performed using a local anesthetic. In all my life, before or since, I have never been subjected to a more tormented ordeal. The eye was pulled out its socket and clamped. Although I could feel very little pain, I could see the surgical instruments approaching my eye but was unable to move or close my eye. I literally sweat blood. The muscle was cut and stitched to a new location on the one side, and a tuck made to shorten the muscle on the other side. My eyes were bandaged, and I remained in darkness for two weeks. When the bandages were removed, my eyes were straight. Cosmetically the operation was a success; but optically I had spent too many years ignoring the vision of my left eye and have never been able to focus on an image with both eyes.
My new physical appearance improved my ego, and I no longer felt self-conscious about my eyes. I began to be involved in social affairs. I became interested in dancing, and with friends I attended numerous church and community dances.
My cousin, Glen Porter, a farm boy from Morgan, wanted to try city life. He came to Salt Lake and lived with us for a while. We became close friends and would go to church, to games, dances, and socials together. We often went to Covey's Coconut Grove.
At one of these dances he met a girl, Bernice Peterson, who was an excellent dancer. He tried to find me to introduce her to me but could not find me. The following Monday was the 24th of July, so we double dated with Bernice and her friend Ellen Fredrickson. Glen took Bernice. We continued dating these two girls for some time. Both Glen and I preferred dancing with Bernice, so that a little rivalry developed. Glen returned to the farm, leaving the field clear for me, except for frequent visits on weekends.
At this time I had no steady employment, since these were the later years of the "Great Depressions."
My sister, Faith, and her husband, Ross Partridge, had moved to Portland, Oregon. I decided to go there to try to find employment, my Bishop, on hearing I was about to leave home, asked me if I would accept a mission call. I agreed, and later received a call to the northwestern states, which had its headquarters at Portland, the city where my sister lived.
Although Bernice and I had been dating quite steadily, we thought it wise to make no commitments, since I felt it would be unfair for her to give up dancing and dating for two years.
I entered the mission home on November 5, 1934 and was set apart for my mission by the famous J. Golden Kimball. I arrived at my mission headquarters on November 16, 1934 and was permitted to stay overnight at the home of my sister, Faith.
I was assigned to labor in the Puget Sound district and was sent to Bellingham, Washington where they were holding a district conference. I was met at the railroad station by a couple of missionaries, and was taken directly to a street corner where other missionaries were holding a street meeting. After a song and a prayer, the elder conducting the meeting said, "We have a new elder, directly from the headquarters of the Church. He will have the latest word from there and will be able to answer all your questions. Elder Lyman Porter will be our first speaker." By this time a small crowd had assembled; and, as I began to speak, a man walking by said, "Mormons - dehorn them." Another person asked how many wives I had. The questions came so fast I could not have answered them if I had known the answers. Then the audience began to laugh and was introduced to me as the missionaries of the Puget Sound District.
I spent a few days in Bellingham in Branch and Missionary conferences. I received my first assignment to labor in Seattle in the Ballard area. My companion was Merrill Bunker. The government locks were at Ballard. The locks would allow boats to go from the sea level of Puget Sound into Lake Union and Lake Washington, which were 20 to 30 feet above sea level or from the lakes to the Sound. A lock consisted of two water gates. A typical operation for a boat going from the lake into the Sound would be as follows:. The gate nearest to the Sound would be closed and the gate nearest to the lake would be opened, so that the level of the water in the lock would be at the lake level. The boat would enter the lock, and the "Lake" gate would be closed. The water in the lock would be drained, lowering the boat to sea level. The "Sound" gate would them be opened, and the boat would sail out into the Sound. For a boat coming in the process would be reversed, with the water from the lake filling the lock to raise the boat to lake level.
We spent the winter in Ballard, where I had some eye-opening experiences in tracting and conversing with people who were more versed in the scriptures than the green missionary who had heard only the "Mormon" point of view. The study and prayer prompted by these experiences led to my conversion and a stronger testimony of the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
While in Seattle, we would occasionally hold a street meeting on Seattle's "skid row," the only place where they were permitted. There were always hecklers, and the only value of the meetings was to give us experience in spontaneous replies. On one occasion a bystander asked, "Who is this Jesus Christ?" The elder speaking replied, "The Son of God." The questioner asked, "Who is God?" The elder replied, "The Father of Jesus Christ." Another question followed, "Who is God's Father?" After a moment's thought, the elder replied, "Jesus Christ's Grandfather."
In the spring I was assigned to another Companion, J. Cwynne Millward, and we were assigned to work in the Aberdeen-Hoquium area on the Olympic Peninsula. This area has the greatest rainfall in the United States, and at times we were isolated, with 20 feet of water over some sections of the highway. We had very little success in this area, so were transferred to the Spokane district. My companion here was the district President, Fenton Sharp.
In Spokane I had opportunities to speak in the branch, hold cottage meetings, conduct primaries and to sing on various occasions.
On June 23rd, 1935 my sister, Faith, and her husband, Ross, were killed in an automobile accident in Portland. They left three small children orphans - Richard, John and Shirley.
After conferring with my parents and the mission president, it was determined advisable that I remain in the mission field and not attend the funerals. I spent about a month laboring in Sandpoint, Idaho, after which I was transferred to Butte, Montana. We had some very unique experiences there.
Shortly after arriving in Butte, my companion and I traveled to Dillon on some mission business. On returning, we were hitchhiking. One car took us a short distance out into the country. It was just sundown. As we stood waiting for another ride, we were surrounded by a swarm of mosquitoes. I have never seen so many or such hungry ones. We swatted, we ran; but nothing helped. I am sure that they would have driven us mad, but, providentially, two drunken sheepherders, on their way to a night in town, picked us up and saved our sanity.
Three elders and I rented the large basement room in the Montana Hotel, which, because of its size, became a gathering place for both missionaries and branch members.
We suffered through several weeks of sub-zero weather with the thermometer registering -58° for several days. Then a phenomenon called a "Chinook" - a warm wind began to blow, and within hours the snow melted and the weather became like spring.
While in that area we also experienced the earthquake that devastated much of Helena, Montana.
In the spring I was moved back to the Puget Sound district. We held Cottage Meetings with a Catholic family named Sheldon. The son was attending a Catholic school and was planning to become a priest. He would not come into our meetings. The father was very nice but was not interested. The mother alone was serious, and we later baptized her. These circumstances led to an interesting story that we heard years later after I had returned home and was married. Sister Sheldon came down to Conference and attended our missionary reunion. At that time she was president of the Young women's M.I.A. She told us that her husband had died and that the son who was going to be a Catholic priest had joined our church, and while in the armed services, had brought his sweetheart to Salt Lake in hopes of having me perform their marriage ceremony. Unfortunately, at that time, I had been working on the East Coast, so he had been unable to locate me. I have since heard that he has served in the bishopric of his ward.
While in the Seattle area, I made a trip to the mission headquarters in Portland. While there, Mr. Stephen Peterson came to the mission office to find my address. They were on vacation in the Northwest and were hoping to pay me a visit. They were surprised to find me in Portland. No amount of explanation could convince the missionaries that the meeting was not prearranged. The mission president permitted me to travel back to Seattle with them by way of Vancouver, B.C. I enjoyed the trip and a reunion with Bernice, but was never able to live down what appeared to be a planned meeting.
I was released from my mission in November, 1936. I recall my disappointment in returning to the bleak, cold landscape of Utah in contrast to the lush greenery of the Northwest, and my disappointment of my expected reception "as a conquering hero returned from battle." I soon returned to normal reality at home. I was called to be Elder's Quorum President and Secretary of the Stake Young Men's Mutual.
I lost little time getting back to dances, and dancing was synonymous with Bernice. We attended dances, parties and picnics together; but still made no commitments to each other. For some reason that I can't recall, we stopped seeing each other for several month, during which time we dated others. I realized I wasn't having as much fun, so I called her and we began dating again. We realized our happiness was dependent on being together, and shortly thereafter we were married in the Logan temple, September 14, 1939. My former mission president, Joseph Quinney, was at the time Temple President, and he officiated at our marriage. After a short honeymoon, we moved into our first home at 348 East 17th South in Salt Lake.
Early one morning, shortly after our marriage, we received e phone call from Mother. She told us to hurry home, as Dad had had a heart attack and was unconscious on the kitchen floor. We arrived at the house as quickly as we could and lifted dad onto a couch in the kitchen. We were intent on reviving him and were not aware that Mother had left the room. Dot missed her and went looking for her. She found that she had gone back to bed and had passed away. The excitement and exertion had been too great, and she had suffered a fatal heart attack. We buried her on Easter Day, March 24, 1940, one of the earliest Easters in history. Dad recovered and lived nine more years. He died May 13, 1949.
On the evening of May 25, 1943 it became evident that our first child was about to make his entrance into this world. We drove to the L.D.S. Hospital, where Bernice endured ten hours in labor. I sat by her side through the night. The morning of May 26th she was taken into the delivery room, and shortly thereafter Dr. Cornwall informed me that we were parents of a healthy boy. I wept for joy and thanked the Lord for the well being of both my wife and son. We named him Lynn Karl. Four years later on May 20, 1947 our second son, Robin Kerry, was born.
Work is one of the major parts of a person's life; therefore, I must devote a portion of my story to that subject.
In my early youth I earned my first money by picking fruit in Bountiful during the summer vacations. My father worked at Zellerbeck Paper Company, and at times would take me to work with him to help in stocking paper products and filling orders. As time went by and I proved of some value, my Uncle Will Lambert, who was manager of the paper company, paid me a pittance for my efforts.
I became interested in printing and purchased a small 3" by 5" platen printing press from the Kelsey Company. With a friend, Wayne DeGraw, I started a printing business, the "P.D.Q." Printing (Porter, DeGraw Quality.) We earned a few dollars printing letterheads, handbills, business cards, and imprinting greeting cards. Through the effort of my friend Wayne, I was employed by the Mitchell Tailors as a delivery boy. Mitchell's was a very exclusive and expensive tailoring firm, and I delivered suits to many influential people - judges, doctors, lawyers and church leaders.
Early in my youth I was intrigued with electricity. I enrolled in a correspondence school, the L.L. Cooke School of Electricity, and after about 18 months I received a diploma for completion of the course. As I gained knowledge, I repaired electrical appliances, rewired lighting fixtures, and did general wiring and installations. I worked for several months as an electrician apprentice for Eardley Electric Co. It was at this time that I received my call to fulfill a mission in the Northwestern States Mission, as I discussed previously. Of course, the mission involved work, but the reward was not monetary.
After returning from my mission, my first job was with Z.C.M.I. I was hired as temporary help for the "May Sale." I was assigned to a department where card tables were on sale. As a table was purchased, it was given to me to be wrapped. This seemed to me to be inefficient, so as time permitted, I inspected each table in stock, then prewrapped and labeled them so that the customer could get the table without waiting. This initiative impressed the department head, who recommended that I be made a permanent employee. I was assigned to customer parking for a weekend then went to work in the Z.C.M.I. Wholesale Hardware as an invoice clerk.
I was working at Z.C.M.I. Wholesale Hardware at the time of my marriage, and I was attending classes at night to complete my schooling in Electrical Engineering. Hill Field was being built, and I applied for a job. I was hired as a general mechanic helper. Building was still in process, and there was very little work on aircraft. I became bored with the inactivity and began searching for something to do. The control tower and flight hanger was in operation, so I contacted the foreman there. He put me to work making flight line repair and communication equipment checks. This was the start of my career as a flight test electrician. In this position I spent hundreds of hours flying in military aircraft making in-flight tests. In the following three years I advanced to senior flight test electrician and supervisor of the radio and electrical department. A friend of mine had taken a position with the Raytheon Manufacturing Co. in Massachusetts as a field engineer, and he suggested that this would be a good job for me. I applied for the position and was quickly accepted. At this time all able-bodied men were being inducted into the armed services for World War II. Because of the importance of my work at Hill Field, I had been deferred from active military service. However, when I requested a release from my position at Hill Field, I was placed in an "available for duty" status. Just prior to this time, our first child, Lynn had been born, and I was reluctant to leave my family for military service. On leaving the selective service office, I met a friend whom I had worked with in the Stake M.I.A. During our conversation, I mentioned my problem. He told me that he was working on the War Manpower Commission and thought he might be able to help me. Through his effort, my case was reviewed; and it was determined that my new position as a field engineer on navy radar would be of more value to the war effort than service in the armed forces.
In January 1945, I left my wife and son and reported to my new position in Waltham, Massachusetts. I had hoped to be reassigned to the West Coast after an intensive training course on the specialized equipment; but I was assigned to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. My work was to oversee and test the installation of my company's equipment on Navy Vessels that were being built in that area. On completion of a ship, it was my duty to go on the initial test cruise to test the equipment under operating conditions. I had many interesting experiences on these test cruises.
Bernice and Lynn had flown back to Philadelphia. We stayed at the Ben Franklin Hotel for several weeks, and then we leased a lovely home near the outskirts of the city.
About this time the work had been completed on one of the ships I had worked on. I was requested to go on the test cruise. This necessitated leaving my family alone in a strange city. The cruise, as scheduled, left Philadelphia, sailed down the Delaware River into the Atlantic Ocean. A speed and maneuverability test was made, and the ship sailed into Chesapeake Bay for an armament test and a degaussing run, then it was to continue to the Caribbean and through the Panama Canal into the Pacific Ocean where it would proceed to active duty. At Panama City I would have been put ashore to fly back to Philadelphia. This all was very exciting to a "land lubber" like me. All went well until the armament test when they started firing the five-inch guns. The shock caused the radar equipment to malfunction. I worked through the night to remedy the fault, then with the equipment operating satisfactorily. I requested permission to be put ashore to return to my wife and son.
The nearest place was a resort town, but it was too early in the season and the resort was not open. The Captain's boat was lowered and a ladder dropped over the side. Each time the ship would roll, the ladder would swing out over the water. The Captain's boat would try to maneuver so that the ladder and the boat would be at the same place at the same time, so that I could step into the boat. When I finally made it into the boat, the ship's crew, who were lined up along the side to watch gave me a round of applause.
I was landed on an isolated pier, and since the only bus had already departed, I was left to hitchhike to Baltimore. At Baltimore I boarded a train to return to Philadelphia and my family.
While in Philadelphia, Fred and Erna Atkinson and their son Ricky visited with us. We all drove down to Washington D.C. On other occasions we were able to visit Gettysburg, Atlantic City, and other points of interest in the area.
I was given the responsibility for installation of the Raytheon Radar equipment on a new aircraft carrier "The Princeton," which was being built to replace the original Princeton that had been sunk in action. The ship was nearing completion at a shipyard in Camden, New Jersey. It was later moved to the Navy Yard at Philadelphia. About this time World War II was ended on "VJ" Day after the atomic bombing of Japan. It was nearly impossible to return home through town due to the boisterous celebration.
My sister Dot and her husband Butch came to visit us, and at the conclusion of their visit we decided to accompany them home to Salt Lake in their car. After a short stay in Salt Lake, I returned to Philadelphia, but Bernice and Lynn remained in Salt Lake. I obtained a room in a boarding house near the chapel in West Philadelphia.
With the ending of the war, the field-engineering group was drastically reduced; however, I was retained and was assigned to work with the Design Engineering Department at Waltham, Mass.
A missionary with whom I had become acquainted had completed his mission and was returning to Salt Lake. I decided to take some leave and drive him home. After a short visit I flew to Waltham. Ray Schmidt, another field engineer, and I were given the project of designing a lightweight oscilloscope/syncroscope for field test equipment.
I found a house in Waltham on Plymton Street; and Lynn, Bernice, and her brother Van drove back from Salt Lake to Waltham to join me. On completion of our project, the company sold the rights for manufacturing to the Millen Company, a builder of electronic test instruments and equipment. The Waltham assignment was temporary, pending a more permanent field assignment. I was offered a position in Houston, Texas to service and maintain Raytheon Radar equipment on oil company ships - tankers, exploration and offshore drilling vessels. After some thoughtful consideration, we decided that I should resign my position with Raytheon and return to Salt Lake to find employment.
I soon found a job at Thompson Flying Service at the Salt Lake Airport. This offered the challenge to institute an aircraft radio and electrical accessory test and repair facility from the ground up.
We had been staying with Bernice's parents, who had taken over our home at 348 East 17th South, and we now found a house on the "avenues" at 186 J St. While living there, our second son, Robin Kerry, was born. I remained at Thompsons for ten years and felt the need for new horizons.
I made a brief change by accepting a position with the Orange Trucking Company but knew in less than a week that I would not be happy with that job. I would have had to join the Machinist's Union and learned quickly that I would lose some precious freedoms. I returned to Thompson's for a short time with all the material advantages I would have gained on the new position.
I later applied for a position with Sperry Utah Engineering Laboratory - a new company with a government contract to design and build the guidance system for the Sergeant Guided Missile. On November 12, 1956 I joined the Sperry Utah Engineering Laboratory as a telemetry technician. I worked for two years on the design and construction of a ground telemetry station for White Sands Missile Range. On this project I had to work in close conjunction with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California and made many trips to J.P.L. and also to White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. While working at White Sands we would live at E1 Paso, Texas. I operated the ground telemetry station for numerous missile test firings, and my family was able to be with me at E1 Paso on several occasions.
I was promoted to Test Engineer and was responsible for establishing the Telemetry Data Reduction facilities at Salt Lake. Upon completion of the Data Lab, I supervised the reduction and publication of the Sergeant Missile preflight and flight test data.
Later I assisted in the development and installation of a closed circuit television system at Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral (NASA.) Bernice accompanied me to Florida, and we were able to see a great deal of the state and to take a cruise to the Bahama Islands. We also witnessed several of the manned space flight launchings.
On returning from Florida, I was assigned to the Reliability Department to investigate and analyze problems in missile control systems. As I have previously indicated, there was quite a little travel relating to the performance of my duties. A complete itinerary of these travels follows:
From To Location Purpose Comp.
12/11/57 12/21/57 E1 Paso, Texas Install tale. station
1/12/58 1/21/58 E1 Paso, Texas Install tale. station
2/9/58 2/16/58 E1 Paso, Texas Install tale. station
12/7/58 12/10/58 E1 Paso, Texas JPL Liason Gnd. Inst.
12/14/58 12/17/58 Pasadena, Calif. JPL Liason Gnd. Inst.
2/18/59 2/21/59 Pasadena, Calif. JPL Liason Cnd. Inst.
3/24/59 3/29/59 Pasadena, Calif. Operation of Jupiter van Bernice
4/26/59 4/29/59 Pasadena, Calif. R.F. interference test
7/13/59 7/26/59 Pasadena, Calif. Digital Tele. Bernice, Lynn, Robin
8/21/59 9/12/59 San Pedro, Cal. Ransom Research Lab
9/8/59 9/12/59 San Pedro, Cal. Accept Ransom D/A conv.
9/14/59 9/14/59 Pasadena, Calif. Flight Analysis meeting
12/7/59 12/8/59 Pasadena, Calif. Flight Analysis Meeting
6/15/64 6/25/64 E1 Paso, Texas Sgt. Test Firing Bernice
3/1/65 3/13/65 E1 Paso, Texas Sgt. Test Firing Bernice, Robin
6/9/55 6/16/65 Socorro, N.~. Sgt. Test Firing
7/4/65 7/29/65 E1 Paso, Texas Sgt. Test Firing Bernice, Lynn, Robin
8/2/~5 8/5/65 E1 Paso, Texas Sgt. Test Firing
10/15/65 2/22/65 Cocoa Beach, Fla. CCTV Install. Cape Canaveral Bernice
In March of 1972 I transferred to the Communications and Terminals Division. This division was responsible for the designing and building of peripheral equipment, or in other words, the input and output devices for commercial electronic computers. My work was with the Support Engineering group. This work entailed investigation and resolution of problems that might arise in the company's products. I was assigned to the Change Control Board as vice chairman. In this capacity I established the agenda for the weekly board meetings where all proposed changes and problems were discussed, end the resulting impact on production and delivery of the products determined, and also what effect they would have on products in the field. Following the meeting I would compile and publish the minutes of the meeting. I developed a computer routine to accomplish the major part of this assignment. Other duties were as follows: cognizant engineer for the line printer products, maintaining product integrity in regards to safety and company and industry standards, Salt Lake representative on the company-wide Documentation Standard Committee. In the latter assignment, I was required to travel to other company locations. A list of these trips is as follows:
From To Location Purpose
10/16/72 10/19/72 Rosevtlle, Minn. Documentation Standard Mtg.
4/30/73 5/4/73 Utica, N.Y. Documentation Standard Mtg.
9/17/73 9/20/73 Bristol, Tenn. Documentation Standard Mtg.
7/15/74 7/18/74 Utica, N.Y. Documentation Standard Mtg.
10/27/74 10/31/74 Rosevllie, Minn. Documentation Standard Mtg.
7/21/75 7/25/74 Bristol, Tenn. Documentation Standard Mtg.
4/5/76 12/12/76 Fort Wash., Pa. Documentation Standard Mtg.
11/30/76 12/12/76 Cupertino, Calif. Product Safety Meeting
6/20/77 6/24/77 Montreal,Canada Document Standard meeting
Soon after returning from my mission, the ward offered me the opportunity to take a Music Conducting Class at the McCune School of Music. J. Spencer Cornwall was the instructor. At this time he was the conductor of the Salt Lake Mormon Tabernacle Choir. At the conducting class, part of the training was to take turns in conducting a choir, which consisted of all the other participants in the class. Following one of the classes, Brother Cornwall asked me to remain after the class. He asked me to sing for him; and after I had sung for him, he asked if I had ever considered joining the Tabernacle Choir. At that moment I made my consideration in the affirmative and was invited to report at the Choir rehearsal on Thursday night. This was the beginning of a long and eventful musical career. (March 1937 to April 1977)
Shortly after joining the Choir, I participated in my first concert trip. During the following 39 years I sang with the choir in over 1900 weekly national radio broadcasts, participated in two presidential inaugurations, (the first in 1965 for Lyndon B. Johnson and in 1969 for Richard M. Nixon.) On five occasions I visited the White House and have been personally presented to President and Mrs. Dwight Eisenhower, President and Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson, and President and Mrs. Richard Nixon. I accompanied the choir on 29 concert tours and recorded 35 record albums. Three of the albums received the "Gold Record Award" for selling over one million albums; and our recording of the Battle Hymn of the Republic received the Grammy Award, the highest honor given by the Recording Arts.
President David O. McKay said, "The Tabernacle Choir is the greatest missionary force in the Church. Most of the members felt the importance of this calling, and many doors were opened for the missionaries end many conversions were made as a result of the Choir's influence. I was priveleged to have Bernice accompany me on ten of the concert tours.
Following is a tabulation of concert tours of which I was privileged to be a part:
1937 - a trip by train to Sun Valley, Idaho
1941 - to Los Angeles, Hollywood Bowl, and to San Francisco. This was shortly
after my marriage, and Bernice was able to accompany me.
1947 - We were invited to San Bernadino to participate in their centennial celebration. Bernice again accompanied me. The choir was billeted in the homes of the local residents.
1955 - Our great European tour. Bernice was with me. We traveled by train
to Montreal, where we boarded the S. S. Saxonia, a new Cunard Line ship. We arrived in Greenock, Scotland on August lg after a very pleasant five days in crossing. We sew icebergs and a gorgeous display of the Northern Lights. We were met at the dock tn Greenock by President David O. McKay and Sister McKey. We presented concerts in Glascow, Edinburgh, ~enchester and London, and visited Loch Lomand, Edinburgh Castle, Hollywood Castle, Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace. A concert was given at Cardiff, Wales and we participated in the ground breaking ceremony of the London Temple at New Chapel, officiated by President McKay.
After crossing the English Channel, we traveled by train to Brussels, Belgium, then by bus to Amsterdam, Holland, traveling through Antwerp, Rotterdam and the Hague enroute.
We visited Volendam and Marken Island, where the inhabitants wear the old proverbial outfits and wooden shoes.
We presented concerts in Amsterdam and Scheveningen, a North Seas beech resort.
Leaving Holland we traveled by train and ferry boat to Copenhagen, Denmark, passing through Northern Germany enroute. We met the mother-in-law of Bernice's brother, Charles, in Copenhagen. We sang in Copenhagen and spent an afternoon at Tivoli Gardens, after an open
air concert there. We retraced our journey back to Northern Germany, and after an apprehensive trip through the "Iron Curtain" we arrived in Berlin. The "Iron Curtain" is a zone created following World War II which was governed and policed by the Russian Army. Russian soldiers boarded our train, and, after checking our passports, they rode with us to escort us through the zone.
At the station in Berlin, we had a very emotional experience - the strains of "Come, Come, Ye Saints" echoed through the station es we entered. A large group of German Saints had assembled to welcome us. Although we had fought against each other in the war just e few years pest, the greet feeling of love bridged any enmity - we were all brothers and sisters in the gospel.
There were two Berlins- West Berlin - industrious, rebuilding the devastation of war. The people were friendly end happy. Then there was East Berlin - separated from the west with a tall stone wall and a barbed wire buffer zone. There the renovation was only a facade - the people seemed unhappy and donimated by the Russian influence. We were allowed to visit but had to remain in the buses except at the Memorial Park commemorating the Russian victory. On leaving Berlin, we experienced a touching farewell - Choir members and German saints hugging each other and singing "God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again."
On then to Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, Heidelberg, singing concerts at each city and then Freiburg, Ruedesheim end through the Black Forest into Switzerland.
At Bern the Choir took pert in the dedicatory service of the Swiss Temple. This was a very impressive experience, with President David O. McKay offering the dedicatory prayer.
Leaving Bern, we stopped at Lucerne and Interlaken; then proceeded to Zurich where we presented a concert.
Boarding a train at Zurich, we rolled into France and our official tour's end - Paris. After a visit to Versailles and a final concert at "La Palais De Chaillot" in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, the choir disbanded, with some extending their tour to other countries, some sailing on the Queen Elizabeth, and some flying home. We remained in Paris for an additional week, seeing many of its outstanding attractions. One memory, not soon to be forgotten, was Bernice's bout with food poisoning. We had been sight-seeing and shopping and had purchased some delicious-looking French pastries. 8arnica had one piled high with whipped cream. On returning to our hotel she became violently t11. We felt so alone in a stran9e land, not speaking the language and feeling we had no one to turn to. I located another choir member, and we administered to 8amice. I learned of one of the choir doctors who had stayed in Paris. In talking to him on the phone, he prescribed two teaspoons of paregoric. In my excitement, I misunderstood, and I gave her two tablespoons full. In a short while she fell asleep and did not waken throughout the next day. The morning of the second day she awoke, feeling good, and we were able to enjoy the remainder of our stay in Paris.
We left Paris by boat-train and boarded our ship, the S. S. Sameria at Le Havre. We had planned to go to New York on our way home and had arranged to see some shows while there and then to fly home with some of the other choir members. However, we had received word from home that our boys had been sick and were missing us, so we 9ave our show tickets away and continued on home on the train with the main group.
The day we arrived home, we received news that the plane carrying Choir members, the plane we would have been on, had crashed on King Peak just short of reaching the Salt Lake Valley. We were saddened by the news, but thankful that we had changed our plans.
1956 - We traveled to Denver by train and presented two concerts and a 5unday National broadcast in the "Red Rocks" - a beautiful outdoor amphitheater.
Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, Massachusetts, and Toronto, Canada and Illinois. While in Philadelphia we made recordings with the Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestra and in New York presented e concert in the renowned Carnegie Hall - the ultimate aim for all musicians.
On this tour we were invited to visit President and Mrs. Dwight Etsenhower at the White 1958 -The choir embarked on a concert tour to Kansas, Michigan, Washington D.C., House, where we were individually introduced to them in the Red Room.
1959 - The choir was invited to perform at the All-American Award Presentation Program in Hollywood, where we were awarded the "Grammy" for the best choral recording - "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," which we had recorded with the Philadelphia Orchestra the year before. The "Grammy" is the highest honor given by the recording arts.
1962 - We flew to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, where we participated tn the first international telecast via "Telestar" satellite. That same year we went to Seattle, Washington to the World's Fair, visitin9 Vancouver, B.C. enroute.
1963 - We returned to the Hollywood 8owl for a concert, another tn San Francisco, and then participated tn the Cornerstone Laying ceremony for the Oakland Temple.
1964 - This wes called the Great Eastern Tour. Bernice accompanied me on this trip. We visited the following citiesl Houston, New Orleans, Atlanta, Washington D.C., New York, Rochester, Palmyra, Cleveland, Kirtland, Milwaukee, Minneapolis. We sang concerts in the major cities, visited the White House in Washington D.C., where we were presented to "Lady Bird" Johnson end were guests at a reception in the White House.
We attended the World's Fair in New York, visited the Sacred Grove, Joseph Smith's farm, Martin Harris's home and saw the Pageant at Hill Cumorah while in Palmyra. We made a trip to the Kirtland Temple while in Cleveland.
The choir also went to Las Vegas, Nevada to celebrate their Centennial that same year.
1965 - Washington D.C. again in January to participate in the Inauguration of President Lyndon B. Johnson. We visited the White House again and were introduced personally to the President and Mrs. Johnson and attended a reception there.
1967 - Expo '67 in Montreal. Bernice was able to 9ø with me. We also 9ave concerts in Omaha, Chautagua, Saratoga Springs, Attleboro, Detroit and Tulsa. At Saratoga Springs we were joined by the Philadelphia Orchestra and Eugene Ormandy tn presenting Handel's "Messiah."
At Attleboro, Massachusetts we sang to our largest audience - approximately 30,000. We were sponsored by the 8alfour Jewelry manufacturing Co. and each of the men was presented gold nugget cuff links and each of the women a necklace. (This included partners.)
Earlier in the year the choir returned to the "Red Rocks" near Denver to participate on the Bell Telephone Broadcast of Handel's "messiah." lg68 - The choir was invited to perform at the "Hemlsfair" at San Antonio, Texas. Following that we continued on to mexico City, and on returning visited Dallas.
1969 - This year began with participation at the Presidential Inauguration of Richard m. Nixon. Later a trip to Toronto, Canada for the Canadian National Exposition, and still another trip to San Diego for their BiCentennial
1970 - We traveled to the South for the South Carolina Tri-Centennial and visited Washington, D.C. and the White House at the request of President Nixon.
1971 - Another visit in the South to Nashville, Tennessee and Louisville, Kentucky. At Christmas time we were invited to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Christmas Tree Lighting at the White House Grounds. We performed in a drenching rainstorm. Following the ceremony we were given a reception in the White House.
1972 - Bernice accompanied me on s trip to Mexico City, where we stayed et the beautiful Hotel Camino Real. We participated in the Church's first Area Conference, which was in Mexico City. We also presented a con-
cert. We visited the Pyramids and the National Museum of Anthropology.
1973 - Again Bernice went with me on a European trip. For the first time the choir was able to fly together in one airplane - a 747. We flew to Munich, Germany for another Area Conference and concerts at Munich, Oberammergau, (the setting for the Passion Play), France and England. We also made a trip to Salzburg, Austria.
1974 - The choir pmrticipated in the World's Fair at Spokane, Washington, then later the choir and their partners spent a couple of days at Pocatello, Idaho, where the choir sang in the Mtnidome.
1975 - The choir traveled to Calgary and Edmunton, Canada where we presented concerts. Later we were invited to sing at the dedication of the Visitor Canter at the Washington, D.C. Temple. While in Washington, we presented a concert in the Kennedy Art Center.
1976 - The Bicentennial Year - we presented concerts throughout Utah, accompanied by the Utah Symphony Orchestra. Bernice was able to accompany me on this tour. We visited and presented concerts in Logan, 09den, Provo, Menti and in Zions Park near St. George.
Following the Utah tour the choir flew to Philadelphia where we joined the Philadelphia Orchestra to present e concert at the Robin Hood Dell. Then on to Boston on the Amtrak train for a concert and to participate at the Million Dollar Round Table Convention. We flew back to New York for a concert in Carnegie Hail. Leaving New York on Amtrek, we proceeded to Washington, D.C. where we participated in the Bicentennial Celebration in the "Mall" which is the area between Lincoln memorial end the Capitol Building. We also presented a concert in the Kennedy Art
Center. (The crowd on the "Mall" wes estimated at over a million people.)
1977 - On April 10, 1977 in accordance with the choir's new retirement policy, I was released during the choir luncheon at the Hotel Utah Grand Ballroom.
Although my career with the Tabernacle Choir was terminated at this time, I did not retire from choral music. In lg78 I joined ú chorus which was conducted by Jay Welch, our former beloved, but short lived, Tabernacle Choir leader.
On Sunday, October 16, 1977 I had experienced an unusual, uncomfortable feeling during the day. At Sacrament Meeting, as ward clerk, I had Just completed the count of those present. A dull pain had progressed up my left arm and across my chest, and I began to perspire. Bernice, seated in the choir, was watching me. I gave her a nod and we both got up and left the meeting without saying a word to anyone. We drove directly to the Lakeview Hospital where they checked me and took me immediately to intensive care. Dr. Phillip Bryson attended me and diagnosed my problem is a heart attack. I spent the next four days in intensive care and eight more days in a semiprivate room.
Bernice's nephew, Rex Craig Gold, who had a lovely condominium apartment in Honolulu, invited us to come there to convalesce. We, of course, accepted his invitation. We spent six enjoyable weeks there, from January 4th to February 19th, 1978. On returning, we spent several days in San Jose at the home of our son Robin. I returned to work February 22nd; and at 9:00 a.m., as I entered a board meeting, I tripped over a chair leg, cutting my lip, breaking a tooth, and bending my glasses. To make matters worse, I had an audience of my fellow board members.
On January 14, 1979, another Sunday, I recognized some of the symptoms of my first heart attack. After calling Dr. Bryson, my son Lynn took me to the Lakeview Hospital, where they immediately put me in intensive care. In addition to the heart problem, it was discovered that I had what they called adult diabetes. I was slated to be retired from my employment on April 1, 1979. My boss felt that I could use the remaining weeks to rest, and so I returned to work only on my retirement day to officially check out, and was feted at a retirement luncheon at which I was presented with a wallet and a cordless electric razor. The proverbial gold watch had previously been awarded at my 20th year with Sperry Univac in 1976.
