A Tribute

To Pioneers in Nuclear Energy

By M.C. Birdsong

June 26, 2012

I read in my comfy chair

on Knollcrest Circle North.

My optimism builds

As a nuclear promise rises

gradually from Georgia clay.

The critics and the curious

Spark fear and iodine sales.

The tv and the world wide web

obscure truth with unfettered abandon.

Behold Daichi: its myth

offends the summer eve.

Into this carbon air

where blind advisors invoke

their full strength to proclaim

rendered truth on Collective Man,

each nation, save a few,

pours its vain, dismal excuse.

Who can withstand the assault,

Oppressed by atomic fear?

The dream of the next great thing

knocks technology aside.

And the plunderbund smiles.

Accurate scholarship can

reveal the whole offense,

from Fermi until now,

that caused mankind’s dread,

and trust in algae, or

in things that do not fission.

The culture demands it.

Find what occurred in Japan,

I and the public must know,

what all school children learn:

the truth is better than

a dystopic sci-fi flick.

Confounded under the skies

Our world in stupor lies

Yet dotted everywhere,

Ironic nuclear plants of light

And nuclear plants-to-be

exchange their messages.

Empowered over the night,

God made nuclear energy

And It was good for all.

‘tho beset by deception,

this energy brings light and life.*

Who possesses the courage

To undo error bred in bone?

All I have is a voice

To undo the folded lie

The romantic lie in the brain

Of the sensual man-in-the street

And the lie of Authority.

Hunger allows no choice

to the citizen or party

Disease allows no choice.

And no one exists alone.

* Based upon W.H. Auden’s September 1, 1939

I.K. Abu-Shumays, U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program (Ret.) – Oceanside, CA

CDR Rod Adams, USN (Ret.) – Forest, VA

Olufemi Ajewole- Frederick, MD

Wade Allison - Keble College, University of Oxford, UK

Meredith Joan Angwin - Wilder, VT

Howard Arnold - Macatawa, MI

Julie Bachmann Kulik - Philadelphia, PA

Richard A. Bajura, – Morgantown, WV

Larry Baxter – Provo, UT

Denis Beller – Henderson, NV

Theodore Beresovski – Rockville, MD

John and Lisa Birdsong– Augusta, GA

Mary Claire Birdsong, “Thank you for inspiring me: ‘There is no place in the universe without radiation. Radiation is essential to Life. God created a highly radioactive world and pronounced it good.’ ”TR. – Augusta, GA

Tom Blees – Woodland, CA

Roger N. Blomquist, Captain USN (Ret.) – Naperville, IL

Charles E. Boardman – Saratoga, CA

Susan Brissette, Founder, Women in Nuclear Canada. – Kincardine, Ontario, Canada

Edgar T. Brooks - Prescott, AZ

Dave Bufalo– Denver, CO

Kevin T. Casey - Carlsbad, CA

Happy 90th Birthday, Dr. Rockwell From your Friends, Colleagues, Supporters, and those

you have inspired

I'm an engineer and an author. I like to stir up spirited discussions on important issues. Socially, I like to comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable. - Ted Rockwell

Paul D. Chamberlin - Littleton, CO

Yoon Chang, ANL (Ret.) - Naperville, IL

Bruno Comby, President of Environmentalists for Nuclear Energy – worldwide. - Houilles, France

Eugene Cramer, BETTIS Shippingport Production Test Facility, – San Clemente, CA

Gwyneth Cravens - East Hampton, NY

Jerry Cuttler, Acting President of Environmentalists for Nuclear Energy - Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

Frank D’Ascensio - Bethlehem, PA

Christopher Demetriou – Ottowa, IL

John Dendahl - Littleton, CO

John Droz, Jr. - Morehead City, NC

John Dudas, USN (Ret.) – Chino Valley, AZ

Lisa Dudas – Columbia, SC

John F. Elter – Latham, NY

Mohammed Fadous, Nuclear Engineering student. Jordan University of Science and Technology - Irbid, Jordan

Joseph A. Falcon, Past President, ASME – Los Angeles, CA

Amelia Frahm - Apex, NC

Willard C. (Bill) Gekler, “A favorite engineering quote, ‘Water has no cracks!’ In your excellent shielding manual.” – Los Alamitos, CA

Happy 90th Birthday, Dr. Rockwell From your Friends, Colleagues, Supporters, and those

you have inspired

God’s good green earth was created out of the radioactive waste products of the great nuclear reactions that spawned the galaxies and the planets. Life arose out of, and adapted to, a much higher level of natural radiation than exists today. - Ted Rockwell

Jerry Grandey - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Thomas Hafera, ASME – Mohnton, PA

Bob Hanfling - Denver, CO

William Hannum , ANL (Ret.) – Naperville, IL

Marjorie Mazel Hecht – Leesburg, VA

Laurence Hecht – Leesburg, VA

Bob Herzog, “A grateful citizen” – St Louis, MO

Nate Hurt , Past President ASME – Lake Havasu City, AZ

Bob Johannesen - Amarillo, TX

Reed Johnson , “Shielding Group at Electric Boat for startup and sea trials of the Nautilus (1954-55)” – Lancaster, VA

Leonard J. Koch, ASME, EBR II – Oro Valley, AZ

Kenneth Kok , ASME - Richland, WA

Greggory Laberge. Director Forensics and Evidence Division Denver Police Department. “Both Rickover’s leadership and Rockwell getting the story out extended the “Rickover Effect” to the world and is making America stronger.” – Denver, CO

Conrad Ladd, ASME – Centennial, CO

John W. Landis, Past President ANS – Roanoke, VA

David H. Lester – Fox Island, WA

Gary D. Lewis – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

H. Douglas Lightfoot – Baie D'Urfe, Quebec, Canada

Happy 90th Birthday, Dr. Rockwell From your Friends, Colleagues, Supporters, and those

you have inspired

The Navy has built 220 nuclear powered ships so far, and they have steamed over 145,000,000 miles, with no significant radiological incidents, no radiation deaths or injuries, and no detrimental environmental impact. - Ted Rockwell

Eric Loewen, Past President ANS. “Ted, Thank you for leading us to follow science not politics .” - Hampstead, NC

Donald E. Lutz – Sacramento, CA

Gerald E. Marsh, ANL (Ret.) - Chicago, IL

Joseph P. Martino – Sidney, OH

Felix Meissner – Windsor, CT

Dan Meneley, Past Chief Eng., AECL – Lakefield, Ontario, Canada

Scott Meyer – Chattanooga, TN

Joe Miller – Vienna, VA

Phillip O. Moor – Rockaway, NJ

Kate D. Oyster – Bridgeman, MI

Servais Pilate – Enghien, Belgium

Philip Pluta – Saratoga, CA

Dale Reaves – Golden, CO

Donald Riley, “Lived in Oak Ridge in 1945 when Ted was there. Happy Birthday Ted .” – Knoxville, TN

Duncan Robinson, President, North American – Young Generation in Nuclear, NA-YGN – Baltimore, MD

Dave and Sandy Rossin, Past President ANS. “Ted, stay as sharp as you are!” – University Park, FL

Ben Rouben – Toronto, ON, Canada

Happy 90th Birthday, Dr. Rockwell From your Friends, Colleagues, Supporters, and those

you have inspired

Energy is defined as “the capability to take action, to do work, to bring about change.” Access to energy is what distinguishes living organisms from non-living entities, and allows the organisms some control over their destinies. - Ted Rockwell

Robert E. Schenter – Hillsboro, OR

Ken Schultz – Leucadia, CA

John A. Shanahan – Denver, CO

Joseph M. Shuster – New Prague, MN

S. Fred Singer – Arlington, VA

Ben Slone – Maidens, VA

George S. Stanford, ANL (Ret.)– Downers Grove, IL

Willism R. Stratton, Former Chairman of Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards - Los Alamos, NM

Charles E. Till, ANL (Ret.) IFR – Idaho Falls, ID

Matthijs van den Engh – Thalwil, Switzerland

Edward A. Veek – Atascadero, CA

CDR Eugene B. Veek , USN (Ret.) – Prescott, AZ

Alan Waltar, Past President ANS. “Ted , I know of no other person with the combined technical expertise, passion for reason in the nuclear field, and gift of communication skills that you have. We need you for at least another 90 years!! Congratulations!!” – Peshastin, WA

VADM Eugene P. (Dennis) Wilkinson, USN (Ret) Initial Commanding Officer of USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear submarine. On January 17, 1955 issued historic message aboard USS Nautilus, “Underway on Nuclear Power,” ushering in the nuclear age for the US Navy. – Del Mar, CA.

Natalie Wood – St. Francisville, LA

G. W. Woodcock – Richland, WA

Happy 90th Birthday, Dr. Rockwell From your Friends, Colleagues, Supporters, and those

you have inspired

The fact is, “nuclear waste” is a misnomer for the valuable materials that compose used fuel, which will be recycled in breeder reactors, to use most of the remaining fissionable uranium, and use also the fertile uranium that creates more fissionable material while generating electricity . - Ted Rockwell