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Perry Raeburn Smoot
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THUMBNAIL
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Perry Raeburn Smoot
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I was born in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, on Feb. 16, 1932. After attending numerous schools all over the country, including Phillips Exeter Academy, I decided to attend MIT because of my interest in science. After graduating in Metallurgy, I served two years in Germany and Austria, where I met my wife, Ursula. I worked as a metallurgist at Ford Motor Co, Nuclear Metals, Inc, and Watertown Arsenal. We were blessed with three wonderful children, and now, two granddaughters. We have lived in Wayland, MA for almost forty years. The Laboratory moved to Aberdeen, MD in 1995, and, fortunately, I could afford to retire. So I just let 'em move, and stayed here in Wayland, MA.
I entered the Army as a 2nd Lieutenant, and spent three months at Aberdeen Proving Ground, learning automotive maintenance and repair. This was useful and fun, since I had just bought my first car. When the orders for our assignments came, I lucked out: I was assigned to Europe, which was better than Asia; I was assigned to Austria, which was better than Germany, and I was assigned to Vienna, which was better than anywhere else. I was enchanted by the cities, history, and culture of Austria, and by one Austrian lady in particular. Shortly after arrival, the Russians messed things up for me by signing the Austrian "Staatsvertrag", or state treaty, ending the four-power occupation in return for Austrian neutrality, and various other things they held robbed from Austria. I was then transferred to Kitzingen, Germany, in a rural part of Bavaria, with some interest of its own. After 18 months of not particularly enjoyable duty, I was sent home. Much to my surprise, I was sent first class on the SS America, and separated at Ft. Hamilton, NY.
I started my career at Ford Motor Co, Dearborn, MI, in a "Management Training Program", but found myself doing a lot of technician-level work. I wanted something that would use my abilities better, but before I could find it, I found out that employment in the automobile industry was very insecure. They laid me off in the recession of '57. Then I got a job at Nuclear Metals, Inc, in Concord, MA, which was interesting, but the funding for nuclear energy programs was just drying up. This position became insecure, so I got another at Watertown Arsenal. This was interesting work in titanium alloy development, vacuum casting, and composite materils development. Lucky for me, this job lasted until my Civil Service time totalled 37 years, enough to retire. When the lab moved to Aberdeen, I bid them "farewell".
My father was Otho Perry Smoot, Capt, USN, of Bowling Green, VA. He went to the Naval Academy, Class of '26, because of his interest in electricity and radio. This was his big opportunity to advance from Bowling Green. He enjoyed the Navy because "he didn't have much work to do, and what he did have to do was fun: shooting off guns and flying airplanes". He met and married my mother, Phyllis Shaw Logan, a teacher from Boston, MA. They enjoyed the social life in the pre-war Navy, and used to play tennis with others on Sunday. One Sunday in 1941, they were playing tennis, and a sailor came out of the radio shack, waving a message. My father said he never would forget what it said: "Japs bombing Pearl; this is no drill!" That ended the gracious Navy life for a while. We were stationed in many places until I went to MIT.
Skipping forward to Vienna, On arrival I was told that it was a political post, and in order not to offend the Austrian sensibilities unnecessarily, we were not to wear our uniforms off duty. My hold baggage with my civillian clothes had not arrived yet, so I had to buy a suit right away. Luckily, the Post Exchange had a very good make of suit which was my size, almost. I wore this downtown with my friend, when a very good-looking Austrian young lady came down the street. She seemed not to see us, when my friend greeted her. They knew each other from the Berlitz language school. Her name was Ursula, and she suggested we go right in for coffee. We found out she was going to have her appendix out, and needed a ride home from the hospital. While she was in the ladies room, my friend and I decided to offer her a ride, and give her both of our telephone numbers, so we could see which of us she preferred. I felt very flattered when she called me for a ride a few days later.
Ursula's side of this story is that she was walking down the street, when she saw two GI's coming, one in a particularly ill fitting suit. Since women who associated with GI's did not have the best reputation, she tried to avoid them, when one greeted her. For appearances sake, she got them off the street as soon as possible. She tried to call the one she knew for the ride she needed, but it was the wrong number, so she called the other. That was me! But that was OK, we got along fine after that. After I was transferred to Kitzingen, we carried on our courtship by rail. We married and started life in Dearborn, MI. After Vienna, poor Ursula suffered terrible cultural shock. After our children were born and we moved to Boston, she has become accustomed to life here. We have a fine son, Frank, who is an electrical engineer at National Semiconductor in San Jose, CA. Our daughter Stephanie is a landscape architect in Jacksonville, Fl. Our last son, Peter, is a computer scientist at software company also in San Jose. He and his wife Laurie have two darling daughters, ages two and four.
Now we are retired in the nice town of Wayland, MA, near Boston with all its cultural advantages. We enjoy occasional tours abroad, and our "simple but great pleasures" at home, like walking and going for ice cream!
Marriage, having our beautiful
children, and, at the end, being contented with one's life.