4.1. Mike Doll's career summary is partly about 9/11 - see People Careers C-F page. 

4.2. Eric Taipale was in his New York apartment from where he could see the Twin Towers get hit.  His dad, Harvey Taipale was in DC, near the Pentagon when it was hit.  Since Harvey did not have a car, he found Joel Melohn who had a rental car.  They drove non-stop back to MN.  They saw a commotion in Pennsylvania near where the plane went down.  The only direct impact on Harvey and Joel, was that Joel got a ticket when coming through Wisconsin.
4.3.  Chuck Halls, got grounded in Pittsburgh, on the way home.  There were no hotels nor rental cars.  He took a taxi [about $200] to get to Indiana where he could get a hotel/car.
4.4 Paul Roselle - The following is what Les Bruchal and I experienced while traveling on September 11, 2001: 

     Les and I were traveling to visit a supplier in New York.  While enroute and nearing our destination during the morning of 9/11/01, our pilot came on the intercom system and announce that he had good news and bad news and which would we like to hear first.  The pilot announced that the entire eastern seaboard's airspace had been shut down and that we were going to be put into a holding pattern while trying to get authorization to return to another airport to land, but we weren't to worry because we had enough fuel to be in a holding pattern for quite a while.  We got to decide which was the good news and what was the bad news.  I commented to the person seated next to me that it was odd that the eastern seaboard's airspace was shut down because the weather was good and that we build a lot of the air traffic control equipment and the pilot's statement didn't make sense.
     Within a short period of time the pilot came back on the intercom to announce that we'd been denied access to return to Detroit [NWA'S closest hub.]  Moments later the pilot announced that "we'd been ordered out of the sky" and we were attempting to land in Montreal.  At this time everyone was starting to shout out information on what was happening in the world outside the plane in which we were locked.  People were shouting out that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center - the Twin Towers.  About this time everyone on the plane was trying to use the credit card phones on the plane [remember when the phones were still on the planes?] to contact people on the ground to see what was going on and get more information. The pilot indicated that we'd been granted authorization to land in Montreal.  The only problem was that our original flight plan did not authorize us to leave US airspace and travel into Canadian airspace and it would take us quite a while to clear Security and get into Customs.
     We landed in Montreal but we couldn't pull up to a gate so we taxied near a gate and were allowed to crack the door to get some fresh air into the aircraft because we were going to be there for a long time.  We were sitting in First Class due to our frequent flyer status so we were talking to the stewardesses and then the pilot opened the cockpit door and turned on the on-board AM radio.  We listened in disbelief and lived what was going on in the nation that day.  People were trying the credit card phones trying to contact family and friend to let them know they were okay but the circuits were overloaded and many calls would not go through.  We listened in horror to the AM radio and people shouting out what information they were getting on their cellular phone [people who had them because they were not as popular then as they are now-a-days.]
     Another plane hit the World Trade Center, another plane hit the Pentagon, speculation was running rampant on the a plane was on the way to the White House.  Little did we know what was about to transpire enroute to the plane in Pennsylvania. Eventually we were able to get through to work on the credit card telephone to let them know we were okay and could we get messages to our families that we were okay.  We spoke with Terry Houle and Rene Yates who indicated that we were the last two LMCO people they were trying to locate on that day.  I think both Les and I would really like to thank everyone again who was concerned about our safety and who were concerned about our families back home. I don't think either of us can say enough about the people in our groups who were concerned about us.
     Eventually after many hours on the ground in Montreal we allowed to approach the gate but had to wait for the authorities to "greet our plane and allow us to disembark".  The Royal Canadian Mounted Police greeted our plane in urban combat fatigues with full riot gear and weapons drawn.  Everyone had to exit the plane and hand their carry on luggage and brief cases to the Mounties who hand searched the contents and then we were all asked to step forward and we were physically searched.  When we were finished with the search we were handed our bags and allowed to proceed through Customs.  We first had to clear Canadian customs and then the US Customs.  Luckily, I had my Passport in my briefcase; for some reason I'd put it in there the day before the trip because I thought it would come in handy if I ever needed it. Little did I know how much time it would save me that day and give proof of my US Citizenship.
     Les and I cleared Customs, and the NWA agents at the gate where we'd arrived indicated they were not going to be giving vouchers for hotels - yet.  Being seasoned corporate travelers we headed to the NWA counter at the main terminal.  By the time we got into the main terminal the airlines were giving out vouchers and we had to get a ride to the hotel.  At this time we knew the FAA had shut down the entire airspace in the US and were not sure how long it was going to take to return to the states and whether or not we'd get to New York to the supplier we were suppose to visit.  The ride to the hotel was memorable: because of the vouchers we got from the airline the cabs outside were fighting over everyone's business.  The cab driver we got was arguing with the other drivers telling them they were stealing from him and taking money from his family.  Les and I were not sure what was going to transpire between the drivers.  Finally, our driver got us out of the Montreal Airport and began heading to the hotel.  The freeway were jammed up due to traffic and the cab driver was speeding along side the traffic on the shoulder of the roadway over the ribbed surfaces indicating your were going off of the freeway onto the median. Les and I thought the cab driver was preparing for the Montreal Grand Prix.  After a very interesting and hair raising experience with the cab ride we got to the hotel.
     Approximately eight hours from the start of the terrorist attacks, we were able to see the actual television coverage when we got to the hotel.  It was hard to comprehend what we were watching on television.  Les and I sat in disbelief at the footage being shown on the televisions.  We were sitting outside at the hotel near the airport in Montreal and it seemed really strange to not see any planes in the air or landing or taking off.  It was really strange and it didn't seem right what was going on with no planes being in the air or allowed to fly at all.  Les and I were speaking to other people who were stranded in Montreal like we were.  People were trying to get rentals and drive across the border to get back into the US. Everyone was wondering how we were going to get home.  We saw on the news that the lines trying to get across the border were miles long and we found out later that no one was getting across the border.  We sat it out in the hotel speaking to work and family while we waited out the outcome of how we were going to get back to the US.  We waited three days until the airspace was opened up in North America by the FAA.  We caught one of the first flights out of Montreal back into the US.  We had to get to the airport several hours in advance of the flight.  The airport official would not tell us what time the plane was going to take off and what we were going to have to go through to be allowed to leave Montreal.  Basically we had to go back through an extensive screening process.  Once through security check we were transferred to a large holding area in the airport and then escorted by security to the gate to board the plane to return to MSP.  We never got to New York to visit the supplier we were suppose to visit.
Several months later on another trip I landed in Newark at nighttime, and they had ground zero lit up with the two spot lights shining up into the sky which highlighting where the WTC Twin Towers had been.  Everyone was really quiet when we landed because we had a very good view along the river as we landed.  I've though about what transpired that day and what I'd seen out the window that evening.  I'll remember 9/11/01 for as long as I am alive.  I think there are many other people through out the world who think about what happened on this day as well.  I've also driven past the monument for the flight in Pennsylvania near one of our major subcontractor in Johnstown, PA as have other people in our work group.  We've all looked at the photo's people have brought back from the crash site and thought about what happened to the people on this flight.  I've read about the other accounts of what happened on this day while we were in the air enroute to New York to visit our supplier.  My perspective is different because while the events transpired we were seated in the plane and couldn't get off.

{Editor's Note: Norm Mineta was the Secretary of Transportation who gave the FAA order to bring all airliners down after the 9/11/01 attack on the US.  Some of us who've met him know two other things about Norm - 1) He was an LMCO employee before becoming Secretary of Transportation and 2) He was an innocent resident of an internment camp after the 12/7/41 attack on the US.  See Tom Brokow's "The Greatest Generation book." [lab]}

5. Diversity

When some people talk of Diversity, they may mention the ‘Glass Ceiling’ referring to women who were the first to achieve something in the ‘man’ dominated computer business community. Others relate to the Civil Rights movement of the 60's, usually mentioning Rosa Parks as having the nerve to 'not step-to-the-rear of the bus’. Some may remember the National Guard being called out to quell riots in the South. I don’t recall any such demonstrations at UNIVAC but do remember that our employees had many, many national origins. Did Yuichi Ito and others sense any discrimination because of their Asian ancestry? Did some employees sense discrimination because of their African ancestry? Did those of Hispanic ancestry sense discrimination? Did Dr. Sid Rubens or Abe Franck or others sense discrimination because of their religion? For the most part, I think that we [ERA/UNIVAC/Sperry/UNISYS] were professionals focused on solving customer problems by working competently at our jobs. Refer to Millie Gignac’s mini-bio on this web site, the contribute your career summary or add to the few short stories hereunder. [lab]

5.1 By Marc Shoquist:  To my [Marc Shoquist] knowledge, Ray Pleasant was one of the first Afro American engineers RRU hired.  He was very personable guy, a smart politician and community leader. Ray was in the State Legislature for many years representing the Bloomington district. He lived near the Normandale College, I can remember him regularly supporting a charity golf event at a local private country club.

Ray worked for me for about two years in the development group about 56-1958. He was hired and assigned to me by my boss, Leon Sabine, an Antenna Coupler manager when I joined the group in 1953. Leon left the group in 1958 to head up a standards group and Ray joined him. I am sure Paul Richardson remembers him well as they were both in my engineering group during the late 50’s.

The Coupler group held an annual Christmas dinner party, he hosted one of them at his home and Ray attended all others.  These parties continued well into the 80's long after the Coupler had been transferred to Sperry Marine in 1970. The guest list was well over 60 couples and most of them attended.  It was an annual tradition.

5.2 By Lowell Benson: From 1963 to 1966, I worked as a computer operator in the Plant 1 Military Computer Center.  Our supervisor was Cliff Cunningham, an excellent noon-time bridge player who would use psyche bids on occasion - like opening with only 8 points.  Cliff also did some of the center's support software development.  Later he worked at Valencia on the S3 program, last I knew was still living in California.  One St. Patrick's day Cliff came into the office wearing a bright green neck tie.  The departmental secretary said to him: "Cliff, I didn't know that you were Irish" to which he replied: "Of course, haven't you ever heard of the 'Black Irish'."  Cliff told us about this while laughing that she probably had to have it explained to her.  Cliff was a nice guy and a competent programmer!

Somewhat anecdotal was in the 70's when the marketing organization brought in Gene Proctor, a new salesperson of Afro-American heritage.  When Gene transferred into St. Paul, he showed an immediate sense of humor when told a group meeting that he was be happy to work on Army, Navy, or Air Force programs but there were three things that he wouldn't do: "1) buy a home in Coon Rapids, 2) work on 'spook' programs,  3) work on 'black' programs and 4) wouldn't sell black boxes."  We all laughed and treated and worked with him as we did with all other marketing persons.

5.3 By Willis Unke:

     Do any of you know if the VIP Club or any other Univac organization has done anything on "Univac & the Civil Rights Movement of the 60s'"? Has anybody written anything on this subject?
      About 1962 I resigned (and transferred) when my boss would not let me send my best programmer to support the Univac Detroit Edison installation because of his race.   Willis Unke {Editor's Note: The VIP Club Board and Legacy Committee welcome stories about our computer systems and operations Legacy by all, this excludes 'Civil Rights' stories that weren't part of our computer heritage.}
5.4 Your story here?