Barton C. Hacker Papers, 1955-1995

Collection Overview

Title: Barton C. Hacker Papers, 1955-1995

ID: MSS HackerB

Primary Creator: Hacker, Barton C. (1935-)

Extent: 2.1 cubic feet. More info below.

Arrangement: The Barton C. Hacker Papers are arranged into four series: I: Department of Energy Dosimetry Research Project Research Files, 1955-1991; II: General Research Files, 1960-1995; III: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Files, 1995; IV: Papers and Conference Materials, 1974-1994. Folders are arranged chronologically within each series.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

Abstract

The contents of box-folders 1.3 - 1.9, and 4.1, 4.5, and 4.6 have been digitized and are available upon request.

Scope and Content Notes

The Barton C. Hacker Papers document Hacker’s career as a historian of radiation safety, and primarily consist of materials related to his service as historian to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Dosimetry Research Project, beginning in 1979. These records reflect his efforts to identify and locate records related to human radiation exposure in institutions and organizations around the country, and his later scholarly work on radiation exposure and hazards. The collection includes indexes and chronologies, photocopies of original archival documents and records, correspondence, articles, clippings, publications, conference proceedings, and manuscripts.

The contents of box-folders 1.3 - 1.9, and 4.1, 4.5, and 4.6 have been digitized and are available upon request.

Biographical / Historical Notes

Barton C. Hacker is Curator of Armed Forces History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Beginning in 1979, he served as Historian at Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Company (REECo), working on the Dosimetry Research Project for the Department of Energy, which sought to comprehensively identify, locate, and centralize records related to human radiation exposure. He formerly served as Laboratory Historian at the University of California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and has held teaching or research positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Iowa State University, the University of Houston, University of Chicago, and Oregon State University (from 1986-1992). He is a recipient of the Leonardo da Vinci Medal of the Society for the History of Technology and of several writing prizes. He has curated major exhibits on Submarines in the Cold War and West Point in the Making of America. His publications include books on the history of Project Gemini, radiation safety in nuclear weapons testing, and world military institutions, as well as many articles and book reviews on a wide range of topics in the history of military technology.

Administrative Information

More Extent Information: 6 boxes

Statement on Access: The collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: These materials were donated by Barton C. Hacker in 2006.

Related Materials: The Barton C. and Sally L. Hacker Nuclear Affairs Collection, The History of Atomic Energy Rare Book Collection (RB Energy), Nuclear Science Technical Reports Collection (MSS Reports), and the Radiation Center Records (RG 202) include materials related to the work and career of Barton Hacker.

Preferred Citation: Barton C. Hacker Papers (MSS HackerB), Oregon State University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Creators

People, Places, and Topics

Hacker, Barton C., 1935-
History of Science
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Nuclear weapons--Moral and ethical aspects--United States.
Nuclear weapons--Research.
Nuclear weapons--Social aspects.
Nuclear weapons--United States--Testing--Safety measures--History.
Radiation--Safety measures.
Radioactive fallout
Reynolds Electrical & Engineering Co.
U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
United States. Defense Nuclear Agency

Box and Folder Listing

Series 1: Department of Energy Dosimetry Research Project Files, 1955-1995

Series I, Department of Energy Dosimetry Research Project Research Files, contains indexes, document lists, and records surveys of archival documents related to human radiation testing and exposure that Hacker located at various U. S. institutions and organizations, including the Defense Nuclear Agency, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Company. It also contains calendars and chronologies of events in radiation history prepared by Hacker to assist in his task of locating and compiling records related to those events. Though the majority of the series are compilations of or lists of records and archival sources, there are some photocopies of archival documents related to Hacker’s work.

The contents of box-folders 1.3 - 1.9, and 4.1, 4.5, and 4.6 have been digitized and are available upon request.

Box-Folder 1.1: Dosimetry Research Project Mission and Task Documents, 1978, 1982
Box-Folder 1.2: Brief History of Nuclear Weapons Testing Support by REECo and Affiliated Companies, undated
Box-Folder 1.3: Evaluation of Radioactive Fallout, Armed Forces Special Weapons Project, undated: The contents of this folder have been digitized and are available upon request.
Box-Folder 1.4: REECo Historical Radiation Records and Field Documents, 1955-1957, 1980: The contents of this folder have been digitized and are available upon request.
Box-Folder 1.5: Columbia University, Lamont Geological Observatory, Project Sunshine Progress Report, 1955: The contents of this folder have been digitized and are available upon request.
Box-Folder 1.6: REECo Historical Radiation Records, 1955, 1961: The contents of this folder have been digitized and are available upon request.
Box-Folder 1.7: REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operations Teapot, Plumbob, Hardtack II, 1955-1961: The contents of this folder have been digitized and are available upon request.
Box-Folder 1.8: REECo Historical Radiation Records and Field Documents, 1958-1961: The contents of this folder have been digitized and are available upon request.
Box-Folder 1.9: REECo Historical Radiation Records, Radiation Area Personnel Listings, 1959-1961: The contents of this folder have been digitized and are available upon request.
Box-Folder 1.10: REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Nougat, 1961-1962
Box-Folder 2.1: REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Storax, 1962-1963
Box-Folder 2.2: REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Inblick, 1963-1964
Box-Folder 2.3: Operation Nougat On-site Radiological Safetly Report, 1964
Box-Folder 2.4: REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Whetstone, 1964-1965
Box-Folder 2.5: Los Alamos/ AEC Memos Regarding Offsite Radiological Safety in Pacific Test Area, 1965-1967
Box-Folder 2.6: REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Flintlock, 1965-1966
Box-Folder 2.7: REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Latchkey, 1966-1967
Box-Folder 2.8: REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Crosstie, 1967-1969
Box-Folder 2.9: REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Bowline, 1968-1969
Box-Folder 2.10: REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Mandrel, 1969-1970
Box-Folder 2.11: REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operation Emery, 1970-1971
Box-Folder 2.12: REECo Historical Radiation Records, Operations Grommet and Toggle, 1971-1973
Box-Folder 2.13: Atomic Energy Commission Reviews to Insure Safety of Nuclear Operations, 1972
Box-Folder 2.14: Department of Energy Document Duplication Requests, 1981
Box-Folder 2.15: Defense Nuclear Agency Estimated/Calculated Radiation Doses for Personnel, Multiple Operations, 1981-1982
Box-Folder 2.16: Defense Nuclear Agency Estimated/Calculated Radiation Doses for Personnel, Multiple Operations, 1983-1984
Box-Folder 3.1: Defense Nuclear Agency, Nuclear Test Personnel Review, 1983
Box-Folder 3.2: Defense Nuclear Agency, Nuclear Test Personnel Review Archival Sources, 1983
Box-Folder 3.3: Defense Nuclear Agency Nuclear Test Personnel Review Archival Sources, 1984
Box-Folder 3.4: Nevada Test Site Review Documents, 1984
Box-Folder 3.5: Records Transfer Inventory, US Department of Energy Nevada Office, 1984
Box-Folder 3.6: Committee on Veteran’s Affairs Operation Crossroads Information Request, 1984
Box-Folder 3.7: Inventory of Documents for REECo History Project, 1985
Box-Folder 3.8: Defense Nuclear Agency, Personnel Participation in Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Testing Document List, 1986
Box-Folder 4.1: Review copy, “Fireballs at Dawn,” Offsite Radiation Exposure Review Project, 1990: The contents of this folder have been digitized and are available upon request.
Box-Folder 4.2: Nuclear Weapons Testing Chronology, 1991
Box-Folder 4.3: Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Survey of Nuclear Testing and Fallout Records, 1991
Box-Folder 4.4: Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Central File Index from 1949-1968, 1991
Box-Folder 4.5: Pre-Bravo Operation Castle Calendar of Papers and Chronology of Events through 1954, undated: The contents of this folder have been digitized and are available upon request.
Box-Folder 4.6: Calendar of Papers and Chronology of Events Related to Fukuryu Maru Incident through 1955, undated: The contents of this folder have been digitized and are available upon request.

Series 2: General Research Files, 1960-1995

Series II, General Research Files, consists of journal and magazine articles, newspaper clippings, syllabi and full publications related to Hacker’s later scholarly work.

Box-Folder 5.1: Journal: Special Issue on Arms Control, Daedulus v. 89 no. 4, Fall 1960
Box-Folder 5.2: Journal: Health Physics 25th Anniversary Issue, June 1980
Box-Folder 5.3: Department of Energy United States Nuclear Weapons Program, A Summary History, 1983
Box-Folder 5.4: Literature Review for Records of Radiation Cases and Atomic Study Personnel, 1983-1984
Box-Folder 5.5: Journal: Los Alamos Science n. 7, 1983
Box-Folder 5.6: Journal: “How One Town in Oregon is Saying No to the Bomb,” Northwest Review v. 22, no. 3, 1984
Box-Folder 5.7: Syllabi for Arms Control/Nuclear Threat, 1986-1987
Box-Folder 5.8: Radiation Health Safety/Dosage Health Studies Documentation, 1989-1992
Box-Folder 6.1: Journal: Los Alamos Science n.21, 1993

Series 3: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Files, 1995

Series III, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Files, consists of reports and committee materials related to two committees that Hacker was an active part of while employed there: the Human Subjects Task Force, and the Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Exposure.

Box-Folder 6.2: Nuclear Weapons Information Project Archiving Plan Draft, 1995
Box-Folder 6.3: Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Exposure, Update on Marshall Islands, 1995
Box-Folder 6.4: Human Subjects Task Force, undated

Series 4: Papers and Conference Materials, 1974-1994

Series IV, Papers and Conference Materials, consists of conference proceedings and readings for two conferences, primarily the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation Summer Session, as well as several papers delivered by Hacker at various conferences.

Box-Folder 6.5: Nucleonics Week: Reactor Safety, 1974-1975
Box-Folder 6.6: Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation: Sociological Perspectives, 1985
Box-Folder 6.7: Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation: Historical Perspectives, 1987
Box-Folder 6.8: Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation: Summer Seminar on Global Security and Arms Control Sessions 1-5, 1987
Box-Folder 6.9: Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation: Summer Session on Global Security and Arms Control Session 6-14, 1987
Box-Folder 6.10: Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation: Summer Seminar on Global Security and Arms Control Sessions 15-22, 1987
Box-Folder 6.11: “Bravo and the Marshallese: The 1954 H-Bomb Test and Its Consequences”, 1992
Box-Folder 6.12: “Coming in from the Cold: Science, Politics, and Nuclear Weapons Testing“, 1993
Box-Folder 6.13: “Radioactive Atolls: Cleaning Up After the Bombs, 1958-1978”, 1994