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Frank Faulkner
Frank Faulkner was a Sergeant First Class E-7 and worked as an Operator, Electrician, and Shift Supervisor at the SM-1A Nuclear Power Plant at Fort Greely, Alaska in 1969 and 1970. He completed his training at Fort Belvoir, Virginia as part of the second class of 1964 with an electrical engineering specialization. He was assigned to Fort Greely to support the steam generator exchange in 1969. Frank made the 3,000-mile road trip to Alaska during the winter with his pregnant wife and their four young boys. Despite the challenges of remote life in a harsh environment, the Faulkners enjoyed their time in Alaska and the fishing and hunting opportunities. As a supervisor at SM-1A, Frank's daily work tasks included: walking through the plant; going to the control room; reviewing the logbook; attending briefings with other operators; and reviewing equipment, clearances, and caution orders to ensure safe and smooth operations. After leaving Fort Greely in August 1970, Frank returned to Purdue University to complete a degree in electrical engineering. In the following years, he worked in the Army Engineering Division and then at a fossil fuel plant in Panama. Eventually, he started the Facility Engineer Support Agency group in Atlanta, Georgia, which supported engineers on military bases around the American South and in other parts of the world. Frank lives in Hapeville, Georgia.
| Interview Title | Abstract | Archive #: Oral History | Project | Date of Interview |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Faulkner |
|
2021-05-06 | Cold War in Alaska | Oct 4, 2021 |
Frank Faulkner was interviewed on October 4, 2021 by Patience Stuart and Kevin Taylor of AECOM for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' SM-1A Nuclear Reactor decommissioning project. The interview was conducted over the telephone with Frank at his home in Hapeville, Georgia, Patience in Portland, Oregon, and Kevin in Greensville, South Carolina. In this interview, Frank talks about working at the SM-1A nuclear power plant at Fort Greely, Alaska, arriving in Alaska in the winter, the training he received, and the challenges of the training and the job. He provides details of how the nuclear reactor functioned, day to day job activites, and the off duty activities of the SM-1A employees who were a close-knit group of people and families. He also talks about dealing with the cold, darkness and isolation at such a remote site and how it was more difficult for the wives who were stuck at home with the children. Frank also touches on other parts of his career, including time in Panama.