An American Hero

It was some 41-years ago that oil started flowing down the famed Trans-Alaska-Pipeline, an engineering marvel still unsurpassed today. When construction was completed, it showed what humans can do together again when push comes to shove, which means we could STOP all WAR.  As John Lennon sang out so clearly: “War is over, if you want it.” And this project’s success most likely stopped a war, as the pipeline became a reality when Congress said do it, when the 1973 Arab oil embargo was starting to weaken this nation’s standing of strength. Yes, when the U.S. Congress was in a panic and said get that Alaskan oil out of the ground by any means, even if by the plane load. So, it was a Patriotic endeavor that which may have saved this nation from energy suffocation by the Arab nations. And this mega-project that positioned Alaska on the road to success after leaving its “Territorial” status behind for statehood, it was one of the most challenging, most difficult and costly pipeline designs of record. Even building a road across 800-miles of wilderness, it was a hair pulling nightmare. A “bridge” across the mighty Yukon River? The old-timers sighed then roared a laugh - this is when Alaska did not engage in building “Bridges to Nowhere” on the taxpayers’ dime.  And when that road was finished, and a bridge allowed crossing the Yukon, now how in hell do you weld together 800-miles of 4-foot diameter cold-rolled steel pipe - when winter lasts 8-months of the year and Prudhoe Bay gets snow on the 4th of July without failure? But no matter what hurdles were thrown in the face of believers, many dreamed of all that “stranded oil” up in Prudhoe Bay could be lassoed and delivered to markets - making Alaska rich, the “Black Gold” syndrome. The obstacles didn’t matter, as “Big Oil” knew it was a “Big Deal” so failure was not an option - which meant money didn’t matter. It meant the brightest talent was scouted out, and Alaska would indeed become rich once oil started flowing south. Now mechanical and electrical and civil, these are engineering “disciplines” that carry a burden of responsibility to make sure designs meet the strictness of industry standards. That “discipline” thing rings a bell on this June 5th, as it is the birthday of a very disciplined statesmen that helped get that 800-mile dipstick stuck together - a genuine American hero. Up in Alaska in Anchorage, down at Westchester Lagoon there exists a reminder from the “For the Arts” campaign, a plaque that rests in peace a poem, called “Dumb Iron Worker”. It is a tribute from a beautiful daughter to a beautiful father, to the brave men and women who work the steel to make something we can use, from rails to bridges to pipelines. It was the iron worker and welder that put that 800-mile dipstick together. But of all the challenges that stood in front of Frank Moolin - the head man in charge and responsible for the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline construction phase - along with his cast of PHD engineers, it was the final weld-in that was scaring the welders away. The pipeline was built by the “Unions”. From Texas and Oklahoma came the 798’ers, a very powerful group of welders that demanded respect, and this controlled the pipeline getting built on-time and safely - nobody cared about the budget. And “Union” guys get the job done, no wasting time so we get a better product when “We the People” organize our labors. Why “Unions” are losing out today, just a sad state of affairs. It would be interesting today to venture out to build another Alaskan pipeline project without the “Union”. Now down at the southern end of the pipeline was a notorious place called Thompson’s Pass. It was a magnificent place, like out of a picture book fantasy. So scenic with the mountains and rivers and snow fall that averaged - well very deep. Now there was a gorge that the pipeline needed to traverse, and several attempts failed at lining up the pipe-string so the welders could perform the final tie-in. The slippery slopes, wind gusts all the time, cold even when the sun was shining, the stench of rotting salmon to boot - which made the huge brown bears common around every nook, it was a terrible climate and environment for any kind of work. So this started scaring the welding crews, starting scaring the field engineers, started scaring everyone involved, as a few times when the pipe was being positioned into place by giant gantry cranes, huge boulders were dislodged and came screaming down through the pipe ditch - which was blasted out of sheer-rock with many sticks of dynamite. That said, safety of the workers became a top-priority concern, and this started to delay that last weld - which would be an historic weld to commence the fact, it’s a pipeline! By this time, the management was also running scared, so started looking for alternative ways to re-route the pipeline’s original design path. Not an easy job, and any changes now due safety concerns would set back the “Oil In” celebration by months, and if bad weather became a curse, maybe another year! Not to mention, the oil embargo was causing major headaches in the lower-48. Motor gasoline lines with even-day odd-day lotteries were becoming a bad scene from sea to shining sea. Imagine waiting in line at an ARCO station for hours and when you finally get to the pump at 10pm, EMPTY! And everyday that was lost getting that Alaska oil to market, it meant more trouble for American freedom. It had come to the breaking point, time was of the essence. In steps the senior welder of the 798’ers, a guy known by his brother & sister “stickers” as Junior Leslie. He was a seasoned welder from Henrietta, Clay County Texas. This was a brave-heart move. Soon Leslie found an interest from a younger welder that stepped forward to assist in this historic event, and a plan was hatched to get that pipe finished. It took a few days, but success it was, from the sheer dedication and courage of an American hero who knew it could be done! Oil was soon heading to refineries on the West Coast and fears from the embargo, no more. So, if I were asked to name an American hero that shares this day as a birthright day with Mark Wahlberg, well Hugh Ellsworth Leslie Jr. is who I salute. Thanks for service to your country Junior, as a welder that made the Alaskan pipeline dream come true, and helped save this nation. Rest in peace with the assurance that after 41-years that critical weld in Thompson’s Pass is still good! Hugh passed on, it was July 4th in 2011. Ironic, the day we celebrate our American Independence, something Junior showed so proud with Patriotism when called to duty on the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline. And today, because of men like Leslie, we have oil independence and more powerful a nation! And it did snow in Deadhorse, Prudhoe Bay on that July 4th in 2011. Someday I will visit Texas, head over to Henrietta and personally thank Leslie!