Dad worked on and off at the Test Site until he moved this family to Needles, Ca., His job began in Needles in 2/53 and lasted until 2/54. The family didn't move down until school was out for the summer of 1953.
We made the move into the hottest town in the nation on one of the hottest days I had ever experienced. the station wagon's engine overheated near the dry lake South of Rail Road Pass. We had to park alongside the road to let it cool down. I thought Dad was forcing me into Hell with this move. It turned out to be a good move for me.
For the first and only time in our school careers, while we lived in needles, we lived close enough to school to run home for lunch. How special it felt to rush home for a hot meal and a mother waiting for us!
The twins were Juniors in high school and so good looking and full of mischief. Wayne became a ladies man of sorts. Willard became interested in the hobby of Ham radioing. I helped him as he taught himself to learn the Morse code and recite the dih dah dits of the Morse code alphabet.
Willard took up this hobby in earnest after the cops brought him and Wayne home one evening reporting to Mom and Dad that these boys had been caught playing the old trick we three had found so funny while in St. George. One twin would stand on each side of the street and pretend they were pulling a a chain across the lanes as they held their arms out and leaned back in a pulling mime. As cars would slam on their brakes we would jump down into the dark sides of the road and laugh our heads off. I guess the people of Needles had no sense of humor, especially the cop car they played this gag on.
Willard fixed himself up some form of Ham radio transmitter on which he could tap out the alphabet. His messages went out over the air waves and he got post cards from fellow Ham operators all over the United States.
Later when Willard entered the Navy be became a wireless operator aboard the ship at sea.
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