Oral history interview with Paul S. Greer 1985 November 13

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Oral history interview with Paul S. Greer 1985 November 13

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/77481524

Paul Greer begins his interview with a short description of his upbringing in western Pennsylvania, where his father operated a successful business college. Greer studied chemistry at the small Grove City College, but with one year at Carnegie Institute of Technology, and then continued further studies in chemical engineering at Case. The years up to the outbreak of World War II were spent with Union Carbide, working on the early development of petrochemicals. Greer then moved to Washington, D.C., to join the War Production Board, but soon after transferred to the Office of the Rubber Director where he played an important role in process development and product quality of the butadiene-styrene rubber, GR-S. During this section of the interview technical details of the wartime program are discussed and the contributions of individuals assessed. Greer stayed in Washington after the war, eventually becoming head of research and development for the Office of Synthetic Rubber. He elaborates on the balance between natural and synthetic rubber and the effect of the Korean War. The roles of cold rubber, oil- extended rubber and masterbatch rubber are explained as well as the patent actions with General Tire & Rubber Company. Greer reviews the lessons of the government rubber program and mentions the important individual and corporate contributions. After the wind-down of the government program, Greer joined the U.S. Army Research Office and he describes his functions during this final stage of his working life.

Sound recordings ; cassettes (210 mins.)Transcript : (51 leaves) ; 29 cm.

Chemical Heritage Foundation, Othmer Library of Chemical History

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SNAC Resource ID: 8196395

Chemical Heritage Foundation, Othmer Library of Chemical History

Related Entities

There are 6 Entities related to this resource.

Reconstruction Finance Corporation. Office of Synthetic Rubber

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Morris, Peter John Turnbull

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Chemical Heritage Foundation.

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Carbide and Carbon Chemicals Corporation

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Greer, Paul S., 1904-2006

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6996x22 (person)

Born in Braddock, Pennsylvania on 28 November 1904. Died on 11 June 2006. Education: B.S., Chemistry, Grove City College (1925), B.S., Chemical Engineering, Case Institute of Technology (1927) ; Ch.E., Case Institute of Technology (1932). Employment: 1927-1942 Carbide and Carbon Chemical Corporation ; 1943-1955 Office of Synthetic Rubber ; 1955-1957 National Science Foundation ; 1957-1974 United States Army Research Office From the description of Oral history interview with Paul S. G...

United States. Army Research Office

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xm256x (corporateBody)

The Office of Ordnance Research (OOR), U.S. Army, a Class II military institution, established offices on the Duke University campus in June 1951. Marcus E. Hobbs, Chairman of the Department of Chemistry, served as acting chief scientist until Tomas J. Killian took over in a permanent capacity. Hobbs was instrumental in developing the "skeleton of the organization" which continued throughout the life of the organization with only minor adjustments. The organization was divided into ...