Unocal Legacy, Inc.

Mike, my email address apparently does not appear in the "Author Email" within the post. Please email the magazine to roger.coleen@hughes.net. Thanks. Roger

Thanks Mike! I would love to have the electronic copy of the December 1957 issue highlighting the Bat Cave. Please email it to me. Again, thanks.

Roger Smith

Roger Smith asked for a copy of the article from December 1957 about the Bat Cave. I have that and can send it, but Roger left his message without leaving an email. If someone has his email address, please let me know.

Mike Utt

I am trying to find an electronic copy of the December 1957 Seventy Six magazine. It contains a story called Bat Cave by Union Oiler Francis Lanning. I have a photo copy of the story but I would like to have the pictures as they appeared in the article. Thanks!

Roger Smith

Hi - Wondering of anyone remembers - or has any memorabilia about the 1991 "Operation Highway Storm" campaign created by the Auto/Truckstop division in the Schaumburg headquarters? I have a few pieces, but the campaign was abruptly halted due to the unseemly look of "cashing in" on the Desert Storm war that people were dying in. I don't think many items survived, because they quickly ended the program. It was the Fleet Services Division, as I recall.
Cheers to all,
Ron

I joined UNOCAL AK Drilling Department in 1981. It was always a learning project. Fortunate to have worked AK, CA, LA, AK 2nd time, and finally Borneo. Great people and a few scoundrals.

I started working for Unocal in 1978 as a Rep in the Philadelphia. I moved in the winter of 79-80 to Shaumberg in the Supply and Distribution department, mainly handling the movement of product from the Eastern Region refining operations to our terminals in the Eastern Region, moving product with both marine and rail shipments, having input into production scheduling and so on.

I ended up being promoted to Birmingham, AL as an Area general Manager. I left Unocal about a year after the Boone Pickens takeover attempt.

I have several items of Union Oil memorabilia ( On Tour magazines from the 40's, photos of Union Oil tankers and the bronze engine room plaque from the SS AC Rubel) that I would like to donate.
My father worked for Union Oil in the marine dept. after WWII in the capacities of 3rd,2nd, and 1st mate on Union Oil tankers. When the marine dept. was dissolved in the mid 1950's, he went to work for the contract company that operated the Union Oil tanker fleet. Shortly after transferring to the contract company he upgraded to Capt.
He had the engine room plaque removed from the Rubel went it was scrapped.
Sent a e-mail to Mike Utt about donating these items to the Legacy but never heard back.
If anyone can get in touch with Mike or point me in direction in how to donate these items I would really appreciate it.
Thanks-- Bill.
850-543-0784

Hello. I went to work for Union Oil Company in 1973 at the Eastern Division headquarters in Palatine, IL, (Schaumburg). then went out to Pipeline terminals in IL, SC, TN and WI. Tom Matthews was an early mentor. In 1995(?) we in the Midwest were spun off from UNOCAL, to a joint venture, called UNO-VEN. Then in 1997 UNOCAL sold it's interest and everything out here became part of the Citgo organization. I then went to work for Mobil Oil (ExxonMobil). I am retiring now. I lost track of many people with UNOCAL that I was very fond of. Hope to hear from some of them on this site. Good luck to all.

Retired 1986 after 31 years. Last assignment Manager General Services Continental Division Jack Robertson was Division Manager..My brother Robert received first Service Award
for over 40 years. Brother-in law Harvey Howard served over thirty years. Add them up and the Family served over 100 years with The Union Oil Company and UNOCAL.
I would like to hear from any of my old Co-Workers especially now during these confusing times

I started working at Union Oil in 1953 in the steno pool at the Petroleum Bldg. on Olympic. Was promoted several times in the Southwest Division; then was promoted to a position at the 7th & Flower bldg. Was delighted when we moved to the beautiful new bldg. on Boylston -- very impressive with an English butler on the executive floor, a helicopter pad on the roof & best of all, free parking in the underground garage (no more $25/month parking fee). Many happy memories -- the Women's Club & the talent show chorus where we sang "76 Gasoline" to the tune of 76 Trombones. I left Union Oil at the end of 1961 to start our family. I was very fortunate to work for such an outstanding company.

I just found this site. Thank you for the memories. I worked for Union Oil from 1973-1982 at UOC and Broadway Plaza on 7th and Flower. My Dad worked for Union Oil from 1955-1985 in the Pipeline Dept.

I worked in HR/Corporate Compensation as a temp. I had very little computer skills and absolutely none with the MS Office software. My assignment was for 2 weeks and I was kept on at the urgency of Mrs. Ruth Ann Bradford.
Mrs. Bradford showed me everything that was needed to know about working as an executive level administrative assistant. The skills that I learned from my 6 month stay at UNOCAL served me well in my administrative career for I never held a job below the executive level.
My thanks to Mrs. Bradfor and the HR/CC staff of Dec 91 to May 92.

I read the his interview with Dick Stegemeier and would like to get in touch with Paul Durning.

We recently established a new website for the Southern California Area retirees of Chevron and its legacy companies, including Union Oil. The website is at: www.socalretirees.org There are pages for the various chapters including the Union Oil Alumni of Southern California and the 76 Research retiree club.

My grandfather, Carlyle Grover Wight, who worked at the Union Oil Research facility in Brea, CA for over 35 years passed away Sunday, October 20, 2013. I was hoping to get the word out to as many of his friends and former colleagues as possible. funeral services to be held this Saturday, October 26, 2013. Please email me for more information at Brinckmyster@gmail.com (subject line: Union oil research). Thank you in advance!

My father, DeVere Erb aka Dee, worked at the research center for most of his career. I remember fondly all the parties that were put on for the employees and their families over the years. The most remembered were the company picnics in May held at their park up the canyon off of Valencia. I am wondering if anyone has the recipes for the pulled beef sandwiches, the beans, and the coleslaw that they served. I am trying to recreate this wonder menu for my father who is now 94! Thanks in advance if anyone has this information.

Hello, I was wondering if anyone in this community knew of Odell Whitfield? He worked for Union oil for 40 something years until he retired in the late 70s (I believe). He was my grandfather and died when I was pretty young so I dont know too much about him and I am trying to learn more. I found that he invented a Pellet Apparatus in '65 with William Bewley for the company. I am also told that he brokered the development of the the Golden hills little league fields in Fullerton which currently sits on Union Oil land. If anyone remembers Odell or knows how I might be able to find out more information about what he did for Union oil, please email me at aawhitfield22@yahoo.com. Thank you very much!

Hi Frank.
You're the same as working in Argentina Unocal?
Drilling wells in CNQ-7
marceloratner@yahoo.com.ar

I joined Unocal ( Union Oill Company of Cailfornia ) in July 1974 as a marketing Rep. while attending Southwestern Law School as a night student. I met Fred Hartley in 1982 when i was asked to help develop an anti- takeover plan in the event of a hostile takeover attempt. The decision was eventually made to do a reverse triangular merger which resulted in the incorporation of Unocal in Delaware as Union Oil's parent.The original name was supposed to be UNOCO , but the name was already taken by an individual in Florida , so Unocal was a default name. The creation of a Delaware Parent allowed us to implement a number of defenses not permitted under California law. The merger was completed in April 1983 at our Annual Meeting in Brea

A team was put together to strategize whatt would be done if a takover attempt was launched. It became clear that unusual trading was taking place in the latter part of 1984. On February 14 , 1985 two Skadden Arps lawyers appeared at the Unocal Building to serve a 13-D ( a required SEC filing when 5% ownership of a publicly traded company takes place). The 13-D was personally served on me and the battle began.

An enormous amount of behind the scenes work transpired which eventually ended with Unocal surviving with a enormous debt load. Dozens of law suits were filed , a strategy was implemented and Unocal eventually settled with Mesa ( Boone Pickens). I was in the Board room with Fred and 7 others....5 others when Fred kicked the Goldman Investment Bankers out of the room.

I have been anxious to write a comprehensive and detailed narrative of what actually happened duting this struggle...perhaps a book. This web site that i recently discovered may be a catalyst to make this project a reality. I became Corporate Secretary in 1989 and General Counsel in 1992. It was an honor to work at unocal for 30 years. It was a great company with terrific people. The Unocal legacy should be recorded , preserved and revered.

About a month after joining Unocal , I was aked to go to Bangladesh with Frank Jones and Mac Laury to provide Well Control to the Oxy people there. I had been at Unocal long enough to hear all the stories about htese 2 but never met them. I have very rarely been intimidated but I was then. It turned out to be one of the single best learning oppurtunities of my life. I later got to work with Mike, Baldeo, Glen Anthony, Gary Bush, Terry James, Kevin O'Donnel. All of these men were the best leaders I have ever met. It was a blessing in my life and I thank all of you.

Just felt nostalgic for my dad's company. He worked at Union Oil/Unocal for 40 years, mostly at the Research Center in Brea. His name is Eugene (Gene) Schluter and he has been retired since 1986 and he will be 90 next year. Too bad the site is gone, wow. I think I was there once only. I remember the company picnics at T something just north of Brea, lots of fun for kids.

Fellow 76ers,

For those of you who don't know, this site is the brain-child of one Dr. Baldeo Singh. He contacted Mike Utt and me for help with this project. Mike ended up doing all or most of the work. I somehow volunteered to be an officer of some sort or the other in order to register the site with the stipulation that I didn't have to do anything! I can't remember what illustrious title I was given, but many years before when I retired from Unocal in 1998 these two conspired to issue me a "Certificate of Qualification" bestowing upon me the exalted title of: Professor of Diplomatic Sciences. This certificate is signed by Baldeo Singh, PhD., Rock Mechanic and Lt. Michael E. Utt, Alleged Civil Engineer.

Baldeo, like me, is blessed with "great leadership qualities" which translates into one's ability to surround himself with talent that will work tirelessly with great determination for the cause. Well done Baldeo!

This site is great, thank Mike for putting it together.
I started my Research career in 1973 in the Pilot Plant group working shift in U-bldg.
I had just separated from the Air Force and a good friend (Leyland Nylander) got me an interview for a job. I had always been interested in electronics and figured I would get a job in that field of work. So working for an oil company had not been on my list but the pay was good and with a new family I embraced it and soon was hooked.
When an opening in the Instrument Shop came up I tried for it and was back in electronics again.
I really liked working at the Research Center because there were so many new and interesting things to work on. Some of the stuff was older than I was and some was state of the art. I worked all over the Research Center and some of the off center places like the lab at LAR and the Oil Shale site in Colorado.
I really enjoyed my time at the Research Center and like many who left I did not know how good we had it there until it was over. Life after the Research Center has been good but not with as many friends as I used to have. It was a great group of people a very big family and I miss that the most.
I probably should have understood from my Grandfather and my Dad that I was destined for a job in the oil industry. My Grandfather worked as an oil field mechanic and tool maker working on gas engines and oil well rigging equipment in the Bakersfield area in the 20's and my Dad worked for a survey company doing the first full scale seismic survey of the offshore California coast in the mid 40's. So me working for Unocal in the 70's seemed pre-destined. I also guess it will be no surprise that we all have the same name, Charles B. Anderson.
I still work in electronics, mostly on computers and networks. I do consulting for small to medium business when I do not have a full time job. I keep in touch with quite a few friends from the Research Center, would be interested to hear from others.
Chuck

Having worked as the Unocal Drilling Superintendent in Indonesia from 1989 through 2006, I really enjoy reading about Dick's early days exploits and tribulations. I noticed that this interview took place last April. It seems to me that another episode is already past due. I anxiously await the next chapter!