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National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

Mary Argo

PhysicistLos Alamos, NM

Trinity Site
Manhattan Project VeteranScientistSpouse to Manhattan Project WorkerTrinity Test EyewitnessWoman Scientist
Mary Argo's Los Alamos ID badge photo

Mary Argo was a physicist at Los Alamos during the Manhattan Project.

She and her husband, physicist Harold Argo, were students of Edward Teller. They followed him to Los Alamos in 1944 to work on the Manhattan Project. They worked in the Theoretical Group under Teller, conducting research on developing a fusion weapon. Argo was the only female staff member officially invited to witness the Trinity test.

Mary Argo’s Timeline
1939 Received Bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Washington.

1941 Received Master’s degree in physics from Mills College.

1942 Met and married Harold Argo.

19441946 Worked on fusion weapon calculations at Los Alamos.

1945 Jul 16th Witnessed the Trinity test.

19481960 Worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

1984 Passed away.

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