Nuclear Museum Logo
Nuclear Museum Logo

National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

Right after Pearl Harbor with her new high school diploma, Mary Compton applied to TVA for a war job. She flew into Knoxville and stayed at the YWCA until she got a room at a boarding house.

When the government halted TVA construction work, Mary joined many in moving to Oak Ridge. At first, Mary continued her studies in Knoxville while working at the Y-12 Plant. After finishing the first semester, she dropped out as the commute was too time-consuming and taxing.

Meanwhile, Ted Rockwell, a recent 20-year-old graduate student from Princeton, flew into Knoxville in December 1943 to interview for a job. Soon enough, Rockwell’s path crossed Mary’s.

Recalling his thoughts back then, Rockwell said: “After that, it was just a matter of time before we were married in the Chapel on the Hill.”

Related Profiles

Lilli Hornig

Los Alamos, NM

Lilli Hornig is a Czech-American chemist. Hornig was born on March 22, 1921 in a small town outside of Prague.

Velva Irwin

Y-12 Plant

Velva Irwin worked as a Calutron girl at the Y-12 Plant at Oak Ridge, TN. She was only 16 when she began working on the Manhattan Project.

Gordon C. Chappell

Los Alamos, NM

J. P. Wheeler

Oak Ridge, TN

J. P. Wheeler worked for the Union Carbide & Carbon Corporation.