My uncle of 98 years recently passed. He was an amazing guy...had five degrees in mechanical engineering, doctor and orthodontist. During WW II he worked on the Manhattan Project and for a few years after the war he worked on nuclear weapons at Los Alamos. During a visit a few years before he died, we were discussing his nuclear weapons work and I asked him about the machining tolerances on the plutonium cores. After a few moments contemplation, he said “I can’t tell you that — it’s classified information.” He was still sharp as a tack and couldn’t tell me simple things like classified tolerances 70 years later.
“He was still sharp as a tack and couldn’t tell me simple things like classified tolerances 70 years later.”
About a year and a half ago, I wanted to read some of the old action reports from when I was in Vietnam. Most are available and declassified. The one I wanted to read (from 1969, to refresh some of the details in my memory) was unavailable, because it had not yet been declassified.
Shortly before my father in law died, his wife told us he had worked on the Manhattan project. We had no idea, and when we asked him he said "That's classified". That was all he would say. We went home and laughed about it with my mom and step dad.
Several years later my step dad died. His brother told us he had worked on the Manhattan project! I could't believe that stinker laughed about my father in law with us, knowing he had the same secret!