SRS nuclear workers were true patriots

I am pleased that historical markers have been erected to recognize the role of the "R" and "P" reactors at Savannah River Site in winning the Cold War. However, I want to include in that tribute the contributions made by thousands of my fellow patriots who helped win that war between the United States and the Soviet Union.

The efforts of those patriotic Americans began in the early 1950s when thousands of men and women began the enormous task of constructing the nuclear facilities at what was then known as the Savannah River Plant, and they did it in record breaking time.

When construction was complete, some of those workers joined thousands of new employees to operate those facilities. Producing materials to support America's nuclear weapons defense program was an enormous task, because in the early days the nuclear industry was in its infancy, and there were no "cookbook recipes" for performing those dangerous and delicate tasks. In many instances those workers wrote the recipes through their relentless hard work of research and development. They not only did an outstanding job to strengthen our nation's security, but they also set many safety records while doing it -- many of which still stand as models in the nuclear industry.

Before I retired from SRS, I coined the phrase "Savannah River Nuclear Pioneers" to describe my fellow workers. More than half a century has passed since those early days, and many of those patriotic men and women have passed away. But we should never forget their contributions that made our world a safer place in which to live.

I know there are some politicians who like to take credit for ending the Cold War, but none of them made the sacrifices that those patriotic Americans made at SRS.

I say "thank you" to each one of them and to their families who supported them through the years.

Paul L. Cook, Augusta