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National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

George Cowan

George Cowan joined the Manhattan Project in 1942 at the Met Lab as a chemist for Enrico Fermi’s group. He also worked for Columbia University and the Uranium Corporation of America in Manhattan. Cowan describes his experience working with famous scientists, such as Chien-Shiung Wu and Eugene Wigner, and gives a detailed account of his role in Operation Crossroads, the first military test of the atomic bomb against Navy ships. Cowan shares some funny stories about his interaction with Arthur Holly Compton at Oak Ridge and also recounts his meetings with Leo Szilard.