December 08 2009
MARIE REMEMBERED:
Seven Men Lost at Sea Expanding the Frontiers of Infrared
A multi-media exhibit, MARIE REMEMBERED: Seven Men Lost at Sea Expanding the Frontiers of Infrared, is now on display at the
The Santa Barbara community, a significant hub for Cold War technology research and development, was rocked by the Marie tragedy on June 7, 1960. Four of the seven men lost at sea that day were born and raised in Goleta and Santa Barbara. They all had engineering and/or military service careers and families deeply interwoven into the community. One of those lost at sea, Dr. Niel F. Beardsley, was a Manhattan Project scientist and pioneer of infrared using red cell physics technology. As is true of many Cold War era scientists, Dr. Beardsley would likely be well-known, if not for the secrecy his work demanded.
The exhibit was organized and researched by Teresa Newton-Terres, daughter of Jim Terres, one of the engineers lost at sea. Newton-Terres’ extensive archival research brings to light a story buried for fifty years in recently declassified documents scattered throughout archives across the U.S. According to Newton-Terres, “This is a story that begs for acknowledgement and an honorable and honest telling of events for loved ones and the community to come full circle to finally learn what happened on June 7, 1960.”
The exhibit, including a 20-minute video, will be on display at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum through June 21st.
Please visit MarieEvent.com to learn more.