15 Facts About Priscilla Duffield

Priscilla Duffield worked on the Manhattan Project during World War II.

Priscilla Duffield was secretary to Ernest O Lawrence at the Radiation Laboratory, and to J Robert Oppenheimer at the Los Alamos Laboratory.

Priscilla Duffield arrived in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in March 1943, and established the Los Alamos Laboratory's office.

Priscilla Duffield became the office manager at Los Alamos, greeting visitors, answering the telephone, making travel arrangements, arranging security passes and accommodation, and taking notes of telephone calls.

Priscilla Duffield Greene was born in Berkeley, California, on April 8,1918, and grew up in Corning, California.

Priscilla Duffield entered the University of California, from which she obtained a degree in political science.

Priscilla Duffield immediately started working for Oppenheimer full-time, taking over the disused office of a physics professor who was absent on leave in November 1942.

Priscilla Duffield would spend the rest of the war trying to get reimbursed for it.

Priscilla Duffield would listen in on all of Oppenheimer's calls and take notes, except when the director of the Manhattan Project, Brigadier General Leslie R Groves, Jr.

When Priscilla Duffield became pregnant, she wanted to quit working, but the demands of the project were so great that Oppenheimer kept refusing her requests.

Priscilla Duffield eventually recruited Anne Wilson from Groves's office as her replacement.

Priscilla Duffield likened this job to working for Oppenheimer at Los Alamos:.

Priscilla Duffield moved to Norwood, Colorado, where she served on the board of the Uncompahgre Medical Clinic.

Priscilla Duffield died of natural causes at her home there on July 21,2009.

Priscilla Duffield was survived by her daughters Deborah and Libby.