My 26-year career with Western Union started back in 1960. My
family had moved to California in 1958 leaving me behind in
Massachusetts where I had chosen to stay because I had a
girlfriend and did not want to move away. In Dec of 1959 I
decided that I would be better off joining my family in California
so I moved out to Long Beach to join them and look for work on
the west coast. One day my father said to me "why don't you go
down and apply for a job at Western Union, you know Morse
Code from your radio class in high school". (it turned out I would
never use this particular talent at WU but thanks to Dad I decided
to try). So one morning in April of 1960 he dropped me off at the
Western Union Office at 214 Locust Ave in Long Beach CA and I
went in and filled out an application. About 3 weeks later I
received a Telegram from Mr. Ferlin, the manager of the Long
Beach office asking if I was still interested in a job and if so to
contact him. I immediately went down to the office and talked to
him and after a brief interview and a few preliminary tests I was
hired and given a Greyhound Bus ticket to the Western Union
Operators school in Fresno California. I started classes on June 1st
of 1960 and finished school 2 months later.. After graduating
from the Operators School I was temporarily assigned to the Long
Beach office awaiting a permanent assignment. After a month a
permanent position became available at the Western Union Office
On 2nd Street in Downey California, about 15 miles Southeast of
Los Angeles, working for manager Tom Schlice (my future wife's
brother). I worked there until early 1962 when I became the
successful bidder on the position of Rlf Operator, a job that
entailed relieving vacationing Western Union operators throughout
Southern Ca, Az and Nv. This turned out to be one of the most
exciting jobs of my life. From early 1962 until my induction into
the US Army in Dec of 1963 I covered numerous special events
such as the visit of President John F Kennedy at Vandenburg AFB
CA, ( I shall never forget the thrill of standing about 10 feet away
as he entered the hangar where we had our communications set up
and he walked by me) , The Rose Bowl game at Pasadena CA,
The Bob Hope Golf Classic At Palm Springs California, The Floyd
Patterson-Sony Liston Heavyweight fight at Las Vegas Nev
(sitting in the 2nd row) to name just a few.
(A TWO YEAR FURLOUGH -- DUTY CALLS)
Nov 22, 1963 (coincidentally the day of the JFK assassination)
was my last day of work before being inducted into the army. I
Left for Fort Ord Ca on the day after Christmas 1963 to start my 2
year stint in the Army.
After my honorable discharge in 1965 I returned to Western
Union, first accepting an unbid position at the Western Union
Office in Newport Beach CA where I met my future wife Barbara
Sue Schlice. I stayed there until early 1966 when I was awarded
another rlf operator job and once again started traveling about
Southern CA, Az and Nv relieving various positions and covering
special events. Once again I was assigned to the Bob Hope Golf
Classic in Palm Springs. I was also assigned to The Academy
Awards in 1967 and in 1968 and 1969 I was assigned to the
Western White House Press centers in San Clemente and Laguna
Beach CA for President Nixon. In 1974 I was awarded the
position of Senior Relief Manager and continued on that job until
my layoff in late February of 1986. By that time Western Union
had converted nearly all of their company owned public offices to
agencies and I and my co-workers had become obsolete.
I do not regret at all the great career I had with Western Union
even though I did not particularly agree with the way many of the
public office employees were treated at the end. I had a job that
looking back on it was a very very exciting and interesting one to
say the least and I would love to do it all over again.
Bob Hennessey
