Independence
Day Memories
WILLIAMS’ CENTURY OF SERVICE
“Our customers
rely on us to
deliver the energy
that makes their
lives move.”
Kirk Edwards
Operations Technician
Williams
In the early 1940s, virtually
all petroleum consumed
on the East Coast arrived
via ocean tankers from
Venezuela or the Gulf Coast.
pipeline company to receive the Army-Navy
“E” Award for “outstanding performance in
wartime construction.”
That is, until German submarines began
sinking the tankers, destabilizing American
energy supplies.
“When I think of veterans and the most valued
traits they bring to a company and work
environment, I think of leadership, discipline,
situational awareness, adaptability, and esprit
de corps,” says D. R. “Bud” Rains, director of
projects, Construction Management. “Most of
the experiences that a veteran will gain on active
duty will never be matched in the civilian world.”
As World War II broke out, the United States
government turned to Williams for a safer, more
secure system to fuel its defense plants in the
Northeast. The result — the War Emergency
Pipeline systems, also known as Big
Inch and Little Inch.
The 24-inch diameter Big Inch,
running more than 1,200 miles
from Texas to New Jersey, went into
service in 1943, while the 20-inch
diameter Little Inch (actually a
longer system by 200 miles) went
into service the next year. Big Inch
and Little Inch not only solidified
Williams’ reputation as the world’s
foremost pipeline firm, it also drew
honors and accolades from U.S.
military. Williams became the first
10
That commitment to service continues today, as
veterans comprise about 10 percent of
our workforce.
Williams Operations Technician Kirk Edwards joined Williams after
20 years in the U.S. Air Force.
CONNECT: A PUBLICATION FOR WILLIAMS CUSTOMERS | VOL. 4, ISSUE 1, 2016