Support provided by:
The Case:
A contributor brings History Detectives a patent with his father's name on it. He is certain that his father worked on the famous Manhattan Project - America's covert effort to be the first to build an atomic weapon during World War II.
His father refused to talk about his war assignment except to say that he sold his patent to the U.S. government for a single dollar. Along with the patent, our contributor has a letter from the Atomic Energy Commission stating that his father’s patent had been declassified.
Was this invention used to build the Atomic Bomb?
History Detectives discovers a plan to hide atomic secrets in plain sight.
Related Content
Feature:
Technique:
Technique:
Technique:
Technique:
Related Links
Explore
-
Also in Season 7
Boxcar Home
Why is a boxcar buried beneath this suburban kitchen?
-
Also in Season 7
Black Tom Shell
Is this shell from a devastating act of foreign sabotage on American soil?
-
Also in Depression and WWII: 1929-1945
Hindenburg Artifact
Was this device snatched from the burning wreckage of the ill-fated zeppelin?
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Lookout Mountain Painting
What can this painting tell us about a turning point in the Civil War?
-
Also with Wes Cowan
Whaling Ship
Might a ship docked in Mystic Seaport, hold secrets to the Underground Railroad?
-
Also in Depression and WWII: 1929-1945
Empire State Building Plane Crash Piece
Does this piece of metal belong to the plane that crashed into the Empire State Building?
Comments
This is a place for opinions, comments, questions and discussion; a place where viewers of History Detectives can express their points of view and connect with others who value history. We ask that posters be polite and respectful of all opinions. History Detectives reserves the right to delete comments that don’t conform to this conduct. We will not respond to every post, but will do our best to answer specific questions, or address an error.
- Submit your StoryDo you have a Depression or World War II object? Submit your story now.
- Latest CommentIt turns out that this collage was sold last fall: http://www.worthpoint.com/wort... I wonder if it would be possible to contact the buyer by way of the auction house about getting a print made. (9 months ago)
- Twitterremember this investigation with @TukufuZuberi @elyseluray Tonight they reunite! Let us know your thoughts! @PBS http://t.co/4KMnc27K (1 year ago)
- FacebookCongrats on your exhibit, TZ! Here's a Washington Post article about the exhibit, everyone, and the great story TZ and Elyse did on his "Our Colored Heroes" story. http://tinyurl.com/mzpuyo8 http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/investigation/our-colored-heroes/ (9 months ago)