Mr. Joseph Oduber

Born in Aruba September /03/ 1918

Laying in his bed with a lot of inexplicable pain he told me some amazing stories about his job in there!!! One of them intrigued me and I came to realize that he is a Hero. 

During WW II the condensing system of the refinery broke down and Mr. W J Haley President,  send a memo out to all his employees. Who is willing to risk his life to fix this problem because time was short. With the condenser down there won’t be no production, no production means less liberation attacks. A person was needed to descend  the salt water and fix the problem by welding under water. One person apply being the first Aruban supervisor patriotically with value, valor and courage he put on the diving gear presented to him, in those time not professional enough and he descended with his welding gear to do the job. While 30 persons including Mr. Haley were waiting above water he was supporting shakily millions of mini shocks submerged while he was welding. Being in his young years he survived the shocks and came out of the water victoriously. He was greeted happily by Mr. Haley personally and he was invited to a special room to share some good whisky and cigar. A Person to do that is nothing else but a Hero with capital H, that has apported  his small/big effort for the liberation of Europe.

The good thing is that he is a though one and he is still alive he is in bed though with a lot of inexplicable pain. I wonder if these shocks are taken there toll now on him? I hope that his action of valor will grant him a condecoration. By his act he saved lives of millions of people. Thank you!!!

His daughter

Monica Etlien Oduber