This site was created in memory of Forest K. Wetmore. Elaine W. Ford, Principal of the Raymond E. Shaw Elementary School from 1999-2006, is the daughter of Forest K. Wetmore. Thank you to all who donated to create this site, which will provide links to the world of Technology and Engineering for many children. BIOGRAPHY FOREST K. WETMORE 1916-2005 Forest worked with American Wire Rope Company – a division of US Steel - from 1940 to 1980 in New Haven, Connecticut. He was involved in creating many technological and engineering components and processes that would benefit so many. For the US Navy he helped develop the capability and techniques used to make a special stainless steel wire rope for use in submarine location and rescue. The rope could go down 2 miles in the ocean with a camera attached, yet would twist less then 1 foot. As you may know, any weight put at the end of a long rope or wire typically spins wildly. Forest came up with a process that alternated the twist in the rope to achieve great stability. Forest also helped develop stone cutting wire rope with increased cost- efficiency. It incorporated lubricant with diamond chips, and was used to cut and polish granite in one process. Previously, cutting and polishing required two separate processes, using more expensive blades and more time. He was responsible for manufacturing wire rope used along highways before guard rails, and smaller fine core wire rope products used in aircraft controls before the development of electronic controls. Forest worked on manufacturing the cables (which were made into cable bundles) used to suspend the bridge deck for the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in New York and other suspension bridges around the world. He also manufactured arresting cables that were used on aircraft carriers. The landing planes used a hook to catch the cable that was used to bring the planes to a halt during landing. During WWII, Forest worked with Yale University to help improve the capability of high altitude bombers by enhancing the pressurization system in the cabin to keep the pilots from blacking out with the bends. Forest volunteered to work with them and test the process. He implemented the use of computers (IBM Mainframes) when computers first started to be used in Industry. His talents, dedication and work ethics were commendable and recognized by many in the steel/wire rope industry. Forest and his wife, Margaret, lived in Hamden, CT where they raised their six children: David, Maureen, Kevin, Barbara, Elaine and Paul.