3 Americans share Nobel physics prize

George E. Smith, 79, receives a congratulatory telephone call at his home in Waretown, N.J., Tuesday, Oct.

[Doris Gross]

Hey George...
An old member of the Barnegat Boating, Bailing and Boozing society says hello to you and congratulations. Janet #1 told me so many years ago that you were going to win the prize, so it comes as no suprise (well a little) that you got it!! Over the years I've often wondered whether you accomplished your dream of circumnavigating the globe. Knowing you, I should never have wondered. Again, congrats and rmember me to your kids.

[John Andrews]

George E. Smith was my first department head at Bell Telephone Laboratories, as it was then known when I joined in 1966. Bill Boyle was my first director. Bell Labs was the highlight of my professional life. What a tragedy that the US government continually attacked this world class institution until it was nearly destroyed! As the late Bob Ryder once said: "The government cannot abide any organization that works."

George was a brilliant physicist and was well liked by everyone I knew.