Field explosion

Yeeee hawwww. Although mostly known now for producing chips for large-screen TVs and cell phones, Texas Instruments was first called Geophysical Service Inc. (GSI), and it specialized in seismology equipment for finding oil. The crewman at the bottom right of the picture (with the scarf) operates a piece of equipment that records seismic signals reflected off a horizon deep in the earth. The photographed blast in the South Louisiana field was set intentionally.

The workers stand on a marsh buggy designed by an early employee, Ken Burg.

Much of the company's history is chronicled in "Engineering the World: Stories from the First 75 Years at Texas Instruments," published by Caleb Pirtle III.