Harold Burton has the reputation of being a "toolpusher's
toolpusher." He started doing well salvage for independent contractors in
Illinois. His grandfather asked him to come back to Louisiana and got him a
roustabout job with Texaco in 1950. After working on land rigs around Oil
City, he transferred to the Harvey district, as roustabout and driller on
drilling barges. He moved up to toolpusher later that year and in 1958 was
promoted to dome foreman, a job he held at Leeville, Lake Barre and Caillou
Island, until he retired in 1983. He has worked occasionally as a consultant
since then.