Transcript of interview with Mitchell A. Cobeaga by Raymond E. Frey, March 14, 1976

UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga i An Interview with Mitchell A Cobeaga An Oral History Conducted by Raymond E. Frey Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas Special Collections and Archives Oral History Research Center University Libraries University of Nevada, Las Vegas UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga ii © Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2018 UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga iii The Oral History Research Center (OHRC) was formally established by the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada System in September 2003 as an entity of the UNLV University Libraries’ Special Collections Division. The OHRC conducts oral interviews with individuals who are selected for their ability to provide first-hand observations on a variety of historical topics in Las Vegas and Southern Nevada. The OHRC is also home to legacy oral history interviews conducted prior to its establishment including many conducted by UNLV History Professor Ralph Roske and his students. This legacy interview transcript received minimal editing, such as the elimination of fragments, false starts, and repetitions in order to enhance the reader's understanding of the material. All measures have been taken to preserve the style and language of the narrator. The interviewee/narrator was not involved in the editing process. UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga iv Abstract On March 14, 1976 Raymond E. Frey interviewed Vice President of Nevada State Bank, Mitchell A. Cobeaga (born December 11, 1917 in Lovelock, Nevada) at Mr. Frey’s home in Las Vegas, Nevada. This interview covers early life in Nevada and the history of the Nevada State Bank. During this interview Mr. Cobeaga also discusses education in Nevada in the twenties and thirties, and Southern Nevada’s influence over the rest of the state. UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 1 Testing this is Raymond Frey taping interview with Mitchell A. Cobeaga on the 14th of March, 1976, for Nevada History. Testing, one, two, three. Okay, Mitch, where did you grow up and where, do you recall the living situation in Nevada at that time? Well, I was born in Lovelock, on December 11, 1917, and I was born there and I don’t even think they had a hospital there at that time. My mother and father both came from Spain. They were born, my mother was born in Bilboa. Is that the Basque country? Yes. And my father was born just thirty miles from there and my father came here when he was fifteen, my mother when she was seven, and they settled in Lovelock, because of this tailor who was a big American sheep man then and he brought ‘em in there and I was born there that morning on December 11th. 1918? No. I—yes. ’17. Seventeen. Yes. Seventeen. 1917. I’m one year older than that, Ray. Mm-hm. And no hospital and I was born about four thirty in the morning. Four and a half and my grandmother told me that many years later that, she had me in the oven to keep me warm. Where, ah, what were living conditions? Would you say they were primitive? Okay, we’re on the road, where did you go through school as a—? That’s important. You got it going now? UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 2 It’s going. Yes. I went to fourth grade in McDermitt, which had two schools amazingly that the state of McDermitt, the border runs right through— That’s the Utah border? No, no. Oregon and Nevada. Oh. And it runs right through and the state line runs right through this middle of the town and the town was five hundred when I was there and it all the restaurants were on the Oregon side and all the booze huts were on the Nevada side because of the laws. True story, and my dad was a sheet man also owned part of this hotel. And so, we used to go through this and it’s funny. How old were you then? Oh. I was in second— Four or five? Second, or third grade. Oh, seven or eight. Yes, seven to eight. Mm-hm. Very interesting. And I could tell you a story but I’m not. Well, go ahead. No. What we did, we got milk one time, we had right behind this hotel, and my dad was a sheep man primarily, but he owned part of this hotel and this guy and I, his mother used to, oh Gord and I used to milk the cows. And we got so darn mad because they had mistreated us, that we got UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 3 the milk and we milked the cows, and we put stuff in it, and we watched them serve it in their restaurant and we laughed. True story. What did you put in the milk? We’re not gonna tell you. (Laughs) (Laughs) Cut it off. (Laughs) Okay, from McDermitt, where did you go? I, my mother was smart enough, coming from Spain when she was only seven, uneducated, that she realized that I should have an education. And we moved from McDermitt and she moved me to Lovelock, Nevada, where I was born, and I had gone back to McDermitt but I came back and she, I started living with my grandmother, and lemme tell you, the first education that I got from my grandmother was right after my mother left I was spoiled rotten. I took a pan off of her pot and she hit me with a poker, right on the hand. True story. You mean your grandmother was a disciplinarian? Oh brother. She raised— Was she a Basque? Yes. She’s the one that brought my mother over, and she bore nine children and never been in a hospital. Were the Basque people, at this time, did they pretty well dominate the sheep industry? Oh, definitely; owned it. They owned it? UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 4 Well, I’d say, they owned it. They owned it, they owned it because the people they were coming in and they were taking over because their ability to stay out in that country by themselves for a month and months and months along. That’s a lot. I’ve done it and it’s a tough life. Did you do this while you were going to school? Yes. In the summertime or? Summertime. In the summertime? I used to go up there, my dad, that’s not, this wasn’t when he had the big, before I was born or when I was young, he had a lot of big sheep, but when I, at this time, he had, he ran about six thousand sheep and I used to go in the summer after school and I’d relieve the sheepers so they can go and have—because those people never leave. They stay there all year. Let me ask you, did the Basque people have a kind of community unto themselves up there? Or were they integrated with the other community? Well, they have, but like in Winnemucca for instance. You talk about, you’re talking about the state of Nevada? Yes. Only in Nevada. Well, Winnemucca at one time, or still, eighty-five percent of the Winnemucca is an example and Elko you could just name it all around, but Winnemucca, eighty-five percent of their high school kids were Basque. Was that true today as well as that time? Well, no. Not as much today? UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 5 Much, but pretty good. Mm-hm. For an inner mix but if you mix the mix I’d say, yes. It’s about the same. Okay, at that time the Basque were dominant in the sheep herding business, did they really have any impact on the local community political life? Well, let me think a little bit, because you know, I’ve been, you know, I wasn’t involved in that because I was in service. I know you were very young then. Well, and I was in the service. Or after, you know. Mm-hm. I have to relate this in between while we were talking. I would say, about the Basque, I’m one of ‘em, so I had to make this comment. Yes. We’re, I think sometimes we’re a little, you know, we’re fun going people and we, really we don’t like to get involved, sometimes in politics. I really don’t’ know. But I’m, no, don’t, no, don’t cut that off, because I’ve been involved, and then, you know, the thing that, about us is, you know, we’re funny. And we’re so trustworthy and then somebody crosses us and we get real, you know, we’re bitter. Is that as a group? Yes. That’s a group thing. Mm-hm. That’s the way the Basque are. They’re fun. They’re probably the fun, most fun— Loving people? UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 6 People there ever are. Mm-hm. And they don’t even know that you can get, somebody can get mad at you. And then, all of a sudden, somebody, and you know where it comes from? Internal. Internal in the Basque organization? Yes. You have people that are sometimes republicans sometimes democrat and—? Or whatever? And they fight each other? Whatever. I don’t know whether it’s democrat or repub—I don’t even know if they know about that. But they just get involved and boy, it’s bitter. Okay. When you went to high school, you went to high school in Lovelock? Yes. And— And boy I loved it. You (Laughs) you loved Lovelock? Yes (Laughs) And—? There was a thousand people there then. A thousand people in high school? No. In Lovelock. About a hundred in high school? UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 7 No. You know when I graduated from high school we had I think, what—fifteen in our graduated class. And this was one of the larger cities in Nevada at that time outside of Reno? Well, yes. Because Vegas was small then. Mm-hm. Very small. Did you know anything, ah, was anyone aware of Las Vegas at that time, really? Well, we used to hear—no. Las Vegas, no. Ah, the thing we heard about down here was Overton and Lincoln because they had fantastic basketball teams. We used to come up there and rip Reno and everybody apart. But not Las Vegas? No. Did—were the people from down here that you knew of, were they involved anyway in your—the political structure of the state that you know of or didn’t you pay any attention to that at that time? I didn’t pay any attention, I have to be honest. Okay. When you graduated from high school you went to UNR? Yes. And most of the students from UNR were from Nevada? Yes. Oh yes. Definitely. Ah. Were they Northern Nevada primarily? Oh. I wouldn’t say that, no. We had a bunch from down here also From down here? UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 8 Oh yes. And that was in 1941 and 40? That was 37. Thirty-seven? Yes. And thirty-eight? Yes. We got Harley Harmon, we got men, oh, I can name, Ronzone, we just had a bunch (unintelligible) Was Harley Harmon from down here? Oh yes. We don’t have that, you know, we didn’t have that many people here. You went to the University of Nevada then? Boy, we were all from Nevada. Except the junior transfers, we had to get a football team or a basketball team here. So there weren’t too many from down south at that time? Not really. Mm-hm. Very small. Most of them were from—? No. Well, the rest of the state, yes. Yes. Reno? Yes. And Lovelock? Yes. UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 9 And Northern Nevada? Where ever, yes. And, okay, ah, did, where the students at that time politically motivated? Well, all I would say then is, if I may reminisce, and that’s a hard thing to reminisce, Ray, you know? You and I have been in the service together. Yes. And we had to do this many years back. I sit and well, lemme, lemme tell you how I can reminisce this. I was playing in Lovelock and we had a hell of a basketball team. Mary’s brother, who just had a heart attack— Mary, your, that’s your wife now? Yes. My wife’s brother had a heart attack, was playing on the freshman team and he came from Ely, of course—never seen the man before, and they came down to Lovelock and we had a hell of a basketball team, and oh John, I’d never seen it before, this big red head, you know, came in there, and let me tell you, we beat their butt off. Truly. We did. In your home town? Yes. We did. We had a hell of a ball team. You think you could beat ‘em in Ely? Oh yes. We could’ve beat ‘em anywhere. (Laughs) But anyway, he, they came in and you know, John said, “Hey Mitch, you Basque, oh?” He said, “Where you coming? You coming to UNR next year?” And I said, “I don’t know. I had a lot of offers.” And you know, I, hell (unintelligible) true story. I don’t want an offer. I just want to play ball. And he said, “Well, you better come to Reno.” I had offers from Washington, I had it UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 10 from Morgan State, I went to Nevada because of her brother, and then I married his sister. (Laughs) (Laughs) That’s funny. So that’s, did you meet Mary before you met him? No. I met John first. And then you—? Yes. And then you met Mary at UNR? Mm-hm. And that’s where, and you married her there? Yes. Sure did. Ah, did you meet Harley Harmon there in UNR too? Oh yes, yes. Yes. He was from down south here? Oh yes. He was a, born down there. And that was— Was he in your same class? Yes. No. Yes. He was lieutenant governor. His dad was lieutenant governor. And hell, let me tell you something, I don’t want that on tape, so I’m not going to tell you. Go ahead. No. (Laughs) no. Okay. We’ll turn it off. No, no. UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 11 Okay. At UNR, at the time you were there was the student body politically active at all? No. Not to my recollection. Okay. When you were at UNR then was the Southern Nevada area any really was it an impact on the state as a whole or did you, you people feel that Southern Nevada was just an appendage? No. We thought it was a useless small place. Yes. Because I, you know, I was in Lovelock, where we had one thousand people. Mm-hm. Reno then, I would think was, as I recall, at that time and point, must’ve had been what I would say in this state— Twenty-one thousand? Yes. Twenty-two? And Vegas probably at that particular time was, I don’t remember but lemme put it in a— Five thousand? Five thousand, somewhere in there. Mm-hm. ‘Cause I came down here and played football once (unintelligible) Oh. Did you? Yes. Oh did you come down to Las Vegas? Yes, yes. UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 12 When was that in—? Oh, I came here in ’38 and we played Arizona here. Oh, that was in high school? No, college. In college? Yes, yes. And you were in UNR and you played Arizona at—? In the Las Vegas High School stadium, which was two blocks from where I work now. That’s interesting. No, it is and that was the outskirts of town. Oh, and, at that time, the, Las Vegas was possibly five thousand. Oh yes. And the outskirts of town was— About Las Vegas High. Yes. Okay. What did the, do you know, okay, do you know any political influence at that time that was exerted from the south or was it all from the north? Oh well, I couldn’t say that because then, if you’re asking me, when I was going to school? Yes. I, that’s not a good question. Okay. I think that, because no. The political and I think this has to be taken care of in the tape, ah, then there was no, the only thing we had then and that’s why, and I want you to take probably out of there. UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 13 Okay. There was no south. I mean there was nothing but Reno. Well, that’s what I’m trying to find out. Yes. But I want Harley’s name out of it, see. Okay. Yes. Okay. I’ll take Harley’s name. There, yes. Ah, but was there any political influence in Las Vegas that you know of from the south? No? No. None. Everything was Carson City and above? Oh yes. Oh, definitely. I, that’s all we knew. I didn’t even know Vegas was here. And Nevada State was of the same opinion, the majority of the people in the legislature and so on? I think that, yes. Mm-hm. Just a little place down here, they didn’t even know it was here. Then all of a sudden it became this resort. Okay. See? Okay. Mitch, when the war started to break out in 1940 and ’41, was there any hysteria in UNR regarding the Japanese Americans? UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 14 None. None that you know of? None. Did you have any Japanese Americans at school? Well, I don’t—you know, I don’t remember. All I remember, all I—when you talk to me about that, the only guy I remember that, in this vein is old Coulier and he was colored from Ely; born with my wife Mary—hell of a guy, just a great guy. So you had very few minorities at all? No, no, we didn’t even, we didn’t even know what, we, there was nothing there. Mm-hm. Nothing there. So when the war broke out, primarily, you people, you students were just not—joining the Air Force or some other branch for political reasons? No. I joined earlier. I joined before it started Ray. When did you join? I joined in April of ’41. April of ’41? Yes. There was eight months before Pearl Harbor. Oh yes. And you, did quite a few of the members of your school join? Well, there were, in this particular, it was amazing. This bunch of us joined and all of a sudden, you know, it was funny, we—I don’t know how this happened, true story. UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 15 Okay. And we were sitting somewhere where we were all in, I don’t know where we were, frat house or somewhere, and eight of us from the university there at Reno, decided we wanted to go in. And they were coming and recruiting like hell then. And you know, they knew something was going on, so we all joined, and we joined and we all went, we joined the Air Force and we all went down to San Diego. Lindbergh Field it was called then, and we got, and the three of us, oh, Rich, Mindy and the whole, Wall Pars and I, myself, got there late. And Wall Pars had the best track record then that was going. He ran the hundred and I don’t know, it was— Probably around ten one then? No, no, no. No, no. It was way below that. And you know, he was the first guy to solo in our class, and he was so damn mad that they were, nobody could beat his record, he left the class. Oh. True story. Isn’t that terrible? True story. Mm-hm. And you know what he did? Now that we’re reminiscing, Paul War came back and became one of the most successful coaches in our state. Where did he coach? He coached at, ah, not over at, no. Was it up north? No, no. Or down there? UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 16 No, no, no. Down where he came—he was from Sparks. I played against him. I played against him in high school. Boy, and he was tough to catch. But he played at—no, he coached at Gardnerville, Gardnerville. Oh. Just did tremendous. What a hell of a guy. You—you know he had a square head? You gotta see it. What a hell of a guy he was. He ran the, he was one of, you know he one time was held our state record and I mean United States record in the hundreds. Where is he now? He’s there, up there in Reno, Nevada. In Reno. Somewhere around, yes. Great guy. Is he still coaching? No. I don’t know what he’s doing. Businessman or something? No. No, no, I think he’s retired. (Laughs) I hope. (Laughs) just a— Okay. Mitch, you joined the Air Force at that time, we’re running close. Yes. Well, you joined the Air Force at that time and did you, ah, during your twenty-eight years in the Air Force, di you keep in touch with the Nevada community? Always, always, always. Both north and south? I had no, I didn’t do singles, I just, I loved my state. I have never been—when I travelled anywhere and I looked. UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 17 Did you keep your Nevada citizenship? Always have. I’ve still got my original driver’s license. So you always kept your Nevada citizenship, through all these years? Oh, I got my original driver’s license. So during the twenty-eight years you were in the air force— Yes. Through three wars. Yes. You’ve kept your Nevada citizenship? Let me tell you something Ray, I looked around, and Mary and I did, and you know, I love my wife and I mean this seriously, we looked, we thought and we looked, like, you know, where you come from and that’s one of the best countries. In Wisconsin? Forever, yes, and that and Riverside, you know that— Yes. Boy that country, if it wasn’t for the smog—so beautiful. Mm-hm. But we came back home because we love Nevada, and I mean this seriously, Nevada is a great state. It’s got, well, it does, you know, well, we got Ray here now. (Laughs) And he’s here talking to me and that’s important. Well, you, what do you think about the Northern Nevada, now that you lived down here? Well, I think, you know, we have a lot of conflict going here in north and south. Mm-hm. UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 18 And I think it’s, I think north Nevada has got a problem, really, and, you know, if you don’t come over the—no, I shouldn’t say that. I may— Yes. Go ahead and say it. No. I will. North Nevada I would say this, and I’ve said this before. I said that up in the meeting one time, you know, they just think, don’t think we’re here but we are. They think that the, southern Nevada doesn’t really belong? That’s right. Even though we’re more populous? Yes, I think so. I want to say that openly. And really, don’t you think that northern Nevada actually rules the state, yes? Well, no. I wouldn’t say that. I would say, I don’t, I don’t know who ruled the state. I can’t say that. (Laughs) ‘Cause I’m sitting here, you know, talking to you, Ray. Mm-hm. And you’re on your hunches. Well, what do you think? Well, I would say the power’s down south. Is that right? Yes. And I think it’s good. And I’ll tell you why. That’s where the people are. I’ll tell you why. I’m going to tell you an important reason why, I think it’s right. Is down here we think positive, up there, they’re playing games. I mean that seriously. Mm-hm. UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 19 Okay. Mitch, there’s, I’ve just got a few minutes left on this before I start on the Nevada State Bank, which will be on the further part, but in your life in Nevada you’ve gone from the sheep herding community—? Yes, and I love that. You know that was my best. Is there a, let me ask you, is there still a community like that, up there today? Oh yes. There is? Yes, yes. Yes. It’s still there. There’s great. You know, you go up there and they talk to you and it’s just a beautiful thing. You know, you just feel like, you know, you haven’t been there in I don’t know how many years and you walk in and you know, you don’t even know— Do you have to be a Basque to do that? No, no. That’s not important. Not important at all. Not. You’re a part of the— (Tape ends) Side Two. Testing. (Laughs) Ray Frey interviewing Mitch Cobeaga for Nevada History, side two. Mitch during your years in the Air Force did you keep in touch with Nevada? Oh. All my life, really. Uh-huh. Mary and I both, we were married here in Nevada, and Mary was from Ely. I was born in Lovelock and all through our careers we never saw anything that would not lead us back to Nevada. So we came back here and we’re very happy. UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 20 In other words, all during your Air Force career you never had any desire to retire any place but in Nevada. Right. None. How about whether you wanted to retire in Northern or Southern Nevada? I don’t think that had any—well, I would say this, Mary and I, during the service, got to like warm country, so I think maybe that had a little bearing but not really. Okay. Were you—were you aware of the growing influence of Southern Nevada during this period? Oh definitely. Definitely. And how do you feel about, as a northern Nevada native, with the growing dominance of Southern Nevada as a political history? Oh they’re teed off. Yes, but we don’t mind it. Ah, you mean northern Nevada? Yes. And they’re teed off, really. And you don’t feel that—? No. And I was raised there and I—I went there not too long ago, lemme, lemme think when it was, when, probably one of our greatest football players in the country, Motley— Mm-hm. Was honored there. I went there from here and a very prominent man of ours made a statement, (Unintelligible) said, “We’re gonna get those guys down there in Las Vegas.” and I stood up and I said, “Why? Why you, who you fighting?” This is a true story. Did, okay, do the people in northern Nevada actually resent the Southern Nevada influence now? UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 21 Yes. I think they do. But—because this is where the tax is from? This is where they came from? I wouldn’t, I don’t know why I would say and I don’t say why because you know, ah, but they do. I don’t know why. When it was the—when it was the reverse they didn’t seem to think it was bad. No. That’s what I said the day I was there when Motley was there and I said, “Bullshit.” And that’s exactly how I put it. Okay, when did—do you know when Harley Harmon started the first local Nevada bank in Las Vegas? I would say, I don’t know, really. I wasn’t here. Harley and I and Mary, we all went to college together and Harley, I would think he started Nevada State Bank in ’62. Nineteen sixty-two? I think so. And— I don’t know this, so don’t quote me. Well, you are vice-president of Nevada State Bank now. Yes, I know. But that means I don’t know my business? (Laughs) No. I’m not saying— I would say ’62. Yes. And is this the only locally owned Nevada bank? Yes. Locally. There’s none other Las Vegas bank? No. That’s right. UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 22 Nevada State Bank is the only locally owned Nevada bank? That’s true. And do you think that this has an impact upon the local community as far as money available for local businesses? Well, you’re really putting me on the spot because I really, you know, I’m not in that particular part of the banking business. You’re not in the loan business? No. But I would say this—this bank is community orientated, and what it does is for the good of the community, and I mean that seriously. And they have signs in their bank that says “You’re Number One.” And you know, that’s no kidding. They mean that seriously. Okay. Do you as vice-president feel that they have the interest of the Las Vegas community at their heart? I would say that without reservation. Without reservation. That’s pretty good, Mitch because I consider you an honest man. I know you as a colonel in the Air Force and I know you would not say it unless you felt it. That’s right. Okay. Do you think that the future of Las Vegas is furthered by local banks or by conglomerate banks? Well, that’s the problem, you know, we got a strike going on right now. (Laughs) Beauty. You see this strike going on, Ray? Yes. I see it. Yes. Let me tell you something about us, you know what our banks doing? Let me tell you what our banks doing, I want this on tape. You asked me to put something on tape. You know what UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 23 our boss told us the other day? He said, “Look, we got a bunch of problem, people in problems, and we want to take ‘cause they’re not going to take care of their Goddamn loan payments or their stuff and we’re going to take care of it and don’t you, when they call up, or you, don’t you call anybody.” True story. So. We’re not going to call anybody with this strike that’s gotta loan in our bank and they can’t make their payment, we’re not even gonna call ‘em. That’s a true story. Well, how? They got a problem, why, how the hell can they pay their payment when they’re not working? That’s why our bank is where it is. Mitch, what percentage of your bank is—okay, you are the vice-president in charge of military— Yes. Military accounts. What percentage of your bank accounts are military accounts? Well, if you were to talk commercial everything, we’re about forty-five point nine. If you talk individual, we’re fifty point nine or sixty percent. You know the military men. Your individual accounts are almost sixty percent military? Yes. Your commercial accounts run down to about forty point something? Yes, a year. It’s surprising. Mm-hm. Does, is this a growing factor or a, or is it static? No. I would say this, our, it’s gonna, it has to reverse, it has to reverse. The— You can’t go anymore? UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 24 No, no, no. No, really, Ray, the military’s carried that bank, now it’s gotta reverse. Okay. Have you done any exploration up in the Test Site area? Oh, that’s why we stayed open till late. We have so many military accounts, I mean, and the Test Site, that’s why we stay open till late. That’s our theory. Look, with us, Ray, this is a true story, I mean this, and you know, and since I’ve been in the bank and I’ve been with you and you and I have been in Guam, we’ve been everywhere. With Nevada State Bank you’re number one and you know why we stay open till late? Because those people in the Test Site can’t get here till later. Mm-hm. That’s right. (Tape cuts out starts again midsentence) this house but you know I haven’t been here but (unintelligible) let me tell you, these guys down here are tigers. They really are hunting and they really go for business. Reno and that’s where I played ball. Mm-hm. And I went through all of this. You know, they’re conservative and they, you know, if you didn’t come over with a party over the hump, you got a problem, really. What, do you think that Nevada State Bank is more aggressive in serving their customers? Oh, I would say this about Nevada State Bank, ah, (Laughs) my gosh, you know, they’re young. They’re young!? Yes. They are. Well, please clarify that. Well, they just took over in ’62 and they’re real young. Harley Harmon, who’s a prominent man in the state took over. UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 25 Did you know Harley Harmon before? Oh yes. I went to college with him. He used to date my wife, best friend. Hmm? Yes. And so, does his thinking pervade Nevada State Bank? I would say yes. Yes. Mm-hm. And (unintelligible) I’m sorry. No, no problem. Harley Harmon is, I would, I have to make this comment if I may, during this interview and when we’re having an interview, is a dedicated Nevadan. I have to—let me finish. I have, when I was in the service, Washington, I’ve run into Harley a few times and dedication to the military is just right there. I would also say, what he says about Nellis (unintelligible) He’s been one of the primary personnel in keeping Nellis as a major beast. Oh. Unbelievable. Mm-hm. If it wasn’t for Harley it wouldn’t be there. And you know you can talk about and I believe, you know, I know Laxalt and I know Cannon. I know ‘em all. But the guy that keep them there is Harley. Okay. Mitch I only have about three more minutes and if you like to say anything that you think would contribute to Nevada history, whether it’s old, young, or future. If you don’t that’s fine, too. Well, I— UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 26 When you finish. I would say, I getting married to my lovely wife. Was she a Basque, too? Well, partial. Partial Basque. Yes. Partial. Mm-hm. But I’ll tell you, she’s a hell of a girl. I know that. Yes. And then, I—I have no comment. You know, I, all I want to do is whatever the state wants to do, or anybody else, as we all do. I would say this, you know, we in the military served. When you get out you’re un-respected, and I mean that seriously. Mm-hm. And then you gotta— You have to build respect. You gotta come back and build respect, that’s all I can say. That’s a true story. (Unintelligible) Mitch I can say you’ve done that. I, and I hope I can do as well, and thank you for your history of Nevada and Nevada State Bank and— Piss on Nevada State Bank. (Laughs) We don’t care about that. I do! Do you? (Laughs) Yes, I have all my money there! (Laughs) Yes, I guess. UNLV University Libraries Mitchell A Cobeaga 27 And I’ll see you when the next time the boat leaves dock. Yes. (Tape ends)