Walter Arrufat was born in Binghamton, NY on New Year's Eve in 1920. He passed away on Nov. 30, 2007. Walt worked at IBM for 45 years and enjoyed a passion for photography and travel. His career with IBM started after high school when he became a toolmaker in Endicott, NY before moving to San Jose, CA in 1957 to work in the new products division manufacturing plant that developed the disc drive. He worked on the first light pen operated touch screen cathode ray tube that was used in schools during the 1960s. He was also part of the team that developed the ticket machines for BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) that used magnetic stripes to record fare and payment information.



In his spare time Walter was a professional wedding and portrait photographer and served as the president of the Santa Clara County Professional Photographers Association in 1974. His photography and toolmaker skills were put to use by IBM when he became a member of the Asset Protection Department assisting with FBI investigations of counterfeit computer parts. He produced a multi-media audio visual presentation of IBM's security measures at facilities in Japan and the U.S. After retiring in 1984, Walter was a security consultant whose clients included the Kodak Corporation. He and his wife Martha, also a photographer, traveled the U.S.& Europe and displayed photos from their travels at local art fairs.



During World War II Walter served in the tool room (MMS2) on the USS Sierra AD-18, a destroyer tender. For his service he received the Victory, American Theater, Philippine Liberation, and Asiatic Pacific Ribbons. The USS Sierra was in Shanghai from October 12, 1945 to February 5, 1946. During his stay in Shanghai Walter managed the darkroom on board ship as well as making "Cat's Eye" rings for sailors to purchase. He would trade packs of cigarettes for rolls of film when he went ashore.

This site includes some of his photographs from 1945 Shanghai that captured life on the streets of that bygone era and is dedicated to him with love from all.