Hardtack 1958
US Atomic Veterans
Larry W. Borman
Larry W. Borman sent email about his duty at Operation Hardtack.
From: "larry borman" lborman@cox.net
To: "Keith" pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Operation Hardtack 1958--USS Sterlet
Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2001
Keith:
OPERATION HARDTACK
Task Group 7.3
Enewetak Proving grounds
My name is Larry Borman, I served aboard the Submarine, USS Sterlet (SS-392), in 1958 which took part in Operation Hardtack.
According to DOD documents, received from the National Archives and Records Administration, the US Navy Submarine, USS Sterlet SS392, did participate in the atomic testing relating to Operation Hardtack in May 1958. The fleet submarine USS Sterlet SS392 was a target ship for Shot WAHOO. USS Sterlet's log records the following submarine movement.
3 MAY 1803 left Pearl Harbor
13 MAY 1219 arrived Enewetak
17 MAY 1600 left Enewetak
24 MAY 0857 arrived Pearl Harbor
WAHOO was the sixth shot of the Hardtack. A shot buoy was moored in 3200 feet of water outside the Enewetak Lagoon about 8000 feet south-southwest of Baken Island. The devise was suspended 500 feet below the buoy. Radiating out from the surface zero was a moored target array, including eight barges, three decommissioned destroyers, and a liberty ship hull. A destroyer and a submarine with crew aboard were positioned approximately 6500 yards from surface zero.
Following the shot on 16 MAY 1958, the Navy conducted an operational exercise using seven destroyers and two submarines; giving the crews experience in post-shot operation and providing information on the reaction of hulls, equipment, and personnel.
The USS Sterlet SS392 was out of the test operating area for all test shots--EXCEPT, BUTTERNUT---KOA----WAHOO. Operational activities for the USS Sterlet for these Shots Follow:
#BUTTERNUT--(Enewetak--12 MAY--0615) Steaming for Enewetak, approximately 268 nmi southeast of the shot site, bearing112'.
#KOA--(Enewetak--13 MAY--0630 ) Steaming for Enewetak, approximately, 75 nmi south of shot site, bearing 175'. At 1719 moored at anchorage B-3, Enewetak. On 14 MAY at 0623 underway from anchorage. At 1455 moored B-1, Enewetak. On 15 MAY at 1110 underway from buoy. At 1630 moored at buoy B-1, Enewetak.
#WAHOO--(Enewetak--16 MAY--1330) At 0625 underway from buoy; at 1130 submerged on various courses at various speeds. Submerged at periscope depth and maneuvered approximately 6500 yards southeast of shot site at time of detonation, bearing 145'. At 1408 surfaced. At 1634 moored at B-1, Enewetak. On 17 MAY at 1600 underway for Pearl Harbor.
All of the Sterlet's 79 crewmembers were badged. 61 of the 79 badged crewmembers showed slight exposure??? (0 to 0.5R) Radiation levels vary on daily rate as to your location.
I can remember going ashore and it was the topside watch duty to make sure your badge was on. I can remember going to the PX, drinking beer, walking the beach and seeing dead fish lying all over the beach.
JUST A NOTE: The fleet ocean tug USS TAKELMA ATF-113 was in all 35 Hardtack shots, arriving 15 MARCH and departing 20 AUGUST. Its general duty was positioning, recovering, and decontaminating target ships; assisting in laying deep-water moorings for underwater shots. On 14 MAY the day after shot KOA at 0615 the background count aboard had risen to 0,005 R/hr. By 0730 the count had risen to 0.015 R/hr and at 1240 the washdown system was activated. The system reduced the contamination by 50%. The next day from 0001 to 0400, the average radiation level on the USS TAKELMA, while it was located in the area southeast of the WAHOO array, was 0.003 R/hr. Just a note of interest!
TO THE CREWMEMBERS OF THE ---USS STERLET and the USS TAKELMA, I HOPE THIS IS NOT TO LATE IN RECORDING AND IS A SERVICE TO BOTH CREWS.
Larry W. Borman
Email: "Larry Borman"
Keith Whittle
September 25, 2001
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