Operation Upshot/Knothole
US Atomic Veterans
John N. Broussard
From: Brewbuz@wmconnect.com
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2003
Subject: Participation in Shot BADGER of Upshot-Knothole Series
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
I was a U.S. Marine Corporal recently back from the Korean War when I was
assigned to the 2nd Marine Corps Provisional Atomic Exercise Brigade in February
1953 at Camp Pendleton, California. The Brigade was composed of 2,167
Marines, and our CG was Brigadier General Wilbur "Bigfoot" Brown, quite a Marine, who
later went on to be a Professor at University of Alabama.
We were the maneuver element in the exercise, and soon after the 23
kiloton device detonated, we were transported by helicopters very close to
ground zero, where we observed the total destruction and the sand was turned into
glass. I then rejoined E Company at about 800 yards from ground zero and
walked out, observing dead & dying test animals. I did not have a film badge or
dosimeter and was never issued gas mask or breathing filter, and did not take
a shower until late that night because of overcrowding.
Very significant to me was that I could see rocks at the bottom of my
trench----thru my eyelids---when the bomb went off. Even more poignant....and
I may have been the only one to sense it, was at the moment that I first was
aware of the bright flash, I got the strangest smell sensation that I've ever
had, and I've never had it again. I suspect that it was some part of the
ionizing radiation that is poorly understood even today.
Because we were warned never to talk about this to anyone under pain
of Court Martial, I kept to myself until when I came down with prostate cancer
and read that cancers are radiogenic. That was in 1992. Today, I am 100%
disabled because of radical prostatectomy, bilateral orchiectomy and incontinence
necessitating that I wear diapers. I was unsuccessful in my VA Claim for
radiation injury because the VA said that the prostate is not part of the Urinary
Tract.
John Nelson Broussard
USMC (ret)
Lafayette LA
Brewbuz@wmconnect.com
Keith Whittle
November 13, 2003
Operation Upshot/Knothole