Operation Redwing
1956
Oregon Atomic Veterans
Gary Anderson
Gary Anderson, stationed aboard the USS Estes during Operation Redwing, sent his impressions.
Thanks for the response Keith..It is interesting to find a web site devoted
to a subject that is very close to those of us that have participated in
nuclear and thermonuclear tests throughout the years.
As I indicated, I was in the Navy, an enlisted radioman (RM2), during the
1956 series of tests, aboard the USS Estes AGC12. The Estes is (was) the
center of the operation, with commander task group (CTG) aboard.
I agree with the comment from Cecil (Cecil Herald, Crossroads section) about not being able to relate to friends and neighbors. They simply do not understand because the nuclear detonations we experienced there are not describable to people
not there, since there are virtually no words to describe the brilliance of
the flash. English language words do not do come close to properly
describing the brilliance.
I haven't made any effort to obtain any exposure records. I'm not sure they
exist. We wore dosimeters and film badges. The dosimeters were a visual
indicator of the level of radioactive fallout being measured on a paper like
material in a plastic holder. As the level of radioactivity increased, the
dosimeter color would change from a pale blue color to a pink. The more
pink, the higher the level of radiation.
A few hours (about 5 or 6) after the Cherokee shot, we were playing softball
and drinking beer on the island of Bikini, which was about 20 or 25 miles
from ground zero. The mushroom cloud had spread out for hundreds of miles.
Someone noticed a change in color of the film badge of a shipmate. We all
checked ours and saw the same thing. About this time, the ship's whistle and
fog horn began to sound. This is an alert to return to the ship immediately.
The ship was closed completely. All doors, hatches and ventilation systems
were closed. Being in warm tropical water, the temperature inside the ship
immediately began to increase to the point of sailors unable to work.
Sailors were laying everywhere after a few hours. The ship was steaming out
from underneath the fallout from the mushroom cloud. We didn't have fresh
air until early the next morning.
In the radio room, where I was a supervisor, the communications equipment
generated a lot of heat. There were many receivers (vacuum tubes) which
consumed several hundred watts each. All but the most critical communication
circuits were shut down. Fans were turned on the workers. All unnecessary
personnel were relieved of duty and sent to their berthing compartments.
I remember Cherokee well!
For each detonation, all personnel were topside. No one was left below
decks. The ship was parallel to ground zero. The distance varied with the
anticipated yield of the device. Most detonations were scheduled for 6:06
AM. At this hour, it was dark at sea level, but daylight at 30 or 40
thousand feet. This provided for illumination of the stem of the mushroom
cloud as it rose through this elevation.
We were seated on the deck of the ship, on the ground zero side, facing away
from ground zero, with our eyes buried in our elbows. The fleet
communication system counted down the time. At zero hour, the flash of light
was so bright, you could see the extreme brilliance through your arm, but
the light was too dazzling to see any bone content as you might think.
After a couple minutes, we were allowed to turn and view the detonation.
Most of us took an early peek. It only dazzled us. We could only see spots
in front of our eyes for a while. Akin to having a bright flash bulb flashed
a few inches in front of your eyes.
Based on the distance from ground zero, the arrival of the shock wave was
broadcast over the fleet intercom, "The shock wave will hit the ships in the
number two ring in ten seconds, nine, eight, etc..."
You could see the shock wave racing across the surface of the ocean. The
shock wave was a strong gust of wind, accompanied by a roaring sound (akin
to a water fall) and a warm rush of air (not hot). The strength of the shock
wave was adequate to slam hatches left open on the ship, or would knock a
person off their feet if not anticipating it.
Fallout (no pun) from these tests include sensitivity to cancer and cancer
related problems. For that reason, although I am now and always have been
healthy, I like to keep track of my peers from those tests.
This is the most I have talked about this for years. I have no objections to
publishing my email address.
Thanks for taking the time to develop a web site dedicated to this subject.
I'll keep in touch. Please feel free to contact me anytime.
Gary Anderson
gander@bendnet.com
See the USS Estes, Plan of the Day for Tuesday, 12 June 1956. The preparations, as far as I can tell are for Shot Flathead.(Ed.)
--Keith Whittle
December 11, 1997
Operation Redwing