Hardtack 1958
US Atomic Veterans
Charles E. Jenson
Charles Jenson sent email about his duty at Operation Hardtack.
From: User00797@aol.com
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2004
Subject: Re: Operation Hardtack
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Hi Keith,
Thanks for being so prompt in answering my E-mail. I appreciate all the
information you were able to give me. I went aboard the Orleck (DD886) about Nov.
of 1957, prior to that I was stationed at the Sub base at Pearl. I repaired
gyros for the subs. Prior to the Orleck leaving San Diego two other men and
myself were sent to the ABC school there to learn a little about radiation.
Without having a record I'm not sure how many tests we participated in
I know there were tower shots about 12 miles from us at least one underwater
shot a high altitude shot and an H-bomb test about 4 in the morning at
Bikini. I know it lit us up like it was daylight and we were at Eniwetok. We were
also the closest surface ship to the umbrella test. There was a sub directly
beneath us and one somewhat closer then we were. They were both K boats, As I
recall their communication was knocked out and they had to signal with lights. We
had lead lined "coffins" on our fantail to store the test rockets they fired
into the mushroom clouds but as far as I know we never retrieved any. Like I
said before, I was an I.C. Electrician second class.
Charles E. Jenson
Kingston, Idaho
Email: User00797@aol.com
Keith Whittle
April 26, 2004
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