Operation Castle
US Atomic Veterans
Jim Linsley
Jim Linsley sent the following email about his duty aboard the Douglas A. Munro (DE-422).
From: "J.G." linsley@ibm.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Castle-Bravo Experience and Its Aftermath (1954-1998)
My name is Jim Linsley. I was in the US Navy from July,1953 to
June,1955. I served aboard the Douglas A. Munro(DE-422). We were ordered
to the Marshall Islands from Pearl Harbor to take part in the Castle
Bravo Test Shot.
On March 1,1954 we were about 300+ miles east of Bikini
at 06:45. This was the time of the detonation. Our ship continued on to
Kwajalein and tied up in the harbor overnight. The next two days were
spent searching for a downed plane.
Late on the 3rd of March we were
ordered by JTF7 to sail to Utirik Island to assist in the removal of 154
persons from that Island. This was necessary because of known
radioactive fallout from Bravo. The USS Renshaw arrived early on the
morning of March 4th before the Munro. The Renshaw set about removing
endangered inhabitants. By 1PM on March 4 the task was completed by the
Renshaw as we stood by. The ship's physician from the Munro was
transferred to the Renshaw by hi-line to assist in care of the natives.
Hoses were used to wash down any radioactive fallout from the ship's
outer structure. About 2 PM both ships set sail to Kwajalein. The
Renshaw and the Munro traveled in convoy arriving on March 5. Two days
later the Munro was ordered back to Pearl Harbor
Fast forward to August, 1968......I was diagnosed with a disease that would
later qualify as compensatable. I recovered.
Fast forward to January ,1995....... I submit a claim to the US Department of Justice's
Radiation Exposure Compensation Program. On April 15,1998 a decision is
made to deny my claim. The judge agrees that I had a qualifying disease
and I was a participant in Castle Bravo. The denial came because
although the Munro went through an "Area Green" (danger zone) on March
4th and 5th, it was not officially designated until March 22,1954. How"s
that for splitting hairs?
My experience has been that the DoJ 's
actions were not in keeping with the intent of Congress when the RECP
was established. I feel my files from the past several years will show
this.
There are several questions that need to be asked again
about Castle Bravo. Why has there been no official investigation of
Bravo by the United States to date? Why was there no press release for
10 days after Bravo? Why was a decision made not to follow long term
the health of US servicemen and women ( from Castle Bravo) ? Why were
misleading statements made on April 1,1954 by our leaders in Washington
regarding the Japanese fishing ship, the Lucky Dragon and other details
of Bravo?
Jim Linsley
Email: linsley@ibm.net
Keith Whittle
October 11, 1998
Operation Castle