Operation Redwing
US Atomic Veterans
Tom Simms
Tom Simms sent email about his duty at Operation Redwing.
From: TFSimms@aol.com
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2003
Subject: Re: On the list
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Hello Keith.
I have just been reading about the Operation Redwing.
I was also there in 1956. I was an Aviation Mechanic. Worked in the
maintanance shop on the hanger deck of the Badoeing Strait.
I would like to have my name added to the list of participants.
My name is Thomas F. Simms. I live in Lakewood, Colorado.
It is great to see the information on the Operation since when we were there
it was not a good thing to talk about.
Thanks for the great web site.
Tom Simms
Lakewood, Colorado
Keith
I was assigned to the Badoeng Strait in early 1956. It was in dock at San
Francisco at that time. I came from the Moffitt Field Air Station. On the way
over to Operation Redwing we stopped off in Hawaii for a couple of days.
I remember when we got to Bakini Atoll we anchored out in the bay and would
take a small boat to the beach to play horseshoes and baseball. I remember
that the coconuts were so radioactive from previous tests that we could not even
touch them.
On the Badoeng Strait we had a Squadren on Marine Helos on board that was
used to transport the Scientist to and from the shots. After a shot the Helos
would land in a large bathtub and we would spray them down before they could be
taken to the hanger deck.
As I recall when the shots were made we would assemble on the flight deck.
We would stand with our backs to the blast zone, cover our eyes with our arms
and close our eyes. When the blast was set off you could still see the light.
We would stay in that position until you felt the heat and then you could
turn and look to the sight. And what a sight it was. All the colors of the rain
bow.
I also recall on day someone was fishing off the fantail and caught a large
shark. It took a couple of blocks and tackle to get the thing out of the
water. A number of guys cut out teeth, which was a big chore. It was a long
process because it took some time to find out how and when the shark was dead.
After that we did not want to spend much time in the water swimming.
All in all it was a real education for a young guy like coming from Oklahoma
and had never been out of the state until I joined the Navy.
As I told you before I was a AD 3. Worked and slept in the machine shop on
the hanger deck. Which was a lot better than bunking below decks.
I left the
ship when we got back to San Diego. My time was up at that time, August
1956, and I went to Manhattan and attended Kansas State University. Got a degree
in Mechanical Engineering and worked for the Bureau Of Reclamation installing
hydoelectric units for 32 years.
It has been great fun reading through the information that is now out on
Operation Redwing and the Badoeng Strait.
Tom Simms
Lakewood, Colorado
Email: TFSimms@aol.com
Keith Whittle
December 31, 2003
[ Operation Redwing ]