Operation Upshot/Knothole
US Atomic Veterans
Bill Thorson
From: BM2957@aol.com
Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2001
Subject: A-test UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Hi,
I participated in the above test. I was an aircraft mechanic on a WB-29 that
took air samples of the blast cloud. I was attached to the 55th AWS out of
McClellan AFB at Sacramento.
Bill Thorson
From: BM2957@aol.com
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001
Subject: Upshot -Knothole
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
As I mentioned in my last e-mail, I was with the 55th AWS out of McLellan AFB
at Sacramento. We flew into Indian Spings AFB with WB-29s to take air samples
of the blast cloud. My memories of that period of my life are getting harder
to dredge up every day. It seems to me we were over there for only one shot
but I don't remember the name of it. According to some papers I found it
says test event "Annie".
The orders sending us to Nevada are dated 17 March 53 and 12 May 53. (I still
have them in my file).
The most significant thing I remember was looking away from the shot and
feeling the blast against my pants legs. Other than that I remember it being
cold at night and hot during the day.
The only thing that I can say about the effects of the blast exposure is that
I am having to put up with skin cancers around my head and hands. It would
be hard to prove the true cause.
We went over to Hawaii to do much the same thing in September of 1952 to monitor
a shot at Bikini or Eniwitok but I never got closer than Hickam AFB.
This isn't much info but it is about all I remember. I was a mechanic on the
same WB-29 for both exercises.
From: BM2957@aol.com
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001
Subject: Re: Upshot -Knothole
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Hi
As far as having to work on hot airplanes, I would say yes.
When they landed one of the first things we had to do was wash them
thoroughly.
It is pretty hard to get an 18 cylinder radial engine "Clean" easily. We
would get them clean as best we could then went to work on them. I wore a
dosimeter and had to leave the job a couple of times because of too much
radiation.
Thanks again.
Bill Thorson
BM2957@aol.com
Keith Whittle
July 12, 2000
Operation Upshot/Knothole