Operation Wigwam and Redwing
US Atomic Veterans
Andy Adams
Andy Adams sent email about his duty at Operation Wigwam and Redwing.
From: "Andy Adams" aadams@2fords.net
To: "Keith" pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Re: Atomic Veteran (Wigwam and Redwing)
Date: Sat, 27 Jan 2001
As I remember Operation Wigwam was conducted off San Diego, this was in 1955
it was an under water blast. As I remember there was no radiation from that
blast, at least in the atmosphere, it was a small device.
Redwing was held off Bikini, it was an air blast. As I remember I was
aboard the USS Curtiss, a sea plane tender. It occured before day break, I'm
not sure of the date. As I remember, we had to turn our backs to the blast, we
had to wear dark goggles, after a moment we were told to turn and face in
the direction of the blast and it lit up the sky as if it was noon time.
The cloud turned many colors. We were 35 miles from ground zero and we could
feel the heat from the blast. I was assigned to the decon squad who had to
board the target ships and survey the damages and decon them. After we would
have to go through docon showers and scrub the radiation off us. Sometimes
we would have to go through that process many times before we were clean
enough to go back to our ships.
Andy Adams
DCCS USN ret.
Ingleside, TX
Email: aadams@2fords.net
Keith Whittle
January 31, 2001
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