Operation Teapot
US Atomic Veterans
James E. Ahneman
From: "James E. Ahneman" jahneman@ecol.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Atomic Vets 1955
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2000
Keith: Here is an account of my activities during operation Teapot 1955.
We were deployed from Camp Pendleton, Calif. to supply telephone
communications for the Marines at Camp Desert Rock. We installed a
switchboard, wires, and field phones throughout the Marine camp.
When a shot was about to take place, we were herded out in the open at
Desert Rock with our backs to the blast sight. A count down was given, and
when the bright light passed, we were permitted to turn around and watch
the mushroom cloud form.
We were told the radiation travels at the speed of light and it was okay to
view the cloud. Nothing was said about the radiation hitting us in the
back. Our Marine unit observed four shots in this manner.
A Marine major gave us some instruction on atomic bombs, radiation, what
to do and not to do, and not much else. He either was talking over our
heads or giving us too much technical data. I am sure he knew what he was
talking about but the rest of us were lost.
Shot Apple 1 was the only close up we observed.
For this one we were up early, it was 14 degree above, dark, and hard to
keep warm. An hour before the main shot we were instructed over the P.A.
system to put our backs to the trench, look out into the darkness, and a
test of instruments would take place.
They said 10,000 pounds of TNT would be set off next to ground zero. As we
observed, the count down continued, and just a little "puff" took place. Then another
count down started stating the blast will be coming. When the blast reached
us, it was like a giant fly swatter hitting us, knocking us somewhat off
balance. We realized it may have been 10,000 pounds set off. The
excitement starts to build.
One hour later we were then instructed to kneel down on one knee in the
trench. This was to give us the force to push up if the trench caved in
during the blast. We could keep our eyes open (at first) but look down. A
new count down was started for the main blast.
At count zero, the darkness turn to light, lighter, and to the point
that you could not see anything, all washed out. We could not see rocks,
our rifles, our hand,, nothing. After a few seconds it was as though the
white light started to turn red. The fire ball was forming unknown to us at
this time. When all was red and up to this point no sound was heard or
vibrations felt. Now the explosion started to take place.
Dust, dirt, sage brush, anything that was not anchored down came our way.
It was getting hard to breath or see. The ground started to shake like an
earthquake. After what seemed like minutes but only a few seconds, the
implosion took place. That is when the explosion caused a vacuum and the
objects moving away from ground zero starts to return and move up into the
mushroom cloud. Now we had more dust and dirt than before. After the
implosion took place we were allowed to stand up and get out of the trench
and observe the fire ball rising. We would feel the heat, see planes in the
sky, and streamers to the right of ground zero rising from the ground going
up.
I don't know what else to call these.
After what seemed like hours, we started to walk towards ground zero.
Some of the Marines started chasing a rabbit as we walked but could not
catch it. When we came upon USMC equipment the first ones looked as though
they could uses a good cleaning. At the 1000 yard line we came upon a tank.
The side away from the blast looked normal but the blast side was all
melted, temperature hot, and radiation hot. At this point we were not allowed
closer to ground zero.
When we returned to the bus, we were swiped off, and checked with a
counter for radiation. All of my unit passed and returned to Camp Desert
Rock. Not too long after that we were sent back to Camp Pendleton.
An after note:
In 1957/58 I was stationed in Iwakuni, Japan which is about 40 miles
from Hiroshima. I did go there twice and seen where ground zero was, toured
the Memorial and seen some live victims from the blast. Some had very bad
radiation burns. Shadows burned into concrete, money melted together, white
clothes came out better than dark clothes are part of the Peace Memorial.
Thanks,
Jim Ahneman
Email: jahneman@ecol.net
Operation Teapot
Keith Whittle
March 25, 2000