Frank L. Ayres
From: "Paul K. Ayres" PKAyres@compuserve.com
Subject: Request for information
To: "pdxavets@aracnet.com"
My father was involved in the Buster Jangle test series. I have read
through his performance reports and there was no mention of his
involvement. He was assigned to the 1009 Special Weapon Squadron. I would
like any information I can get regarding his activities and duties. He
told me that he had flown through the site at ground zero transporting VIPs
and had also flown air sampling missions. He has 8MM movies of the test.
His name was Frank L. Ayres and he was a Captain at the time. Thanks for
your efforts.
Paul K. Ayres, Chief Master Sergeant, USAF (Ret)
pkayres@compuserve.com
From: "Paul K. Ayres" PKAyres@compuserve.com
Thanks ever so much for your prompt reply. My mother is trying to fill out
the VA paperwork to show proof of "service connection", and she will coming
over to my house today for help. This will give her a great deal of
assistance in gaining information needed. She also told me of an incident
which occurred while we were in Japan and my father was still with the
1009th SWS (1951-1953) where he had to go and vacuum up radioactive dust
from a Japanese fishing vessel which had sailed through the fallout from an
atomic test somewhere in the Pacific. My mother remembers this because he
took her vacuum and she never got it back because it was too "hot". She
did not know what the name of the test was. Do you have any records which
might describe this incident. I understood this was significant as the
fishermen were all suffering from radiation sickness when they hit port,
which then prompted my father's involvement in clean-up.
Incidently, my father just died on 15 July 98. Cause of death was
cancerous tumors of the brain that shut down his ability to eat, drink,
talk, etc. From the time he went to the doctor compaining of dizzyness and
double vision to his death, only 4 weeks had elapsed. He was 76 years old.
I noted in some of the letters you have received from others that they
indicated a high incidence rate of brain tumors ... now there is another
one.
Paul
From: "Paul K. Ayres" PKAyres@compuserve.com
Subject: Atomic Veteran
To: Web Editor
Keith,
Thanks for the update. My mother and I surfed the net and also found the
references to the Castle Bravo and the Lucky Dragon. I have been amazed at
the information we have found. I guess I have known much of the
information for years, but never put two and two together until just before
my father died and he was telling me about the incidents.
At the time of the Buster Jangle series of tests, my father, Frank Lawrence
Ayres, was a Captain in the USAF. During the incident with the fishing
vessel, he was a Major. He was a pilot and was assigned to the 1009th
Special Weapons Squadron, AFOAT, Office of Atomic Energy, DCS/O, HQ USAF,
Washington DC - Western Region at McClellan AFB, CA and then at Tokyo,
Japan. (1951-1954). He retired from the AF in 1974 after 30 years service
and having attained the rank of Colonel. Please include his information on
your site with the others. If I can be of any service to you, please let
me know and I will try and keep you apprised of any developments in our
attempt to claim service connection for his death.
Paul Ayres
Email: PKAyres@compuserve.com
--Keith R. Whittle
September 15, 1998
Buster-Jangle | Operation Castle