Operation Crossroads
US Atomic Veterans
Dennis Bentley
From: "Dennis Bentley" denmaril@home.com
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Operation Crossroads
Date: Sun, 24 Sep 2000
I was an eighteen year old Fireman 1/c on USS PGM 25.
I can't remember when we arrived at Bikini. It was a couple of months before the Able shot.
We were one of the first three or four ships to return to ground zero after the explosion of both Able and Baker.
After Baker, we were sent to Guam which became our home base for the next approx. year and a half.
When we stopped at "Pearl" on our way home we had to flush all our salt water lines with acid. They were still radioactive. The civilian crew that was suppose to do the job refused to come aboard. We did the job. We were told that the civilian crew still got paid for the job we did. We bitched but of course nothing happened.
I was never given a physical or checked for any physical damage that could have been caused by excess radiation.
I have never had any ailment that appears to be caused by radiation.
Dennis R. Bentley
denmaril@home.com
--Keith Whittle
September 30, 2000
Operation Crossroads