Hardtack 1958
US Atomic Veterans
David L. Bentz
David L. Bentz sent email about his duty at Operation Hardtack.
From: "David L. Bentz" oldnavy25@charter.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Request to be added to the Veteran's Roster
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 2004
Re: David L. Bentz, EN3
Sirs:
I was an active Naval member at Operation Hardtack in 1958 and was attached
to the Command Task Group 7.3 Boat Pool from the Naval Amphibious Base in
Coronado, California. I was assigned as Engineer aboard an LCM-5, Hull Number
25. Briefly, we were deployed at Bikini Atoll but were transferred to Eniwetak
Atoll for duty.
Our LCM was unique in that it had an A-Frame winch on the bow which was powered by a Chrysler Industrial 6 cylinder engine. We also had an arc welder
in the well deck also powered by a Chrysler Industrial 6 cylinder engine.
Because we were aboard a small boat, we resided in six man tents on the island
of Eniwetak provided to us by the resident construction company, Holmes and
Narver. We took our meals at a civilian operated mess hall.
Actually, Eniwetak was more like a resort than a military facility. There were
several drinking establishments, recreation facilities, etc. Because we were living
ashore, the government put us on TAD status and paid us $6.00 a day. Of this,
we paid 50 cents a day for our berthing facilities and $1.00 a day for messing
privileges.
But, our job was more complex. We hosted a crew of Navy Divers aboard our
craft every day. Our job was to lay sensors on the ocean floor of the atoll
prior to every test. The sensors were encased in heavy lead casings and very
awkward to handle. We used the A-Frame winch to lower these sensors to the
ocean floor and the divers would place them at strategic locations.
When the tests were completed, we were then tasked with the effort to retrieve
these sensors from the ocean floor of the lagoon. Often the test blasts would
displace these sensors and we often spent two or three days searching for each
one.
The LCM-25 boat was manned by four Navy personnel. The coxswain was BM2
Sid Buford, Bow Hook was Larry Lee Connelly, Stern Hook was Jerry Ray Pearson, and, I, of course, was the Engineer.
Our Coxswain was often ill and hospitalized due to excessive drinking. Luckily, I
had Coxswain training and had to pilot the boat as well as maintain the engines
and equipment.
I have enclosed two photographs of a cigarette lighter that I purchased at the
store on Eniwetak. I have kept it for all these years and it still works. It is
interesting to note that they misspelled the Atoll name in those days. It was
spelled Eniwetok back then. It has since been changed to its correct spelling of
Eniwetak.
Once amusing aspect of the duty was that our boat became "rum runners" of
sort. Living ashore on the island, I was afforded a liquor ration card that allowed me to purchase two bottles of whiskey a week. I could buy a jug of
the finest hooch for about $1.50 a bottle. CTG 7.3 had two YTB's in the harbor: The YTB 182 and 188, the Negwagen and the Nawkaw. The tug crews were not afforded shore liberty. So, once a week, our boat would visit each one and sell each one a bottle of liquor for $5.
I figured that a $3.50 profit was adequate and we were very popular with the
YTB crews.
Interesting to note that this was my first tour in the Navy. I went on to
complete 25 years with the Navy and retired in 1980.
http://www.navetsusa.com/members/dbentz.html. But, because of my tour at
Eniwetak Atoll during Operation Hardtack, I feel I am qualified to be listed as
an "Atomic Sailor".
Warmest regards,
David L. Bentz
USN (Retired)
Email: oldnavy25@charter.net
Keith Whittle
March 18, 2004
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