Date: Tue, 23 May 2000
From: Don Boyd deebee@flash.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Camp Desert Rock
Hello,
I also was stationed at Camp Desert Rock from late January through
August, 1953. I was at Camp Stoneman, Calif. being processed for FECOM
and was pulled off the list to go when the minimum length tour of duty
remaining was changed from 6 months to 9 months. We were told we could
volunteer for any post in the 6th Army area to serve our remaining time.
Somehow, myself and three of my buddies decided to volunteer for Camp
Desert Rock, having absolutely no idea what it was.
I was an Operations Sgt. in the Infantry and when I arrived at the
Rock, there were no openings for my MOS. They noticed I had worked in a
supermarket so I was assigned to the PX there at the camp. The PX was a
small quonset hut, one of 2 or 3 metal buildings on the Camp. Our
supplies came out of Nellis AFB in Vegas and we would take a Dodge stake
body truck into Nellis about 3 times a week for supplies.
The PX also had a walk-in cooler where we kept the beer and soft
drinks. The Commanding General, can't remember his name, would come in
each day and buy a Hershey's milk chocolate bar.
As permanent cadre, I participated on a total of 5 tests. The only
two names I remember are shot Harry and shot Grable. Shot Harry was a
fiasco because the wind changed and they had to evacuate a town, I think
in Utah, because of the radioactive cloud.
After each test they would truck us back to Newsman's Knob and sweep
us off with a regular kitchen broom. We all wore film badges but no one
ever checked them. After my 5th test, someone checked my badge and told
me I was "Hot" and could not participate in any more tests. A few weeks
later, I noticed my hair was starting to come out in batches.
Some of the tests had live animals, sheep, pigs, etc. staked out at
various locations and distances from ground zero. The pigs wore various
uniforms, khakis, fatigues, and OD's to test the effects of the bomb. I
remember on one test, it was delayed for several days due to the wind
direction and the pig's uniforms had to be altered due to their weight
gain. After each test, we would climb out of the trenches and start
moving forward to ground zero, preceded by Gieger Counter Teams, to
check the effect of the blast.
While at Camp Desert Rock, Wilbur Clark's Desert Inn, in Vegas,
would send out an entertainment troupe each Sunday to give us a show.
Some of the performers were Eddie Bracken and Ted Mack from the Amateur
Hour show.
On some of the tests, Senators, Congressmen and other VIPs would
attend. Because of the very cold nights in the desert, they would turn
up the stoves in the squad tents so high, the flues would get red hot
and the tents would catch fire.
Overall it was a very interesting experience and so far, no health
problems. After many years the reoccurring hair loss problem went away.
I did return to Camp Desert Rock about 7 years ago (1993) and found
only some cement slabs remaining. These were used to support the fuel
oil drums, on wooden frames, at each tent site. The Camp was located on
the Northeast corner of US Route 95 and the Mercury exit.
Regards,
Don Boyd
Email:deebee@flash.net