Operation Upshot/Knothole
US Atomic Veterans
James Carroll
From: CARR567@aol.com
Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2001
Subject: Re: Videos
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Keith
I was in the Simon test, late April 1953. The seventh in the Spring tests. We were from Fort Cronkite, 459th, Anti-Aircraft Artillery, Automatic Weapons Battalion. I remember the long ride to and from the site. Then the writing of the Last Will, that was something for a kid 20 years old.
The morning of the blast we were taken to the site, it was cold and we had much clothing on, when the sun came up, we had to carry most of it.
They set off a charge of dynamite so we could see the difference in sound. As you know the test was many times greater. They set off the test. It didn't make any difference as to having your eyes opened or closed. Then the shock wave and the heat wave went by us. We stood up to see the mushroom, then went toward ground zero.
We went forward and then we were told to stop because of radiation. As I remember the colors of the mushroom were beautiful as they went into the sky. There were rabbits that were burned and sheep in pens that were also burned on the side to the blast.
There were many high ranking officials but they were some way back from the blast.
That's more than I thought I could remember.
Thanks again,
James (Jim) Carroll
South Elgin ILL
harrys@snowcrest.net
Keith Whittle
December 10, 2001
Operation Upshot/Knothole