Nagasaki
1945
U.S. Atomic Veterans
William C. (Bill) Castan
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002
From: "Joan & Bill Castan" jbcastan@erols.com
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Passing of William (Bill) C. Castan
Keith,
I would appreciate if you would update the page that you have on my
father to reflect that he passed away on 11 September 2002, the 57th
anniversary of the arrival of the USS Witchita CA 45 in Nagasaki
Harbor.
He died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 76. He was
intensely proud of his service in World War II and the USS Witchita. He
served in the reserves after the war in submarines until shortly after I
was born. He was a very successful general contractor in Philadelphia.
His entire life was spent working hard and serving the communities in
which he lived. Unfortunately it had to end with a horrible disease but
he fought that with the same strength and conviction that he lived his
life.
Thank you.
William C Castan, Jr.
Captain, USN(ret)
From: Joan & Bill Castan jbcastan@erols.com
Reply-To: jbcastan@erols.com
To: Keith pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Re: Atomic Veteran (Nagasaki)
|
Dear Sirs:
While browsing on the internet I came across your E mail address.
I was in the Navy and aboard the heavy cruiser USS Wichita CA45
when we entered the harbor at Nagasaki on Sept.9, l945, to release
prisoners held by the Japanese. I have been a member of the NAAV because
we were exposed to the plutonium radiation. I thought that a line to you
might be seen by other ship mates of the Wichita and that I might hear
from some of them. | 
|
Hi Keith:
I might add that I have a son with the name of Keith. He is a retired Air
Force pilot - academy graduate. He now flies for an air line. While I am in the
bragging mood - my oldest son Wm. senior is in the Navy with the rank of
Captain, and twenty six years of service. He has been the skipper of several
subs - the last was the trident sub USS Tennessee (GSBN 734). Bill now works in
Washington as special assistant to Chief of Naval Operations. They make me
proud.
Getting back to me. I was a first class petty officer, in charge of the
small boats on the cruiser.
Yes I did get to talk to some of the released prisoners that the Japanese had
working in the mines. One American prisoner came from Scranton PA. and I had
his name and address but it was lost. This fellow had leg wounds that had
become gangerous. Some Dutch fellow prisoners had put his legs on the mines
donkey tracks and amputated them below the knees. The stumps were black and
horrible looking. Evidently it had saved his life. Can you imagine the pain he
must had endured.
Our ships carpenters had set up showers and a decontamination center on the
dock so these fellows could get cleaned up and get rid of the bugs.
When an LST came in with some trucks, we were taken around the bomb
sight. Believe me - if pictures of the devastation - imprints of bodies burnt
into paving - smells, etc. were exposed today I'm sure the people of the world
would be even more sincere about outlawing the bomb.
You had asked how we were treated. The people that were left, at the far
outskirts of the city, would bow as we passed. We spoke with an Englishman who
was in the import, export business at Nagasaki. He said that he was dumfounded
when he saw an American ship come into the harbor. Evidently the people there
had no idea the war was over.
I have a photo of our ship in the Nagasaki harbor. If you would want to
send me an address, I will mail you a copy
The ships evaporators made our drinking water from the areas salt water.
William C. (Bill) Castan.
Veteran and senior citizen
1204 Allengrove St.
Philadelphia, PA. 19124
Email: jbcastan@erols.com
The USS Wichita in Nagasaki Harbor during September, 1945
Keith Whittle
March 22, 1998
Nagasaki
