Pacific Proving Grounds
1954
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The Bravo event of the Castle series yielded 15 megatons, the most ever exploded in atmospheric testing by the U.S. A scientific miscalculation caused the yield to be about double what was expected. Also, reports indicate that Bravo was the single worst incident of fallout exposure in all of the U.S. atmospheric testing program. Fallout was scattered over more than 7,000 square miles of ocean and islands, resulting in the contamination and exposure of military, civilian U.S. personnel working on the shot, and people of the islands who were earlier moved to a supposedly "safe" island but received large amounts of radiation. Acute radiation effects were observed among some of these people. From the Film Descriptions for Operation Castle, DOE, Nevada Office.
The Operation Castle Fact Sheet states: 21 individuals on the USS Philip (DDE-498) and 16 on the USS Bairoko (CVE-115) sustained small skin lesions resembling burns that were definitely classified as beta burns. For more information:
Operation Castle - A Radiological Safety Nightmare
by U.S. Health Physicist, William J. Brady.
United States Atomic Veterans
George Wright was a crewman aboard the USS Belle Grove LSD 2.
Frank Fortin who served as a Radio Operator, aboard the USS Sioux, has passed away. Russell Llewellyn a QMSN, served aboard the USS Epperson DDE 719.
Lawrence Leeper was a radioman 2nd Class on the USS LST 1157.
Bob Hillard was aboard the USS Belle Grove with the CTG 7.3 and 7.2 Eniwetok Boat Pools.
Olin H. Hasty was an Airborne Radar Tech assigned to the 77th Strat Recon Sqdn RB36.
Dale Brown was an Eng 2 aboard the USS Estes and YAGs 39 and 40.
Roy Edwards was with the HMR 362 on the USS Bairoko.
William (Bill) Flint was a Crew Chief in the B-36 Squadron.
Max Peterson was an ET-1 aboard the USS Bairoko
Gilbert DiLucia was a Lt.(jg) aboard the USS Belle Grove LSD 2.
Everett O. Withrow served aboard the USS Renshaw DDE 499.
Robert G. (Bob) Jenkins served in Commissary aboard the USS Renshaw.
Del Littrell served aboard the USS Renshaw DDE 499.
Walt Banning was with the Rad Lab on the YAG 39 at Castle and Wigwam.
Kenneth R. Bass served on the USS Shea DM-30.
Tom Bair served on the USS Curtiss at Operations Ivy and Castle.
Jesse Huffman was a Cryptographer with the Signal Corps Detachment 7.2.
Donald Summers served aboard the USS Bairoko.
Dave Sishatz was in the V-1 Division on the USS Bairoko.
Ed Ries served with the CTG 7.3 Boat Pool.
John N. Lehr served aboard the USS Navasota AO-106
Bob Long served aboard the USS Shea DM30
Louis Culver was in V-3 on the USS Bairoko.
June 21, 2001--Robert C. Tomlinson Operation Castle, retired Navy E-7 QMC, passed away on Tuesday, June 19th. Philip Drake was with Holmes and Narver at Eniwetok. Photos
O'Neal Smith was with the Army Signal Corps
Donald Lundine was a Quartermaster 3rd class on board the USS Bairoko
February, 2003--Eugene F. Modert an Air Force Crew Chief for the Samplers at Operations Castle and Teapot has passed away.
Kieth Dallmann, TESN, was aboard the USS Estes and USS Curtiss
Jim Coffey was an ET on the USS Bairoko
Herbert Foge was on the LST 762 for Yankee Shot.
Robert Ederle was on board the USS Bairoko CVE 115.
Ernest Morgan served in the Navy Mats Squadron VR7.
Edwin K. Putnam was a YN1 on the USS Bairoko.
Bernie Wynn was a radio operator on the WB-29 Weather Recon flights.
Richard L. Perkins was an ensign aboard the USS Bairoko.
Edmond Bartliff who was stationed with the MP Detachment at Operation Castle, has passed away. Red Royal was a Signalman on the USS Bairoko.
Tony DiDomenico who was a Blue Shirt on the USS Bairoko during Operation Castle, has passed away. Bob Toothill was an an I.C. Electrician aboard the Belle Grove.
Joseph Stallings was a Marine aboard the USS Curtiss at Operations Castle and Wigwam and as a civilian at Operation Dominic.
(Click on the picture for a larger view.)Norris Darbonne was a crew member on the Yag-39.
June 4, 2006--Norris Darbonne, a crew member on the Yag-39 during Operation Castle has passed away.
Jerry Williams was a Radioman aboard the USS Apache ATF 67 for
Operation Castle.Gibson Stoup was a GM3 while aboard the USS Curtiss for Operations Ivy
and Castle.Denny Laughead MM2, served on the USS Belle Grove LSD2.
Robert Carlomagno served on the PC 1546.
Emilio (Mike) Fernandez served on the USS Shea DM 30.
Bill Yarbrough was on the USS Navasota AO-106.
Robert (Bob) Ball was the Field First Sergeant of the MP Detachment at Eniwetok.
August 16, 2003-- Ray Durden an A-E-3, an Airedale on the USS Bairoko CVE115 during Operation Castle has passed away.
Robert L McIntyre was assigned to the USS Bairoko CVE115 during Operation Castle.
Joseph J. (Jim) Parrock was a 2nd Class Radarman on board the USS Belle Grove at Operation Castle.
John C. Ekstadt was an MM3 stationed aboard the USS Curtiss during Operations Ivy and Castle.
Robert Hutchens was an EN2CL aboard the USS Merapi AF38 during Operation Castle.
Allen Aust was an MM3 stationed aboard the USS Curtiss during Operations Castle and Greenhouse.
David Ellis was an aircraft mechanic on an F-84 sampler with the 4926 Test Squadron, during Castle, Redwing and Teapot.
Bob Fitton, a Duty Signalman, served aboard the USS Philip DDE 498 at Operation Castle.
C.V. (Bud) Norris, a Damage Control 2nd, served aboard the
USS Curtiss AV 4 at Operation Castle.Bill Holt, FP2, served aboard the USS Curtiss AV 4, from May 1953 through Jan. 1956 at Operations Castle and Wigwam.
Harold Wainscott publishes The Wetokian, a newsletter and website which contains many excellent stories about the military duties and lives of the US Air Force Weathermen stationed at Eniwetok during the atomic tests.
Jim Linsley served aboard the Douglas A. Munro (DE-422) during the evacuations away from the heavy fallout from Bravo.
Gene Pratt part of the Marine Detachment on the USS Curtiss was on Operation Castle and Wigwam.
Frank L. Ayres was assigned to the 1009 Special Weapons Squadron and went to collect samples of fallout from the Japanese fishing boat Lucky Dragon.
George Cowan a Seaman 1st Class aboard the Command ship USS Estes writes about Operation Castle.
Jack Spikes was an airman nuclear technician during Operation Castle, and sent us a description of his duty.
Don Gray was an engineman during Operation Castle. He sent us the history of the USS Tawakoni ATF 114 during the operation.
Leroy Peffer served as an Electricians Mate on the weapons carrier USS Curtiss during Operation Castle, Wigwam, Redwing and Hardtack.
Durwin Rogers was a Boatswains Mate Third Class assigned to the U. S. Douglas A. Munro (DE 422) during Operation Castle.
John H. Wetherell from Iowa, served aboard the USS Nicholas during Operation Castle and sent us an email about his duty.
JTF 7, Castle Certificate
Lloyd Kosted Engineman Second Class, 7.3 Boat Pool watched the detonations of Operation Castle and wrote a detailed story about his service. His certificate of participation is included here.
(Click on the picture for a larger view.)Joseph Waggoner, CWO 3, Chief Machinist aboard the Molala (ATF 106) has a very interesting recollection posted here. Joe also sent several pictures and the DNA Fact Sheet for Operation Castle.
Ed Nasan was stationed aboard the USS Bellgrove and the helicopter carrier USS Bairoko has passed away. Atomic Veterans Photo Album: Operation Castle
Atomic Veterans Photo Album: Bob Carlomagno Photos
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