Operation Tumbler/Snapper
US Atomic Veterans
Charles Christian
From: "Charles Christian" cvsmxian@msn.com
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Operation Tumbler/Snapper
Date: Sat, 21 May 2005
Hi Keith,
I just came across your website and inasmuch as I was a member of the 369th Engineer Amphibious Support Regiment and participated in these a-Bomb rests I thought I would contact you and let you know that I had written a short story about my experiences with these tests.
I'm going to take the liberty and try to attach my story to this email and I would appreciate it if you would let me know if you get it or not.
I don't know if these tests had anything to do with my having four different cases of cancer or not...the VA doesn't have the cancers I had in their list of the ones that were caused by atomic radiation.
THE ATOMIC BOMB EXPERIENCE
By Charles V. (Chris) Christian
Upon returning
to duty after being medically released due to wounds received in the Korean War, I was assigned to the 369th Engineer Amphibious Support Regiment at Fort Flagler, Washington. I was the first Korean War veteran assigned there and I was provided with several opportunities to attend various schools of engineering such as heavy equipment operators school, however, I was holding out hopes of being transferred back to an Infantry unit, so, very foolishly I declined the offers. Well, as it turned out I never got the transfer and I blew my chances of learning how to operate heavy equipment. I think part of my decision was the fact that within the last several months I had been relocated five times and I was just tired of packing up and moving again...I wanted to settle down to garrison duty and live a half way normal life again.
Fort Flagler is located on Puget Sound and if you didn’t have a car or motorcycle the only means of transportation to the main land was via the “M-Boats” (short for LCM, Landing Craft
Mechanized). Consequently, I didn’t go to Port Townsend that often, except maybe on pay day
when a few of us got together and went in for a few beers and to check out the town, which really wasn’t all that much. Some restaurants, bars, a couple theaters and a VFW and American Legion clubs. In a way though, it was sometimes an adventure just going to town in the M-Boat.
One time when we were returning to Fort Flagler the fog had set in and you could barely see your hand in front of your face. I don’t recall exactly how far it was from the main land to the island, but, when you’re out there in the water with a fog horn blowing constantly and hoping you don’t ram into a freighter or a tanker, it seems that you’re an ocean apart. Luckily we had a good Bo ‘suns mate and navigator that got us home okay...a few hours late, but, we got there all in one piece...safe and sound. Another disadvantage of being stationed on the island was whenever there was a regimental parade at Fort Worden we had to be taken there by the good old M-Boats and as you can imagine there weren’t any docks to tie up to get out of the boats, so, the Bo’ sun would get us as close to the shore as possible and then drop the ramp for us to wade to shore. It was very easy to determine the troops of the Boat Battalion as to the Shore Battalion...we were the ones with the water stains from the knees down. Thankfully, there weren’t too many regimental parades.
In April 1951 we received orders for the whole battalion to participate in atomic bomb tests being conducted in the desert of Nevada known as Frenchman’s Flat and Yucca Flats. We were transported there via troop train which took two days. That was a very educational trip as I learned how to play chess...not very well, but, I could hold my own. When we finally arrived in Las Vegas it was rather pleasant weather-wise. We were taken to what was to become known as Camp Desert Rock by truck convoy and we set about putting up squad tents and laying out routes of travel (I hesitate to call them streets or avenues...just routes of travel). In two days we were all set up and ready to go about our special duties.
During this time I was assigned to various jobs, one of which was to climb the telephone poles that were installed along the road to connect us with the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). My job was to secure the cross beams that would be holding the conductors for the wires. Everything was going fine and I had completed about ten of the poles. As I was climbing up the next pole I was about three quarters of the way up when one of the gaffs didn’t dig in far enough into the pole and I lost my footing and balance. When this happens you are trained to just lean back and depend on the safety belt to save you...well, that’s all fine and good in theory, but, when you panic you forget a lot of what you’re told you should do...consequently, I wrapped my arms around that pole like I was in love with it and slid all the way to the bottom. I have no idea as to how many splinters I had in me, but, it seemed to take an eternity to get them all out. During this splinter removal period, which lasted about two weeks, I was placed on light duty and every day I had to go to the Medical Aid Station for splinter removal. The old timers never did let me live that incident down, but, they were sympathetic to me too.
After I got all the splinters out of me I was assigned to drive various type trucks. One such truck was an old “deuce and a half” with a stake body and a huge open rubberized container inside the back. This was used to transport water to Camp Desert Rock from Indian Springs Air Force Base. One day I was dispatched to go to the air base and get water for the camp. Upon arrival at Indian Springs the Air Policeman at the gate directed me to the location to get the water. It took about two hours to fill the rubber container and then I was back on my way to Desert Rock. When I approach the gate to Camp Desert Rock, the Military Policemen posted there normally just flag me through, so, I usually maintain my speed and go right through, however, for some reason an MP came out of the security booth and signaled for me to stop, so, I immediately pushed on the brake pedal as I got to the gate and a cavalcade of water came rushing from the container, over the front of the truck and soaked that MP all the way to the bone. This was not done on purpose and that MP was ready to draw his .45 pistol and put some lead in me, but, I got out and explained to him that I’m never stopped coming in the gate driving a GI truck. After a while he did settle down, but, had to go to his tent to get a change of clothing. See, there were some humorous things that happened out there on the desert.
After we were there about a month we got our first chance to witness an
A-Bomb test. We were transported to the test site via convoy and upon reaching our destination we dismounted and fell in Company formation. We were given a briefing as to what to expect and what safety procedures we were to follow. After the briefing we marched to the hundred foot perimeter from ground zero and observed various types of equipment and live sheep both above the ground and in fox holes. Some of the equipment consisted of an M-4 Sherman tank, a couple of jeeps, a weapons carrier, some mannequins dressed in both civilian clothing and military uniforms (both fatigues and class A uniforms), a small two bedroom house with furniture, dressed mannequins inside at various locations in the house, an airplane, machine guns and other types of weapons. From there we were taken to the next perimeter which was five hundred feet away from ground zero with the same type of equipment and animals. We were also taken to the one thousand foot perimeter and observed that equipment as well.After viewing all these different perimeters we were given a lunch break and after we ate we were instructed to get in this real long and deep trench and wait for further instructions. At this time they allowed us to stand up in the trench so we could observe the detonation of one thousands pounds of high explosives so that we would be able to make a comparison between that explosion and the one were about to witness. About thirty minutes later we were instructed to put on our gloves, gas masks and make sure our pant legs were bloused inside our boots, insure our field jacket sleeves were buttoned tightly and all the way up to the neck. We were told that at the end of the countdown to make sure to cover our closed eyes with our hands and stay all the way down in the trench. Then it began, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, zero! The noise was deafening and after about thirty seconds you could feel the wind from the blast blowing over the trench and the after another thirty seconds we were told that we could rise up and see the mushroom cloud (if we so desired). It looked magnificent and then we were told to get back in the trench.
After about an hour we were told that it was safe to get out of the trench and get in formation. Once we were assembled we were taken again to the various perimeters to see what they looked like and what condition they were in. Amazing! The Sherman tank that was at the one hundred foot perimeter was no longer there...it was at the five hundred foot perimeter and the tank that was at the five hundred perimeter was nowhere to be found (even though we knew it had to be somewhere). The houses were completely destroyed along with the mannequins inside them. The sheep that were above ground were gone and the sheep that were
in the fox holes had their fur either badly singed or burnt off. They were later put to sleep after
being checked for the amount of radiation they had been exposed to. The weapons that were
still at their locations were melted down or twisted and deformed so as to make them inoperable. At all the different perimeters there was total devastation. After viewing the various perimeters we were then marched to a check point where our radiation badges that we were issued was checked for the amount of radiation (or roentgens) absorbed in our bodies. We were told that it wasn’t enough to be dangerous and we didn’t have to worry about not making babies, lighting up at night, or glowing in the dark. This was a daylight shot and as impressive as it was the pre-dawn shot was even more spectacular. We went through the same drill as before with the exception of visiting the various marked off perimeters. With this pre-dawn shot, after we were given the countdown we were then advised as to when we could raise up out of the trench momentarily to view the fireball. Upon seeing this massive ball of fire I was so awe struck by it that I forgot my counting and if it hadn’t been for my trench mate yanking me back down into the trench I would have been blown away with the power of the blast. That was one magnificent sight to behold...it’s amazing how something as beautiful as that could be so destructive. The beauty of the fireball filling up the darkness is indescribable. You would have to have been there to really appreciate it.
All in all I think I participated in seven of these tests (and I still don’t glow in
the night) and to be honest I found them to be very interesting and informative. This was an
experience that not very many people have had.
I'll be looking forward to hear from you in the near future.
Sincerely,
Charles Christian
TSGT, USAF (Retired)
cvsmxian@msn.com
Keith Whittle
May 28, 2005
Operation Tumbler/Snapper