Hardtack 1958
US Atomic Veterans
Rolan Conoley
Rolan Conoley sent email about his duty at Operation Hardtack.
From: "Rolan Conoley" rconoley@comcast.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Hardtack
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2004
R.M Conoley, EN2
I served on board the good ship USS ARIKARA (ATF 98) with two others who have posted comments here, Tom THOMAS and Robert HALL.
Needless to say, time and memory pass each other with age.
I remember all the tidbits of information the two mentioned. I also remember more events that occurred in the time we spent chasing rads.
My GQ station, as well as my sea detail station was in after steering. On an ATF, this is of course at the stern of the vessel. Access to the compartment was through a water-tight hatch that was dogged down in place after my deck ape assistant (I don't recall any names) and I were cozily nestled down in place. The SN was responsible for manning the sound-power phones and steering the ship in the eventuality we were the only two left alive. My task as the engineer was to make sure the little motor ran, the hydraulic oil tank was kept full and in case of emergency; to disconnect the steering from external to internal use. Fortunately, the only time this was ever done in real life was during underway training!
Now the compartment we were entombed in was situated just at the water line of the vessel. There was no ventilation to speak of, just a 4-inch duct that extended up through the deck and ended in an upside-down 'J'. A small blower was installed in order to pump the heated air out so if we weren't careful, we could suck a pretty good vacuum in that place.
There was no heat except for that given off by the hydraulics and the pump motor.
Of course, in the south seas, heat was not a problem, except getting it out of the compartment to keeps things from overheating! One method of doing this was to keep the access hatch open. So if we had to keep the hatch open, why not watch the fireworks going on, which we did.
My SN mate confisticated two of the special glasses one had to have on during the test's. We stowed them away out of site when not in use. I put my glasses to good use. I don't think there was a detonation that happened that I did not witness. The reason for this was that after steering had to be manned at all times when these events were happening.
So I believe I witnessed as many of those explosions as anyone on board the ship, including the Captain.
The one that was most remarkable was UMBRELLA SHOT. It happened almost as if in slow motion. I don't know how may tons of water were moved, but I know it was a lot!
Another memorable event that occurred to the ship was our R-R trip. We, as mentioned by Shipmate HALL, were without fresh water during our entire stay in those waters. Our evaporator and boiler were both down during the entire trip due to ruptured tubes. The Skipper requested an R-R trip to Australia. We got a week of time off the line to sail to Eniwetok where we basked in the sun, drank COLD beer and swam with the sharks. We also got to fill our fresh water tanks and take fresh water showers.
Then it was back to work. The ARIKARA was the tug that chased rain showers all over the ocean. Whenever a rain shower would come up, we would fire off all main engines and go charging in pursuit of that life-giving anomaly! All hands would romp the open decks giving their thanks to the rain gods!
ARIKARA was given a citation for laying the deepest anchor ever. We plunked her down in a mile of ocean and the experts said it was less than a meter off of where it was intended to be placed. Those in charge decided to leave it where it was rather than move it! So if anyone ever goes diving out there and finds this anchor, I would like to hear from them!
All in all, the ship and crew survived this ordeal with little damage. Our crew remained intact throughout the episode of hard work, long hours and limited space. The ship returned to Hawaii with all of its equipment, a lot of rust and under its own power.
I, too, have my dosimeter. I also have a read-out of how many rads I accumulated while on this journey. I, as Shipmate THOMAS says, don't know how they determined this when my dosimeter was in my locker as well.
Oh, to be young and foolish again! Is it a wonder that we all have survived as long as we have??
Roland Conoley
ENC, USN, RET.
NAAV Life Member
Email: rconoley@comcast.net
Keith Whittle
April 20, 2004
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