Richard L. Critchfield
From: "Richard Critchfield" hazeldell2@email.msn.com
To: "Keith Whittle" pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Cumberland Sound - Operation Crossroads
Date: Sun, 20 Sep 1998
Dear Keith,You asked me to write a synopsis of my duty aboard the USS
Cumberland Sound (AV-17) during Operation Crossroads. Since its been 52
years you must take into consideration that my memories have faded somewhat.
I enlisted in the Navy in January, 1946. After 8 weeks of bootcamp several
men and myself were shipped to Camp Shoemaker, California. From there we
were transported to Oakland, California and then by APA to Pearl Harbor. It
was at Pearl that we met our assigned ship the USS Cumberland Sound (AV-17),
a seaplane tender. The first thing that struck me as strange was the fact
that there were armed Marine guards in the motor launch that picked us up
and transferred us out to the anchored Cumberland Sound.
As we came aboard the ship we were directed to the seaplane deck by some
more armed guards. At this point we were asked if we had any cameras in our
sea bags. Those of us that did were ordered to hand them over. We were told
that they would be returned to us after.
After "what" I wondered. We were then assigned to our particular
divisions. We got underway early the next morning. After lunch all new
personnel were ordered to muster on the seaplane deck. The captain then
addressed us. He explained that we had "volunteered" to be part of an
exercise called Operation Crossroads that would test the effects
of the atom bomb on naval vessels at a place called Bikini. I must admit
this sounded exciting, an adventure to be had, but I had not "volunteered".
As I recall, things were uneventful from Pearl to Bikini.
The Cumberland Sound (as I mentioned above) was a seaplane tender. However,
the seaplane deck had been altered to accomodate
structures that looked somewhat like overturned coffee cans. These were the
entrances to the modified areas below decks that were the laboratories and
the timing control room. It was from the timing room that the Baker bomb
would be detonated by radio impulse. We were, primarily, an
"instrumentation" ship. Armed guards were constantly on duty in this area of
the ship. Security was tight. My duties were as a Storekeeper Striker and I
spent most of my time in the storerooms below decks.
The Cumberland Sound and her sister ship the Albemarle, were modified to
carry the atomic bomb. We carried the Baker bomb.
The Able shot has been very ably described in letters by other comrades from
Operation Crossroads. We have all seen the Baker shot in every science
fiction movie from the fifties and sixties. Still today it is the most
publicized of all the tests. I wont bore you with a repetitive description.
I was lucky enough to be issued a pair of glasses to watch the Able test. I
remember looking at the sun through the glasses. The sun appeared very dim.
When the Able bomb fired it seemed as though I were looking directly at a
lit 100 watt light bulb.
Of the many scientists we had on board the Cumberland Dr. Marshall Holloway
is the only one I clearly remember. During off time many of the men played
volleyball or badminton on what was still unoccupied seaplane deck. He often
joined in the games.
Several weeks prior to Baker Day a large barge was pulled along the port
side of our ship. Eventually a tent-like structure was erected near its
center. Soon the scientists were spending much of their time in the "tent".
We all suspected what was in that tent, we were probably right.
Security became very heavy near the barge. Then a few days before the Baker
shot we awoke to find that the barge was gone.
I'm not sure of our distance from the lagoon on July 25 (Baker Day) but I
believe we were 10 to 15 miles from ground zero. I had befriended the ships
photographer and so I had a great vantage point from which to see the test.
We were just below the bridge and nothing obstructed our view. I had been
awed by the Able shot and its fireball but I believe the Baker firing was
far more impressive.
Several hours after the detonation we reentered the lagoon. The winds
shifted and blew currents of radioactive water towards the support ships
which included us. We left the lagoon. However, our evaporators (which help
convert saltwater to freshwater) were still functioning during our exposure
to the radioactively contaminated lagoon seawater. I recall that attempts
were made to decontaminate the ships lines by flushing them with
hydrochloric acid.
After returning to San Diego in August I broke out in a rash. My lymph nodes
were enlarged and I ran a high fever. I was diagnosed by the Navy doctors as
having Scarlettina (a mild form of Scarlet fever) and Infectious
Mononucleosis. I was hospitalized. The rash finally faded but I was left
with the enlarged lymph nodes. After my discharge from the service in
November of 1947 I went home to Salinas, California and went to work.
For over 5 years I continued to have the enlarged and sometimes painful
lymph nodes with unexplained high fevers. At the suggestion of my family
physician I went to Stanford University medical clinic for a bone marrow
test. The results were negative as far as cancer was concerned. Guess I'm
among the lucky ones of Operation Crossroads. I have been in fair to good
health since that time.
Richard L. Critchfield
E-Mail hazeldell2@email.msn.com
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