Marius L. Cruz
Mark Cruz sent email regarding his duty during Operation Dominic.
From: Pappagayo@aol.com
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1998
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Re: Atomic Veteran (Operation Dominic)
| Marius L. Cruz, AF Marius, Bomb/Nav tech. aboard "Hemrock" on most of the air
drops during Dominic. On all of the drops flown by the SAC crew. Pilot, Maj.
Wally Horton; Radar Nav, Capt. Dave Almouth. I took two rolls of 8 mm movies
that I turned in after flight, but never had them returned. I'm interested in
contacting others on both the AFSWTC and SAC crews. I have some ground photos
taken before and after missions!
Mark Cruz, USAF, Ret. | 
|
Keith,
I can't recall exact dates that my involvement in Dominic began, but I do
recall the events.
At the time of these events, I was a Bomb/Nav Systems Computer Tech., assigned
to Castle AFB, California (SAC). My Commander called me to his office in
February 1962. He closed the door and told me to have a seat. His comments
began with, "Sgt. Cruz, I have orders concerning you that are classified Top
Secret. The orders give you the option of either volunteering to accept a
special assignment, or to turn down the assignment, without adverse affect on
your career." I was, to say the least, astonished that I had been singled for
an assignment that carried that sort of preamble! I asked what the assignment
was; a reasonable question, I thought. My Commander stated that he had no
idea, but that if I accepted, I was not to discuss the fact that I had been
selected, and had volunteered for anything! He told me only that he had been
directed to give me travel orders to Kirkland AFB, and that I was to proceed
by the most expeditious means available, no matter what they may be. He also
stated that I would be fully briefed upon arrival. I was not allowed to tell
my family anything except that I had been selected for a special assignment,
and would be gone approximately six months. I accepted the assignment.
Upon arrival at The Air Force Special Weapons Test Center I was briefed that I
would be a part of the team that would prepare two B-52 aircraft for an atomic
bomb test series in the Pacific Ocean, and that I would be required to be a
part of the aircrew in some of the flights involving the SAC aircrew also
selected to participate in the test series. Two aircrew's would alternate
drops; the SAC crew, and a crew assigned to AFSWC at Kirkland AFB.
The Bomb/Nav team removed all system components from both aircraft, tail
number's 013 and 620. These components were placed on mockups and fine tuned,
as a system, to the most exacting tolerances humanly possible. There was no
compromise. The systems were reinstalled, and again refined to even more
exacting tolerances under aircraft power, with the Radar Nav overseeing each
adjustment. Refinement continued during test flights and practice bombing
missions on the bomb range! My AFSWC counterpart, Sgt. Bingham and I flew the
practice missions as airborne system safety technicians We also calibrated and
certified the spares required to support each of the two systems.
We arrived at Barber's Point Naval Air Station and setup our mockups and
prepared to do what we had trained so long and hard for! The aircrew's were
ready, the aircraft were ready, and the hundreds of other professionals, both
in the air and those on the ground were ready.
I could feel the tension and anticipation build in me, and sense it in those
around me. It was real this time! Everything we had trained for, everything we
had done to make man and machine as perfectly synchronized as possibly was
about to be tested along with the weapons that were to be dropped. The
professionalism and dedication of that group of people gave all of us the
confidence required to conduct operations as though it was just another six
hour training flight. History recorded the rest.
Editor's note: I assured Mark that the Official history had been recorded but not his personal history, I asked for the continuation of his story. I didn't receive a reply for a while then received this:
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Re: Atomic Veteran (Operation Dominic)
Keith,
Sorry about my tardy response, I'm recovering from a mild heart attack and
haven't felt much like sitting at this thing. I'll do my best to get you what
you want this week.
Take care,
Mark
Mark Cruz
USAF, Ret.
Email: Pappagayo@aol.com
I sent a get well and good wishes email and Mark promised to send another installment of his story at Operation Dominic.
Keith Whittle
September 8, 1998
[ Operation Dominic 1 ]
