Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002
From: Edward J Cushing cushsr@pacbell.net
Subject: Update
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
1946 Atomic Bomb Test at Bikini
Code Name, CROSSROADS
|
My name is Edward J. Cushing. I was an Electronic Technician’s Mate 2/C
assigned to the USS Barton DD-722. I boarded the USS Barton at the
Alameda Naval Air Base. Across the bay from San Francisco. I was the
Ships Electronic Technician. | 
|
It was my job to repair all electronic
equipment onboard from Sonar, Radio to Radar. That was a great
responsibility at age 19. (They now have a Technician for each of those
positions.) I was told we were heading to Bikini for the Atomic Bomb
test. No mention was ever made about Radiation. While tied to the Dock,
they placed on the after-deck a very large wooden crate. About 10 foot
long, 6 foot wide and 8 foot tall. That crate was Marine guarded 24
hours a day all the way to "Kwajalein" where it was removed. After the
"Able" Bomb test, our Captain said that crate contained the Atomic Bomb
that was used over Bikini. We also had Photographers on board. They
removed the 20 mm Guns from their turrets and installed very large
Cameras with long lens. About 3 feet long with about a 6 inch opening.
Test Able, July 1st 1946 at 9:00 am, the USS Barton was east of the
Bikini Island from the Able Bomb explosion. Our glasses were so dark,
you could not see your hand in front of you. When the Bomb exploded with
it’s bright flash. I could see the Island and water as clear as day. But
just for a second or two. At that moment of the bright flash, all I
heard was cameras clicking from the crew all around me. With the glasses
off, I watched a big fire ball roll up through the Atomic cloud. The USS
Barton was the nearest Ship to Bomb Able and we could see the Shock Wave
(a strong wind) as it came across the water. The Shock Wave caused me to
hold onto my Cap and my shirt flapped so hard, it almost pulled my shirt
tail out from under my pants and belt. Then the wind passed and was no
more. The explosion sound wasn’t very loud. Somewhat muffled. It arrived
about the same time as the Shock Wave. We watched that Atomic Cloud turn
a soft pink. About the color of Strawberry Ice Cream. Then some small
radio controlled airplanes flew through the cloud. As the Cloud blew
north east, the USS Barton entered the Bikini Lagoon.
As we arrived at the Eneu entrance. Just ahead of us were two small Gun
boats entering at full speed, heading toward a definite location. I lost
them between the Ships. While the USS Barton was moving from it’s first
position to the next water testing position, I saw the two Gun boats
leave the Lagoon. First one then the other. Inside the Lagoon the two
Radiological Survey Men took water samples. The Men wore white smocks
with high black rubber boots and black rubber gloves with long cuffs. On
their smocks were badges with a large dot in the center. I had no duties
and was curious so I watched the men as they worked. They had a Davit
turned over the starboard side with an electric wench. The cable had a
heavy weight with a clamp about a foot above. Empty Canisters were sent
down the 50 foot cable and upon hitting the clamp, the Canister would
trip allowing water inside. The Men took water samples at different
depths. When they retrieved the Canisters from the cable. Water was
spilled from the ships rail all over the walkway where they poured water
into pint and a few quart size, gray lead bottles. Shaped like old style
milk bottles. This was done on deck. (no table) A man would bend at the
waist and pour water from the Canister into the lead bottle. (My thought
was, more water was going on the Deck than in the bottle.) Those Bottles
were capped and put into a metal clad trunk with cubed compartments.
Geiger counters were used to measure the Radioactivity of the sampled
water. That information was entered into a book. ( I knew they were
measuring for something but I didn’t know what.)
We stopped several times along a path toward ground Zero. I noticed
several Target ships with fires on decks in areas where hose or rope was
stored also fires in Pennant boxes. The USS Nevada’s large smokestack
was bent. ( Like taking the cardboard center of a toilet roll and bend
it.) Also the paint was burnt from the top of the Smokestack to a few
feet below. The Japanese Nagato’s upper superstructure’s paint was burnt
and some ships were missing. I had written down a Destroyers number,
DD-411 because I wanted to know it’s name. I never did find out and it
was missing. The Island Palm trees had very little to no branches and
looked more like poles. The Bikini foliage was somewhat flattened. The
Lagoon water was clear and I could see fish swimming close to our ship.
The water count was so low the Geiger counters measured little to
nothing. The men finished at ground Zero. They radioed the USS Mt.
McKinley that the Lagoon was safe for the support ships to return. With
our job completed, we headed across the equator for a Neptune
celebration. We were not needed until the Baker test.
During all this, a Radio Broadcast origination from the command ship,
USS Mt. McKinley was beamed toward the States. I had that broadcast
piped through out our ship. The Announcer must have read from a
pre-written script. Because nothing was happening the way he said. He
acted as if the USS Mt. McKinley was in the Lagoon. When after each Bomb
test, the USS Mt. McKinley was near the horizon. Hardly visible. It kept
a safe distance from the Bomb test because of all the Dignitaries on
board.
Baker test, July 25th at 8:35 am 1946. The USS Barton DD-722 was one of
the last ships to leave the Lagoon. We stopped at the entrance as we
watched a Gun boat re-enter the Lagoon. We found they forgot two men who
were doing last minute setups on the Ship/Raft that held the Baker Bomb
beneath it. The Gun boat signaled they had the two men and was
returning. We took up our position east of the Bikini Island from Baker.
We did not have any dark glasses. Watching that large wide column of
water rise so high was far more impressive then Able. From our position
we could see a small Ship being thrown out of the water column like a
toy boat. We were told to expect a Title Wave. The Island reef must have
broke it up and we didn’t experience any exceptional waves. We heard no
explosion sound. Just the noise of the rising and falling water.
Once the cloud cleared the Lagoon, we headed to the Eneu Lagoon
entrance. Entering slowly I noticed a few more ships missing. Especially
one Submarine we passed while taking samples after Able. We again
stopped several times along a path toward ground Zero taking water
samples. We were the only Ship operating inside the Bikini Lagoon. The
Lagoon water was very murky. Expecting to see a lot of dead Fish, there
was a few floating dead Fish here and there. The Island vegetation was
so flat, I could see across the Island from our main deck to the ocean.
The USS Saratoga was listing and the Nagato was lower in the water. The
Nagato had a narrow ledge around the ship just above the water line.
That ledge was at the water line when we arrived with small waves
splashing onto that ledge.
Being the only ship operating inside the Bikini Lagoon, it felt so eerie
not hearing other sounds you normally hear. Like sounds from other
ships, or Fish jumping, or Bird sounds. So quiet you felt you were in a
grave yard or another world. The only sound was our engine idling, wind
and the waves splashing against the ship. We were talking in whispers
until something came over the loud speakers. I then went to the Radio
Shack and piped the Radio Broadcast from the Mt. McKinley over our Ships
speakers.
The wind was much stronger than after test Able. While running the wench
to retrieve the Canisters. Water was carried up the Cable to the Wench
along with the dripping Canisters. Wind blew that water like rain toward
myself and the two Radiological Survey men. Their Smocks were damp also
my shirt and pants were damp against my skin. I had to wipe the water
off my face with my shirt sleeve. Mostly my left side as I faced aft
with my right side toward the bulkhead while watching the Men in front
of me. Also my canvas Deck Shoes were wet from the spilled water. I was
within arms reach of the Survey men. (No one told me about any radiation
or danger. So I let my cloths dry on me. I felt it was only water.)
About our second stop taking water samples. The men noticed the large
green dot on their badges had turned Black. They seemed very bothered by
that and talked between them selves. After that their actions were
hurried. Moving faster and talking faster then before. One of the men
asked the other, "What number do I put in the book when the Geiger
counter needle is higher than the meters printed numbers and it’s
against the stop?" The other man said, "Just enter the highest printed
number, don’t guess." (History will show the Radiation was not as
strong as it really was because the test equipment could not measure the
full effect. Reconstructed levels of radiation were taken from those low
readings.)
At ground Zero the Survey Men asked our Captain to leave the Lagoon. (I
knew the Survey men wanted to leave the Lagoon for some important
reason. I could not see any reason why. I didn’t know it was because of
Radiation.) The Captain said he had to get permission from the command
Ship, USS Mt. McKinley to leave. Our Captain went to the Radio Shack and
sent a message. He returned saying, He was waiting for a reply. During
our stay in the Bikini Lagoon, we had our pumps and evaporators for
making fresh water operating. While still waiting for a reply from the
MT. McKinley, the Radio Announcer said, "The Mt. McKinley is now
entering the Bikini Lagoon." A good part of our crew rushed to one side
of our ship to see the Mt. McKinley way off in the distance. Not even
close. Still waiting for a reply, one of the survey Men said to our
Captain, "It’s very dangerous for us to stay a minute longer. We’ve been
here way too long as it is. I’ll take all the responsibility for
leaving." With that he took a large Bolt cutter and cut the cable from
the Wench. The Captain gave orders for full speed. I never knew a
Destroyer could move so fast. After leaving the Eneu entrance. We slowed
to a normal speed and followed a ocean current from Bikini toward Fiji
taking water samples. Later I found that trip was intended to wash off
the radiation in clear ocean waters. But the Radiation remained. I was
told the USS Barton had the highest radiation of any support ship. I was
transferred to the USS Blue Ridge AGC-2 for discharge Aug 19 1946. On
board the Blue Ridge I was in Sick Bay all the way to the States with my
left ear infected and getting penicillin shots. I believe the infection
was from the Bikini water that sprayed from the David, Wench, Canisters
Etc.
>From Page #230 of the Nuclear Test Personal Review book. I quote;
"USS Barton DD-722 crew had higher than average reconstructed doses
because of that ship’s radiological surveys in the contaminated lagoon
waters following BAKER shot."
I have had several medical problems, on my left side. My left ear went
dead. I had a growth removed from my left chest. My left Testicle shrunk
to half the size. I had a left Hernia. I had a Cancerous melanoma
removed from my left leg. I went through a very serious mental
Depression. Diagnosed as a Chemical imbalance in the Brain. I had my
Cancerous Prostrate removed. My left Wrist aches. Both Feet ache. I was
told those conditions are not due to Radiation so don’t bother making a
claim.
My thought is this. "If it looks like a Rose. Smells like a Rose. Then
it must be a Rose." Because of getting wet from that high Radioactive
Bikini water on my left side, and having these conditions on my left
side. Then what else could be the underlining cause. I was told the men
who served onboard the USS Barton well after Bikini had higher medical
problems than other ships. But the Navy would not acknowledge the
Barton’s crew having higher then normal medical problems. If the USS
Barton wasn’t still radioactive and a health hazard, it could have been
used for scrap metal. But the USS Barton was used for target practice
and was sunk.
Edward Cushing
cushsr@pacbell.net
Keith Whittle
December 10, 2002
[ Operation Crossroads ]