Operation Castle
US Atomic Veterans
Kieth W. Dallmann
Kieth W. Dallmann sent email about his duty at Operation Castle.
From: kwdtkd@juno.com
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Kieth Dallmann TELEPHONE call AM
Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002
Hello Keith:
Just got off the phone with you at 10.35 A.M. your time, here at Holyoke, Mass. it was 1:35 P.M. Now to what I would like you to correct.
I was just on the web page of CASTLE. After my name you have me aboard the USS Curtis AV-4, which was the ship I was on from the states to the Atolls. When I arrived at Eniwetok Atoll, I left the Curtis and went to PARRY Island for about 2 weeks. Then I was stationed aboard the USS ESTES AGC-12 for the first 4 H-Bombs shots. Then back to Eniwetok atoll, back again to PARRY Island for the last 2 shots and on 15 May 54 flew from Eniwetok atoll back to San Diego, Calif., for the rest of my enlistment with the US Navy. Discharged from the Navy at San Diego, Calif., on 24 August 1954.
Would you please show after my name, the USS Estes AGC-12 also with the USS Curtis AV-4.
Thanks,
Kieth Dallmann,
Holyoke, Mass. 01040-1067.
God Bless and walk in peace.
Best regards, Kieth
This is a true story as can best be remembered of operation CASTLE, January 1954 thru May 15, 1954, by Kieth W. Dallmann, U.S. Navy, rank: TESN, Flag communication.
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I was in the Navy CTG 7.3 Boat Pool, stationed at the UDT Base at Coronado, CA. This was the "Flag for Joint Task Force 7," Operation CASTLE. We went aboard the USS Curtiss AV-4 that was in the San Diego, CA, harbor sometime during the month of January 1954. Then we sailed to what I believe was Port Hueneme, for loading aboard the ship a number of nuclear bombs. We were told to stay below decks while the loading took place, and not to come on the upper decks. There would be big trouble if we did come topside for a look around. One of our guys in my division did go topside for a look, and saw people loading a large tube aboard ship and people with submachine guns all over the place. As soon as the ship was loaded, we set sail for the Eniwetok Atoll island. | 
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When we arrived at Eniwetok Atoll, we off-loaded personnel to the island named Eniwetok that has an airbase runway. Then we took a small boat to Parry Island which was northeast of Eniwetok Island. Parry was about 2 blocks wide and a half mile long. I lived in a four-man Army tent, wore an Army uniforrn, short pants, short sleeve shirt, and baseball type cap. I had to wear an operation ID badge on my person at all times and a black disc on a chain around my neck that was to tell someone if we were exposed to radiation. I was never told if the disc showed any reading of radiation, not that I didn't try to find out. I was always told, "things were just fine." I worked in the communication shack on Parry Island. When we were not on duty, we could do anything we pleased, but we could not leave the Island without authorization. Twice, while I was there, I went to the recreation island called Japtan with a group of other guys, just to get someplace else that was different. On this island there were large green lizards, palm trees and a wooden building which was falling apart, called the Blue Moon. On the southeast side of Japtan island was a rusting out hull of a ship on the reef.
Then one day, we were put aboard the USS Estes AGC-12 and sailed out to sea for the first test shot. We were told it was an H-bomb shot, the first ever. The morning of the shot, we had to be topside of the ship, with our backs to the shot. We had to be on the same side of the ship as the shot, and had to fold our arms one on top of the other and place our arms on a railing on the bulkhead facing inboard of the ship and push our eyes into our arms. We had to stay like this until we were told it was okay to look at the shot after the fireball was gone and the shock wave had passed. When the shot went off, I could see bright daylight, just like looking at a lightbulb that was turned on, through both my arms. Then I heard a bang and a short time later felt the shock wave from the shot. Then the ship sailed toward Bikini Atoll island on which the shot went off from. There were parts of palm trees floating all over the water. After some time I looked over my right shoulder and saw the aircraft carrier USS Bairoko CVE-115 that was sailing behind our ship, being washed down with fire hoses. They were washing down the weather deck below the flight deck front of carrier, and the front of the flight deck. Then we were told to go below decks and stay there until it was safe to come topside again. All hatches were closed on the ship. Two of the guys in our communication division, were topside some place longer than the rest of us and got hot. All they had them do was take a good shower and they watched them to see if they would get sick. At no time were we ever told we were in any danger of any kind as far as the testing went, or from radiation.
The only other test shots that I can remember, were while stationed on Parry Island. One test I had to put my back to the sea and the other I had to put my back to the lagoon of the island. I remembered it rained a lot on Parry Island, and we were never told to take cover when it rained. I got rained on more than once while on Parry Island. After the last test shot, we were returned to Eniwetok Island and flown back to the States.
I returned to duty at the UDT Naval base on Coronado, CA. Then I was discharged from the Navy on August 20, 1954. The only medical test given was before being discharged, this was a normal thing the Navy did for all personnel. We were never given any special testing or physical.
I hope you can put a copy of the watcfh list that I kept a copy of, from the USS Curtiss AV-4. I had it in my wallet for over 20 years.
Watch List 1 -- Watch List 2
Kieth Dallmann
68 Elmore St.
Holyoke, Mass. 01040
1-413-532-8613
kwdtkd@juno.com
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