Operation Castle
US Atomic Veterans
Tony DiDomenico
Tony DiDomenico sent email about his duty at Operation Castle.
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004
From: EVERETT FORD leeford1316@sbcglobal.net
Subject: Death of US Atomic Veteran
To: Keith pdxavets@aracnet.com
Hi Keith
I was looking through the internet and found a letter sent to you from someone I knew. Tony DiDomenica. We worked together on the Los Angeles City Fire Department for many years. He was a very interesting, colorful, and admired member. He passed away January 18, 2004 almost two months to the day after his wife died. I am not sure of the cause, but had heard he had been ailing for some time. He was part of OPERATION CASTLE. He was assigned to the USS Bairoko CVE-115 during that operation.
From: Tonyd1956@cs.com
Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000
Subject: OPERATION CASTLE
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Dear Sir,
As a crewman (airdale) on the USS Bairoko during Operation Castle, I would
be interested in corresponding with other Atomic Veterans. I was a Blue Shirt
working the forward flight deck. Our crews shelter was on the Port side.
During the
Bravo shot I was hosing down part of the upper Island structure when we were caught
in a heavy ash fallout shower. By the time I got to my crews shelter, I was
pretty well covered with ash. I ran down to the decontamination locker where I showered
down with brown lye soap until I was "cooled down." On the next shot I was sent
down to the Hanger Deck to stay out of the fallout.
It was an interesting experience overall but I did have some after effects.
It turned out that for years I would shock out in cold water (ocean, lake,etc.) and
faint. Nothing like that had ever happened to me before and it took over 10 years
for the effects to disipate.
I would really appreciate hearing from anyone that was on that cruise. I
am now retired from the L.A. City Fire Department and live in Murrieta, California.
Best regards,
Tony DiDomenico
Murrieta,CA
Email: Tonyd1956@cs.com
Keith Whittle
July 24, 2000
From: Tonyd1956@cs.com
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000
Subject: OPERATION CASTLE -- USS BAIROKO CVE-115
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Hi Keith,
Thanks for posting my letter, so far I've heard from two shipmates from that cruise to Bikini in 1954. One was from the daughter of an ex-marine helicopter mechanic who is having her share of medical problems as did her father.
As a forward flight deck plane handler we were probably one of the most exposed crews on the ship.
One of the more interesting (???) things we got into was building a giant canvas &rubber pool for the helicopters to land in on the flight deck. They had just returned from the islands picking up film, soil samples, etc. and were mostly Atomic Energy people -- dressed in protective gear of course.
We would get into this "pool" and scrub down the choppers with brushes and Tide soap. I would think that if we dropped our film badge in that water, it would have maxxed out, but as very young and naieve kids, we didn't think it was a big deal. Which raises an interesting question. We were told in no uncertain terms not to EVER talk about what we saw during "Castle" ------ if Chinese spys intercept any of this information, would they scrub down their choppers during nuclear tests with Tide soap? I probably won't sleep well until you come back with an answer.
Another joke --- we had to turn in our cameras to the Master at Arms as no photos would be taken during the tests. Friends back home said one of the shots made the cover of Life Magazine.
Anyway, thanks for the chance to get in touch with some of those great guys.
After that cruise, I made Aviation Machinists Mate 3rd Class and got to go out on the Kearsage CVA-33. I was a flight deck director on that cruise (1955) and got to watch jets coming at you at 125 knots --- now that was exciting.
Take care,
Tony DiDomenico
Murrieta,CA
Email: Tonyd1956@cs.com
Keith Whittle
July 28, 2000
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