Operation Redwing
US Atomic Civilian
Robert L. Dowdy, Sr.
Robert L. Dowdy, Sr. sent email about his duty at Operation Redwing.
From: RDowdy@aol.com
Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2002
Subject: Nuclear Tests in the PPG-1956
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
I was a college student participating in the Co-operative Engineering program
at Virginia Polytechnic Institute when I was offered the opportunity to go to
the Marshall Islands with my employer, RayDist Navigation Company, who I
believe was a contractor for the Atomic Energy Commission. This required my
leaving the college program for over six months, but the adventure beckoned
me. On Dec 31, 1955 I departed for Albuquerque NM for a visit to the Sandia
Corp., then on to Eniwetok for assignment. I was a field operating technician
in a crew which set up a navigation & tracking system to track & position
aircraft in reference to gound zero & time zero as they flew into the blast
area to collect air samples, shock info, & other data.
My first months were
on Eniwetok installing & maintaining the aircraft equipment, then I was sent
to Wotho Atoll to set up a transmitting & receiving station in a remote
location to prvide the signal for the radio navigation grid. We actually came
ashore in small landing craft on the island which was inhabited by a few
families, & set up tents, a water plant, cooking facilities, etc. Holmes &
Narver personnel cleared a road to the end of the island where I set up the
transmitting & receiving station in a tent. After the camp had been
established, the H&N personnel left & 4 of us remained to operate the
station. We were supplied every 2 weeks by an Air Force SA-16 sea plane.
I was on Wotho when the air drop was made & will never forget the light from
that explosion in the night sky some 200 miles away. I left the islands on
July 10 with a great appreciation of the beauty of nature & the power of
technology. I still have many memories of those months. Unfortunately over
the years I lost the memorabilia that I brought back which was stored in my
parent's home. When I got around to looking for it when my mother died it was
nowhere to be found.
I had told my children a little about all the detonations I had seen,
bragging that I learned to sleep thru atomic bomb explosions, but could only
recall the "Redwing" name. In the last year I have had bladder cancer &
prostate cancer, so my son asked me if I thought there was any connection. An
interesting question for which there is probably not an answer. Anyway, he
was able to locate the website which brings me to write. I would like to
thank whoever is responsible & participate in whatever way I can. As a
civilian there may not be extensive records. The company I worked for was
bought out years ago & I have lost track of all my fellow workers on that
project. I fyou could point me to a source of more information I would
appreciate it.
Robert L. Dowdy, Sr.
Email: RDowdy@aol.com
Keith Whittle
April 9, 2002
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