Operation Greenhouse
1951
US Atomic Veterans
Eamon P. Gonzalez
From: EamonP@aol.com
Date: Wed, 5 May 1999
Subject: Operation Greenhouse
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Operation Greenhouse: Recollections from the Past.
My name is Eamon P. Gonzalez, I served in The United States Navy from July 1950 until May 1954, I was just 17 years and 11 days old when I enlisted on a Kiddy Cruise hitch, which means you enlist until your 21st birthday.
The navy cut me some slack and discharged me two months early. My remembrance of Operation Greenhouse is somewhat dim due to the passage of time, but I will give it my best shot..
In early 1951 after seaplane tender duty in Iwakuni, Japan, the Curtiss returned to San Diego in order to be refitted for a secret operation. I recall the hanger on the aft deck ( normally used to perform maintenance and repairs on seaplanes) was painted a copper tone and cleared of the aviation mechanic’s tools and machines.
A detachment of seagoing Marines came aboard and immediately disrupted the normal routine. The ship left San Diego and put in at Port of Chicago, which is just outside Oakland, California and across the bay from San Francisco. The nuclear devices were loaded aboard under strict security measures. The marines were positioned at
every topside hatch and no one was allowed on deck.
We put to sea and picked up a two destroyer escort as we steamed to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Our stop in Hawaii was brief as a matter of fact we did not actually stop, just steamed slowly through the horseshoe harbor where the ships hull was degaussed. Small boats came alongside and took off a number of ships company, including officers, who I understand could not be cleared for the secret operation.
We arrived on station in the Marshall Islands, where the Seabees had built a number of buildings, all of different material and construction. I was at that time assigned to the Deck Division and was the bow hook on a LCPL, which is a small landing craft with a ramp in the bow use for amphibious landings.
Our assignment was to shuttle the civilian scientists who lived aboard the ship to bases on shore. It was pretty good duty as we waited for the scientists, while they went about their jobs on shore, the four members of the boat crew lay offshore at anchor. Our crew consisted of the coxswain whose name I believe was Beck or Becker, Bill Compton, a good old boy from Georgia, Sid Threlkeld, who was from the hills of Tennessee and myself a kid from New York City's infamous South Bronx.
As I recall now, and this may or may not be factual, we took the nuclear scientists to an atoll that we called The Trigger Island. When a blast was going to be set off the scientists had us join them on the island. As we did not have protective gear we
were told to turn our backs on the explosion and put our heads down in the sand. When the first device was set off I felt the shock wave and then it was as though I had my back to a furnace and someone opened the door. The noise and impact came moments later and we were then told it was okay to turn around and view the scene. It appeared to be a large plume of smoke or clouds ascending into the sky. Not so much as a mushroom, but slimmer and drawn out.
I can't say with any certainty just how many devices were detonated; it seems there were at least 4 and could have been as many as 8. I do recall as we were leaving for home we steamed past a small atoll that was rigged up to resemble a city. The atoll was gone, leveled and just below the surface of the water you could see what remained, burnt and crystallized sand without anything above the surface.
I do remember that we all had to wear badges that detected radiation and they were check each time you came aboard the ship. If the reading was not right, you were sent to a shower that was nearby just for this purpose.
As I write this I can recall other stories that took place during Operation Greenhouse, but they did not involve testing or atomic activity.
I hope that I have not been subjected to more radiation than my system can handle. I have no known adverse effects at this time and I am almost 66 years old now. It was a great adventure for a 17 year old kid and I will always treasure the memories.
Eamon P. "Pat" Gonzalez.
EamonP@aol.com
--Keith Whittle
May 5, 1999
Operation Greenhouse