Operation Redwing
US Atomic Veterans
Gene Honn
Gene Honn sent email about his duty at Operation Redwing.
From: "Gene Honn" ghonn@infinet.com
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: SOME MEMORIES OF ENIWETOK BY GENE HONN
Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001
Hi Keith,
I am glad I found your site. I have enjoyed reading the other comments on Wetok. I arrived on Eniwetok in late June of 1955 and stayed until late May of 1956. I was in the Army and I was a PFC at that time. When I arrived I had a very strange feeling of being so isolated, it was tough for a few days. Lucky for me I was assigned to a job that kept me very busy with long work hours.
I was assigned to work in the PX. There were five counters in the PX, my counter was the first counter you would see coming in the main door. I sold a wide variety of items; china, glassware, music boxes, monkey pod wood, packets of pictures of the island, lots of novelty items. Tom (Red) Kjelstrup, from Minneapolis, had the other end of our long double counter. Tom sold sporting good, etc. Tom and I left Ft. Hood together and were assigned to the PX on the same day. Ed Amos from Pittsburgh, Ed sold Jewelry. Harry Cornelson of Oklahoma City. Harry sold clothing; his counter was in a separate room. The other counter was for items like shaving cream, razors, cigarettes, etc. I cannot remember the soldier's name that had that counter. All the counters were a rough place to be on payday.
Our day consisted of going to breakfast, cleaning and stocking our counters. My boss Sgt. Jerome Linson (Ft. Collins, Co.) would bring in the cash for the start of the day and he would open the main doors. We worked until closing time, had a couple of hours off to eat and relax, then back to the PX and stayed open until about 8 pm, then we counted the days returns, as Sgt. Linson checked us out. We barley had time to make the nightly movie. Then back to the tent, a shower and bed and then up and do it all over again the next day. It was long hard days, but it did occupy your mind. We often stayed ever later when dignitaries visited. And once a month we worked around the clock for inventory.
I would like to list a few names that I recall; hopefully someone viewing the site may remember them as well. Charles Moff (Ohio) worked in the snack shop across the street from the PX. Moff and I went on R&R together to Japan. Benny Tulej (Utica, NY). I was with Benny in Ft. Lee for QM schooling; we went to Ft. Hood together for two months and then to Wetok together. Also left the island at the same time. My company commander was Capt. Raymond W. Quinn. The Army head guy was a Col. Coulter. Also remember a Jack Cannon (Richmond, Ind.). there was a Cpl. Dietz that worked in the building with Sgt. Linson. In the barbershop next door there was a fellow by the name of Connie (FayettvilleN.C.), besides cutting hair he also made leather products. Other last names I remember: Barlow, Pecola, McCoy, Hansfort, Cornell (from NYC) and a guy we called Red from Massillon, Ohio.
I was there for the blast on May 5, 1956 at 0625. I remember that there was a lot more civilians on the island prior to the May 5 shot. A number of reporters, writers, and etc. one guy by the name of Bob Conserdine (spelling ?) was there, I guess he was a well known writer at that time. There was great anticipation of the blast from everyone, the place was very active. They ordered us down to the beach; there were lots more ships in the harbor, than normally there, seem to be quite of a build up.
As to the blast, I remember that the light was extremely bright even with our backs turned and hands and arms over our eyes, I had some soreness in the outside corner of my right eye for about 3 days. We felt the force and turned when given the ok to see the mushroom. An awesome sight. A couple of young officers ran around with monitoring devices for a few days, but that was about it, we just went back to work. They said we were 7-10 miles from the actual blast site, I am not sure. We were taken down to the beach and told to turn our backs and cover our eyes. After the blast we were told to turn around and see the mushroom. Not a very pleasant situation.
As to the drop on Bikini on May 21 about all I remember about that one was the B-52 that went over our tent very early in the morning, he sounded like he was going to land on top of us. He did this for a few mornings; I do not know if it was weather related or if he was making practice runs. It was nice when he quit. I left the island about 3-4 days after that drop.
I know I did not enjoy the experience. I had some good friends on the island, but I sure was happy to leave.
One odd thing I remember was a very high rate of appendicitis attacks while I was one the island. Once I had to see the Doctor about some pain in my side, it later subsided, but I did hear the medical people talking about the high rate of attacks, I often wondered if it was the food, water or fallout.
Well I have rattled on about a number of things and I really have a lot more that I would like to say but I will close for this time. If you were there from late June of 1955 until Late May of 1956 I am sure we saw one another, because everyone came to the PX.
Regards
Gene Honn
Email: ghonn@infinet.com
Keith Whittle
March 6, 2001
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