Hardtack 1958
US Atomic Veterans
Darel W. Landers
Darel W. Landers sent email about his duty at Operation Hardtack.
From: "wesley9" wesley-9@worldnet.att.net
To:
Subject: OPERATION HARDTACK
Date: 6/20/06
I served as a GM3 aboard the USS Joyce DER 317 1956 - 1959
On our
trip from the east coast to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii we hit a whale it was believed stopped the ship cold and we had to dry dock the ship in San Diego, CA. After inspection, continued on to Hawaii and on to the Marshall Islands ( Eniwetok ) Operation Hardtack 1.
We witnessed a varity of Atomic weapons tests, June - July. The flashes of bright light from the fireballs, lots of heat, a loud boom, dark skies and the sea became very rough.
Barges of dead animals were towed close to us, I personally did not see any of the animals. The very first scared the hell out of me I was only 18. We were told we could not tell about anything we saw. My parents had bought me a monthly subscription to the Denver Post newspaper of Colorado and that news paper covered most all the tests with pictures. That newspaper bounced all around the ship and we learned more about what we had witnessed than what we were told.
The day of Umbrella shot we were close to a destroyer, 5 or more miles, the destroyer sank. Our ship was contaminated and we all had to strip down, go shower. Our clothes were collected and deep sixed. The ship was washed down by hand as the newly installed sprinkler system didn't work. I remember two Japanese barges docked at Japtan Island, both made of concrete and still afloat, which blew my mind. My duties aboard was in charge of all small arms and weapons for landing crews.
I also worked at the Nevada Test Site in Nevada, witnessed many under ground shots 1963-64.
My accuracy on some details may be wrong as I was only 31 years of age and I don't have all the facts like you have compiled in front of me. As for the tapes I don't really need to relive the past, I just want it documented that I was there in that piece of history
Thank You..
Darel W. Landers
Email: wesley-9@worldnet.att.net
Keith Whittle
July 5, 2006
[ Operation Hardtack1 ]