Ray F. Longaker Jr.
From:longaker@wavecable.com
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Operation Dominic I
Date: Sat, 8 Jul 2000
To: Keith Whittle and Shipmates of the USS Princeton LPH-5, all other member of JTF-8 and all Atomic Vets
I was checking out the National Fleet Tug Association links page when I ran across your web page. Took some time and read the letters from my shipmates on your page. Raised the hackles on the back of my neck! Scared me to my core. Spent a hour in my garage digging out old files.
During the time period of Operation Dominic I, I was a Seaman and just turned 19. The Princeton was a most unique ship in that it was half Navy and half Marines. That is, the Navigation, Operations, Deck and Engineering Departments were Navy and the Aviation and Supply Departments plus the Marine Ship's Company Detachment were Marines. Worked out, as I recall almost half and half. There was great pride in that ship and she was "A-J Squared Away" and no nonsense.
The Princeton still had WWII Boatswains Mates on board and a Boatswains Mate Second Class who's name I believe was Hudson, who had been on board her 16 continuous years by the time I reported on board.
In addition, the Princeton was one of the very few ships that had a Flag Mess, Captains Mess, Officer's Wardroom, Warrant Officer's Wardroom, Chief's Mess and First Class Mess. The First Class Mess President at the time, when I was mess cookin' was a Marine Gunny Sergeant. Great guy and I've always respected him. Great teacher and roll model. I was told also that the Princeton had one of the last Red Line Brigs which was run by the Marines. When I heard the chilling call of "make a hole, prisoner!" coming down the passageway and seeing for the first time a "prisoner" with a Marine chaser, and as I was "sucking bulkhead" making myself as inconspicuous as possible, it made one of those indelible impressions that I never wanted to be on the wrong end of a Marine's baton. However, the Princeton was a great ship and I spent two separate tours on board for a total of a little over four years.
I've tried to remember Operation Dominic I and the ships that were present. The Princeton, I believe left Long Beach, CA to Hawaii then on to Johnson Island where the atomic tests of Operation Dominic I were conducted. The Joint Task Force designator Eight (JTF-8) was comprised of the USS Princeton LPH-5 with a Marine Battalion Landing Team and a Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron, possibly a landing ship dock (LSD), a transport ship of some sort probably an APA, and if not mistaken two landing ships tank (LST's).
It was a pain to stand Boatswains Mate of the Watch from 0800 - 1200 and 1200 - 1600. There seemed to always be a captain's gig of one sort or the other coming alongside or leaving or both. The captain of one ship or another to visit or a senior officer from one of the other services. The Boatswains Mate of the Watch would pipe the appropriate number of Side-Boys to the rail. Pipe the sides. Ring the captain/officer aboard or over the side with the appropriate number of bells and announce over the 1MC, "...Joint Task Element 8.6.4.2 arriving...". Each senior officer and captain of an afloat unit was a Joint Task Element whereas the most senior officer was Joint Task Group 8. Then pipe an officer on board or over the side and once he was off the Quarterdeck secure the Side-Boys. This seemed to go on all day everyday. Back in Third Division it got so we'd all be mimicking the 1MC announcements, "...8.6.8.6.4.2.8 arriving...".
Cameras were collected by the Master-At-Arms force and tagged and bagged prior to arriving off of Johnson Island. In addition we were issued film badges and dosimeters and given strict orders to wear them all the time. When things like this happens, there is a weird feeling that circulates through the ship. Something weird is going on. |
Photo from Ray Longaker.
Click on the picture for a larger view.
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When the atomic tests started they were scheduled for late at night. Since there was no such thing as air-conditioning on board it was cooler to sit up on the flight deck than be down in the bake oven compartment (C-213-L (Still remember.)). Being young and dumb it seemed like great fun to see what all the secrecy was all about plus we were encouraged to participate. During the first tests the flight deck was pretty much filled with ship's company and embarked Marines. Special goggles were issued to all the senior personnel first and most of us non-rates didn't receive the protective goggles. However special instructions were given to sit on the flight deck. Bring your knees up. Close your eyes and cover your eyes with one hand. Then lower your head and hand into the crook of your other arm and in that configuration place your head on your knees. In other words, eyes shut. Hand over eyes. Other arm over your hand and eyes then onto your knees. This was some sort of "triple protection" for us non-rates who didn't rate goggles. Anyway, you still saw the light from the blast through all this "protection". Directly after the light flash through the skin came the heat wave which gave somewhat of a sunburn to the back of the neck and other exposed skin that we weren't told to cover nor expected. Then came the blast wave and sound wave.
We were strictly instructed to maintain the above mentioned position for a designated amount of time before we could uncover. While us non-rates without goggles were covered, those with goggles were instructed to look straight out from the ship but not up towards where the blast had occurred. After a minute or so, us non-rated without goggles were told to look straight out but not up. When I uncovered and looked I could see from horizon to horizon in the whitest of lights! The sky was pure black and the water was pure black and the light given off from the atomic blast was pure white. The other ships of JTF-8 were illuminated in Technicolor against pure black. Instantaneously you were in a surreal world. Truly awesome! Then after five minutes or so the order was given that everyone could look up at the atomic cloud.
It must be noted that each atomic cloud was different in color, apparent texture and size. What also sticks in my mind was that the so call scientists could only estimate the kilotons of the blast. I heard a group of them talking and even as young as I was it sort of set off alarm bells in my head. Didn't know what those alarm bells were or meant at the time but it didn't sound good. Don't exactly know how big it may or may not be. Great!
Two of the atomic clouds were exceptional though. One resembled a woman's powder puff and was a beautiful violet color. Just hanging there in front of me seemingly at arms length against a pure black background. The second atomic cloud of note, which in fact was the very last test detonation of the Operationd Dominic I series was most spectacular. The cloud was actually seen in Hawaii and photographs of the cloud were taken from Hawaii and were in the next morning's newspapers. (I have the newspaper clipping somewhere. I put it somewhere safe, so that means it will take me awhile to find it.) Anyway, the atomic blast and subsequent cloud was larger than all the previous blasts. What was remarkable was that the cloud formed concentric circles with a very wide variety of colors. One circle black, one brown, one gray and so on. I remember the scientists ooohh'ing and aahhh'ing and were very excited. Then a most unusual thing occurred while the scientists were admiring their work. Instead of the cloud dissipating like the others had, this one with the concentric circles, rotated somewhat then broke up into parallel bands. I heard the scientists say that the parallel bands of the clouds had orientated themselves with the magnetic field of the Earth. One of the ship's officers commented words to the effect that the scientists nearly had spontaneous orgasms when the parallel bands lined up with the Earth's magnetic fields.
I also remember that on at least one occasion rockets were launched from Johnson Island into the atomic cloud(s). At dawn the next morning flight quarters was sounded and the Marine helicopters, with special rigs went out to locate the nose cones from the rockets floating in the sea. The nose cones had, from what I understand some sort of instrument packages and were flown directly back to the island slung under the helicopters. For some reason I believe the rockets were said to be Nike Ajax with instrument packaged nose cones.
Each division on the ship was given a day "on the beach" on Johnson Island. Beer, bar-b-que and swimming. (No wonder I got strange things growing on me. Between Operation Dominic I and Agent Orange in country Viet Nam is it any wonder?) As stated I was assigned to Third Division and we got our turn on the island. It was a novelty to fly off the ship in a helicopter and for a change of scenery, why not? So, we flew in by Marine helicopter. We were restricted to a specific area with some plywood shacks and everyone was standing around looking at each other with that look of "we're having fun now", which is really a look of what the hell are we supposed to do now. So, that was our one day of Rest and Relaxation.
Thinking back, the backs of our necks, ears, arms and hands were somewhat burnt by the previous atomic blasts and then we go "have fun in the sun" in bathing suits only, on Johnson Island all day in the tropical sun. It's a wonder any of us have any skin left come to think of it now. As I write this it only now makes sense why I see the dermatologist regularly to have him burn off what he calls pre-cancers off my hands, arms, ears and face with nitrogen. Hurts like hell but I'm glad to be rid of them. |
Photo from Ray Longaker.
Click on the picture for a larger view.
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In 1978 the Navy issued an ALNAV message, which stated in part that anyone who participated in any atomic test was to contact a 1-800 number as soon as possible. When I read the message I called the number and talked for a long time with the officer on the other end. I was sent a letter and questionnaire. Did I have any health problems? Was I married? Did I have any children? Did any of them have birth defects? Did my wife ever have a miscarriage? Oh, don't worry, you weren't exposed to anything unusual. The original letter came and was dated May 19, 1978. August 9, 1982 the "official" letter arrived with a full explanation. This letter stated in part, "...there is virtually no probability that test participation might cause any adverse health effects...". In addition there were two Fact Sheets, one dated March 1, 1982 and the other dated June 15, 1982. Both from the Defense Nuclear Agency. Lots of talk about exposure this and exposure that and what you got was zero, however, "...A 1979-1980 re-evaluation of 1,349 Dominic I film badges showed some damage related to light, heat and age effects due to defective wax seals...". Since then and up to now, I have not seen any additional "Fact Sheets".
Am I cynical and suspicious? You betcha! I don't trust our government any further than you could throw Clinton and/or Gore!
I served 27 years of my own free will. It was what I wanted to do. No regrets. Do it over again? Maybe a little differently, but not much. Have fun? No, it was hell, but I wouldn't trade the experiences or acquaintances for anything. Just don't like a government that exposes it's front line troops then doesn't have the fortitude or moral courage to take care of them afterwards. Don't like unelected officials like McNamara who had the unmitigated gall to say things during the Viet Nam War like "...don't send in the Reserves. They're an expendable force...". Don't like a government and officials who let unsuspecting service men go on board the test ships at Bikini directly after the test, unprotected and who also let a large number of those men die terrible deaths from various cancers. Are you an expendable force?
Anyway, if you want any of the pages I mentioned above please send me a large envelope (9" X 12") and enough postage for at least four ounces and I'll copy and send you everything I have. Never give up and never give an inch. I look at military service as quite simply being used, abused, screwed and in some cases tattooed. You served; you went though what you went through. If it's documented in either your service record and/or medical records or you can get evidence from other sources, file your claim. You deserve it and are most definitely worth it!
The .jpgs are for those of you who lost or were not issued your certificates. Also and most importantly they are to provide you with senior officer's names.
Best Regards To All Of You and I'm Proud To Have Served With You,
Ray F. Longaker Jr.
BMCM (SW)(CMC)
USN/Ret.
(5/27/61 to 4/30/88)
Email longaker@wavecable.com
Keith Whittle
July 9, 2000
