We received an email from Bernard Melton about his service at Operation Dominic.
From: bmelton@theriver.com
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Re: Atomic Veteran (Dominic)
Date: Thu, 1 Jan 1998
My name is Bernard Melton. I am a retired Federal employee living in
Benson, Arizona.
My ship, the USS Henry County, LST 824, was involved with testing conducted
near Johnson Atoll. They never told us the names of the tests being conducted so I can't place the dates exactly.
I remember we installed the Salt Water Washdown System and underwent training on ABC Warfare in San Diego sometime in 1962. From there we went to Hawaii where heavy steel I-beams were welded onto our main deck. Instrument huts were located on the "tank deck" below the beams.
Next off to Johnson Atoll. Really clear water
with plenty of fish, but we were told we couldn't eat them even though they
didn't glow in the dark.
If I recall correctly we were participants in at
least three shots. We were told that they were high altitude and that we
were a mile from ground zero.
My GQ station was Afterstearing. I remember
my ears poping when the shockwave hit us. After they did the topside decon
checks we secured from GQ and were allowed on deck.
You could still see the smoke ring, the air was heavy with ozone, and it always rained after the shots. The rumor during one test was the rocket malfunctioned, and the
aborted rocket fell inside our five ship formation. Never confirmed.
I don't think I have ever suffered any adverse effects from this, but thought
I'd write to add my little rememberance to a part of history.
Bernard Melton
Benson, Arizona.
Email: bmelton@theriver.com
Keith Whittle
Jan. 2, 1998
[ Operation Dominic 1 ]