Operation Plumbbob 1957
Canadian Atomic Veterans
Dave Packer
Dave Packer sent email about his duty at Operation Plumbbob.
From: "Dave Packer" dpacker@nb.sympatico.ca
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Participation in Operation Plumbob
Date: Sun, 8 Dec 2002
Hi. My name is Dave Packer, Regimental #SH205377. I participated in
"Operation Plumbob" in 1957, and to the best of my memory witnessed 8
above-ground shots. I was the wireless operator for 1 RDU, Royal Canadian
Engineers. As the "sparks", I did very little field surveying, but did
directly witness these shots.
I was released in September 1957, and
subsequently was employed at AECL (Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd.) as a
Decontamination Operator and Process Operator in the NRU and NRX reactors
until February 1963. At that time I joined Ontario Hydro as a Nuclear
Operator. I stayed with OH, becoming licenced to operate Canada's first
power reactor, NPD, in December 1965, and re-licenced in 1973. In 1975, I
joined New Brunswick Power at Point Lepreau Generating Station as Nuclear
training Supervisor. In 1979 I left to go farming, of all things, went
broke, and worked as a consultant in the Nuclear Power industry from 1987
till my retirement in August, 2002.
The reason I'm telling you this is to clarify my radiation history, as to
the best of my knowledge, I'm the only Canadian "Plumbobber" who continued
to work with radioactive materials.
About 4 years ago, our Health Physics people told me that I had the highest
recorded occupational dose of anyone in Canada. I applied for, and
received, a reasonable pension from the Department of Veteran's Affairs, for
hearing loss due to witnessing these shots with no hearing protection. I've
had no other problems, so far, with radiation related sicknesses, although
these can take time to show up.
One question, if anyone out there can help: during the shots, we wore film
badges and direct reading dosimeters. However, as our backs were turned at
the time of the shot, the badges and DRDs were shielded by our bodies, the
equivalent of 8-10" of water. This may have affected the absolute readings
of the badges, as I only received 150 mrem according to my military records.
I'm not talking about fallout or contamination, I'm talking about the prompt
gamma and neutrons released at the time of detonation.
I had some discussion with a man from the dosimetry people of the US, who I
don't think understood me. Anyone have any ideas? I'd love to get in touch
with anyone who was there at the time.
Thanks,
Dave Packer
Email: dpacker@nb.sympatico.ca
Keith Whittle
January 25, 2003
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