Operation Ivy
US Atomic Veterans
Nils Pearson
Nils Pearson sent the following email about his participation during the Operation Ivy.
From: TAGPEARSON@webtv.net (NILS PEARSON)
Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com (Web Editor)
Subject: Atomic Veteran (Operation Ivy 1952)
Any members out there in PDX who attended the first Thermonuclear test
at Enewietok in Nov. '52? Understand some Naval personnel qualify for
"Atomic Vet" status for having been in that Task Force. Some of us got
pretty"hot" and mysteriously got hospitalized for 2 weeks in Hilo upon
returning to Pearl! Happy to say no apparent ill effects (to date).
Also looking for some Northwest chaps who served aboard USS Lipan
(ATF-85) at that time.
We were scared kids and young adults, by and large. As we
got older, a bit wiser and perhaps more inquisitive about the handling
of conditions.
I was in the engine room at time of detonations, so I
didn't see the fireball. I believe we were 26 miles from GZ on the H
bomb and 11 miles from the A bomb test a week later. I did get to see
the mushrooms while they were still climbing.
We did get pretty hot
though, and had to de-scale our fresh water making evaporators while at
sea and perhaps that was the reason some of us were taken in for
hospital observation when we got back to Pearl.
I'm sure there are some
records as to what "really happened". Irregardless, I'm thankful that
my health has been good to date. Keep me posted if you dig up some
additional details on Ops Ivy. Thanks, Nils (from Ohio)
Email: Nils Pearson
Keith Whittle
May 20, 1998
[ Operation Ivy ]