Hardtack 1958
US Atomic Veterans
Loren S. Pryor
Loren S. Pryor sent email about his duty at Operation Hardtack.
Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2001
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
From: joan pryor jeep@internetcds.com
Subject: Hardtack 1958
I was aboard the USS Moctobi (ATF-105) during Operation Hardtack in
1958. We towed barges from Hawaii to anchor at Eniwetok. I was an SK2
at the time so I got to volunteer to stand wheel watches and handle
lines on deck. There wasn't much going on in stores while at sea.
I got to witness one air burst from about 20 miles away. We only had 5
goggles for enlisted so we rotated and I don't believe all the crew got
to see a burst. When I put the goggles on, I put my eye right up to a
light and could just barely decern that the light was on. This was
before dawn. When the bomb went off I was amazed that the whole area
lit up brighter than noon day. As the light dimmed I could see the
mushroom cloud rising higher and higher. The shock waves could be seen
going across the clouds, a ripple affect. The light from the bomb got
dimmer and then a terrific bang hit the ship. I expected a low noise
that would increase in loudness but it was just one loud boom, much like
our 3-inch gun going off. The ship rattled when it hit but it was over
before anyone could react or be too frightened. Most of the crew that
witnessed any shot was simply awestruck.
We wore doseimeters but I
never did go anywhere near what was considered a dangerous level. The
ship was rigged with piping to wash it down after exposure. Only a few
of the engineers were dressed in clothing that covered them completely
and were the ones that scrubbed the ship as needed. When we had to go
outside we had to enter the ship by going in one side of the shower
room, remove all clothing and get the doseimeter checked then take a
shower and put on clean clothes..
We saw one underwater burst that
rose an estimated 1/4 mile from sea level. We were anchored about 1-2
miles away. The barges and Liberty ships that had been anchored by us
and other Fleet Tugs were quite a sight as they rolled over and turned
turtle. I tried to get a picture of this with a small camera that one
of the crew had not turned in but the ship was swinging on the hook and
the stern came around and I couldn't leave my perch in the mess hall
doorway or I would have been caught with the camera, so no picture. For
about a week before this test there were crews in Mike boats running
patterns through the entire area with some sort of electronic gear to
move all the sea life from the area. I understood it to be an
electronic signal that would cause enough discomfort for every living
thing to want to get away from there. I suppose it worked because I
never did see any fish floating afterwards.
The most excitement that
occurred happened on another ship. I believe it was the Arikara. At
least, it was another tug. The tow line was out to a Liberty ship and
the tug was making a turn to starboard when the starboard
roller chock on the stern broke and the cable snapped across the deck
and decapitated one of the crew that was in the bight of the line. We
were off to their port and heard a loud noise and heard a lot of
yelling. We didn't know what happened until about one hour later.
Also, we were on Eniwetok on what could loosely be called liberty.
Even the warm beer was cool compared to the ambient temperature. While
there, a plane landed with a USO troop aboard and Army MP's with weapons
formed a corridor for the ladies to go from the plane to the terminal
while the plane was repaired or refueled. Our crew wasn't a problem for
the girls because we had only been out about 4 months. It was those
one-year dudes they were worried about! It was an awesome adventure for
a 22-year-old and I haven't experienced any ill effects that I know of.
I am 65 now (2001) and still going strong. I would like go back to some
of that Tug duty. I really liked that old tub.
Sincerely,
Loren S. Pryor
Central Point, OR.
Email: jeep@internetcds.com
Keith Whittle
August 5, 2001
[ Operation Hardtack1 ]