Operation Upshot/Knothole
US Atomic Veterans
Keith E. Reed
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 2004
From: Keith Reed muddcatman@comcast.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Narrative Writeup
While I was in the U. S. Army, I was selected to participate in Atomic Testing Exercises at Camp Desert Rock, Nevada, on May 25, 1953. That particular test was named Upshot-Knothole, Test Grable. After leaving the Army in 1955, I decided to write my remembrances of that event before time took away any of my memory. The following narrative was written in 1956 and has remained relatively the same with only minor changes made to correct punctuation. All factual events have remained as written at that time.
REMEMBERING A NUCLEAR TEST
During the spring and summer of 1953, I was assigned to the 740th AAA Gun Battalion at Ft. Baker, Sausalito, California. Ft. Baker is located almost directly under the Golden Gate Bridge across the bay from San Francisco. Our primary mission was the air defense of the entire bay area. Our Battalion consisted of four field batteries, Hq. Battery and Battalion Hqs. Each of the four field batteries had four 90mm AAA weapons, independently operating radar systems and a troop strength of approximately 200 officers and enlisted men. Battery A was located at Ft. Cronkite in Marin County across the bay from San Francisco and on the ocean side of the peninsula. Battery B was located in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Battery C was located at the upper, or northern end of San Francisco Bay. Battery D was located in Oakland. Hq. Battery and Battalion Hq. was located at Ft. Baker. I was in Battalion Hq. in the S2 and S3 Sections, (Operations and Intelligence Section). Our Battalion commander was Col. John Lochran, better known to us as "Screaming Johnny". Through our network of communications, (Radar, Radio and land line telephone), we were in constant contact with all coastal defense units from San Diego to the Northern Alaskan Radar Stations. These radar stations were in the northern part of Alaska and the Bearing Straits, and were called the DEW Line, (Distant Early Warning Line). These radar stations were responsible for air surveillance between Alaska and the USSR. Our main radar unit in the bay area was mounted and operated from Mt. Tamalpias, the highest point in the immediate bay area. We were responsible for the tracking of all "unidentified aircraft" that came into our sector of radar contact and control.
During April of 1953, our Intelligence Section received notification that our Battalion was to provide two enlisted men to be assigned temporary duty at Camp Desert Rock, Nevada, to participate in the atomic testing that was taking place there during that summer. Those two individuals were required to have a security clearance of "Secret", and be allowed to handle and read Secret documents. Several days later, our Intelligence Officer, as I remember, 1st. Lyle R. Larson, selected SFC Willie F. Brown and me to be the two enlisted men to participate. After our selection, Sgt. Brown and I were given additional instructions as to what clothing and equipment to take, our method of transportation, due date for arrival and were presented with orders assigning us TDY to Camp Desert Rock, Nevada. We were given round trip bus fare and were to travel in Class "A" uniforms. We were to take a minimum of two sets of fatigues, socks, underwear, one pair of combat boots and all personal toilet articles. We were instructed to be sure to have enough items for a stay of ten days or two weeks.
Sometime after the 15th of May, 1953, Sgt. Brown and I left San Francisco on a bus and arrived in Los Vegas where we were quite surprised to see a large number of soldiers and discovered that they too were going to participate in the upcoming test. While we waited for our transporting busses to Desert Rock, we talked to many of the other soldiers. We discovered that they were from military bases across the United States-Ft. Bliss, Texas, Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, Ft. Dix, New Jersey and many other posts too numerous to name. After an extended wait, several busses arrived with many soldiers already on board. We then learned that these busses had already picked up many soldiers at the train station and some other soldiers on other busses had flown in on military aircraft. We quickly filled these busses for the last leg of our trip to Camp Desert Rock. Upon our arrival at the camp in the desert, we left the busses and were given instructions as to billeting accommodations, unit assignments and dress code for the camp.
We were told that we were among the first of approximately 2500 troops to arrive for this particular test. We were told that these 2500 troops would be broken down into two Regimental Combat Teams and work as separate units during the exercise and test. In addition to these 2500 troops, an additional 600 to 800 military personnel would be involved in the test as observers and special testing units. The observers included a large number of high-ranking officials and officers from the Defense Department and the Pentagon. We were told that this group included Lyndon B. Johnson, from my home state of Texas. I do not know if he was actually in the group of observers. Because we were among the first to arrive at the site, we were assigned to Regimental Combat Team "A" and were instructed to go to a designated area of Desert Rock. This area of the camp had rows of tents for living accommodations. (This billeting area of Desert Rock was for enlisted men only. Officers were billeted in another area of the post.) Our tent had a wooden floor, but some of the other tents had only dirt or sand floors. After being assigned to specific tents, we were further assigned to units of Company sized strength, (approximately 175 - 200 officers and enlisted men.). By late evening of our third or fourth day, all 2500 troops had arrived at Desert Rock and been assigned to their respective units.
It was not until the arrival of all 2500 that we were told that we were to participate in the first test firing of an atomic projectile to be fired from a land based weapon, a 280mm artillery piece named "Atomic Annie". We were told that the Army had recently developed this field artillery piece with a range of approximately 21 miles, and it would be used to fire an atomic projectile a distance of approximately 7 miles prior to detonation. At this point, quite a large number of the troops realized why we were chosen to be there in this particular test. It seemed that most of us were from artillery units at our home base. During our briefing at that time, we were told that the atomic projectile that "Annie" was to fire would weigh between 800 and 900 lbs, and have a blast equivalent of approximately 20 kilotons, (20 thousand tons of TNT), and it would be detonated at approximately 500 feet elevation to yield the most destructive force. In order to put this explosive force into perspective, 20 kilotons is equal to forty million lbs., (40,000,000 lbs.), of TNT.
During that day and several days that followed, we attended classes and were given extensive lectures concerning defensive techniques in CBR Warfare. (Chemical, Biological and Radiological Warfare). During our classes and lectures, we were told that the United States and Russia had vast quantities of deadly gas as well as germs stored in many European countries. We were also given lengthy and extensive training in protective measures combating Alpha, Beta, and Gamma rays that are emitted during an atomic blast. On one of our days of training, my group, or company, was taken to the site of "Atomic Annie" to see what it really looked like. When we arrived, much to our amazement, we were told that "Atomic Annie" had a twin sister at Camp Desert Rock in case of a malfunction by "Annie". There were actually two of the 280mm's. While we were at the weapon emplacement, we were allowed to get onto the loading platform, inspect the firing mechanism, recoil mechanism and breach operation of this extremely large weapon. The shear size was approximately three times as large as our 90mm's back in California, and needless to say I was impressed by the capabilities that had been developed. I do not know if any non-artillery troops among the 2500 were allowed to inspect the 280mm before the firing a few days later. The gun crew that was to be in charge of the weapon during this test firing was from Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, and had already fired some test rounds to properly adjust the range and elevation for the actual atomic test firing. In addition to visiting the 280mm, we also visited the site of a very recent atomic test blast in another area of the desert. While I cannot say exactly which test site this was, I believe that it was called "Test Harry".
On the morning of May 25, 1953, we were awakened at approximately 3:00 a.m. and told to eat breakfast and report to a designated area to be assigned Film Badges, board trucks at 5:00 a.m. and be transported to the test site in the desert area outside Desert Rock. We were instructed to wear combat boots, fatigue shirts and pants as well as a fatigue jacket. We were to wear and carry no more that the standard combat uniform for U. S. Troops. After breakfast we went to the designated area to be assigned Film Badges. These badges looked like 35mm photo slides with a small metal clip on the back for attaching to your collar or jacket pocket flap. Each badge had a rather long number on the thick frame surrounding the actual film. The number was not actually printed on the thick frame, but rather was perforated into the material so it could not be rubbed off or defaced in any manner. As each soldier passed the check out station, his name, rank and serial number was recorded beside the number of the film badge that he had been assigned. Only a few of the troops were assigned weapons to carry during the test. I was assigned a 30 Cal. Carbine to carry. I do not know how many tests and how much radiation this Carbine had been exposed to before the day of our test when it was assigned to me.
At 5:00 a.m. we boarded trucks and rode for what seemed to be an eternity to get to the test site. I am sure that it was not as long as it seemed, but not knowing what to expect and being totally surrounded by darkness except for the headlights of the truck behind the one I was in, it was the longest ride of my life. As we rode through the darkness of the desert, we made jokes about glowing in the dark or being changed into some kind of terrible monster after the test had been completed. Inasmuch as most of the troops were from artillery units, we were not totally convinced that a projectile that weighed about 900 lbs. could be as destructive as we had been told. Secretly, I suppose that each of us wondered what it was going to be like to actually walk through the blast area of an atomic detonation. For a short while, I found myself thinking I was about to witness a force and event the likes of which had totally destroyed Nagasaki and Hiroshima and brought an end to WWII. I do not think that any of the 2500 had any idea of the destructive force that we were about to witness.
After arrival at our designated place in the test site area, we unloaded from the trucks and each Company of each Regimental Combat Team was assigned a specific geographic area that had already been prepared with trenches that were approximately waist deep. It was still quite early in the morning, and the desert air was still quite cold. Several of the members of my Company built small fires of wood and sticks that we found on the desert floor. We no more than had the fires going when a member of the permanent cadre of Desert Rock came by and told us to put out the fires and not build any more. It took quite a bit of time before all 2500 of the troops were in place, and by that time it was daylight. As this daylight arrived, we looked to our rear and saw several buildings on the horizon. We were told that these concrete blockhouses would house the officials and officers from the Defense Department and Pentagon. These buildings were constructed of concrete and we were told that they also had smoked glass in the small windows for viewing the blast. It was at this point that I began to wonder why I was so much closer to the blast area and why I did not have smoked glass to look through.
After everyone was in place behind their trenches, we were constantly being given instructions as to what to do and what not to do during the blast and test. During
these instructions we were told not to touch anything metal as we walked through the test area site. They said that any kind of metal would attract and retain radiation in greater doses than other types of material. At one hour before the blast, one ton of TNT was detonated in front of us to give a perspective as to the size of the upcoming blast. At thirty minutes before the blast, 20 tons of TNT was detonated to further give an indication as to what was to come. A few minutes before 8:00 a.m. we were told to get into the trenches and kneel down toward the front side of the trench. We were told to stay down until we heard the blast of the atomic projectile, and then to stand up and watch the remainder of blast and formation of the mushroom cloud. Our trenches were less than three miles from the center of Ground Zero, the center of the blast. As we crouched in the trenches, we had little or no idea as to the magnitude of the events that were about to unfold. I cannot say that I was afraid, but I did have a sense of uneasiness. Even though it was still quite cool that morning, my entire body felt clammy and especially the palms of my hands gripping my Carbine. I suppose that the main reason for having no particular fear was that I was only 18 years old and I could not imagine the government that my family had supported for nine generations would subject me to any harm while still in my native country.
In the distance we could hear the countdown beginning on a public address system: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and at approximately 8:00 a.m. I heard the most deafening crack and explosion that I have ever heard. It sounded as though lightening had struck the ground directly in front of the trench where I was kneeling. This explosion and crack was immediately followed by a thunderous roar that echoed from mountain to mountain and covered the entire desert floor where we were. By this time we were standing up the trenches watching the formation of a brilliant fireball above the desert floor. The fireball itself was a brilliant white, and resembled burning phosphorus and appeared to be about one-half mile wide. Looking at that fireball was like looking into a thousand flashbulbs flashing at the same time. For a few seconds after looking at the fireball forming, my eyesight was totally distorted and all I could see were spots and uneven lines. A few seconds later my eyesight returned to almost normal and I continued to watch the formation of the fireball. By that time it was not nearly as bright as it was originally. With the tremendous heat generated inside the fireball, it started to rise from the desert floor. It rose so fast that a vacuum formed underneath and was sucking dirt and dust into the bottom section of the fireball that formed the mushroom shaped cloud. As we stood watching the fireball and the formation of the mushroom, we could see a shockwave rushing toward us across the desert floor. The shockwave reminded me of ripples of water in a calm pond after throwing a stone into the still water. Also, it reminded me of a strong wind blowing over a freshly plowed field. As this shockwave came across the desert floor, it was picking up dust, dirt, sticks, brush and other desert vegetation. (At that point we realized why our fires were not allowed earlier in
the morning.) When the shockwave finally hit us, we were still standing in our trenches and we were blown back against the backside of the trench. The backside of the trench was the only thing that kept us from being blown down by the shockwave. At about that time the earth began to tremble and shake violently. I imagined that this was what an earthquake felt like. Because of this violent shaking of the earth, the top section of the trenches caved in on us and covered our legs to about the knees. As we got our feet and legs out of the caved in trenches, we were standing directly in front of the trenches and continued watching the fireball rising and the mushroom cloud formation. About this time the shockwave was returning and blowing in the opposite direction, toward the blast area. Again, we were blown about, but not quite as forcefully as with the original shockwave. By this time the fireball had turned a bright orange because of the flame and fire inside. As it rose faster, it sucked more dust and dirt into the bottom and began to turn a dirty brown in color. We saw great amounts of ash, dirt, dust and debris falling from the cloud and fireball. As the cloud rose to a great height, it appeared that the top of the mushroom had turned a creamy white color. We later learned that this was an icecap that had formed on top of the mushroom.
At this point we were instructed to walk directly toward the blast area less than three miles away. Our instructions were to walk into the blast area, through the blast area and then out of the backside of the blast area. As we walked toward the blast area, the dust, dirt and fallout created by the shockwave and actual blast began to obscure our vision it was so thick. After we had walked about a mile toward the blast, visibility had been reduced to
about 100 yards or so. As we walked toward the blast area, we found several groups of sheep that were tied at various distances from the center of Ground Zero. The first group of sheep that we saw were far enough from the blast that they did not seemed to be harmed at all. The next group of sheep we saw was in a relatively flat area and totally exposed to the blast. The wool on these sheep appeared to have been slightly burned, but the sheep were still standing and tied to stakes. The next group of sheep that we saw were still tied to stakes but were unable to stand. They were still alive but bleeding from their noses, mouths, eyes and ears. The wool on these sheep was badly burned. The next group of sheep that we saw was all dead and their wool had been almost burned off. As we walked deeper into the blast area, it seemed to be raining dirt, dust and debris fallout from the mushroom cloud. At about this time, a sandstorm hit the area that further reduced visibility. With the sand from the sandstorm and the fallout from the mushroom cloud, it was virtually impossible to see or breathe. In an effort to assist breathing, we pulled the neck of our white tee shirts up and covered our nose and mouth to serve as a filter for the air entering our lungs. This effort proved little relief from the vast amount of dirt and sand in the air.
The group of approximately 20-25 soldiers I was walking with became lost and wandered aimlessly for approximately 30-45 minutes. During that time we walked through an equipment display area that had been constructed to test the effects of the blast on various types of military equipment. There were jeeps, ¾ ton trucks, 2 ½ ton trucks, a locomotive, various types of bridge equipment, houses and mannequins and what appeared to be field hospital equipment. These pieces of equipment had been tossed around and turned over several times by the force of the blast. I saw one 2 ½ ton truck that had been scooted on its side a distance of what appeared to be 200+ yards. In addition to the rolling stock of equipment, the entire area was covered with sheets, blankets and what appeared to be field hospital equipment. I did not get close enough to the locomotive to determine the amount of damage it sustained. After wandering around for a while, we finally encountered a member of the permanent cadre from Camp Desert Rock. From the amount of dirt and dust on his insignia on his helmet, I could not tell if he was a Major or Lt. Col., but his rank was not important at that time. He very forcefully told us to "Get the Hell out of this area", and "do not come back this way". He gave us directions to exit the blast area at the side rather than the rear area as originally directed. After we exited the blast area, we were met by trucks and returned to Desert Rock. As we boarded the trucks, we finally took a good look at the soldiers around us and only then realized the amount of dirt, dust and sand that covered each of us. We all had about 1/8" to 1/4" of material caked onto our uniforms and faces. As we sat in the rear of the trucks and looked across at the person facing us on the other side, we realized that we all looked like pale ghosts rather than humans. Our teeth and eyes were the only thing that looked real.
When we arrived back at Desert Rock, we went immediately to an area to turn in our Film Badge that had been assigned. We formed a line and passed a tent with a table in front. We gave our name, rank, serial number and Film Badge No. The person at the table found our name on the master control sheet and confirmed the information. After this verification process, the Film Badge was placed in a large box at the end of the table. This box contained all of the Film Badges that were turned in at this particular location. (I can only imagine what the radiation level reading on these Film Badges was after being placed in the same box with all other badges and then being nearly totally covered with dust and dirt from the fallout on them from the mushroom cloud.) It was only after this that we were able to drink as much liquid as we desired. To this day I cannot remember when water tasted so good on my tongue or it felt so refreshing in my mouth.
They're not being adequate field shower facilities for all 2500 of at one time, showers were assigned by each unit in shifts all afternoon. Those soldiers not scheduled for early showers immediately after lunch were taken to classes and lecture areas for the remainder of the afternoon. Before going to those classes, we were given brooms to brush off the dirt and sand from our fatigues as best as we could. I was in a group that went to classes and did not get to shower until after the evening meal.
The following day we had further classes and instructions and were told a variety of plans not previously known to us. One of the classes that I remember specifically was one that related to the amount of heat that was generated by an atomic blast and the effect of that heat on different colors as it was absorbed or reflected. We were shown some actual playing cards that had been placed on posts facing the actual blast. I specifically remember that one of the cards was the Ace of Spades. That card had been placed facing the blast and after it was retrieved, the part of the face of the card that had black printing was burned completely through the card and it could be read from either side. The part of the face of the card that was white was not harmed at all. There were several cards that were used in this test and each of them gave the same results. Black totally burned through, red partially burned through and no burning through at all for white. We further were told that this blast was also to test the effect on an Infantry unit attacking an enemy position immediately after an atomic explosion. Rumor had it that the United Nations was considering using this weapon in Korea if the Truce Talks with North Korea continued to drag on. We also understood that President Eisenhower had basically given his tentative approval to this plan if the talks did not generate a cease-fire in the very near future.
I do not remember the exact day that Sgt. Brown and I left Camp Desert Rock and returned to our unit at Ft. Baker, but I believe that it was the 28th or 29th of May, 1953. I do remember that we were instructed not to discuss our experiences with anyone except members of other regular units throughout the United States.
Written in 1956 by,
Sgt. Keith E. Reed
RA 18428120
U. S. Army
The following portion of this narrative was also written by Keith Reed, but it was written some 35-years after the original composition in 1956.
For many years, information on this test and all other atomic tests was classified information and not available to the public. Within recent years, this information has been declassified and the DNA, (Defense Nuclear Agency), has published detailed reports on many of these tests. Each of these tests had a Series name and Test Shot name. This particular test of May 25, 1953 was designated Series Upshot-Knothole and Test Shot Grable. The DNA has published a lengthy report on this particular test. I have read the entire report and concur with some of that publication. I do, however, disagree strongly with certain passages of the report that states that no troops went closer than 1600 yards to the center of GROUND ZERO (directly under the blast.) It also states that no troops went into the equipment display area until the following day when radiation had substantially subsided. I know for a fact that those two statements are totally false. I, and the group of approximately 20-25 soldiers that I was walking with, walked directly into the equipment display area and into the blast area under the mushroom cloud before it was blown away by the sandstorm. We walked around inside the equipment display area until we were told to "GET THE HELL OUT OF THIS AREA!"
For several years during the 1960's I attempted to get information on the amount of radiation I absorbed and ingested during this test. For a period of ten or twelve years I contacted several governmental agencies in an attempt to learn the amount of radiation I received. The standard response of those agencies was "our records do not indicate that you participated in this or any other atomic test." It was not until the fall of 1987 that the DNA even admitted that I was in an atomic test in Nevada. This admission on their part was made only after I produced a copy of a news release and photograph of me at Camp Desert Rock, Nevada. This news release stated "prepared by the U. S. Army" and it had been sent to the Hamilton Herald News in Hamilton, Texas, in June of 1953. I lived in Hamilton before I enlisted in the Army, and my parents still lived there when the photograph was released by the Army. This copy of the news release and photograph had been saved by my mother and had been stored in a trunk for nearly 35 years before I learned of the existence.
Further inquires to the DNA concerning the amount of radiation I absorbed during the test were answered with the usual response. "Your records indicating the amount of radiation you absorbed have been lost or destroyed and are no longer available." They further state, "be assured that the average amount of radiation absorbed the participants in this test was well below the allowable level." After receiving this response and other similar replies to my questions, I finally gave up in total disgust. There is still a great disagreement that will ultimately be settled. That disagreement is that the DNA states "a certain amount of low-level ionization radiation is not harmful." Veteran's organizations and other medical agencies firmly believe that "no amount of low-level ionization radiation is safe or acceptable." This disagreement will only be settled when the last of the veterans who participated in these atomic tests has died.
Keith Reed
Email: muddcatman@comcast.net
Keith Whittle
April 20, 2003
Operation Upshot/Knothole