Operation Wigwam
US Atomic Veterans
Ed Ries
Ed Ries sent email about his duty at Operation Wigwam.
From: "Ed Ries" fishned@bigvalley.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: CTG 7.3 Boat Pool member
Date: Sat, 20 Oct 2001
Operation WIGWAM
After returning to the Phib Base from CASTLE the Boat Pool settled down to 11 months of overhaul, repair and re-equipment. It was good duty with liberty every night and weekends, at least for the CPOs. An LCM was decked over and a bait tank and anchor installed for use as a recreational fishing boat. As an avid fisherman I took full advantage of it and had some great trips to the Coronado Islands and local kelp beds. Two or three boats at a time were under repair as the shipfitters cut out dents and welded up holes. Enginemen overhauled the engines and seamen scraped and painted the hulls with red lead and haze gray. Petty officers worked on boat fenders, mooring bridles and other equipment.
On 3 May 1955 the Boat Pool boarded USS COMSTOCK (LSD 19) and sailed out offshore from San Diego for an underwater nuclear shot dubbed WIGWAM. Our boats sallied out from the ballasted-down LSD and carried scientists and others back and forth to the various ships in the long array. Although far out in the open sea, the weather was fairly calm and good for boating. It was a two-week deployment for a single shot. My own duties aboard the ship were few as LT Watkins took a personal hand and did most of the boat dispatching himself. He liked being involved in whatever was going on. The detonation was impressive, but most of us escaped fallout by going below decks. We were returned to the base on 17 May. A couple of our boats were still at work and left behind and had to cruise all the way back to San Diego on their own, an arduous and somewhat risky passage. Wish I could remember the names of the boat coxswains. They deserved a "Well done."
Respectfully,
Ed Ries
Email: fishned@bigvalley.net
Keith Whittle
October 31, 2001
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