From: smithstar4@bellsouth.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Operation Dominic
Date: Sat, 10 Apr 1999
During my participation in Operation Dominic (designated Navy Task Group, Joint Task Force Eight), I was a crew member aboard the USS Henry County (LST 824).
In September, 1962 two shipmates and myself were sent to "school" on base at Pearl Harbor. This school was for three days and each class was 4 to 5 hours long. There were others there from other commands. Needless to say this was not "in depth". We learned a few basics about the effects of low-ionizing radiation, radiation duration (half-life,etc.), and "wash-down procedures". We spent the majority of our time learning to use the Geiger-Muller Counter (calibration,taking readings).
As I'm sure the guys remember, radiation was measured in Roetgens in that era; not rems and rads as it is today.
In late September the Henry County steamed for the Johnston Island Danger Area. During the second phase of Dominic the Henry County participated in the following tests:
ANDROSCOGGIN--medium yield airdrop
BUMPING-low yield airdrop
CHAMA-high megaton range airdrop
CHECKMATE-low yield atmospheric test (fishbowl shot)
BLUEGILL TRIPLE PRIME- high yield multi-megaton atmospheric test
CALAMITY-high yield multi megaton airdrop
HOUSATONIC-high yield multi-megaton airdrop
KINGFISH-submegaton atmospheric detonation
TIGHTROPE-low yield fishbowl shot.
After each detonation the "Geiger Counter Team" would take readings topside. We wore (believe it or not) asbestos fire-fighting suits.
After the "airdrops" (from a B-52) we would observe higher readings than after an atmospheric detonation. For some reason, unknown to me, we would note dangerously high readings around valves, valve stems, hose racks, and hatch wheels. These readings were dutifully logged in. I have no idea what happened to those logs.
It's interesting that when the DOD refers to these tests, they refer to them as atmospheric tests. I guess that sounds better. Actually a large number of all the Dominic tests were airdrops from a B-52, as I noted earlier. These were not "atmospheric". These were the ones where you had your x-ray pictures taken, guys.
Several years back I spoke with two radiologists who had studied low-ionizing radiation. Each had the opinion that being present during the initial ignition (flash) of a nuclear test was equivalent to having 50--100 x-rays taken at the same time. I believe the medical field advises us to have a maximum of 4 x-rays a year. If any nuclear physicist or any other "expert" has evidence to refute this, I would be delighted to hear it.
Many Atomic Vets speak of "swimming in contaminated water", and they did. But the news gets worse. The "shock wave" as some call it was, technically, a "base surge". This surge was caused by the same principal that causes a ring of water to radiate out from a pebble dropped in a pool of still water. When this surge hit your ship, the water was highly contaminated as it came directly from surface zero. I can assure you that every ship in the area had it's evaporators running around the clock, (that was SOP). The evaporators, as most know, are aboard every ship to keep the fresh-water tanks filled. Simply put, sea water is pumped aboard where it passes through "heat exchangers" and into the evaporators. Using a process of high heat and suspension, saline is pulled from the water and pumped back overboard. The resulting "fresh water" is pumped to the ship's fresh-water tanks. You were not only swimming in the stuff:..you were drinking it. It would have been impossible for your dosimeter or your film badge to register what you were ingesting. That, alone, voids the DOD manufactored "readings". If any nuclear physicist or any other "expert" has evidence to refute the above, I would be delighted to hear it.
Many of the Dominic Vets recall the "accidental" explosion on the launch pad. This was a "Thor" rocket. The explosives in the nuclear warhead detonated spreading Alpha contamination and Beta particles over a wide area. It took three weeks to decontaminate the complex. In referring to this fiasco the Nuclear Defense Agency stated, "stringent personnel safety measures were enforced during the clean up". Enter laughing. The only "safety measure" was to take a shower. That's it. If any "expert" would like to refute the above, I would love to hear it. But be forewarned -- I was a member of the clean-up crew. I was there.
I wondered for a long time about that "accident". If the nuclear warhead detonated why didn't we have a full-blown Atomic explosion? I'm certainly not even close to being an "expert", but I've talked with others who know a little about nuclear fission. I still don't understand it but it has something to do with the initial explosion causing neutrons to "escape" and you need neutrons bombarding the nucleus to start a chain reaction leading to "critical mass". I'm sure there are other Atomic Vets who know far more than I do about this and would love to see their comments on this "accident". Needless to say, we all came close to obliteration.
I'm sure many who were there in October remember that we also had a little something called "the Cuban Missle Crisis" going on. Does anyone remember the Russian Subs that surfaced that morning? Of course they had been there all the time monitoring the tests. "The Hawk" (the Henry County) ran behind the breakwall at Johnston Island. I'm glad we did because we certainly weren't equipped for that kind of warfare.
The Atomic Veteran doesn't ask for praise or thanks. It would be nice to have a little recognition. It's not going to happen. To recognize the Atomic Vet would be to admit what was done to him.
Dennis Smith BT2
USS Henry County
(LST 824)
Email:smithstar4@bellsouth.net
Keith Whittle
April 10, 1999
[ Operation Dominic 1 ]
