Operation Castle
US Atomic Veterans
Jack Spikes
Jack contacted us by email about his participation during the Castle atomic tests.
From: jbspikes@bellsouth.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Operation Castle Participation
Date: Mon, 25 May 1998
I was a young airman from Louisiana, stationed at Eniwetok during Operation
Castle. I was a nuclear technician, part of a five man filter recovery
team. We would remove the samples from the air sampling aircraft after
they flew through the cloud and package them for shipment to Los Alamos for
analysis. We also maintained the sampling equipment and the radiation
detection equipment for the aircraft. Our team was widely advertised as
the only one of its kind in the Air Force. I remember the entire test
series very well, especially the big one. I still have my certificate and
a few photos from that experience.
Jack Spikes
Also:
I, too, was in the Pacific for Operation Castle - the entire series. A
couple of points relative to remarks in the article and answers to
questions:
I was at Eniwetok for the second shot. Even though we were pretty far
away, we were issued density goggles. They were so dense, that you could
not see a lighted match held next to the lense. When the shot was
detonated, we were facing away from the blast, with goggles on, and the
entire sky lit up with a "yellowish" light which I can only remember as
being brighter than daylight.
Although we washed down lots of aircraft, from samplers (fighters) to a
B-36 control aircraft with a caved in bomb bay door, I don't recall any
ships coming to Eniwetok to be washed down. The only time we had ships was
on weekends when visiting dignitaries were coming ashore. I remember it
well, because that was the day we had real meat, real eggs, and real
potatoes.
I sent an e-mail earlier on my participation in Operation Castle in the
Pacific. I guess I should mention that I also participated in all 14
shots in Operation Teapot in Nevada. Although not nearly so powerful as
the tests in the Pacific, they were none-the-less scary, because they were
closer to home. I remembered well the fall-out problems on Castle.
Best of Luck to you guys.
Jack Spikes
Keith Whittle
June 1, 1998
Email: jbspikes@bellsouth.net
Keith Whittle
May 1, 1998
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