Operation Ivy and Castle
US Atomic Veterans
Gibson Stoup
Gibson Stoup sent email about his duty at Operation Ivy and Castle.
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2000
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
From: Gibson Stoup vgstoup@netzero.net
Subject: Ivy and Castle
Hi Keith
Yes, I was there for both operations in 1952 & 1954.
I was a GM3, my gun mount was the quad 40's in the
foreward bow of the ship.
In 1954 a civilian stayed in my mount for the
tests, while waiting, he used his Rosary.
I asked him why, he said he set the timer on the bomb
and was praying it went off, if not he had to go back
and defuse it. He said he always left a fifth of booze
beside it just in case. I don't know if he was pulling
my leg or not. I was on the USS CURTISS AV4.
I did see the Bravo and H-bomb tests, and we did get caught in the fall
out. The navy still owes me for a shirt, pants and shoes that were
contaminated and had to be thrown away.
Gibson Stoup
Email:vgstoup@netzero.net
Keith Whittle
March 15, 2000
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