We received an email from Bill Vaughn about his service at Operation Dominic.
From: vap62@knology.net
Date: Sun, 19 Apr 1998
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Operation Dominic 1962, Christmas Island
In early 1962 Joint Task Force Eight (JTF-8) in Washington D.C. was
preparing for Operation Dominic in the Pacific Ocean. As a member of the Navy
advanced party, the communications officer and I together with several
radiomen were detached to Christmas Island. This coral atoll became our
headquarters for the forthcoming atomic/nuclear weapons tests. We designated
a fifty-mile radius circle as a "danger area" with Christmas Island as the
center.
Navy patrol aircraft, based on the island, conducted continuous patrols to
insure that no strangers were intruding. Navy Destroyer type ships were
strategically placed, and repositioned within this danger zone to provide
scientific data and other training experiences.
As near as I can recall, the atomic air bursts began around May. They
were dropped from a very high altitude by an Air Force bomber based in the
Hawaiian Islands. Metallic target rafts were positioned by Navy personnel and
required deep-sea mooring skills, which is rare and origionally these people
were hard to locate. These rafts were often relocated for different "drops";
that is, if the raft still existed following an explosion! I was not
personally involved in this activity.
On Christmas Island we were issued dark goggles to view the bursts but wore
our normal tropical khaki uniforms. I wore a short sleeved, open collared
shirt, khaki shorts and flight-deck shoes. The drops in the early part of
Operation Dominic were made during daylight hours; however, to improve photo-
interpretation, the later drops were done in the hours of darkness: About 3:30
a.m. became the norm. Regardless of the hour, a Russian communications ship
hung around just outside the "danger area" and didn't ever enter this area.
We assigned a ship to moniter them.
For each drop a count-down would begin over our speaker. At about ten
seconds to drop time we would stand outside of the operations room, lower our
goggles and face away from the blast area. Immediately following the white-
hot lighting we would turn facing the explosion to observe the results. What
a sight it was!
There was this glowing center, then a rising mushroom cloud forming and
the fire began changing into different brilliant colors. The cloud rose
higher and higher until the upper atmosphere winds began to flatten and
scatter the tops. Sometimes this top would float above and over us! I
wondered about this!
If the drop was a daylight drop, with goggles raised, we could see the
coming shock-wave. This wave traveled toward us at the speed of sound,
bending and whiplashing the numerous coconut palm trees until, "crack", it
swept past us and into the distance. Even, in spite of the seriousness of
the situation, it was amusing to, on occasion, watch sea birds lazily soaring
in the sky until the shock-wave struck. These contented sea birds were quickly
transferred several dozen feet followed by wildly flapping wings! What kind of
crazy storm is this?" , I imagined they thought!
Since this short narrative written about thirty-six years after these
experiences there are many things and lots of impressions omitted: but I
shall always vividly remember the constant pressure to complete these
operations by a predetermined deadline. This alotted period was received from
the highest authority! I also can still remember the grinding fatigue caused by the
heavy workload and eccentric working hours we were exposed to. Added was the
extreme stress because of the many drops and often overlaping count-downs. We
were not having fun!
Inconclusion, I still recall the horrible beauty and the vivid colors of
a night drop. To this day I view a Fourth of July fireworks as a dismal and
pitiful display! These experiences impressed upon me the horrors of any
weapon of mass destruction. And...I pray that our leaders through the world
remember the lessons learned from the past.
My health in 1998 is still excellent at age 80 so the exposure did no harm!
Sincerely,
Bill Vaughn
Email: Bill Vaughn
May 5, 1998--Bill sent three photos taken during Operation Dominic, we put them in his Photo Album
Keith Whittle
April 19, 1998
Photos added
May 5, 1998
[ Operation Dominic 1 ]