Operation Sandstone
1948
US Atomic Veterans
Hank Ware
From: Hankmatt@aol.com
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Operation Sandstone
Keith,
Following is an account of what I can remember and from material I have, regarding Operation Sandstone. That was more than fifty years ago but most of the events are very vivid in my memory. During the tests I was a BM3 in the second division aboard the USS Comstock (LSD-19).
The Comstock was in dry-dock at Pearl Harbor for three months for what we thought was routine maintenance and overhaul. However, a new structure was added to the top deck to house special electronic equipment. And alterations were made to accommodate Mobile Boat Pool No. 1. Equipment and personnel.
November 1947 we left Pearl Harbor, under sealed orders to be opened 24 hours out to sea. Twenty-four hours out, the captain opened the orders and read them to us over the PA system. We were informed that we were on a "volunteer" secret mission to Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands to participate in Operation Sandstone for atomic bomb testing. Although Sandstone was suppose to be a secret mission and our outgoing mail was censored family members at home were sending newspaper accounts, of what was going on at Eniwetok, to members of the crew.
Although our standard speed was 15 knots, we left Pearl Harbor leading a convoy of 3 LSTs which could only cruise at 7 knots. Two weeks later we arrived at Eniwetok and were the first ships in the harbor. After the arrival of the Admiral the Comstock became the flag ship until a tender arrived and took the Admiral aboard. One-by-one other ships joined the group which was to be known as Joint Task Force 7, LSTs, AKAs, DDs a few yard vessels and some civilian manned ships.
The Comstock provided boat pool services for the operation and ultimately the boat crews would be spending as much as 18 hours a day in their boats transporting personnel, equipment and supplies to the islands that were be prepared for the detonations.
Each division on the ship designated a member to attend a briefing on Eniwetok by the atomic scientists. I was designated by my division to attend and needless to say it was a complete waste of time. They didn't realize they were speaking to ordinary people like me, a 19 year old kid, and the terms and data they threw at us was totally above our heads.
For each detonation all ships left the harbor and all personnel, except scientific personnel, were evacuated from Eniwetok. All three tests were detonated on 200-foot-high steel towers and no trace of the towers were evident after the detonations.
The first test was X-Ray which was detonated on the island of Engebi, in the Eniwetok Atoll, at 0617 (local time) 15 April 1948. All ships personnel, except those at special sea detail stations, were mustered on the top desks facing away from the detonation. All of the officers and very few of the enlisted personnel were issued special goggles. Those with and without goggles were instructed to continue facing away from the detonation and keep their eyes closed. The same procedure was followed during the next two tests. Even facing the opposite direction and with eyes closed the glare was extremely brilliant. We were approximately 15 miles (from memory) from the detonation and although I was on the helm in the wheelhouse at the time the shock waves were very intense, especially in the ears.
The second test was Yoke detonated at 0609 (local time) 1 May 1948 on the island of Aoman. The same procedure was followed as for the first test. This time we were 12 miles (again from memory) from the detonation.
The third test was Zebra detonated at 0604 (local time) 15 May 1948 on the island of Runit. This time we were 7 miles (also from memory) from the detonation. The closer we got to the detonation the more brilliant the light and the more intense the shock waves.
Following each test the ships immediately returned to the harbor. Apparently there was no concern about fallout and exposure to the personnel. Water from the harbor, although desalinated, was used for drinking, showering, laundering and preparation of food. If it rained we were ordered to hose down the ship, with water from the harbor, and to take a shower and put our damp or wet clothing in laundry bags to be laundered.
I think I have fared better than most of my former shipmates, to have reached the age that I have with a minimum of medical problems. The only theory I can project is that being in the wheelhouse I was shielded from the initial effects of the detonations.
I hope this has provided you with some helpful information and I will be checking your website periodically to learn what's new. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who there at the same time.
Hank Ware
hankmatt@aol.com
--Keith Whittle
February 20, 1999
Operation Sandstone