Operation Redwing
US Atomic Veterans
Tom Young
Tom Young sent email about his duty at Operation Redwing.
From: Tyoungusn@cs.com
Date: Sun, 25 Feb 2001
Subject: Presence at N-tests
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
My name is Tom Young. I was stationed aboard USS Navasota (AO-106) during
May and June of '56 when she was stationed as the "filling station" for
vessels involved in Redwing. At the time I was Leading Signalman, and my
watch station was on the signal bridge. Like Tom Harold, I recall receiving
a packet of materials and a phone call regarding a survey which that packet
contained, and I answered their questions. Like Bob Ruyle stated in his
narrative, I was, apparently, very fortunate. I am now 65 years old and have
suffered no major health problems. I retired in ''74 as a ChBosn(W2) in the
Salt Lake City area, and still reside there. I retired completely last July,
and am enjoying the fruits of my Naval service.
The first "device", as they were always referred to, was detonated as we
arrived on the scene from Long Beach. As always, we were kept many miles
away from ground zero, and never saw more than a flash on the horizon or, in
the case of some smaller detonations, a mushroom cloud many miles away.
Precautions were seldom taken aboard Navasota, because we were always very
distant from the detonations. We did, however, always return immediately to
the lagoon at Eniwetok, just off Enyu Island as soon as the all-clear
sounded. One of our diversions was to watch airdraft land on the island.
Not much more happened most of the time. I remember the instance noted by
Bob Ruyle wherein he returned to the ship so sunburned so badly he could
hardly function.
My regards to all who were participants in these so-important, but ultimately
debilitating to many, contributions to freedom.
Tom Young
Email: Tyoungusn@cs.com
Keith Whittle
February 26, 2001
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