MY NON HEROIC MILITARY HISTORY

MISSION 5, 

                                       PROJECT REDWING

                      NO WEAPONS, NO CAMERAS, NO FORMS OF COMMUNICATION  

There were 17 Detonations, and each one was identified by name which were named after Native American Tribes.  e.g. Cherokee, Choctaw etc.  An Atomic detonation consists of (1) Flash, (2) Shock wave, (3) Fireball, (4), Heatwave, (5) Radiation.

All Personnel not performing related a activities were instructed to  always be lying down on the side away from the Blast.  The Flash is so brilliant  that you can see your bones in your arms and wrist just like you did as a youngster with a flashlight.  Then you feel the heat on your neck getting hotter as the seconds go by t the point you think you will get burnt.  Then, it starts to recede at about the same speed.  Depending on the test, you can sometimes get to see the Fireball. (I actually saw the one pictured here.  You stand up, look in awe at both the Fireball and the Mushroom and go back to usual duties.   

Detonations consisted of surface island shots, Tower shots, one barge shot, water shots with varying depths, Air drops with detonation at varying heights.  All tests were at Eniwetok or Bikini which was about 80 miles away.  Eniwetok is about 100 miles off the equator and is very hot and upon arrival everyone is issued very short shorts. very...and some were tempted to even wear them...Bikini is about 98 miles away and for those that do not know, the skimpy bathing suit was named after the shape of Bikini Island.

Sleeping quarters were in 30-man tents with Canvas Cots.  The Showers and Latrine was fairly close by and usually going to the shower was with  the Towel usually worn around the waist but sometimes just thrown over the shoulder.   

In getting there, I went to Operations and someone handed me some sort of equipment to deliver and said someone would meet me for it.  Which they did.  It was some sort of weather thing. I then looked for SAREP (Search & Rescue Provisional).  I met my CO and the rest of the Orderly Room. The Army was host at they were permanently stationed there.  

The Marshall Islands are a string of volcanic outcroppings that were caused by a very large volcano.  Bomb testing required all Native Marshallese to be removed.  Guess where? Fayetteville Arkansas where they are to this day.  On approach, the Pilot circled and gave us a look at what made headlines back in the US and was how a bomb had been dropped on one of the atolls and all that was left was a large submerged hole which headline in the US as "HBomb sinks island".  and I guess it did..

The Island is about half a mile wide and two and a half miles long.  This kept us close to and aware of all that was going on.  It has a lagoon side which was shallow for a long way out and popular for swimming, Snorkeling and spear fishing.  One guy speared a Moray eel which was about 8 feet long with Needle teeth.  It was the first one I had seen and  I would never had enough nerve to spear it... The other side of the Island was very deep to where the navy with their Destroyer were to discourage Russian  subs and to evacuate us if Radiation reached a certain point.     

Project was under JTF7 which means it was a joint Task Force with all branches participating. 

The Army was permanently stationed there and in charge of all facilities.

Cameras were not permitted, but AEC said we would be provided photos.  Some months after I was back in the US, I received a wrinkled brown envelope with a wrinkled photo of one of the fire balls. I am pretty sure it was one that I did get to see.  They had also demanded only the best equipment and Personnel were to be part of the Project. The detonation that caused Dianna to get a Telegram at 9:59PM was Cherokee.  It was dropped off target, plus the wind changed and the very large Mushroom came right over us.   

Some of the Aircraft included three Jet Fighters that were  to fly thru the  Mushroom and gather Samples.  A screen of some sort  was fitted into the intake.  We lost one of these and will tough on it later. A -52 was brought in to make Air Drops.  I will touch on this later also.  SA-16, Air Rescue.  These are designed to land on Land, Sea, or Ice and Snow. H-19 Helicopters. Observation and/or Rescue. The Navy sent a Twin Mediam Bomber and the aforementioned Destroyer.  

The Navy Aircraft never made it in the Air.  It quickly developed a reputation as a Joke.  Their Mechanics worked long and hard to make it operational, but it never made it off the ground. I will explain the main incident on this a little later.          

There were speakers all over the island and on Shot days, we would listen to the Count down and when we to to the last few seconds before the blast w would be on the far side of the island, lying face down.  We had to wear a film badge which is turned in after each blast.  The readings are than entered in your medical records. 

Some things I found interesting.  Nr 1:  The B-52.  The B52 was brought in for all air drops.  I don't know if the Pilot was a little nervous about landing on such a small Air Strip or was burning off fuel.  At any rate, we all gathered at the Runway to watch him land. I don't recall how many approaches he made before setting down and at the very second his wheels touched down, he popped his chute and hit his brakes as hard as he could and came to a stop well short of the end of the Runway

His first drop was Cherokee (8mg Ton) and kit was dropped off target by quite a bit which caused us to feel the effect more than we should, plus the wind changed and the Mushroom came right over.  This must have shaken the AEC as it made headlines back in the states and Dianna received a Telegram at 9"59PM advising that I was safe and unharmed and would soon be back to his normal duties.  (Copy Included).  

Now back to that Navy Aircraft. A Twin Bomber.  The Runway being what it is, had to have some safety precautions and one way to have sever feet of chain on each side of the Runway attached to a net and if a plane lost control  and could not stop before going off the end of the Island, the Control Tower Operator would hit the switch and the net would come up and the plane would nose into it.. The weight and momentum would pull the chain behind the Aircraft. Each Chain Link was about one foot in diameter and raised a lot of noise as it kicked up debris.  Quite a site.  But it really worked as the Bomber skidded in on his nose.  No one hurt and it never go to be part of the project.  

One test I will never forget.  Our Commander had just returned from a meeting by the Commander of the Island, an Army Colonel.  He was berating all the Commanders about use of water and how to save it.   All the water had to be distilled and was quite involved.  So, our Commander was telling us exactly what to do: "Step in the shower, get wet, step out and soap down, step back in and rinse off". The only thing was that while he was telling us this, the countdown was H-10 H-9 H-8 and the Adjutant kept nudging the Colonel to get him to hear the Countdown and have us all face down on the ground and about then, "He Said, well, we might as well..."BANG!  and we were all standing when it went off.  We all dropped but it was already too late.  We were all FLASH BLINDED and the Flight Surgeon said anyone that saw the flash was Flash Blinded and should be blindfolded and would have to be led around etc.  I don't recall but a lot of guys were being led around for quite a while.  This may have made headlines back in the states, but it definit3ly did in the Honolulu Star Bulletin-front page.  The 2nd Lt (Adjutant) wanted to embarrass the Co and made sure he got to see the article.  I was not having any of going around blindfolded, but the Flash did get me good.   

One of the tests was dropped on a barge.  Target hit - barge disappeared.  One of the shots that sticks in my mind was dropped out on the Lagoon side and when se all got up to look toward the blast a mini-Tsunami was coming in.  It was about two feet or maybe a little higher enough to come in quite a way on the shore.  This was obviously and underwater detonation.

As far as all of support personnel it was about the same for each Blast.  I do recall one that was a little different for me as it was at Bikini.  Our countdown was the same for all the tests, but this time when it was at Bikini, I was in my tent listening to the Countdown and the counts starts back up after the blast as plus (e.g.: Hour +1, H Hour + 2etc.  So, in this case, when the counting was plus seconds, I waited to see what would happen.  At that distance away you have quite a bit of earth curvature and with the shockwave going straight, the water surface causes breakup of the Shock wave and by the time it got to us from Bikini it came as Rolling Thunder.  Then my tent began to flap - Big Time...

Soldiers was detailed to continually monitor for radiation.  If the count reached a certain point, we were to proceed as follows:  Dump all clothing except those short shorts and proceed to the deep end of the Island where the Navy had anchored the Destroyer.  We were to board, but about that time the radiation began to recede.  We waited for a while and were then to return to our usual duties. 

On one drop the Fighter Pilots were in place, prepared to fly thru and one of them was struck by Lightning and went down.  This was at the beginning of the Countdown and the Project Officer decided not to cancel as a lot of costs goes into each test.  The shot proceeded.  This scrambled all our Rescue SA-16sto search for survivors.  One went down with the Plane and one was recovered tangled in his Chute.  In these cases, you owe to the family to search anyway.  Rescue kept searching.  Flying a formation at about400 feet above the water, pretty soon your eyes start to play tricks on you and have to be relieved.  That's when my CO said Sgt Wright, would you help us scan as the crews are about worn out.  As far as I was concerned, that was an order.  That many SA-16s flying in formation is an awesome sight.  Just so you know, their moto is: SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE". I was proud to be part of it.

When we landed, we were met by two Army MPs holding Geiger Counters.  Their Orders were to step off the plane without touching any part of the door. That was pretty awkward, and I thought I was about to fall into the arms of an Army MP.

Each Test requires exacting weather information, and several reporting outposts are required to do so.  One of the Reporting sites was in the Caroline Islands.  They would periodically need supplies, mail etc. and the only way was by having Air Rescue go, make a water landing.  On one of these trips, the CO asked if I wanted to go along for a short time just to get off the Island. So I did.     

And it went like this: We left Eniwetok and proceeded to Pohnpei, Caroline Islands.  These are beautiful, tropical islands and for them that might know, has become a great, out of the way Tourist location.  This was under the Japanese during WWII and was part of the Bataan Death March.  They had built ramp at the edge of the water which angled out into the water.  This was designed so that an Amphibian Aircraft could land, drop wheels and go right up on shore.  The Pilot could then lock his left brake, and gun is right engine, and the plane would simply turn around which we did.  However, going in was a little Trickey.  LtCol Joe W. had been there several times and knew that on landing you had to be very careful about some large underwater boulders which normally were visible. On this date, a small rainstorm was in process and obscured the lending spot.  So, he decided to just circle for a while till it cleared.  The Engineer was a friend of mine and we were sitting together, he looked at me and was afraid I might sick, so he handed me a bucket.  Fortunately, we then began to go in.  This was definitely a new experience for me...

When we got off the Plane, here came some Islanders in one of those boats with outrigging of  of boats and it looked something out of a movie.  They were there to take us to the Hotel, which was a large Tin building.  Another thing I remember seeing, as I looked down at the lagoon was a young native, looked to be about 16 or maybe little older, carrying a large fish, over his shoulder.

Anyway, all commercial activity had stopped for the day as the Chief had just passed away and they closed up everything in his honor.  They treated us as something special and decided to open the one Beer Joint.  

When we go Ready to leave the next day, got on board, started the engines, and slowly went back into the water.  Just as soon as he raised his wheels, the Pilot gunned the engines, and we took off. A water take off is about as interesting as a water landing...

On one event we were eating, and I recall was the arrival of the DOD Secretary Wilson.  His visit was recognized by a flyover with Enough Aircraft to spell USA.  Photo show above.  When he landed and his party included a female AF MSgt WAF, and someone yelled: "There's a woman out there" and everyone jumped p and ran to the window and one guy was crying: "She's the most beautiful woman I ever saw".  The best I recall, she was getting along in years and a little overweight. 

This was close to the end of the Tests.  I will proceed to how it wrapped up for me: As JTF7 had been told, participation in Project Redwing will in no way impede the Career progress of any participant.  Word passed me to give them whatever they want (Not in these words). 

I started by getting assignments for the Rescue Personnel and I recall one in particular and that was an Airborne Radio Operator on embassy flight in and out of Costa Rica.  He was pretty happy. Then I decided to take care of Old Donal.  The Assignment manual indicated Liaison duty with the National Guard.  I applied to go to Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma City.  They came back and said No Vacancy with the Guard, but you accept the same thing with the Air Force Reserve. It took about one minute to answer and that's my next Mission.  On to OKCTY.

No Cameras.  We were told not to worry but we would get photos after the project was over.  Several months finding myself stationed in Oklahoma City, I got a large brown rumpled enveloped which contained a nice, wrinkled photo of a Fireball and it looked just like the one that we saw when we were not prepared. Anyway, it is included at the top.  

JULST HAPPENED: 12/07/23.  Received a letter from the DOD sending me a suitable for framing certificate and Medal designating me an ATOMIC VETERAN. Shown above.   No $$$ though.