Editor's note: John Waelti's series on the American Atomic Veterans continues with today's column.
June 1957, Camp Desert Rock, Nevada - 2nd Lt. James Saffer, along with officers and staff NCOs of the 2nd Battalion of the Fourth Marine Corps Atomic Exercise Brigade, had just experienced an "observation" of an atomic blast. Priscilla, a 38-kiloton bomb was one of a series of tests in 1957 code named "Plumbbob."
Lt. Saffer found the experience horrifying and doesn't want to do it again. But he is a Marine officer, and this was the dress rehearsal for the next bomb, Diablo. Following the next atomic blast, 2,100 Marines will participate in a mock assault. Lt. Saffer knows what's in store. Pfc. Beers of New Glarus and the enlisted Marines don't.
The Marines had been at Desert Rock for 10 days and were anxious to complete the exercise and return to Camp Pendleton. There was excitement in the air as they boarded trucks for the test site. Diablo would be a 17-kiloton bomb dropped from a 500-foot tower.
The Marines arrived at 0200 June 28 at the trench line about 4,000 yards from the bomb. The trucks left and the Marines entered the trenches. At H minus two, the loudspeaker barked, "Kneel on your right knee. Turn 45 degrees to the left. Close your eyes tightly - do not open them. Place your left forearm across your eyes."
The count down - five, four, three, two, one - click - no explosion. The loudspeaker again: "Remain in your places; do not move. There has been a misfire."
After a half hour, the Marines were allowed to stand up. The trucks returned and took the Marines back to Desert Rock. The team of scientists now had the harrowing task of disarming Diablo.
Diablo would be postponed. What followed was a classic bureaucratic SNAFU. The Marines had yet to execute the field exercise for which they had come to Desert Rock. Commanding General Tschigi, conscious of his budget, requested that they participate in the next shot instead of waiting an undetermined time for Diablo.
The test site manager was reluctant because the next shot, Hood, was a different kind of bomb - a far more powerful bomb not designed to be used in conjunction with infantry. It was designed as a "cost-effective people killer" - highly effective in destroying individuals, but not structures and property. It was ostensibly designed as a "clean bomb," with less fallout and its radiation confined closer to the site. Of course the Marines would be close to, actually on, the site.
The test site manager was authorized to review military plans, but not stop them. His seniors at AEC approved the Marines' request. Their "reasoning" was that participation of the Marines in this test would conceal the special nature of this new bomb, leading foreign powers to believe this was just continuation of regular testing. Unknown to the Marines, Hood was a prototype of similar, much larger bombs to be exploded at Einewotok and Bikini in the Pacific Proving Grounds, not in conjunction with infantry maneuvers.
The Marines arrived at the trenches at 0130 July 5. For Hood, a much larger bomb, the trenches were only one mile farther away from ground zero than for Priscilla or Diablo.
During the countdown Lt. Saffer's body shook uncontrollably, perspiration streaming from his palms. Hyperventilating and shaking uncontrollably, he feared his men would notice it. He was certain they all would perish.
Pfc. Beers, on one knee, 45 degrees to the left, forearm over his tightly closed eyes, innocently awaited the countdown. Four, three, two, one, zero - a wave of unbearable heat with a flash of light brighter than the sun. Beers saw the bones of his forearm through his tightly closed eyes. The ground trembled violently, and trench walls began collapsing. The shock wave with deafening sound like cannons firing overhead passed over them, bounced off a mountain, and a few seconds later bounced back to another mountain. Beers, third from the end of the trench, was not buried in sand, but many Marines were totally or partially buried. Two of them were never found.
Lt. Saffer left the trench with his men, carefully avoiding the burning vegetation. Smoke and dust made breathing difficult. His platoon was to take the hill to the left of ground zero. The dust made it impossible to find the amphibious tractors in which they were to advance. A company of Marines 15 miles to the rear was intended to vertically envelope the enemy by helicopter. Lift-off was delayed over an hour because of conditions.
The amtraks finally arrived and Beers with his platoon advanced to their objective. Dust and sand was still in the air making breathing difficult. Near ground zero, sand was fused together like glass. An Army specialist checked the Marines with a Geiger counter and sent them back.
As a weapons platoon advanced on ground zero they saw tanks melted down and equipment burned to cinders. Back at the trenches, half-buried men were still being pulled out from the trenches.
Sgt. Israel Torres was checked with a Geiger counter and told, "Marine, you've had it. You get in that truck over there with the other men. They were taken away, stripped down, hosed off, and given special soap to shower with. Their clothes were burned. Torres was still shaking, nauseated with a splitting headache, and his vision had not returned to normal.
Eight miles away, motor transport troops observed from a ridge. With hands over their eyes, they saw the bones in their hands through closed eyelids. Their protective ponchos, melted into sticky masses, had to be peeled from their bodies.
Seven hours after countdown, the Marines had completed their mission and left the test site. The ostensibly "clean bomb" was the largest and dirtiest bomb ever tested at the Nevada site.
Next week: Aftermath and conclusion.
- Monroe resident John Waelti can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net.
June 1957, Camp Desert Rock, Nevada - 2nd Lt. James Saffer, along with officers and staff NCOs of the 2nd Battalion of the Fourth Marine Corps Atomic Exercise Brigade, had just experienced an "observation" of an atomic blast. Priscilla, a 38-kiloton bomb was one of a series of tests in 1957 code named "Plumbbob."
Lt. Saffer found the experience horrifying and doesn't want to do it again. But he is a Marine officer, and this was the dress rehearsal for the next bomb, Diablo. Following the next atomic blast, 2,100 Marines will participate in a mock assault. Lt. Saffer knows what's in store. Pfc. Beers of New Glarus and the enlisted Marines don't.
The Marines had been at Desert Rock for 10 days and were anxious to complete the exercise and return to Camp Pendleton. There was excitement in the air as they boarded trucks for the test site. Diablo would be a 17-kiloton bomb dropped from a 500-foot tower.
The Marines arrived at 0200 June 28 at the trench line about 4,000 yards from the bomb. The trucks left and the Marines entered the trenches. At H minus two, the loudspeaker barked, "Kneel on your right knee. Turn 45 degrees to the left. Close your eyes tightly - do not open them. Place your left forearm across your eyes."
The count down - five, four, three, two, one - click - no explosion. The loudspeaker again: "Remain in your places; do not move. There has been a misfire."
After a half hour, the Marines were allowed to stand up. The trucks returned and took the Marines back to Desert Rock. The team of scientists now had the harrowing task of disarming Diablo.
Diablo would be postponed. What followed was a classic bureaucratic SNAFU. The Marines had yet to execute the field exercise for which they had come to Desert Rock. Commanding General Tschigi, conscious of his budget, requested that they participate in the next shot instead of waiting an undetermined time for Diablo.
The test site manager was reluctant because the next shot, Hood, was a different kind of bomb - a far more powerful bomb not designed to be used in conjunction with infantry. It was designed as a "cost-effective people killer" - highly effective in destroying individuals, but not structures and property. It was ostensibly designed as a "clean bomb," with less fallout and its radiation confined closer to the site. Of course the Marines would be close to, actually on, the site.
The test site manager was authorized to review military plans, but not stop them. His seniors at AEC approved the Marines' request. Their "reasoning" was that participation of the Marines in this test would conceal the special nature of this new bomb, leading foreign powers to believe this was just continuation of regular testing. Unknown to the Marines, Hood was a prototype of similar, much larger bombs to be exploded at Einewotok and Bikini in the Pacific Proving Grounds, not in conjunction with infantry maneuvers.
The Marines arrived at the trenches at 0130 July 5. For Hood, a much larger bomb, the trenches were only one mile farther away from ground zero than for Priscilla or Diablo.
During the countdown Lt. Saffer's body shook uncontrollably, perspiration streaming from his palms. Hyperventilating and shaking uncontrollably, he feared his men would notice it. He was certain they all would perish.
Pfc. Beers, on one knee, 45 degrees to the left, forearm over his tightly closed eyes, innocently awaited the countdown. Four, three, two, one, zero - a wave of unbearable heat with a flash of light brighter than the sun. Beers saw the bones of his forearm through his tightly closed eyes. The ground trembled violently, and trench walls began collapsing. The shock wave with deafening sound like cannons firing overhead passed over them, bounced off a mountain, and a few seconds later bounced back to another mountain. Beers, third from the end of the trench, was not buried in sand, but many Marines were totally or partially buried. Two of them were never found.
Lt. Saffer left the trench with his men, carefully avoiding the burning vegetation. Smoke and dust made breathing difficult. His platoon was to take the hill to the left of ground zero. The dust made it impossible to find the amphibious tractors in which they were to advance. A company of Marines 15 miles to the rear was intended to vertically envelope the enemy by helicopter. Lift-off was delayed over an hour because of conditions.
The amtraks finally arrived and Beers with his platoon advanced to their objective. Dust and sand was still in the air making breathing difficult. Near ground zero, sand was fused together like glass. An Army specialist checked the Marines with a Geiger counter and sent them back.
As a weapons platoon advanced on ground zero they saw tanks melted down and equipment burned to cinders. Back at the trenches, half-buried men were still being pulled out from the trenches.
Sgt. Israel Torres was checked with a Geiger counter and told, "Marine, you've had it. You get in that truck over there with the other men. They were taken away, stripped down, hosed off, and given special soap to shower with. Their clothes were burned. Torres was still shaking, nauseated with a splitting headache, and his vision had not returned to normal.
Eight miles away, motor transport troops observed from a ridge. With hands over their eyes, they saw the bones in their hands through closed eyelids. Their protective ponchos, melted into sticky masses, had to be peeled from their bodies.
Seven hours after countdown, the Marines had completed their mission and left the test site. The ostensibly "clean bomb" was the largest and dirtiest bomb ever tested at the Nevada site.
Next week: Aftermath and conclusion.
- Monroe resident John Waelti can be reached at jjwaelti1@tds.net.
