A Helicopter Mechanic's Memory
of Eniwetok, Marshall Islands
by Harry L. Francis
Written and donated to the Helicopter History Site by the author
I was teaching Rotary Wing Mechanics at James Connely AFB, San Marcos, Texas,
in 1955. The Air Force announced the closing of the Base, with transfer of the
Rotary Wing mechanic School to Big Spring, Texas. Several of us decided we
would rather travel to "Foreign Shores", instead of going to Big Spring,
Texas.
And to address the issue, the Air Force had a request from Germany for
helicopter mechanics. This fit the bill, nicely, and several of us applied for
transfer to Germany. In fact most all of the Instructor group applied for
transfer to Germany. So many, that the Air Force Command cancelled all
transfers. They needed the Instructors for the State Side School in Big
Spring.
However, I was in a group that would have been discharged early, instead of
transfering to Big Spring. Of course, I didn't know that, and had extended my
enlistment in order to qualify for the tour in Germany. Ha, was I surprised.
With the cancellation of the German requirements, I was prime for assignment
to a "needed" area - Eniwetok, Marshall Islands, where Atomic Bomb Tests were
under way.
I recieved orders for Eniwetok in May, 1956, with departure in June. The
assignment was to the Rotary Wing Maintenence Squadron on Eniwetok, to service
H-19D Sikorsky S-55 Helicopters; in support of the scientists that were conducting
Atomic Bomb tests on the Eniwetok Atoll.
We were assigned as part of Joint Task Force 7, and had a fleet of about six
(6) H-19D helicopters. Previously the squadron had H-19 A's, which were not
suitable for the mission.
On arrival in Eniwetok, we were issued "film badges" to determine exposure to
the potential radiation hazzard from the Atomic tests. When conducting taxi
services for the scientists, we were issued daily film badges to account for
the radiation exposure on the test islands.
Our mission was to taxi the scientists to the test islands where they set up
the particular test experiment. This was a relatively easy mission, with the
furtherist Island about 35 miles away. Also, when on a mission, we were able
to dine at the civilian Island - where there was fresh meat and fresh milk,
and lots of fruit.
The atoll is beautiful, about 37 miles across, and the highest point is about
10 feet above sea level. The coconuts and the fish were not safe to eat, as
they were contaminated from the exposure to the atomic and hydrogen bomb
testing. The coconuts were mutated - shaped like bananas, but hard shelled
like coconuts.
When a test was conducted, all personnel were accounted for and staged on the
beach. We were instructed to sit on the sand, backs to the blast site, and
heads on our knees - arms folded under our heads, on top of our knees. When
the Bomb exploded, one could see the bones in one's arms from the
electromagnetic shock - like a giant X-Ray ! We experienced about 10 tests.
These tests were very small, about 10 kilotons. After the initial blast shock
wave passed ( picking up gravel and sand from the beach), we were allowed to
turn around and view the Atomic Cloud. (One had to have dark glasses to view
the cloud). It was an awsome sight!
The cloud was mushroom shaped, with the top of the cloud, white. The shaft was
Crimson and Black. The cloud was growing upward at a very high rate - upwards
through 30,000 feet or more. Very Awe Inspiring to a young bunch of service
men.
I once tried to go to Bikini for a test being held there. I had been relieved
of duty, awaiting orders to go home, but was not allowed to go. I did rise
early on the morning of the test, and awaited the countdown over the Public
address system. I looked into the dark night sky, in the direction of Bikini
Island at the zero hour. Bikini is about 180 miles away from Eniwetok. When
the Bomb went off, I could see flashes of light - like lightning in the sky,
and several minutes later could hear rumbling like thunder - all from 180
miles away. WoW! That is like seeing flashes and sound of an atomic blast
occuring in Norfolk Va., from Washington, D.C. The power released is almost
impossible to describe. I wish the leaders of all countries could experience
this revelation of power, so they could better decide on NOT USING ATOMIC
WEAPONS. If an Atomic War is Ever Started, that will be the end of
Civilization as we know it to be. Controlled Atomic Warfare is not a viable
choice. Seeing a test blast is a humbling experience.
I had the opportunity to fly over the remains of Island "Mike", where the
first Hydrogen Bomb was detonated in 1954. There is no Island Mike there
anymore - just a hole in the coral reef, where Island Mike was. The hole is
large enough to accomodate Eleven Pentagon Buildings !. It is over two miles
in diameter ! The ocean color is similar to deep water - dark blue. It is
difficult to comprehend that so much material was vaporized from the
explosion. Military and Civilian personnel were taken off the atoll during
this test, and renmained at sea for several weeks until the radiation count
was low enough for them to return.
On return from a mission, we turned in our daily film badge , so it could be
read and entered into our exposure record. If one approached the exposure
limit, then one was relieved of duty and sent off the island. I never knew
anyone who was given alternate duty and sent to another location, due to
excess radiation exposure.
Daily routine was to do periodic maintenence on the H-19's, and to assist Base
Maintenence personnel in annual and major maintenence issues.
In Base Maintenence we had a very good - excellent - welder, who could repair
intake manifolds on the H-19 ( which were prone to crack). The intake manifold
is made of magnesium. He had successfully repaired several cracks, using
inert gas welding. Once when he was off duty, another welder attempted to
repair a crack, with disasterous results. One must be very careful when
welding alunimum or magnesium as the critical temperatures are very close to
the welding tempertures. This fellow exceeded the critical temperature, and
all of the sudden we had a 6 inch hole, instead of a small crack. Wow, what a
mess, requiring a new manifold.
The H-19's were scheduled for "remanufacture" in Japan. We dissembled the
choppers, removing the rotor blades, tail cone, etc., and boxed up the entire
aircraft in three plywood boxes. We carefully mounted the chopper into the
giant boxes and loaded them on freighters for Japan. Several of them were lost
along the way, with boxes mixed up, and some left on Docks throughout the Far
East. We finally recieved the ships back at Eniwetok. I couldn't see they had
accomplished anything, in that the remanufactured machines looked just like
the ones we hadn't sent. Ha.
When the Joint Task Force 7 project was over, we remained to give further taxi
service to the scientists evaluating the past experiments. Now most service
personnel were transferred back to the States, but the Helicopter Squadron
bacame a Detachment from Far East Air Force. This presented little problem,
except that we had to establish a supply of parts necessary for daily
maintence of the helicopters.
We set up a disposable parts listing and inventory so that we didn't have to
visit base supply for a single bolt or cotter pin. I volunteered to set up
this system, knowing about the different systems that required routine
maintenence. This worked pretty well, but excluded me from further flying
missions.
When my tour was due to be up - 12 months - my orders became lost in the red
tape with information coming from the Far East Air Force. Seems they had lost
all records of the Eniwetok Detachment 5. I was due to come home, and had no
orders. Finally, after 12 months and two weeks, I got a set of orders to
return to San Francisco. There I waited another two weeks for final orders
relieving me of duty and Discharge on June 22, 1957.
It was an experience I would not have missed, but I have had concern about the
radiation exposure. As of now there seems to be no problem for me or in my
children. Only time will tell. I can only hope these tests were effective in
determining that Atomic Warfare is an impossible method of confrontation.
Since many nations have atomic weapons, none of us can afford to use them. Use
would only destroy the world.
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