UC"CI' "MJ.....

. ,.
... -_-..-
DEDICATION
THIS BOOK RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO:
GEN. OSMUND J. "OZZIE" RITLAND
Best Commander any of us ever had.
AND TO:
The men lost in experimental testing
The many more lost to rl;ldiation effects
,
,Those now terminally ill
COVER PHOTO: Early (small) H-Bomb blast still in "expansion"
phase. Note the "ice cap" starting to form at the top, signifying its
entry into the stratosphere.
A15304 173190
I
,
\
-Baker- shot in the Operation CROSSROADS test series in the Pacific 1946. 600 KT A-Bomb... The Big Ones were soon to follow...
LIVE NUCLEAR TEST SERIES:
WHITE SANDS, NEWMEXICO
TRINITY 1945
NEVADA (Limit 60 Kilotons)
RANGER 1950
BUSTER/JANGLE 1951
TUMBLER/SNAPPER 1952
UPSHOTIKNOTHOLE 1953
TEAPOT 1955
PACIFIC
Story of the 4925th Test Group (Atomic)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
-- Th Maj. Gen. Ritland for all the valuable
information he contributed.
-- Th all of my old 4925th buddies who dug deep
and sent me information and pictures.
--Th Vic Tannehill and his Boomerang staffwho
helped me put this book together.
John D. (Doc) Hardison
All rights reserved. No part 01 this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying or
otherwise, without lirst obtaining the written permission of the above copyright owner and
publisher.
CROSSROADS 1 ~ 4 6
SANDSTONE 1947
GREENHOUSE 1951
IVY 1952
CASTLE 1954
WIGWAM 1955
REDWING 1956
V1IA 1957
(Very High Altitude)
UHA 1958
(Ultra High Altitude)
After the Russian penetration of our Los Alamos
secrets, the tests were expanded into a series of air drops,
combined with "tower shots". This usually involved up to 14
"bangs" in Nevada; slightly fewer in the Pacific.
Above-ground tests ended in 1958 with the Nuclear
Test Ban Treaty between the Soviet Union and the United
States.
BOOMERANG PUBLISHERS 1990
6164 Wesl83rd Way
Arvada, CO 80003
(303) 4235706
ISBN 0-9605900-48
Library of Congress Catalog Number 89-081893
Printed In the United States of America
c'
A:Jr:Ii 3
HISTORICAL DATA CREDITS:
Atomic Energy Commission records
Air Force Historical Office
Kirtland Air Force Base Historian
Surviving members of the 4925th
PHOTO CREDITS:
Atomic Energy Commission
U. S. Air Force
Motion Picture Unit, Lookout Mountain
Laboratory, Hollywood, California
4925th Photo Lab
J
4925th Photo Lab, Eniwetok
Kirtland Air Force Base Photo Lab
FOREWORD
Never in a peacetime (non-combat)
operation have I seen such daily danger and
risks to Air Force personnel ... or such highly
skilled and dedicated pilots, air crew,
ground support Airmen and Civilians.
My memories of these troops are proud
ones, indeed.
The research for this book has resulted in
a volume ofhistory that should be studied by
many people.
Gen. Osmund J. Ritland
February, 1988
Rancho Santa Fe, California
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PROLOGUE Page 6
BEGINNINGS Page 7
THE MEN Pages 8-16
THE AIRCRATI Page 17-25
THE PRESSURE SUITS Page 26-27
THE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY Page 28
THE TARGETS (AND TEST SITES) Page 29-32
THE BOMBS Page 33-35
THE HAZARDS Page 36-38
THE HUMOR Page 39
IN MEMORIAM Page 40
3 54083 OK MAIN: F-BKS
17 OK 02/14/07 5021
PROLOGUE
During World War II, the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) had little to do with the
development of the atomic bomb. Control had been placed in the hands of the Atomic Energy
Commission (AEC). All the Armed Forces maintained a close association with the AEC
through the Military Liaison Committee. The Armed Forces Special Weapons Project served
the military departments jointly in atomic energy matters.
The world's first A-bomb was detonated July 16,1945, near Alamogordo, New Mexico, by
Manhattan Project scientists. It produced an explosion equal to that of 19,000 short tons
(17,000 metric tons) of TNT. A few weeks later two USAAF B-29 Superfortresses helped
bring World War II to an end by dropping even more powerful atomic bombs on Hiroshima
and Nagasaki, Japan.
The USAAF's Strategic Air Command (SAC) was established March 21, 1946. Its mission
was to be prepared to conduct long-range operations to any part of the world at any time.
Equipped in part with B-29s, its airmen were to be ready to deliver conventional or atomic
bombs to any target assigned. They were America's main deterrent to aggression.
To strengthen the ability of SAC to deliver atomic weapons, in 1946 the Air Staff directed
that all new bombers be able to carry atomic as well as high-explosive bombs. And SAC was
to integrate atomic weapons whenever and wherever possible in its training activities.
On September 18, 1947, by Act of Congress, the United States Air Force became an
independent service. Aperiod of reorganization followed as USAF leaders acted to structure
their commands so as to best meet their assigned roles and missions in the national interest.
Air Staff officers were well aware of the need for specialized organizations to deal with
atomic matters. Much had to be done before the Air Force could be ready to employ such
weapons on a large scale. In December, 1949, the Air Force set up its Special Weapons
Command for the development and testing of atomic weapons at Kirtland Air Force Base,
outside Albuquerque, New Mexico. This command would work closely with AEC's prime
contractors--the Sandia Corporation and the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory.
President Harry S. Truman, in January, 1950, directed the AEC to emphasize its
thermonuclear research. The Air Force immediately began to make preparations for
delivering hydrogen bombs. There were two major problems in using such nuclear weapons:
adapting various types of weapons carriers and bombs to each other; and, developing
bombing techniques and systems that would be and yet permit the airplane and
its crewto return from attacks safely. The first problem wa\ primarily aerodynamic, arising
as new bombers reached supersonic speeds. Working with AEC, the Air Force immediately
began Top Secret projects to overcome the difficulties of making thermonuclear weapons
compatible with delivery systems; and, to perfect techniques for dropping those weapons
from high and low altitudes while at the same time protecting airplane crews.
Victor C Tannehill, Publisher
BEGINNINGS
In February, 1950, a double barbed-wire complex was
set up within Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, New Mexico, to
headquarter a new Top Secret U.S. Air Force unit
designated the 4925th Test Group (Atomic). A small sign
at the gate simply said "Santa Fe Operations".
Unauthorized, curious visitors were politely but firmly
turned away by armed USAF Air Policemen.
The best bomber and fighter pilots in the USAF and
all types of expert support personnel were located
worldwide and orders were promptly cut transferring
them to the elite 4925th.
A special search was made for the right man to lead
the outfit. Colonel OsmundJ. "Ozzie" Ritland was selected
as Commanding Officer. As a test pilot, he had 150
aircraft to his credit, including all captured aircraft in
WWII. He had a degree in engineering, and was an expert
in logistics.
All aircraft then in the Air Force inventory and
thought capable of nuclear weapons delivery were to be
obtained and sent to the 4925th for testing. The Special
Weapons Command, a major USAF Air Command
reporting only to the Pentagon and the AEC, set the
wheels in motion to expedite this.
The 4925th was given this mission:
1. ''Marry'' all nuclear weapon types to all
suitable types of aircraft.
2. Establish the ballistics of each type
of nuclear weapon, on precision bomb ranges.
3. Support the AEC with live test drops,
at Nevada and the Pacific.
4. Fly through and "sample" the highly
radioactive nuclear "clouds" after the bangs.
ABOVE: Colonel "Ozzie" Ritland, Commander, 4925th
BELOW: Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, NewMexico (facing
east). Note the three large hangars and concrete ramp in center.
This was "Area Charlie", with double barbed wire fences andguard
towers. Home base of the 4925th. Sandia Base complex in
background.
.
, ,.
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Page 6 THE MEGATON BLASTERS
BEGINNINGS
\.
Page 7
THE MEN
With top priority established, the 4925th was soon
staffed with highly experienced people. Bomber, fighter,
and chopper pilots, triple-rated bombardiers
(Bomb./Navigator/Radar), staff officers, nuclear project
engineers (military and civilian), depot-level
modification personnel, aerial cameramen, photo lab
technicians, bomb loading specialists, crew chiefs and
crews. Col. Ritland "welded" these pros into a highly
sharp TEAM.
Ifthere was ever an ELITE out-fit, the 4925th was it.
During its eleven years, the 4925th had many men
come and go, and many internal changes in job
assignments. The list below is a rough assessment.
COMMANDERS:
Col. Ritland, Col. Samuel
STAFF AND SQUADRON COMMANDERS:
Col. Brick Ireland
Lt. Col. Carl Ousley
Lt. Col. Mario Ciccone
Col. Paul Fackler
Lt. Col. Gene Cox
Maj. Fain Pool
Col. Hank Eichel
Lt. Col. Woody Woodward
Maj. Corky Corcoran
Col. Jack Atkins
Lt. Col. Ed Hurley
CWO Van Vanlandingham
FLIGHT COMMANDERS:
Maj. Dick Partrick
Maj. Jerry Blanchard
Maj. Marv Speer
Maj. John Hardison
Maj. Geo. Gleason
d_
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Page 8
ABOVE: Col. "Brick" Ireland, Deputy Commander
BELOW: Col. Ritland with B45 drop crew. From left
Williams, Follensby, Stull, Lawton.
THE MEGATON BLASTERS
BOMBER PILOTS:
B-36:
Gene Cox
Bill Hickey
John Hardison
Fain Pool
B-52:
Jerry Blanchard
Dave Crithlow
Charlie Smith
B-47:
Beck Becktell
Frank Early
Harvey Gill
Nichols
Dick Partrick
Marv Speer
Steinkraus
GrafStull
Bill Yinger
Ack Zalk
B-45:
Keith Conley
Hank Yawn
B-501B-29:
Fred Armbruster
Buckles
Jack Hammer
Ivan Mahan
Dave Self
B-66:
Hank Yawn
SAMPLER PILOTS:
B-571B-29:
Fred Armbruster
Malcolm Bounds
Jim Corn
George Fettinger
John Hardison
Langdon Harrison
Chappy MacDonald
HELICOPTER PILOTS:
YH-19, YH-21:
Bill Green
Jim Ozier
Pat Patterson
FIGHTER PILOTS:
F-84, F-86, F-I01:
George Gleason
Ira Grayson
Hank Henry
Norm Schmidt
Ellingson
THE MEN
Lynn Steiner
Vollmer
BOMBARDIERS:
George Dunmore
Dwight Durner
! Ike Eichenberg
Jackie Harvey
Jesse Henry
Ken Lawton
Bill Payne
Danny Schmucker
George Trimble
Blake White
Woody Wilson
WEAPONERS:
Earl Follensby
AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE
OFFICER:
Rocky Rockaforte
BOMB LOADINGS:
Van Vanlandingham
CHIEF OPERATIONS
DISPATCHER:
Red McLaughlin
PHOTO LAB COMPLEX:
Jim McFadden
Frank Hensley
Jake Jaycox
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY:
Bob McCullough
. RADIATIONSAFETYSECTION:
Finis Mitchell
Lloyd Stockton
CIVILIAN EXPERTS:
Dave Chadwick
Herman Miller (Sandia)
Gar Nunn
Hal Plank (AEC/Los Alamos)
CHIEF FLIGHT SURGEON:
Karl Houghton (SWC)
FLIGHT ENGINEERS:
Ben Harvey
Byron Miller
Randall O'Bryan
Rocky Roccaforte
Walt Todd
Jim Purcell
Ruegeseker
CREW CHIEFS:
Jim Ash
Roy Bedwell
Hugh Brown
Clem Byzenki
Norm Haagenson
Roy Hunter
Merlin Martin
Scully Scalovino
Eddy White
TECH REPS:
Chris Doll
Chuck Haywood
Roy Squyres
(We had about 16 ofthese... one
or two from each plant, plus a
Pratt & Whitney EXPERTon 24-
hour call. TOP Pro's.)
PROJECT OFFICERS:
Steve Bartalski
Corky Corcoran
Otis Hill
Ray Lynn
John Umlauf
Bill Ward
(These men were engineering
grads, MIT, Cal-Tech, etc. They
each followed a certain bomb
through all phases of tests,
including drops, as part offlight
crews.)
All 4925th personnel were
required to have an AEC "Q"
clearance... 15-year background
check by the FBI.
A special ADIZ (Air Defense
Zone) was set up surrounding
Kirtland. A select squadron of
Air Defense Command fighters
was brought in to Kirtland. They
were on 24-hour alert to enforce
the ADIZ, and they did so.
Page 9
ABOVE:FirstA-Bombair-dropinU.S....Pilot:Capt.JerryBlanchard, BELOW: Nevada B-36 drop crew, mid-1950s. From leil--Pool,
far right; Col. Ritland secondfrom left; Dr. Felts (AEC/Los Alamos), Hickey, Schroeder, Schmucker, Ward, Roccaforte, Harvey,
third from left. B-29. unknown, Haagenson, Castleman, unknown.
Page 11
Lt. Col. Woody Woodward, in charge of marrying bombs to
aircraft.
Major Marv Speer
THE MEN
THE MEGATON BLASTERS
...r . _,. ..
A 5 6 _ ~ . ~ ' ~
Page 10
Page 13
Captain -Big George- Trimble, Chief Test Bombardier. Aeronautical
Engineering degree.
THE MEN
Major Jesse Henry, Chief Bombardier
THE MEGATON BLASTERS
BELOW: Early live drop crew--Pilot: Capt. Neal Barker (kneeling far
right); Bombardier: Maj. Jesse Henry, secondfrom left; Weaponeer:
Capt. Follensby, third from left; and, Bombardier/Navigator/Timer:
Lt. Col. Ed Hurley.
--------..........
ABOVE: This shows the size of a B36 propeller19 feet, two
stories. From left--Cox, Pool, Follensby, Eichenberg, Jack Harvey,
Byron Miller, unknown, unknown, Martin (Crew Chief).
Page 12
BELOW: Pacific Test Site, Eniwetok Atoll, 1956, Osage Drop,
Operation REDW/NG. B-36. Front row: Pool, Roccaforte, Hardison,
Barta/sky, Ben Harvey, Payne, unknown. Back row, from right: Jack
Harvey, Trimble.
ABOVE: Early pilots. From left--Corn (B-57), Buckles (B-29), Stull
(B-45), Grayson (F-84), unknown, Conley (B-45), unknown.
Captain Rocky Roccaforte, Chief Flight Engineer/Group Aircraft
Maintenance Officer.
Capt. Lynn Steiner
Page 14 THE MEGATON BLASTERS
THE MEN Page 15
THE AIRCRAFT
CHASE PLANES:
We used stripped-down,
modified T-33s for the 40,000 ft.
drops, with aerial cameramen in
rear seat, with hand-held movie
cameras. At release, the T-bird
went into a screeching dive, doing
a l.0ntinuous roll around the
bomb, with the cameramen
shooting through the top of the
canopy. The pull-out was made at
the last second. The new G-suits
came in handy. About half. the
time, two chase planes were
required. This required all of the
above, plus maintaining
separation between the rolling
aircraft and, of course, the bomb.
At higher altitudes, the single-
seat fighters used advanced type
gun cameras, mounted in the left
side of the cockpit, to shoot the
bomb and its series of 'chutes.
The camera was activated by the
gun-switch on the pilot's control
stick. Watching two of these
pilots dive with a 43,000 lb.
bomb, doing, at first, horizontal
rolls around it, then into a
screeching dive, using dive-
brakes as required, still doing
rolls, maintaining perfect
separation...was really something
to see. Real pro's.
CHOPPERS:
Three beat-up YH-19s and two
new YH-21s. Weird birds, flown
by weird pilots, on weird tests.
BELOW: Boeing B-29 Superfortress
FIGHTER AIRCRAFT:
We started with beat-up F-84s
and F-86s. Then:
F-84F: First four off the line.
Heavy modification by our own shop.
The "F" bore no resemblance to the
former series.
F-86E: Max ceiling only 43,000 ft.
Speed too slow for B-52s.
F101A: Bingo. Mter take-off, out
of sight in 14 seconds, in steep
climb. The B-36s and B-52s finally
had company, at the prescribed
50,000 feet.
F-I04 and F-I05: Supersonic. NO
data.
Unfortunately, most of these men
died from radiation cancer, or are
now terminally ill from same.
B-66: Ground lover, when loaded.
Oxygen system problems. Twin jets,
bomb bay too small.
B-52C: (Boeing) Four aircraft,
modified for us at factory. Perfect
bomber. Maximum airspeed 0.93
mach. 8 big jets. Range: unlimited.
(Air-to-air refueling =100,000Ibs. in
14 minutes. Ceiling: Above 55,000
ft.. Non-skid brakes, excellent air
brakes, plus landing chute.
Computerized bomb/nav system,
with doppler. Cross-wind landing
gear. 10,000 lbs. pure-pure water,
for water-injection take-offs. (Water
lasted 110 seconds.) Astro compass.
Seat ejection. Pilot's checklist =60
pages.
NOTE: We were geared up to
receive the first four B-58s when the
test ban cancelled the program.
TEST AIRCRAFT:
B-29, B-36H, B-45, B-47, B-50D,
B-52C, B-57, B-66, F-84F, F-86D,
F-101A, F-104, F-105, YH-19, YH-
21, C-47, T-33. (Plus: F-86E, F-
86G)
All aircraft were "Feather-
weighted"...stripped of everything
that could be safely removed (guns,
blisters, latrines; each B-36 had
two, etc.).
B-29s: Four of the best we could
find. I flew B-29 #818 on one test
to 42,500 ft., with Ben Harvey
chasing runaway props like mad.
B-50Ds: (4). Cadillac version of
B-29. Boeing. 28-cylinder engines,
steerable nose wheel., reversible
props, water injection.
B-36H: (4) 320 knots at 50,000
ft., with a 43,000 lb. bomb load.
Ten engines; six 28-cylinder recips,
four J-47 jets. 19-foot propellers,
automatically synchronized,
reversible. 3,200 horse-power (wet).
Wing-span: 230 ft. Length: 151 ft.
Range: 24 hours. Max fuel
capacity: 33,626 gallons.
B-45: (North American) We got
the first four produced; 0001
through 0004. The only 4-jet U.S.
bomber. No approach drogue chute
nor air-brakes. With power at idle,
glided like a sail plane. Bomb bay
too small for H-bombs.
B-47: (Boeing) Four aircraft,
modified at factory for 4925th. Six
jets, approach drogue chute,
landing chute. Most
aerodynamically streamlined
bomber yet.
B-57: (Bomber version) Rotatable
bomb racks. Twin jets. SWEET to
fly. Bomb bay too small. (Sampler
version) Pilot and Radiation
Officer. Equipped for sampling
radiation-hot nuclear "clouds"
shortly after the blasts.
We started with a few B-29s
and B-50s, but quickly expanded to
factory delivery of the first (or
latest) production types.
BELOW: Capt. "Folly" Follensby, Chief Weaponeer Officer.
ABOVE: From left--Bill Ward, Nuclear Projects Officer; Earl
Follensby, Pilot and Chief Weaponeer Officer; Jim McFadden, Pilot
and Chief of Photo Lab.
Page 16 THE MEGATON BLASTERS
THE AIRCRAFT
Page 17
BELOW: B36H over Convair Ft. Worth factory. Our version was
stripped and feather-weighted, plus many modifications at 4925th.
ABOVE: B-36H. The four jets out on the wings not shown.
~ j i j
II
BELOW: Convair B36 Peacemaker ABOVE: Boeing B-50D Superfortress
Page 18 THE MEGATON BLASTERS
THE AIRCRAFT Page 19
BELOW: Boeing B-47B taking off at Muroc Dry Lake with 55,000-
pound H-Bomb shape for drop on Edwards Precision Bomb Range.
Pilot: JerryBlanchard. Modifiedbombbayanddual-boostedelevator
control system. Nine powerful JATObottles on each side of fuselage
for extra takeoff thrust. Project CAUCASIAN.
ABOVE: B-45. North American. We got the first four from the factory,
0001 through 0004. Factory Tech Rep was the famous Chris 001/.
Modified with special Norden bombsights for Nevada live drops.
11/
BELOW: B-45 starting alive bomb run at Nevada Test Site.
ABOVE: B-36. "Barney" Pool landing with a "hot" weapon, NO.5
feathered andNO.4 jet shut down. 1958. This was toward the end of
the usefulness of 8-36s. We were deep into B-52s andgearing up for
the first four production line B-58s.
Page 20 THE MEGATON BLASTERS THE AIRCRAFT Page 21
8-57 on special mission near Edwards AF8.
8-57. 80mber version. Modified from 8ritish Canberra. Sweet birdto fly. Rotating bomb bay system. 80mb bay too small for our stuff.
The sampler version was usedextensively. Jerry Blanchard scared the daylights outta me doing barrel-rolls in this thing. (8-365 were
sorta limited in aerobatics.)
One of the first Douglas 8-66s. 80mb bay too small and underpowered for our work. Oxygen system problems. (We lost one man.)
Page 23
8-52C. Third 8-52 delivered to the Air Force. Quickly followed by three more.
THE AIRCRAFT
THE MEGATON BLASTERS Page 22
~ . " " " ' . ' " " ' . - . -
One of our F-101As taxiing into 4925th Restricted Area with landing drag-'chute. Twin-jet Voodoo.
YH-19. Used for many AEC tests at Salton Sea and after-dropping missions in Nevada.
F-84G. Republic. Drop and chase missions.
F-86E. Replaced later by Gs. LA8S bomb-testing andphoto-chase for 8-36s up to 43,000 feet only. Too slow for 8-52s.
Page 24 THE MEGATON BLASTERS
Page 25
T-33. Lockheed.. Chase plane. Photo workhorse for 4925th.
THE AIRCRAFT
"- u. S. AIR FORCE
1 2 7 2 ~ ~ I
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Page 27
THE PRESSURE SUITS
BELOW: The most uncomfortable
bridge game in history. When alast-
minute takeoff delay occurred, it
wasn't worth it to un-suit.
RIGHT: From left--Conley, Jerry
Blanchard, Durner.
THE MEGATON BLASTERS
::
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I = /JOING= \
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-- - -- ---_J

Page 26
RIGHT: Harvey Gill
Decompression at 50,000 feet or above causes the blood
to "boil", and sudden and painful expansion ofany"gas" in
your system, followed rapidly by unconsciousness and the
loss of the crew and aircraft. The pressure suits designed
to prevent this were the tightest fitting monstrosities ever
endured by man. Even without inflation, they caused
welts and bruises. Each of us required two helpers, to get
into these things. Two fittings were required, at Wright-
Patterson, followed by a trip to 65,000 feet in the Altitude
Chamber; then a sudden decompression to zero altitude.
A high-pressure oxygen bottle strapped to your leg
inflated the suit to almost unbearable pressure. The
pressure caused us to breathe backwards. Relax, for
oxygen to enter lungs, then force it out
No flight simulators were available in those days to
test the real problem: ability to control the aircraft, under
those conditions. (See following photos.)
BELOW: Keith Conley, with face mask in place. Suit is not inflated.
Two assistants were required to get into these monstrosities,
especiallythe sealedhelmets. Note high-pressure oxygen bottle and
regulator tied to leg. When activated, high-pressure oxygen inflated
the tubes and tightened the already skin-tight suit to screaming
tight! After afewhands were almost lost, special gloves were added.
Inflatable. Special paratrooper boots were also added. Breathing
was reversed: relax to let high-pressure 100%oxygen IN, then force
it OUT. Suit, even un-inflated, caused many welts and bruises each
time it was worn. In a 140-degree cockpit, pilots became soaking
wet, lost up to five pounds and became partially dehydrated.
THE PRESSURE SUITS
THE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY THE TARGETS (AND TEST SITES)
Aft section of the battery of super-high speed cameras used for aerial photography of all nuclear drops and shots. C-47.
The shots and drops were covered by a wild bunch of
100% PROs from the 1st Air Force Motion Picture Unit,
Lookout Mountain, Hollywood, California. Pilot: Capt.
Pat Wilson, in a beatup old C-47 with no cargo doors (see
photo).
Funded by AEC, this outfit had the latest and best of
cameras, still and motion picture. Fitted with super-
sized reels, the cameras were set up in banks. They could
shoot 2,400 frames per second... each camera auto-
started to follow the previous one, with continuous
coverage. Shooting a brightness that can damage the
Page 28
human eye, but fades rapidly, is not a job for
amateurs.
On the ground, these guys would clamp a
camera on a tripod onto the top of a car, and,
driving at full throttle just to the left of our
props, they would photograph our takeoffs.
Once, when trying to set a B-36 down on the
first few feet of the short runway at Eniwetok, I
spotted--at the last minute--this crazy camera
crew in the center of the near end of the strip,
merrily cranking away!
THE MEGATON BLASTERS
NUCLEAR LIVE DROPS:
AEC Nevada Test complex
AEC Pacific Test complex
BALLISTIC DROPS:
Edwards AFB Precision Bomb
Range
AEC Salton Sea Precision Bomb
Range
LABS Bomb Range
(near Edwards)
OTHER DROPS:
Navy Auxiliary Air Station Bomb
Range, EI Centro, CA
White Sands Test complex, N.M.
Tonapah Bomb Range
Salt Lake, Utah
Gulf of Mexico (using Tyndall
AFB, FL, as base)
Northwestern Michigan (near
Canadian border)
Kirtland AFB Practice Bomb
Range
OTHER TESTS:
Indian Springs Test Base, Nevada
Cape Canaveral, Florida
Howard Hughes Radar Range,
near Los Angeles
Grey AFB, Texas
NIGHT DROPS:
AEC Nevada Test Complex
AEC NEVADATEST
COMPLEX
At Nevada, air-drops and tower
shots were limited to 60 KT.
(60,000 tons of TNT-equivalent).
The early bangs were often
freaky. With perfect stratospheric
conditions, a large bang could
break only a few windows, in Las
Vegas. The following week, a
small bang might break MANY
plate-glass windows, and jar the
daylights out of Indian Springs
(our advance base). Yearly test
series usually consisted of about
14 detonations during a 90-day
period.
Tower shots: Contraryto media
THE TARGETS (AND TEST SITES)
reports,these were not DROPPED.
They were "triggered" by remote
control. Purpose: At detonation,
things happen in a MILLIONTH of
a second. Super-speed cameras,
shooting thousands of frames per
second, could be "at speed"
EXACTLY at bang time. (Banks of
camera units.) On air drops, the
best we could promise was +/- 2
seconds, and 110 feet from the
exact center of a 1,000 ft. target.
Also, tower shots were used for
blast damage effects (buildings,
aircraft, etc., at spaced distances).
More on Nevada, in the INDIAN
SPRINGS section.
But, before I leave Nevada, one
interesting drop: For some reason,
the Los Alamos Phd's wished a
detonation at 40,000 feet. Only
10,000 feet beneath the drop
aircraft (B-36). Our B-47s were
required to layout smoke trails, at
40,000 feet, immediately prior to
the drop. They were not allowed
UNDERthe drop aircraft, so had to
fly in at an angle. (Smoke trails to
measure the shock waves of the
bang.) After a few practice runs, it
went off perfectly. The media went
ape. For you old-time Las Vegas
people: Now you know.
AEC PACIFIC TEST COMPLEX
All H-bombs and high-yield A-
bombs were tested in the Pacific.
(Mostly in the Eniwetok/Bikini
Atoll area.) Eniwetok had a very
short runway. If you landed short,
you hit a vertical concrete
embankment. Face-to-face. (A C-
124 Globemaster did this.) If you
landed long, forget it. Quickly.
Bend the throttles forward, and
make a "go-around". On take-off,
the GO-NO-GO decision point was
when you released your brakes.
Even PARKINGspace, for a B-36 or
B-52, was a major problem. The
only good thing about Eniwetok
was the stops at Honolulu.
The closest I can come to
describing a Megaton Blast
Hydrogen Bomb is AWESOME.
UNBELIEVABLE.
Yet, they produced more vivid
colors than any human has ever
painted, all boiling around.
In the eleven-year history of
the 4925th, only ONE drop error
was made. Incorrect data was
cranked into the memory bank of
a B-52 bomb system. The wrong
complex of islands disappeared.
This upset a few people. In very
high places. Barney Pool and I
were scheduled for the following
drop, with the youngest
bombardier of the outfit (Lt.
Jackie Harvey). We were spoken
at.
After many practice runs,
Jackie dropped the one and only
100% "Shack" in the history of
nuclear drops. (Exact center of
ground-zero.) The "Timer", also
a freckled-faced triple-rated
bomb/nav type, came up with a
detonation within TWOseconds.
Lt. Bill Payne. After the drop,
General "Black-Jack" Samuel,
Task Force Commander and
former Commander of the
4925th, gave us the Officer's
Club.
BALLISTIC DROPS:
Edwards Precision Bomb
Range
Experts were transferred
from the famous Aberdeen
Proving Grounds. With the most
advanced triangular optics and
telemetry, they recorded the
exact ballistics of each drop.
"Ballistic" bombs were
duplicates ofthe real thing, with
telemetry, other gadgets, and
lots of concrete. On free-fall
drops, they penetrated as deep
as 65 feet. When a 43,000 pound
object hits the ground, from
50,000 feet, everyone in the
county feels it.
Page 29
Salton Sea Precision Bomb
Range. (AEC) Near Thermal,
CA.
Target: 40-ft. square raft, in
center ofthe lake. At 50,000 feet,
this raft looked like a pin-point.
Top-notch ballistics crew, headed
by Warren Austin, with a bomb-
run communication genius known
only as Elmo. I watched Elmo in
action one day, during a typical
50,000 ft. drop. He watched the
drop aircraft's progress on an
elaborate table console, and
maintained communications with
four ground points and the pilot,
with a five-mike-button hand-
held deal that he had made. The
only lingo I could understand was
when he talked to the pilot,
bombardier, or weaponeer.
Again, when a 43,000 pound
bomb, even though a "Dummy",
hits the surface... even if that
surface is WATER. ..it can be
heard for miles... and the shock
waves trav,el fast and far, through
the, water.
Shortly after we got into H-
bombs, we tested "Evasive"
tactics, to prevent the crew and
aircraft from being blown up by
the bomb. With a B-36, we worked
it out a 51 degree turn, through
120 degrees, at max speed. That
wasn't enough, so drag 'chutes
were placed in the rear of the
bombs. A series of chutes. Each
chute pulled out a larger chute.
The final chute was the largest in
the world. This caused ballistic
accuracy problems, so estimated
winds, at each 5,000 foot level,
were cranked in. With an H-bomb,
accuracy is really not important,
so it worked out A-OK. Anyhow,
now you Thermal, California
people know.
LABS BOMB RANGE (Near
Edwards)
... (See full LABS story later.) .
OTHERDROPS:
Gulf of Mexico
In the early days (late 1940s)
Page 30
we needed to test different types of
H.E. (High Explosives), in different
configurations. (H.E. was used to
trigger the A-bomb.) Different
types. of bomb casings had to be
tested. Our B-29s dropped these in
the Gulf, using Tyndall AFB,
Florida, as base. The local natives
didn't care for this. Not having
much "protection" in those days, we
were chased out, and told to never
return. We moved this operation to:
Northwestern Michigan:
(Near the Canadian border.) We
completed the tests just in time.
The natives THERE didn't like it
either, and chased us out. But we
got our water and ground surface
impact data, etc.
Salt Lake, Utah:
We were more careful. We
dropped thousands of pellets in the
Lake from B-50s, with takeoffs and
l a n d i ~ g s at Kirtland only. Hill
AFB, near Salt Lake City, was
screamed at.
White Sands Test Complex, New
Mexico:
Radar "confusion test drops". I
flew some of these (B-36), with (54)
500 lb. bombs, dropped in clusters,
with one 18,000 lb. Mark XVI
dropped about in the middle of the
bomb run. Other tests here, but no
data. I remember that the Base
Engineer at White Sands roared
about my B-36 cracking his
concrete ramps. But we had
protection by this time, so he was
ignored.
Navy Aux Air Station Bomb
Range, EI Centro, California:
B-36 drops. Swarms of Navy
carrier pilots making head-on
passes. Weird radio frequencies.
"Tower, get these guys OFF
me!"...Many missions, testing the
first drag-'chutes for H-bombs.
Drop altitude too low for chase
planes. Many problems with these
first 'chutes. CWO James headed a
wild bunch of parachutists here,
that tested new parachutes for
air crews. He was pleading to
have his men jump from a B-36.
I made a deal with him. The
jumps, if they would photo the
bomb-'chutes during drops. The
wheels back home LOVED these
photos, until they learned they
were take by PARACHUTISTS.
One photo showed a parachutist,
on the other side of the bomb-
chute, free-falling, with a
camera aimed at the bomb-
chute. This was ceased,
immediately.
KIRTLAND PRACTICE
BOMB RANGE:
Used for practice bombing,
and classified canister drops.
TONAPAH BOMB RANGE:
Set up as I left the 4925th. No
data.
OTHER TEST SITES:
Indian Springs, Nevada:
Sort of a "hell hole", in the
desert, on the edge of the drop
area. Almost every year, for 90
days, the 4925th based all
support-test aircraft here,
including the "Command"
aircraft for AEC people (B-50),
sampler aircraft (B-29s), long-
range "Cloud" trackers (B-50s
and crews borrowed from the
Hurricane Hunter Weather
Squadrons), short-range
trackers (C-47s), Aerial Photo
aircraft, after-drop choppers,
security patrol aircraft, etc. I
had the misfortune of running
this operation during the
Tumbler/Snapper series oftests,
plus alternating between flying
the AEC Command aircraft and
B-29 samplers. Plus keeping
civilian scientists from walking
into running props, losing
parachutes, etc. Each nuclear
shot had a countdown. Delays
could be caused by many things.
When "X" number of delays and
cancelled countdowns occurred,
I would call Col. Paul Fackler,
THE MEGATON BLASTERS
4925th Coordinator at Camp
Mercury. "Sir, request permission
to send these keyed-up guys into
Las Vegas for 24 hours."... "Fine,
I'll JOIN you'" And everything
would shut down.
In the Command aircraft, we
tested different anti-flash-
blindness systems, supervised by
our chief Flight Surgeon. We
usually positioned the aircraft at
12,000 feet, 15 miles from ground
zero. Mter the chief Los Alamos
scientist aboard viewed the blast,
we climbed at full power,
observingthe rapidly risingcloud,
and radioed the sampler aircraft
as to when to begin penetration.
Reliable radiation film badges
were not yet developed, so all of
us wore several types, plus
radiation dosimeters. Reliable
cleaning methods for exposed
flight suits were tested by using a
different detergent in washing
machines after each mission. Tide
won.
Sampling missions could get
hairy. The T-19 Radiation Meter
was a highly advanced version of
a geiger counter. It had four
scales. The fourth scale responded
only to very high radiation. In one
cloud, my Radiation Officer yelled
"I'm pegged out at max, on scale
four. Let's get OUTTA here."
Fastest 180 degree turn I ever
made. Entire crewgrounded from
sampler missions for one year.
Before that, I was asked to get
samples of the "Tail" of a blast.
This is the dirt that is sucked
upwards after the blast. Very
"dirty", radiation-wise. It starts
upward slower than the cloud, at
first but retains its heat longer, so
rapidly gets above the cloud.
Faint orange in color, and
difficult to spot. We spotted it
above us, when we reached40,000
feet and sampled it at 42,500 feet,
which I hereby claim as a record
for B-29s, with Ben Harvey, best
Flight Engineer ever, getting the
credit. (Chasing runaway props
like mad.)
THE TARGETS (AND TEST SITES)
The trackers flew under the
cloud, measuringfall-out radiation.
A squadron of SAC F-84s once flew
in to practice flying through the
clouds. This remains a mystery to
me, 'til this day.
CAPE CANAVERAL:
The vertical tail sections of a B-
36 is as large as a big barn door.
Two of our birds had large multi-
colored "doughnuts" painted on
each side. We flew to Cape
Canaveral (now Kennedy Space
Center) and flew high altitude
holding patterns for 8 hours, and
returned to Kirtland. The space
people tracked the doughnuts to
determine which optics to use, for
tracking space shots. Weirdest
looking B-36s ever.
HOWARD HUGHES RADAR
RANGE:
B-50s. 8 hours per day, at 30,000
ft., in radar pattern. Based at LAX.
Deluxe pool-side motel rooms,
ETC., furnished by Howard. With
me at Indian Springs.
GREYAFB, TEXAS:
B-29s. y.le were required to land
after dark, and were to leave the
area immediately. Take off before
daylight. No data.
NIGHT DROPS:
B-36s, with 43,000 lb. Mark
XIV's. Target, Frenchman Flats,
Nevada Test Complex. Bomb casing
covered with many multi-colored
high-wattage light bulbs*. 45,000
feet. This was when I learned to
never let the co-pilot TOUCH the
jet throttles after he got them on
100%. The jets ran on the same
aviation fuel as the recips, and at
above 40,000 ft., would flame out
for good, if you touched a throttle.
(Co-pilot "adjusted" number 4 jet,
and lost it, causing us to cancel the
drop and go home... all four jets
were needed to maintain bomb-run
speed.)
* This was during the UFO scare
period. MANY phone calls. (Las
Vegas: Now you know.) All of
these drops were made at 4:00
a.m. We were never briefed on the
purpose.
MISCELLANEOUS:
One B-36 was kept busy
delivering and picking up each
type of H-bomb (training types)
to many places, all, over the
States... SAC bases, Denver, etc.
Loring AFB, northern Maine,
taxiing on ice... Rome, northern
New York, in snow
storms...Roswell, NewMexico, in
sand storms... North Dakota, in
snow AND ice. Denver (Lowry)
hated us, even after we
straightened them out. Theyhad
to re-shuffle many parked
aircraft, each time, for the B-36..
One week's notice required.
They finally built a special
building, in a remote section of
the base, which required us to
BACK the B-36 out, (props
reversed) in a 180 degree turn.
(Tow-bars could not be carried
WITH H-bombs...no space.)
LOW ALTITUDE BOMB
SYSTEM (LABS)
(See accompanying
sketches... NOT TO SCALE.)
Toss-bombing was not
new...but the 4925thfighter-test
pilots developed it into an ART.
Problem: Delivery without
blowing up the fighter. The
system first tested was a highly
advanced type of toss-bombing,
with a twist. The fighter
approached the target at a max,
precise speed, on-the-deck, on a
precise course, using ground
check-points. At "X" check-point, .
pilot pulled up to a precise angle
of climb, at a precise G-force,
released the bomb, and
continued into an Immelman
turn, diving to the deck at max
speed in the opposite direction.
The stream-lined 750 lb. Mark
VII would travel MILES to the
target. Our top fighter pilots,
Page 31
....
-
.... ,

Page 33
ABOVE: Mark XVII Hydrogen Bomb. The Mark XIV ballistics
were poor. Too much wobble. Result: Mark XVII. Lengthened to
24 feet, with larger fins and "buffer rings. Weighed 43,400
pounds. Megatons blast. Aft section crammed with a series of
drag 'chutes, each pulling out alarger 'chute... to provide better
evasive tactics byaircrew.
BELOW: Nevada. AEC Test Control Site. This is one of the
control boards used to track drop aircraft and up to 40 test-
support aircraft.
lot of natives in Hawaii. This was named the VHA
SHOT (Very High Altitude). Fain Pool circled the
area at 40,000 feet in a B-36 "flying photo lab".
After the complaints rolled in from Hawaii, the
1958 stratosphere shot was moved deeper into the
Pacific. UHS SHOT (Ultra High Altitude). H-bomb
lifted to 250,000 feet by balloons. The official yields
of all H-bomb test drops are still classified. (The
UHA shot was circled by Bill Hickey and crew using
the same B-36 loaded with cameras.)
The "Balloon-busting" shot was at the end of the
4925th's operations. Above-ground testing was
banned by a treaty between the U.S. and Russia.
". _._"
........ ,.. ... ,";"'! ..
.. .,.,
-- , "
THE BOMBS
THE BOMBS
The Los Alamos physicists, now in a race with
Russia, performed unheard offeats. They increased
in "yield" of the peanut bombs dropped on Japan
from 20 KT to 600 KT, without appreciably
increasing the size and weight (Mark VI). 600 KT =
600,000 tons of TNT (equivalent).
Experts then designed the Mark VII, the most
ballistically perfect bomb on record. Weighing only
750 pounds, tear-drop shaped, with perfect fins, this
put the fighter pilots in business. The Navy took one
look and moved carrier aircraft in, next door to us.
The army tried to push through a super "Big-Bertha"
CANNON, for super SMALL A-bombs.
Before we solved all the A-bomb problems, the H-
bombs arrived. These used an A-bomb just to trigger
the hydrogen bomb section. All in the same
bombcasing, which made them long, big and heavy.
The first one weighed 55,000 pounds. We modified
the bomb bay ofa B-47 and used the 13-mile runway
at Edwards, with 18 JATO bottles, to get this beast
into the air.
Many more versions of the H-bomb were tested,
ranging from over 43,000 pounds down to 18,000.
Eventually in the 1960s Los Alamos reduced the size
and weight to a reported 20,000 pounds... with B-52s
hauling four at a time. 20 megatons each. 20 MT is
equivalent to 20 million tons of TNT.
The Nevada site was restricted to 60 KT. The
highest we dropped was 43 KT. Los Alamos
necessarily experimented with different
"ingredients". Some bombs fizzled and some went off
with a bang up to twice that expected. Gene Cox and
Fain "Barney" Pool flew a B-36 drop that was
supposed to be 23 KT. It banged out at 43 KT,
bouncing the aircraft three times. ALL drops
resulted in two moderate-to-severe "bumps" as the
primary shock wave hit the aircraft and then the
ground-surface-reflected shock wave. This time, the
third shock wave was reflected from nearby
mountains and was totally unexpected. Drop
altitudes were increased.
The ballistics of each version of all bombs was
establishedby dropping them on the Precision Bomb
Ranges at Edwards and the AEC Salton Sea complex
(see "TARGETS"). This involved many drops for each
type of bomb at altitudes of 40,000 feet to 50,000
feet.
We flew back to Eniwetok Atoll, in the Pacific, for
A-bombs exceeding 60 KT, and all H-bomb drops.
In 1957, the AEC decided to detonate an H-bomb
in the stratosphere, boosted to 150,000 feet by a
Redstone missile fired from J ohnnston Island, 650
miles from Hawaii. The resultant bang terrorized a
c=.LJ
- -.......
"-
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,
THE MEGATON BLASTERS
t
t
t //
,/
I I
I I
1\ /
.1\ /
1"\ /
.I. \ //
l' ...)------

TOSS BOMBING SYSTEM
VERTICAL LOOP SYSTEM
//
;'
---- -
,/
I
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"-
.....
"- ,
"-
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"-
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tlJ
Nevada, 1953. 15 KT tower shot during Operation UPSHOT/KNOTHOLE.
Page 32
such as George "Wrinkle-Belly"
Gleason, Milburn "Hank" Henry,
and Lynn Steiner, could put the
Mark VII down a smoke-stack.
The arrival of the F-101A
"Voodoo" made the newly
designed Mark VII a formidable
pin-point weapon, with minimum
blast risk to aircraft or pilot.
Further testing of other
delivery systems resulted in the
Vertical/Loop system. Same
approach, but the pilot pulled
straight up, over the target,
released the bomb, and finished a
high-Gloop, diving for the deck at
max speed in the original
direction. Throttles bent forward.
The bomb went miles high, and
then fell on the target. High
degree of accuracy. Both these
systems were really something to
watch. A special bomb-sight was
developed later. The
Vertical/Loop system reduced
blast risk to zero. To the pilot.
Nevada. Small air burst. Vertical smoke flares were shot just prior to blast for technical measurements, etc. Note absence of "tai/".
Nevada, 1953. Small (Hiroshima) A-Bomb. Note shock wave traveling rapidly toward you, on ground. The black part is mostly earth,
very "dirty" with radioactivity. Even these small ones rose rapidly to 50,000 feet. Very difficult to sample.
Nevada, 1953. Multi-experimental tower shot. Photos were studiedcloselyby Los Alamos, in addition to the radiation particles gathered
by the sampler filters on penetrating aircraft and by many recording devices. About 20 KT.
Page 35 THE BOMBS
Rare sequence shots. Second photo taken a split-second after the first one. Pat Wilson and the "Hollywood Gang" camera crew.
Page 34 THE MEGATON BLASTERS
8-29 nuclear cloud sampler. Note sample filter "box" on top of aft fuselage. Four of these were carried. Aircraft and crew were sent
through radiation- "hot" nuclear clouds repeatedly. Slowspeedof8-29 meant maximumexposure for entire aircrew. Why drone aircraft
were not used remains a mystery.
Page 37 THE HAZARDS
Radiationcheck of sampler 8-29. Indian Springs, Nevada. T-19 radiation meter (NOprobe!). Note airmenare wearing NORMAL flight-
line fatigues with COTTON gloves.
Groundcrewman is almost UNDERthe "hot" engine with residue splashing on him. Afire truck couldeasilyhave done this, from asafe
distance and with far better results.
THE MEGATON BLASTERS
national security. BUT! In "Target Nevada", an
AEC/Air Force film released in the 1950s, you see
ground crewmen spraying nuclear "hot" aircraft with
hoses. In deep tones, the narrator says, "These men,
wearingSPECIALclothing, make these aircraft safe
to fly within 24 hours!" (BULL!) How about the men
who had to change plugs, etc., on the engines?
MONTHS later, the civilians at McClelland Depot
refused to TOUCH these engines. They were still so
"hot" that probe-type geiger-counters went crazy.
Why weren't fire trucks with remote-controlled
nozzles used to hose the aircraft down?
Reports came in early about sheep downwind from
the Nevada blasts changing color and getting sick.
Why weren't the tests immediately moved to the
Pacific? The many details of nuclear radiation
deaths and terminal illnesses are now being
recorded by Dr. Legarreta, Ph.D., formerly on the
Manhattan Project, and the staffofNARS (National
Association of Nuclear Survivors), 942 Market
Street, Suite 710, San Francisco, California 94102.
The following photos, with captioned comments,
speak for themselves.
Page 36
1. Years of almost daily handling and loading
experimental A-bombs and H-bombs
2. into experimentally modified bomb bay racks
3. to be flown in experimentally modified high-
performance aircraft
4. at altitudes often much higher than the designed
ceiling, which caused
5. decompression risks and oxygen risks.
We lost several men in loading deals and from
oxygen problems in a new type aircraft. A full B-47
crew, when the left JATO bottles failed, etc., etc.
But, as it turned out, our greatest hazard was
nuclear radiation. At last count (1985), seventy-
three 4925th men were dead, most from radiation
cancer. Many more are now terminally ill, mostly
from bone cancer. Exposure to nuclear radiation can
result in death from 24 hours to 50 years.
THE HAZARDS
UNTOLD UNTIL NOW:
"Drone" aircraft were easily available for all cloud
sampling. The AEC had studied the effects in Japan
for over two years... so why? To make matters worse,
the. SAME crews were sent through the clouds
repeatedly. True, the tests were of utmost
importance to our
THE HUMOR
Page 39
B-36, in restricted air space. The biggest thing
he ever saw dropped just in front of his NOSE.
KNOWINGthat nuclear boom-booms were flown
from Kirtland, he figured he was D-E-A-D. When
his knees stopped shaking, two days later, and
he got his voice back, he called all TV and radio
stations in Albuquerque. Headline news. (Note:
That was about 1954. In 1987, the media
screamed that a "deep secret" had been uncovered
through the Freedom of Information law and
described the incident ... also leaving the
impression that WEaccidentally dropped it. Now
you know.
In the early days, a MONKEY was strapped
into an ancient P-47 and remote-flown through
an atomic cloud. We pilots caught hell. Amateur
cartoonists sprang up from all directions.
492,S ,- ....
THE HUMOR
All outfits have a few amateur pranksters. The 4925th
had EXPERTS. Most of what they did can't be printed,
but here's a few.
Also, many things that happened were serious, at the
TIME, but became sort ofhumorous later. Like the time
you broke your collar bone falling from a tree stealing
old man Pritchard's apples.
Enroute to our drop-test targets there's a very large
meteorite crater in Arizona. New bombardiers were
cautioned, "Never fool around with the special gadgets
on this bomb-control panel like ONE guy did!" (As the
500 foot wide crater was pointed out).
One of our early jobs was to teach SAC crews how to
load H-bombs. SAC B-36 takes off. We'll never knowwhy
but the H-bomb DROPPED at about 1,500 feet altitude
after take-off. Meanwhile, a civilian pilot in a little Piper
Cub was putt-puttingalongat 500feet, UNDERthe SAC
"They told me this would be good duty. I just flew 20 sampling missions, then lost three engines at 50,000 feet, decompressed, and
landed in azero/zero sand storm with ahot weapon, NO.6 on fire and both radios out... on my 25th birthday!"
THE MEGATON BLASTERS
T-33 sampler. Pilot and Radiation Officer with T19 four-scale meter. After most of the 8-29 sampler crews had been grounded from
flying further samplingmissions because they hadtaken excessive dosage, T-birds were FINALLYused. Note sampler intake on wingtip
tank. Radioactive particles of the nuclear cloud were sent to Los Alamos where they were analyzed to determine the "yield" of the
weapon.
;'4
T-33 sampler. Forward section of tip tanks contained sampler filters.
Page 38
IN MEMORIAM...
Watson Armbruster II
Charles B. Aufill
Carl Ausfahl
Neal F. Barker
Henry C. Bartels
George H. Bennett
Donald M.Bennie
Claude E. Blackmore
Richard J. Bloemker
Richard Brownlee
Guy Bryant
Edward F. Byers
Francis B. Carlson
Kenneth C. Casey
James Causey
John S. Chernoski
L. B. Christensen
Mario A Ciccone
Thomas V. Cronin
George Dietz
Harry L. Donicht
Mac M. Dunn
Frank Early
Robert L. Edman
Quentin L. Edman
Paul Eichenberg
Elsie O. Ellingson
Barry R. Emrick
Paul Fackler
Pat Fleming
Eladio A Garcia
C. J. Gilmore
Mack A Goddard
George W. Gleason
Kenneth H. Googe
Jack Griffin
Warren W. Harris
Jackie Harvey
Russell E. Hightower
Toy L. Hunter
Richard J. Hynes
Tine W. Karr
Robert M. Knight
Robert W. Knox
Rorex Lacewell
Authur P. Lacey
John S. LaRowe
Ken Lawton
Chester C. Lowe
Robert L. Lundin
Luther G. Marcum
Orval Marten
Richard J. Meechan
Page 40
James L. Meldon
Herman Miller
George Morris
Jules Mosow
Charles E. Neiderman
Bernard Olislager
Marvin W. Olson
Jim Ozier
Lou Panther
Ron Parnell
Dick Partrick
Hugh Pendleton
James B. Purcell
James H. Raddin
Mark K Rowe
Ray Roth
Tom Salter
Ernie Saltzman
Joseph N. Schmalzel
Norm Schmidt
Edgar A Schmuck
Danny Schmucker
Wayne Schroeder
Marv Speer
Vern Steadman
Gene R. Swant
Chester F. Thew
Morris J. Washatka
Allen W. Witt
Henry Wortman
Mary Young
Ack Zalk
THE MEGATON BLASTERS
i .
/
UERQUE JOURNAL
cr
Speaking of the t
Kirtland this week Brig. Gen.
William M. Canterbury said,
'With the continuing emphasis
on atomic weapons, our job here
at the Special Weapons Center I
. of asuring that new atomic wea-l
pons and new plnaes are proper-
ly matched becomes ever more
important."
The general also said, "It is
the men and women of ARD,C
we should salute on this fifth
anniversary. They are doing a
magnificent job in making this
country a world leader in mod-
ern air-power for peace."
Rapid Growth
In five years ARDe has gro
from a puny force of 43 officers
airmen land civilians to a groo
of 40,000 'scattered through 10
bases and 26 field stations all
the way from Japan to Europe.
. During the fiscal year 1954,
$350 million was budgeted for
researoh and development alone.
Contracts were awarded to 160
colleges, universities' and other
non-profit institutions and 1520-
industrial companies. ARDC av-
erages 5000 contracts each yeaT.
Air Force observers have cred-
ited the ARDC with substantial
progress toward eliminating ma-
or defects that threatened the
air arm with "technical s,tagna-
tion." They claim fur:ther til
Today marks the fifth lanni-
versary of the Air Research
and Development Command -
which is represented in New
Mexico by the Special Weapo
Center 'at Kirtland Air rce
Base and at the Holloman Air
velopment Center 'at Alamo-
gordo.
The New Mexico aspects of
the ARnie include applications
of ,atomic weapons (at Kirtla )
and testing of rockets, gui
missiles and bomlbs and tar
aircraft at Holloman.
The tvvo installations here are \
only two of 10 sea t t ere d
throughout the nation. The oth-
ers are devoted to various di-
vi:sions of Air Force re earch-
I from propellers to personnel.
a ' Job
At Kirtland the principal job
i "mate" nuclear weapons
developeQ. !by the Atomic nergy
Commission with the Air Force
planes which will deliver them.
Holloman has shot rockets car-
rying monkeys and mice into
space over the desert. It is there,
too, rthart COIL John P. Stapp rides
his rocket propelled deceleration
sled.
The people at Holloman are
also interested in space biology,
electronics, atmospherics, physio-
logy and psychology.
According to the Air
ARDC "has been called upon to
meet the chaUenge of any un-
foreseen aggress'or by providing
the Air Force equipment that
is fully abreast the scientific and
technological potential of the
times.. ."
"The establishment of ARDe
(in January, 1950) was the re-
sult of general recognition of the
need for unified direction a
Snow, wind, dust and cold flailed Albuquerque and New
Mexico Mpnday in a belated winter storm that raked across the
length of the state. .
Precipitation was scant, but there was plenty of everythl
else, including the prospect of har freezes
Albuquerque received a weird
mixture of snow, wind, dust,
unshine and considerable colder
temperatures. The sno\v an1outlt-
ed {)nly to a trace at the airport,
but about 4 inches of snow fell
on Sandia Crest, whitening the
entire mountain range east of
I the city.
\\Tin.dy at Carlsbad
The wind here generally I
averaged 25-35 miles per hour,
but the rest of the state wasn't
so fortunate. Carlsbad recorded
velocities of more than 50 miles
per hour and several other sec-
tions also reported visibility re-
duced to nearly zero by blowing
dust and sand.
The snow which began about
midnight Sun day, produced
Ineasurable n10isture at only
four stations-all of them in the
we tern portion: Zuni .24; Gal-
l .09, Glenwood and Colum-
bus each .02. Traces were re-
corded at Albuquerque, Las Ve-
gas, Santa Fe, Grants, Farlning-
ton, Raton and Alamogordo.
Ter.tperatures Fall
Tcn1peratures dipped sharply
in the \\ ake of the storm which
1110ved from northwest to south-
east.
Albuquerque's high of 52 was
recorded at n1idnight and was
down 21 degrees from Sunday.
I Elsewhere maximums s pre
from 34: at Zuni (a 2& degree
drop) to 75 at Hobbs.
The Weather Bureau said the
worst of the storm was oveJ:
Monday night although partly
cloudy weather and snow fiur.!
ries will continue in some sec I
tions today.
The roaring, dusty winds ham-
I pered air transportation i n
southeastern New Mexico, shoo-
ing off some flights at Roswell
and Carlsbad.
.. For the Albuquerque area the
storm gave April a chilly start
after the warmest March in 22
years. The weathe.r bureau said
the average temperature last
month was 49.2 degrees, or 3.2
degrees above normal. That was I
the warmest March since the
49.3-degree average recorded for
the month in 1934.
The storln's lack of moisture
also the city's new'
60 days. Last mE;
__oisture here fell