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Thursday 12/16/2004 8:54:07pm
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| Name: |
James W. Holland |
| Homepage: |
http://www.holland-signal.com/HeresJim.htm |
| E-Mail: |
jholland2@cfl.rr.com;james.w.holland@us.army.mil |
| Referred By: |
Web Ring |
| City/Country: |
Indialantic, FL USA |
| Comments: |
I was assigned to the Transportation Det.7126th Army Unit, T.G.7.2, JTF-7 Eniwetok, M.I APO-187. We were the ones that operated the Motor pool, and I was one of the Bus Drivers for those of you who remember the 2 young Kids who did the Driving all of you to work prior to, during and after Red Wing, and we also made the SPECIAL pick-ups AND DROP OFFS for those of you going on the flights into the Atomic Clouds after the shots went off.
The HYDROGEN Device Test Air Dropped over Bikini Atoll Target (It missed the Target by 4.5 miles) (I was the driver that drove the Crew to their Aircraft for their mission). This test was carried out early in the morning 5 minutes before the Crack of Dawn. By now we were very well “SEASONED” in Atomic Bomb Explosions and ‘we just knew that we knew’ what to expect. We were in for one hell of a surprise. We were all moved as for away to the South End of Eniwetok Island on Eniwetok Atoll as they could possibly move us. (I was one of the Bus Drivers and I began hauling people 1.5 hours before the assigned time “0”, 5:55 AM Alfa time. We dismounted all of our Vehicles and were lined up on the beach – the tide was out – and the Sky was clear excepting for a few stray clouds and stars, but “PITCH DARK”. When that EGG was laid, the sky lit up like the NOON DAY SUN on 21 June in Florida, without a cloud. You could see your shadow, it was BRILLIANT, and AWSOME x 10, it was --- TERRIBLE. We had a couple of people that became straight jacketed and returned to Tripler Army Hospital over the next few weeks. When we returned every one to the Mess hall for chow, you did not hear the normal chatter and talk that you would hear after a Test. All you heard was the clink and clank of Forks, Knives and Spoons, and a “GD” ever so often, that’s all you heard. It was like you were at a Funeral all day the rest of the day that day. It is the best that I can do describe this. A lot of people that saw this particular Test Shot tried not to do so, but could not help them selves – they cried. Those of us who witnessed this one will never ever forget it until we pass on to out maker.
It was years later that it turned out that it was a 50 MEGA TON vice the 10 MEGA TON they thought it was. Years later I worked for Martin-Marietta and a retired US Army Colonel Scott Adler(USMA Class 1946) , the Scientist Engineer who put this Bomb together, worked with me on some projects. He is a very smart person! |
| What Operation did you serve with? |
Operation REWING 1956 and Post-REDWING Period (1956-57)
Operation REDWING Test Series Encompassed 17 Test Shots from May 1956 through August 1956.
Follow-up and clean-up through March 1957 |
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