USS HALSEY POWELL (DD686), USS MARSHALL (DD676) and USS GURKE (DD783).
This photo was taken in 1962, on the day these three destroyers returned
from deployment to Mid-Pac where they participated in Operation DOMINIC
photo by Don Sparks, YNC(SS), USN-Ret
I was in the Navy out in the South Pacific during Operation
Dominic 1
http://www.aracnet.com/~pdxavets/dominic.htm
http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Tests/Dominic.html
The first phase occurred from 25 April through 11
July 1962.
I am a young man onboard the USS Frontier (AD-25) http://www.laurelrose.com/1AD25.HTM
in the spring of 1962. The USS Frontier (AD-25) had just
come back from Hawaii and was in (I think) San Diego when I was told quite
suddenly,
“You have orders to go on the USS Halsey Powell (DD 686)
http://www.laurelrose.com/1DD686.HTM
immediately.” They handed me the orders and told me to get my sea bag together
and go out and board this vehicle parked just below the ships gangplank.
I did what I was told and within the hour we traveled across the Navel
base to the waiting USS Halsey Powell (DD 686).
In a matter of days we were underway and I was assigned
to the Sonar shack where I stood my watches as we sailed out to sea. I
was totally clue less as to our destination. I was assigned to watch the
Sonar screen in the small Sonar shack and to make soundings with our small
heavy torpedo shaped temperature device that we let fall off the fantail
on a steel cable.
When we finally arrived at our destination we were told
that we were going south of the equator and going to complete circles out
in the ocean and patrol an area of the sea while the military made atmospheric
nuclear tests.
Actually being there was quite impressive and powerful.
We were told to look away with our goggles and after the flash we turned
and looked at the mushrooms clouds.
I spent 3 months on that ship out at sea without coming
to port or seeing land except a brief day anchorage at Christmas Island.
We were not allowed off the ship we were just anchored a 1/2 mile from
shore.The water was so clear that you could see the anchor and chain in
the bottom of the ocean. I think we were allowed to swim in the water.
We crossed the equator on several occasions and the 1st
crossing we were all initiated
in becoming (Trusty) Shellbacks.
We refueled at sea and got our stores at sea; on ruff
seas I got to see the bottom of another tin
can.
90 days at sea is a long time.