Dec. 26th, 2001 09:37 am
The things you learn
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johnstonmrUntil yesterday, I never knew my grandfather was at the Bikini Atoll nuclear bomb tests.
He was showing me pictures of his crewmates aboard the USS Dixie, and casually mentioned "that was at the nuke test at Bikini Island." I expressed wonder at having never known he was there, and he pulled from his wallet -- that's right, he still carries it -- a faded and worn card which the Navy issued, proving he took part in Operation Crossroads, that being the test's codename.
"There were two blasts," he said. "One underwater, and one above ground. I was looking right at that son of a bitch when it went off. Brightest goddamned light I ever saw, even with my hand covering my eyes."
I talked to my aunt about it, and we've decided to get a videocamera on him and drag more of these stories out. He's expressed interest in writing a book about all he's seen, and we figure not only would that be a good way to make him do it, but it would be cool for us to have when he's gone.
He was showing me pictures of his crewmates aboard the USS Dixie, and casually mentioned "that was at the nuke test at Bikini Island." I expressed wonder at having never known he was there, and he pulled from his wallet -- that's right, he still carries it -- a faded and worn card which the Navy issued, proving he took part in Operation Crossroads, that being the test's codename.
"There were two blasts," he said. "One underwater, and one above ground. I was looking right at that son of a bitch when it went off. Brightest goddamned light I ever saw, even with my hand covering my eyes."
I talked to my aunt about it, and we've decided to get a videocamera on him and drag more of these stories out. He's expressed interest in writing a book about all he's seen, and we figure not only would that be a good way to make him do it, but it would be cool for us to have when he's gone.
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