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The Three Wars
of CWO Howard Tucker
by Howard A
Tucker |
Beginning in
early 1943 , I joined the US Navy and stayed for 30 years, retiring
as a Chief Warrant Officer.
I saw combat in World War II aboard the USS California, BB-44.
In the Korean war, I ran landing craft off the troop transport, USS
Gen. Butner, AP-113.
In the Vietnam I was attached to Beachmaster Unit one, WestPac Det.headquarters,
Danang, South Vietnam. We transported ammuntion, fuel, rations, and
troops across the beaches and up the rivers in the northern half of
South Vietnam.
My wife and two children have lived in many states including Hawaii
and have spent six years in Japan and two in Iceland. |
| Howard A.
Tucker, CWO US Navy |
Measuring Fallout
around Bikini
In 1956, I served
aboard the USS Silverstien, DE-534. We were ordered to report to Bikini
Island for Operation Red Wing which was the test of 17 nuclear weapons.
Our job was to track and chart the fallout pattern from the blast.
When it was time for the detination, our ship would be about 8 to
10 miles from the blast site. All hands that were not busy operating
the ship would assemble topside with their backs to the blast site,
with orders to not to turn around until they felt the force of the
blast. You could turn around and look at an unbelieveable sight of
the many colors of orange, red, blue, green, and gray. These colors
would remain for 5 to 7 minutes as a mushroom of these colors of fire
and smoke would rise into the atmosphere. We would then get underway,
following the edge of the fall-out as we charted where it fell. This
took 3 to 4 days to complete, before returning back to the blast site
to prepare for the next one. I have many stories of my service in
the Navy. |
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