A Few Days in the Life

An Atomic Soldier

In the latter part of September of 1951 the 1st Battalion of the 188th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 11th Airborne Division was ordered to pack up and move out to a fenced in - tent city - where they were held for three days with no communication with the outside world before boarding planes bound for Camp Desert Rock, Nevada.
The month of October was spent in preparation for the biggest event of their young lives, a day that would live on in their memories forever.
Early in the morning of November 1, 1951 they were transported, by trucks, to their prepared command post where they left their packs and weapons, along with radiation film badges, in previously dug and sandbagged foxholes. Then they were trucked south 11 kilometers (about 7 miles) to a slightly elevated ridge where they would observe what was called "Shot Dog", the fourth test shot in the Atomic (now Nuclear) bomb test known as "Operation Buster - Jangle".
The following description of that event is copied from the November 2, 1951 edition of the "Indianapolis Star".

FIRST ATOM - SUPPORTED TROOPS SHAKEN BUT SAFE
AS MIGHTY BLAST BREAKS WINDOWS 75 MILES OFF

"Las Vegas, Nev. (AP) The United States' first atom-supported troops received a baptism of nuclear fire yesterday in a powerful blast that broke seven store windows in Las Vegas, 75 miles off.
Exercise Desert Rock, history's initial tactical use of an A-weapon, was a rumbling success from the moment a large bomb was dropped by a B-29 flying at 10,000 feet. The bomb burst at 9:30 a.m. (CST) at approximately 1,000 feet above the Yucca Flat site.
It was the fourth and loudest explosion in the Atomic Energy Commission's present series, but it was not as impressive visually as the third blast Tuesday. This may have been due to brighter sunlight (a half hour later) and high winds which broke up the clouds faster.
But to the G.I.s who were shaken in their observation post six to ten miles from the burst, this bomb was "it". And in North Hollywood, Cal., 225 miles from the scene, residents phoned police to report an earthquake.

There were no injuries reported to either service men at the test site, or civilians in Las Vegas or other nearby communities.
More than1,000 paratroopers and infantrymen - most of them attached to the 11th Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky -- were in the so-called front-lines for the single day maneuvers". ---

In a statement recognizing July 16, 2002 as a "National Atomic Veterans Day of Remembrance", President George W. Bush compared the Atomic Veteran's exposure to a nuclear radiation, as being as grave as any War Veteran who was wounded in action, in both instances, standing in harm's way while doing his duty, and protecting The United States of America. We firmely believe the President's statement was both accurate and compassionate, and we offer our thanks for his personal interest in all military personnel, including America's Atomic Warriors.
And to add insult to injury there was a study , conducted by F. Lincoln Grahlfs, as his PhD dissertation at the University of Michigan which discloses the following: "It has been suggested that there was a deliberate effort by some elements of the government to minimize any contact of these men with one another. Many of these men were explicitly admonished not to discuss their experience with anyone". (The threat was that they would be tried for treason if they talked to anyone)

Was that someone you knew? Thanks for listening, Stay tuned - William

Old News

Could be new

According to an article in our local newspaper dated January 27, 1950, United States Representative Tom Murry (D. Tn.) said, in a speech, that-- "I presume that President Truman again will recommend to Congress the enactment of compulsory health insurance, or socialized medicine. The more I think about the question, the more I am opposed to it. It is unthinkable to me that our country should follow in the footsteps of England and adopt socialized or political medicine. We have the finest medical systems in the world and we should encourage voluntary health insurance programs such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield instead of talking about socialized medicine. The cost of free medical treatment to our people would run into billions of dollars.
In voting, members of congress must realize our government does not create or make a single dollar - but that all of the money for expenditures must come from the taxpayers."

That, as stated above, is old news but could just as easily have been written today. It's not that there isn't anything wrong with our present system but the massive bill as written by this congress won't fix the problems. There are too many law suits which in turn raises malpractice insurance and causes doctors to practice defensive medicine. We can, and must, hold doctors accountable but with limits set on judgements and penalties on meritless suits we could save billions in healthcare cost. Insurance companies, too, should be held accountable by, having to justify cost to a Department of Insurance, elimenting pre-existing conditions and allowing insurance to be sold across state lines (competition). That might not cure all the ailments but it would be a good starting point.
As anyone who might run across this can probably tell I, although not in age, am a mere babe in computer technology. I can little more than turn it on and off but have been told that the only way to learn is to get on and try. That's what I am doing and I hope to learn as I go.

Some years back I came into possession of a small book of poetry (written by Bill Browder) and I want to close this with a verse from one of those poems. (with permission) ---- "How much are you willing to give, how much are you willing to give/ Jesus gave it all that day on the cross/ When He died that we all might live / Now He is waiting with His arms open wide/ How much are YOU willing to give?

Thanks for your time, stay tuned - William