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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.
Copyright
Howard A Tucker
CWO US Navy Retired
Andice, Texas
July 27, 2007
See Also The Tucker Family of Andice
by Howard A Tucker
Andice, Texas
World War II |
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