Refueling Stop: Over The Top To Eniwetok
Photo Courtesy Bob Holman

There is a story that goes along with this photo of our Cold Bay, Alaska re-fueling stop. We started from Cheyenne, WY and got to McClellan AFB, Sacramento, CA for an overnight before proceeding to Hawaii, our next planned overnight stop. Alas! Overnight the winds shifted and the pilots were faced with a headwind, so we spent that day loafing around the swimming pool in California. The next day did not see the winds abating. I asked the pilots about just how difficult the wind was making the trip, and was told that if we attempted the trip into the wind with our load of personnel and equipment (men and cameras for four stations plus data reduction personnel), we would probably be forced to land about 600 miles short of Hickam AFB (in Honolulu). So we loafed another day.

On the third day of headwinds the pilots notified us that we would be taking off in the morning. It turns out that since our mission was in support of SAC commanded by General Curtis LeMay, and the General wanted the result of our work sooner rather than later, he called our Wing Commander in Tulsa who in turn called our pilot with the order to get underway. The way it was reported was, "I don't care where you go, but just don't be in Sacramento tomorrow night". We took off the following morning for Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage Alaska. When we arrived at Elmendorf, the pilots landed on white snow-packed runways at 15 degrees F. We overnighted in Alaska in guest quarters the base provided us, but since it was late in the day (actually night time in Alaska), the chow halls had already closed, so we made do with what we could find in vending machines in a canteen. The next morning, with a good chow hall breakfast for all of us, we took off for our re-fueling stop at Cold Bay before heading South. Cold Bay lived up to its name.

That night we slept on Wake Island in the Naval base there. Yes, it is true: Naval chow halls have excellent food! After our overnighter on Wake, we finally landed at Eniwetok. Since we had originally headed out for the "South Seas", none of us had gear for the overnight in Anchorage, so we were all sneezing with sniffles when we arrived at our destination. The Commander at Eniwetok immediately quarantined all of us for a week to protect his men from our germs; we had a whole week of penicillin tablets and Robitussin (by the quart) while enjoying swimming in the Lagoon a couple of times a day and enjoying the recreation facilities the island offered. I would bet General LeMay was vigorously chomping his cigar over all these delays in getting our mission underway! However, I am glad to say that when we finally got to it, the mission went off flawlessly, with all four cameras successfully recording what we were there for, and all with good timing data. So success was ours, even after almost three weeks of travel plus quarantine! [Story courtesy Dick Winslow]

Loading up in Cheyenne
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

The men loaded in with the equipment.
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

The loaded equipment packed into the plane
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Waiting for the wind at McClellean AFB, Sacramento, CA
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

"Gooney Birds" Tending a nest on Wake Island, enroute to Eniwetok
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

"Fred" Island during landing approach
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

"David" Island during landing approach
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

A small shark captured from the lagoon
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

"Fred" Island as seen from a tower on the island
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

"Fred" Island as seen from a tower on the island
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

WWII Memorial at Headquarters (Building in Background)
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Headquarters
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Camp Store & Post Office, located behind WWII Memorial at HQ
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Break Room In the Island Quarters
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

The "Walk-In" movie theater
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

General recreation & barber shop facility. Note how the sides of the building "open up" for air flow ventilation.
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Western Test Range Down-range Control Center. "Where it happens" for our mission.
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Major Jack Herring, Stellar Camera Division Commander, On Board Ship
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

TSgt Campbell, NCOIC For The Mission, With John (last name not remembered) From Western Test Range On Board Ship
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Approaching Yvonne Island.
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Yvonne Island Welcome Sign. Note the line about the hermit crabs.
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Inter-Island Transport at Yvonne Island
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Yvonne Island: Atomic Test Site Ground Zero (Circular Outline Behind Bush)
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Yvonne Island: Second Atomic Test Site (Circular Crater in Foreground)
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Yvonne Island: Atomic Test Debris on Beach (Remains of Instrumentation Block House)
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Yvonne Island: Major Jack Herring at Camera Station
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Concrete Japanese Ship Sunk in the Lagoon
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Approaching Elmer Island. Note how low the island is in the water. Pretty typical for all the islands in the atoll.
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Arriving at Elmer Island
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Unloading at Elmer Island
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Ships of the Air Force "Navy"
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Elmer Island Shelter 1: Crane Attaches to Shelter
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Elmer Island Shelter 2: Crane Lifts Shelter Off of Low-Boy Transport Truck
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Elmer Island Shelter 3: Positioning Shelter
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Elmer Island Shelter 4: Shelter Installed (Note man in blue at left with Machete used for clearing brush)
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Bruce Island: Clearing Pathway to Camera Site.
Bulldozer makes a path through brush much quicker and with less effort than with use of Machetes.
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Bruce Island: Condition of Site From Previous Deployment When We Arrived After Bulldozer Cleared an Access Path
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Bruce Island: Recovered Camera Site After Clearing Local Brush With Machete
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Bruce Island: Site After Clearing Local Brush.
Note Semi-Trailer Used For Equipment Shelter.
Note Motion-Picture Camera Tripod Set Up Near Trailer: Western Test Range Documented Our Mission.
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Bruce Island: Stellar Camera Equipment Arrives at Site
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Bruce Island: Remains of "Signal Tower" From Previous Deployment
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow

Western Test Range Camera Man Documenting Our Mission.
Photo Courtesy Dick Winslow