My Road Trip
 
 
NAVAL CAREER 1 9 3 9 Feb 7 Sworn In U.S. Navy > Training in Norfolk, VA May (24) U.S.S. New York BB34 Jun Halifax, N.S. July Quebeck, CA & Portland, ME Aug Portland, ME, Norfolk, VA, New York Annapolis, MD Sep-Dec Norfolk & Portsmouth, VA 1 9 4 0 Jan Culebra, Puerto Rico & Guantanomo, Cuba Feb Guantanomo, Cuba, Mayaquez, P.Rico, St. Thomas, V.I. Mar-Aug Assigned Naval Radio Station @ San Juan, P. Rico Aug 22 Lv. San Juan on U.S.S. Berringer Sep New York, Detroit, Roanoak, Waterbury, Conn. Lv. 15th on U.S.S. San Jacinto to San Juan, R. Rico 1 9 41 Jan- Duty in San Juan Sept (24) Married Maria Caradad Bolivar in San Juan, P. Rico Oct- Duty to St. Thomas, V.I. 1 9 4 2 Jan Transferred to Marine Corp. Air Station St. Thomas V.I. Mar Wife Maria Dies (7 mo Marriage – died of TB) Oct 15 days leave – Miami, Roanoak NYC w/Francis Carter 1 9 4 3 Feb Re-enlist for 4 more years Jul Miami, Roanoak, Newark, NJ, back to St. Tomas Sep Reported for Duty - U.S.S. Davis – Lv St. Tomas Trinidad, B.W.I., Bahia, Brazil, Oct. Sank Gem Sub off Brazil, Trinidad, San Juan, Guantanamo, Zandrey, D.W.I. (Dutch West Indies), Miami & Jacksonville, FL Norfolk, VA & NYC Nov Commissioned the U.S.S. Melvin (DD-680) Dec NYC & left mid-month to Bermuda 1 9 4 4 Jan Lv Bermuda for New York & Norfolk Feb Trinidad, B.W.I. & Passed thru Panama Canal Balboa C.G. & San Diego (first log of San Diego port) Mar (4) Pearl Harbor T.H. (15) Majuro, Marshall Islands (19) Lv. Majuro, M.I. for stockade patrol Juliet Atoll Apr Mille Atoll, M.I., Maloelap Atoll M.I., Wotie Atoll M.I. May Pearl Harbor Jun Kwajalien M.I. – Sank Jap Sub & Freighter Bombardment Siapan, Marianas, Patrolling Saipan Jul Bombarding Siapan (11) Eniewtoch M.I., (22) Bombarding Guam Aug Lv. Guam: Arrive Eniwetoh – Assigned Radio School in Chicago. Lv. Eniwetoh on U.S.S. President Hase (sp) to S.Francisco, Salt Lake & Denver Sep Kansas City, Louisville, Roanoak, NYC, Chicago Nov Chicago, IL (Radio School) 1 9 4 5 Feb (10) Married Miss Jeanne Geraldine Fuller Then to Ft. Smith, Tulsa, Clarksville Ark, San Francisco Apr Pearl Harbor (28) Transferred to U.S.S. Darby DE 128 Jun Made Chief Radioman Aug (29) Lv Pearl Harbor (31) Son Richard Alan Moore - born Sep Vallejo, CA, NYC, Roanoak, VA Nov Assigned U.S.S. Lyete CV 32 > (2) Newport News 1 9 4 6 Jan-Feb Newport News, VA attached to the USS Leyte Mar Ar Newport, R.I. (11) Lv on U.S.S. Randolf to Newport News, VA Apr Commissioned U.S.S. Leyte CV 32 at Portsmouth, VA May Boston & Norfolk, NYC > Assigned for duty in Greenland Jun NYC to Narsarssuak, Greenland, Aug Grondal, Oct Grondal, Julianehead, Narsarssuak, Goose Bay, Argentia, Newfoundland, Quanset Pt, R.I., NYC Nov Re-enlist for 4 more years & 73 days leave Hitchhike Trip with wife: Washington Dc, Roanoak, Knoxville, TN (1 hr South of Kingsport), New Orleans, Silver Springs FL, ,Cleveland OH, Roanaoak VA, NYC & Quantico VA. 1 9 4 7 Jan (31) Reported to U.S.S Crescent for Duty Leaves from Bayonne, N.J. Feb Bayonne NJ, Guantanamo, Cristabal, Panama, Gitmo Cuba, NYC Dec Gitmo, Cuba Station Gitmo 1 9 4 8 Jan Shore Duty Guantanimo BAy: GITMO Brought over w/Wife & Son to Cuba for the year. Dec Gitmo, Cuba Station Gitmo (24) Assigned to Shore Duty KINGSPORT, TENN – Naval Training Center Note to self: When did he officially join Task Group 7 Did assignment begin at Kingsport, Or did he Joi it with the ship (need to verify exact date/time frame) In my records, I show him being attached to JTF 7 at least BY Sept. 1950. 1 9 4 9 Jan-Dec (6) Ar . Kingsport, TENN for Duty Jun (13) Ar. Laguna Beach, CA HISTORY: October 30 - General Advisory Committee of the AEC recommends that the more powerful atomic bombs should be built rather than hydrogen bombs. 1 9 5 0 Jan-May Shore Duty Naval Training Center Kingsport, TN Sep Transferred to San Diego Training Center - Joint Task Force 7 ? (7) Ar. Naval Training Center San Diego, CA (21) His Father Dies Oct-Dec Naval Training Center, San Diego - Training 1 9 5 1 Reports for Duty on U.S.S. ESTES in January Jan (6) San Diego, CA – Naval Training Center Feb 16 Reported Aboard U.S.S. ESTES AGC-12 For Duty in San Francisco. CA Flagship for Vice Admiral I. N. Kiland, Commander, Amphibious Force, Pacific. Did he stay in SF w/ship or was at sea? While he ‘reported’ aboard her in SF on Feb 16 Next log entry says May 5th arrival to San Diego, USS ESTES Home Port. to ‘Underway Training’ Where was he... where was ship. It was June 20 before I can place him again Leaving San Diego then to Honolulu for long Pacific tour - Ship history has her being refit in S.F. again, did he stay with her to supervise/train on new upgrades? Apr-May OPERATION GREENHOUSE He should have been onboard somewhere for this given his AEC/Kingsport training Note to self... How to find out if he was at this Op without his ship, or was the ESTES there. Did he get temp assignment to go to it for training? Jun (20) Lv San Diego (22) Ar San Francisco, CA (29) Ar Honolulu, T.H. Jul (4) Lv. Honolulu T.H. Yokasuka Japan Inchou (sp), Korea Aug Inchou (sp), Korea Yokasuka Japan Sep Yokasuka Japan Pusan, Korea Moji, Japan • Kobi Japan Visited: Osaka & Kyoto Oct Sasido, Japan • Yokasuka Japan • Murorau, Japan Inchon, Korea • Pusan, Korea Visited: Tokyo 4 Nov-Dec Pusan, Korea Yokasuka Japan • Mukawa, Hatkido (Sp?) Nagoya, Japan • Kure, Japan Inchon, Korea Yokasuka Japan 1 9 5 2 Continues Duty Assignment on U.S.S. ESTES Jan Yokasuka Japan Inchon, Korea • Koji-do, Korea (18) Ar Nagasaki, Japan • Saibo, Japan Fukuoka, Japan • Sackcho, Korea • Pohang Dong, Korea • Pusan, Korea Feb Pusan, Korea Kobe, Japan • Yokosuka, Japan Mar Inchon, Korea Moji, Japan Beppu, Japan • Kobe, Japan Apr (1) Lv. Yokosuka, Japan SUMMER: ESTES SITE: training exercise AMLEX I interrupted a quiet spring before ESTES set course for Mare Island Naval Shipyard for the summer. Howard’s Personal Hand-written 13 year log stops on April Fools Day 1952 before Leaving to Marshall Island For Operation Ivy. No other log is in his remaining possessions other than medical records. From this point forward, I can track his movements and ports with the ships movements and his Certificates and Commendations. It appears he stayed with the “Elegant Lady” until late 1957. I have verified all info and dates with relatives, old address books, and dated photographs. Here is the best I can give from Official DOE & Military web site archives combined with Howard’s Commendations, Awards assignments and ship movements. According to all research I can find, as an Chief Radioman on these Operations, for Joint Task Force 7 serving on the U.S.S. ESTES as the Naval Command Fleet Flagship, which houses and serviced the top scientists, visiting dignitaries, and press corp. Howard would by now have a “Queen Clearance” as a crypto specialist, over and above his existing (documented) “Top Secret” Clearance. OPERATION IVY “Mike,” & “King” Oct OPERATION IVY Howard’s Certificate & letter places him here. 1 9 5 3 Continues Duty Assignment on U.S.S. ESTES Nov 1953 - May 1954 is the test time frame on his commendation for his participation in Operation CASTLE 1 9 5 4 Continues Duty Assignment on U.S.S. ESTES March (1) OPERATION CASTLE Howard’s Commendation letter places him here. July (6) Operation “Passage to Freedom” Aug-Nov Haiphong 18 August to 29 October. HISTORY: As control ship for Operation “Passage to Freedom,” the evacuation of refugees from Communist North Vietnam, Estes operated from Haiphong 18 August to 29 October. 1 9 5 5 Jan- Continues Duty Assignment on U.S.S. ESTES U.S.S. ESTES is still Flagship for JTF 7.3 Feb (6-11) Evacuation of the Tachen Islands. May OPERATION WIGWAM May 14th 1955 off San Diego Coast 1 9 5 6 Jan- Continues Duty Assignment on U.S.S. ESTES OPERATION REDWING U.S.S. ESTES was present at Operation Redwing. Between March and July 1956 The U.S.S. ESTES is again the center of the operation as well as Flagship for the JTF 7 1 9 5 7 Jan- Began the Year at sea with U.S.S. ESTES and he stayed with her through the year. Sept Assigned Shore Duty late fall, 1957, after Redwing. Oct-Dec Ends with Shore Duty in Bainbridge, MD as Instructor 1 9 5 8 JAn Instructor; Bainbridge, MD: Shore Duty OPERATION HARDTACK 1 9 5 9 Jan- Shore Duty at Yuerba Buena Island Treasure Island Naval Base, San Francisco, CA Howard declined Warrant Officer advancement for personal reasons. 1 9 6 0 - 1 9 6 9 Duty Yerba Buena Naval Base Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA Feb (16) Command Naval Fleet - Active Reserve Wraps up a 30 year military career. Medals (known): 6 Good Conduct Medals No listing yet as to when or where received. Commendation from Real Admiral of the Navy Service Log 1939-1969
 
 
Howard may have Joined Joint Task Force 7 at this point as he begin preparations for Operation IVY being staged at Oak Ridge. TN. Kingsport & Oak Ridge are at either end of the “Manhattan Project”/Oak Ridge Valley. His next ship, the U.S.S. Estes is now in San Diego, de-commissioned at Hunters Pt., CA being refit and prepared for her upcoming Operation IVY duty. Have not been able to verify if he was involved with Operation Sandstone listed below. Have not found a ship list for this Operation Sandstone, but he did make two trips to San Diego/Laguna Beach area this year, where the ESTES was being re-fit prior to re-commissioning for Operation Ivy. It’s conceivable these trips could be that these would be equipment or progress inspections on ESTES, Do not see them listed in his log as ‘leave’ HISTORY: April, May - U.S. conducts atomic tests at Eniwetok Atoll. Operation SANDSTONE – conducted at Enewetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands in 1948 to test the first new weapon designs since World War II. The massive operation involved 10,200 personnel. Joint Task Force 7 (JTF 7) conducted these test operations.
 
 
 
HISTORY: April and May of 1951: - The Greenhouse Test Series
Conducted at Enewetok Atoll It consisted of four relatively high yield tests (by the standards of the time) -
Dog, Easy , George, and Item. Dog and Easy were proof tests of two new strategic bombs the Mk 6 and Mk
5 respectively. George and Item were the first true tests of thermonuclear fusion - the release of fusion energy
from thermally excited nuclei. George was a research experiment that studied deuterium-fusion burning
when heated by thermal radiation. Item was the first test of the principle of fusion boosting of fission
devices.
Dog 7 April 1951 (GMT) – Is. Runit, Enewetok Atoll
Easy 20 April 1951 (GMT) – Is. Enjebi, Enewetok Atoll
George 8 May June 1951 (GMT) – Is. Eberiru, Enewetok Atoll
Cable Run 24 May 1951 (GMT) – Is. Enjebi, Enewetok Atoll
There is at least a 50/50 chance he was at this test based on time frames.
He has no notes for this time-fram in his l og, as would be protocal. Trying to verify.
 
 
 
OPERATION WIGWAM
May 14th 1955 off San Diego Coast
 
U.S.S. ESTES was on-site for this test & Howard was assigned to her.
 
At this time we are living off-base at her home port with the Amphibious Group.
 
 
 
OPERATION CASTLE
Operation Castle was a series of high yield thermonuclear weapon design tests. The Castle Bravo test created the worst radiological disaster in US history. Howard’s Commendation letter places him here.
 
CASTLE: BRAVO, ROMEO, KOON, UNION, YANKEE, NECTAR
 
 
 
HISTORY: Operation Redwing
 
 
 
1957
Our family moves to Bainbridge, MD where Chief Moore is assigned shore duty Brother says Instructor at Radio School. We arrived in Maryland in time for his son to start school at beginning of Fall session, so he would not have participated in any further Atomic Testing operations to our knowledge.
 
 
 
1958
Historically, he was still assigned to Joint Task Force 7.3
That JTF 7 Group IS listed as having been at Operation Hardtack where they detonated 62 devices.
With his background, hard to believe he was not there for them with his ship back at Eniwetok Proving Grounds, but I also have not found that ship yet on a listing of ships online that might have been participating in the theater.
 
 
 
OPERATION IVY
To Come
 
I am still tweaking the data on this page. It’s also has crib notes for my research. If you have ANY information that can define or answer the questions I have to myself for further research, please use the pen to contact me via my contact page from my art website.
 
 
USS Leyte (CV-32) (also CVA-32, CVS-32, AVT-10) was a United States Navy Essex-class aircraft carrier.
She was laid down as Crown Point by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Virginia, Commissioned 11 April 1946, Captain Henry F. MacComsey in command.
 
 
Crescent City was transferred to the Atlantic, where she operated on training duty.
 
 
USS NEW YORK
When development and construction were complete, the XAF was installed on the battleship New York. This work, with the antenna mounted atop the pilothouse (where it displaced a large rangefinder -- moved to the top of the ship's Number Two 14-inch gun turret) was completed in December 1938. During nearly three months of constant operation, averaging almost twenty hours daily as New York participated in winter maneuvers and battle practice in the Caribbean, the XAF's performance and reliability exceeded expectations. It detected aircraft up to 100 nautical miles (nm) away and ships out to 15 nm. The radar was also employed for navigation and in gunnery practice, spotting the fall of shot and even tracking projectiles in flight.
At the conclusion of these tests, New York's Commanding Officer recommended installation of radar in all aircraft carriers (whose vulnerability to surprise air attack was very well-understood), while the Commander of the Atlantic Squadron commented "The XAF equipment is one of the most important military developments since the advent of radio ...".
 
 
USS DAVIS
occasionally voyaging to the southern ports of the United States to pick up men and cargo, or to join convoys.
 
 
USS MELVIN
Need info here
 
 
USS DARBY
Need info here
 
 
USS SAn JACENTO
Need info here
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