OPERATION HARDTACK, 1958

JULY 17, 2006, NEW PHOTOS ADDED.

THE TWO PHOTOS OF THE CORAL REEF
WERE SENT BY BOB SLACK.

Bob was on the Tortuga in 1958 when she ran
aground a large Coral reef in the Marshall Islands.
Bob has had the piece of the reef since 1958.
A big Thank you Bob for sharing this with us.
If you woild like to contact Bob, this is his e-mail address...

rws7355@bellsouth.net
CLICK HERE TO E-MAIL BOB SLACK

Chuck Westbrook

CORAL REEF PHOTO 1

CORAL REEF PHOTO 2

Oak Test, Operation Hardtack Marshall Islands 1958

Sunset on Bikini Atoll

Oak Test, another view

In February of 1958 the Tortuga participated in "Operation Hardtack" the thermonuclear weapons test series of that year conducted at Eniwetok and Bikini Atolls in the Marshall Islands. She transported equipment and supplies from San Diego to Eniwetok and Bikini and upon arrival provided shipping for cargo and personnel between the atolls. While operating between Atolls @ about 0630 in the morning we ran aground a large "Coral Reef," as a result of the grounding the Tortuga sustained serious damage to the bow area. I was in the Port Head brushing my teeth and when she hit, she hit so hard that I had to hold on to the sink to keep from going down, the impact did knock many crew members off their feet. To the best of my recollection it was low tide when we ran aground and we waited until high tide later that day and dropped both anchors that weighted 18 tons each on the reef, balanced down aft and backed down with all the Rpm's the Turbines in both engine rooms could muster up. The Tortuga begin to shudder and vibrate and there were a lot of loud scrapping rumbling sounds as we backed off but we finally cleared the reef, we hauled in the anchors and got underway for Pearl to get temporary repairs. The Tortuga's Ship fitters installed a relief valve on the forecastle to relieve the pressure that would be created on the bulkheads. When the ship would pitch up and come down the pressure coming out of the relief valve would make a loud hissing sound and spew water similar to a geyser. It was around the time that the Russians had put Sputnik into space and some of the crew dubbed the valve "Sputnik." We limped back to the States and had an escort ship part of the way, we proceeded to Oakland and went into to Dry-dock for repairs.

In 1958 the arms race proceeded at a swift pace with the enormous weapons production infrastructure and both weapons labs operating at full speed. Hardtack I included 35 tests, the largest test series so far (1958 in fact saw a total of 77 U.S. tests, more than the three previous record setting years combined). Partly this burst of testing activity was due to building pressure for an imminent test moratorium, leading the weapons labs to rush as many device types to the test range as possible. A total of 35.6 megatons were shot during this series.

List of Ships at Operation Hardtack 1958

USS BOXER (CVS-21) FEB 58-AUG 58
USS COMSTOCK (LSD-19) DEC 57- APR 58
*USS TORTUGA (LSD-26) FEB 58-APR 58
USS BELLE GROVE (LSD-2 ) APR-58-AUG 58
USS MONTICELLO (LSD-35) APR 58-AUG 58
T-LST 618 SEP 57-DEC 58
T-LST 664 SEP 57-OCT 58
USS RENVILLE (APA-227) APR 58-MAY 58
USS MAGOFFIN (APA-199) MAY 58-JUN 58
USS NAVARRO (APA-915) JUL 58-AUG 58
USS FLOYD B. PARKS (DD-884) MAR 58-MAY 58
USS JOHN R. CRAIG (DD-885) MAR 58-MAY 58
USS ORLECK (DD-886) MAR 58-MAY 58
USS PERKINS (DDR-877) MAR 58-MAY 58
USS MANSFIELD (DD-798) MAY 58-AUG 58
USS COLLETT (DD-730) MAY 58-AUG
USS DEHAVEN (DD-727) }MAY 58-AUG 58
USS BENNER (DDR-807) MAY 58-AUG 58
USS EPPERSON (DDE-719) AUG 58-AUG 58
USS CHANTICLEER (ASR-7) APR 58-MAY 58
USS GRASP (ARS--24) MAR 58-JUN 58
USS BOLSTER (ARS-38) MAR 58-JUN 58
USS MOCTOBI (ATF-105) FEB 58-JUN 58
USS ARIKARA (ATF-98) MAR 58-AUG 58
USS TAKELMA (ATF-113) MAR 58-AUG 58
USS MUNENSEE (ATF-107) MAR 58-JUN 58
USS CHOWANOC (ATF-100) MAR 58-JUN 58
USS CREE (ATF-84) APR 58-AUG 58
USS HOOPER ISLAND (ARG-17) APR 58-JUN 58
USS CACAPON (AO-52) MAR 58-AUG 58
USS LANSING (DER-388 ) MAY 58-AUG 58
USS JOYCE ( DER-317 ) MAY 58-JUN 58
USS SILVERSTEIN (DE-534) SEP 58-SEP 58
USS REHOBOTH ( AGS-50) APR 58-JUN 58
USS LAWRENCE CTY (LST-887) MAY 58-JUN 58
USNS AINSWORTH (T-AP-181) APR 58-JUL 58
USS BONITA (SSK-3 ) APR 58-JUN 58
USS KARIN ( AF-33 ) MAR 58-AUG 58
USS MERAPI ( AF-38 ) MAR 58-AUG 58
USS COGSWELL (DD-651) JUL 58-AUG 58
USS SAFEGUARD (ARS-25) JUL 58-AUG 58
USS HITCHITI (ATF-103) JUL 58-AUG 58
USS TILLAMOOK (ATF-102) JUL 58-AUG 58
*Enewetok Proving Grounds

On behalf of all who view the following pages, we would like to send a big
Thank You to William D.(Bill) Simmons, GMSN, 1957-61 for his
generosity on sending the following photos of bow damage that
occurred while the Tortuga was operating in
the Marshall Islands in 1958.

"VIEW BOW DAMAGE PHOTOS"