Operation Dominic (1962)

0800061 - Operation Dominic Nuclear Tests - 1962

This Dominic I video provides a visual overview of 36 atmospheric nuclear devices detonated in the Pacific Proving Ground from April to November 1962. It was the last atmospheric nuclear test series conducted by the United States. Also, Dominic I was the largest and most elaborate U.S. testing operation ever conducted. In geographic terms, the diagnostic stations receiving data from the tests covering more than 15 million square miles.

According to the video, Operation Dominic I was prompted by the "Soviet resumption of testing in 1961 after a three-year moratorium." The three main purposes of the series were the "proof testing" of new weapon designs, mainly thermonuclear; obtaining weapons effects data as it related to the electromagnetic pulse phenomenon and attenuation of radar; and obtaining data related to the offensive and defensive aspects of an incoming ballistic missile in a detonation environment.

Dominic I tests were conducted in three general locations: Johnston Island, airdrop and high-altitude detonations; Christmas Island, staging area for 24 airdrop tests; and the open ocean, launch of a Polaris missile from a submarine and subsequent detonation of a device in a reentry vehicle, and the detonation of a device carried by an antisubmarine rocket (ASROC).

Approximately 28,000 military and civilian personnel participated in the test series. More than 200,000 tons of supplies, construction materials, and diagnostic equipment were shipped or airlifted to the test areas.

Most of the devices were detonated in the air after being dropped from a B-52 bomber. Five high-altitude bursts, designated as Operation Fishbowl tests, were lofted by rockets. Their purpose was to study the effects of nuclear detonations as defensive weapons against incoming ballistic missiles.

The tests comprising the 1962 Operation Dominic I were as follows:

ADOBE, April 25, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 190 kilotons (kt)
AZTEC, April 27, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 410 kt
ARKANSAS, May 2, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 1.09 megaton (Mt)
QUESTA, May 4, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 670 kt
FRIGATE BIRD, May 6, Pacific, rocket, weapons related
YUKON, May 8, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 100 kt
MESILLA, May 9, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 100 kt
MUSKEGON, May 11, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 50 kt
SWORDFISH, May 11, Pacific, underwater, weapons effects, low (less than 20 kt)
ENCINO, May 12, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 500 kt
SWANEE, May 14, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 97 kt
CHETCO, May 19, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 73 kt
TANANA, May 25, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 2.6 kt
NAMBE, May 27, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 43 kt
ALMA, June 8, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 782 kt
TRUCKEE, June 9, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 210 kt
YESO, June 10, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 3 megatons (Mt)
HARLEM, June 12, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 1.2 Mt
RINCONADA, June 15, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 800 kt
DULCE, June 17, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 52 kt
PETIT, June 19, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 2.2 kt
OTOWI, June 22, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 81.5 kt
BIGHORN, June 27, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 7.65 Mt
BLUESTONE, June 30, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 1.27 Mt
STARFISH PRIME, July 9, Johnston Island area, rocket, weapons effects, 1.4 Mt*
SUNSET, July 10, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 1 Mt
PAMLICO, July 11, Christmas Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 3.88 Mt
ANDROSCOGGIN, October 2, Johnston Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 75 kt
BUMPING, October 6, Johnston Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 11.3 kt
CHAMA, October 18, Johnston Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 1.59 Mt
CHECKMATE, October 20, Johnston Island area, rocket, weapons effects, low (less than 20 kt)*
BLUEGILL 3 PRIME, October 26, Johnston Island area, rocket, weapons effects, submegaton (less than 1 Mt, but more than 200 kt)*
CALAMITY, October 27, Johnston Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 800 kt
HOUSATONIC, October 30, Johnston Island area, airdrop, weapons related, 8.3 Mt
KINGFISH, November 1, Johnston Island area, rocket, weapons effects, submegaton (less than 1 Mt, but more than 200 kt)*
TIGHTROPE, November 4, Johnston Island area, rocket, weapons effects, low (less than 20 kt)*

* Operation Fishbowl tests

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[dmwolfe]

My dad flew with VP-872 and flew through the bomb blast. All men in his airwing have either died of cancer or are recovering from it. My dad had Pancreatic Cancer but has survived.

[mandyshea79]

my dad was on johnston 61-62... i have lots of slides & even the honolulu news paper from these years (& passed away in 2005 from cancer on the vocal cords). anyone read up on all of these men dying from cancer from those years & years after the fact???

[TomHockett44]

My dad worked at Los Alamos NM from 1950 through 1985. Our family went to Hawaii in May of 1962. I was 14 years old.

We stayed on Oahu while Dad flew around near Johnston Island, 800 miles south. Starfish Prime, a 1.4 megaton high-altitude nuclear blast, was detonated at midnight over Johnston Is. The sky over Oahu turned bright white. Over the next half hour the sky dimmed and the color changed from white to red, then yellow, orange, green, blue, and back to black. Thanks for the great video!

[CalvinSilverbow]

at 24:45 I wonder why that piece of equipment had 'windows'. At least they look like windows.

[steve196299]

I was there when operation dominic was going on. The ship I was on was the USS Sioux ATF75 We spent 3 m0nths down there on Johnson and xmas Island. It was something to see

[gertmenkel]

I guess the muted parts contained top secret stuff?

[acidum984]

Poor wildlife...poor rabbits...poor natives...poor atmosphere...

Thanks for vid anyway...

[castirondude]

Fascinating, thanks for uploading!

[Jontownia]

@billyboy43 bullshit, YA were those who were shitting their pants because of the soviets.

[billyboy434]

@gaguy1967 Well, yeah, that too, but we did want to show some superiority.