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Information > Heritage > History Spotlight
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Operation Crossroads
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Operations Crossroads history spotlight, photo from the Naval Historical Research Center. (Photo illustration/Mike Carabajal)
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On July 1, 1946, Maj. Woodrow P. Swancutt participated in Operation Crossroads which was a series of tests to measure the effect of an atomic outburst. In Test Able, Major Swancutt flew the B-29 "Dave's Dream" and released an atomic bomb over a cluster of 70 various target ships anchored in Bikini lagoon. The bomb, possessing only one-fiftieth of the power of the later Minuteman missile's nuclear warhead, destroyed or heavily damaged ships anchored within a half mile of the blast.
Major Swancutt was awarded an oak leaf cluster to the Distinguished Flying Cross for this achievement. He had an illustrious career, and retired as a major general after serving as vice commander of Second Air Force, at Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
The Joint Task Force One for Operation Crossroads was organized on Jan. 11, 1946. It followed the basic principles employed during World War II to develop amphibious task forces, but incorporated needs of the scientific program. The joint task force staff comprised Army, Navy, and civilian scientific personnel. This joint staff maintained liaison with the War and Navy Departments, the Manhattan Engineer District, and other government agencies.
The Army Air Group, composed of provisional Army Air Forces units, was assigned the mission of dropping the Able weapon on the target array in Bikini Lagoon. In addition, it furnished aircraft, facilities, and crews for photography, weather reconnaissance, air-sea rescue, cloud sampling, pressure gauge drops, and air transport.
Army Aircraft involved:
1 B-29 Superfortress (Command)
1 B-29 Superfortress (Bomb drop)
2 B-29 Superfortress (Pressure gauge drop)
2 F-13 Superfortress (Radiological reconnaissance)
3 B-29 Superfortress (Spare)
2 C-54 Skymaster (Photographic)
8 F-13 Superfortress (Photographic)
10 B-17 Flying Fortress (Drone samplers)
6 B-17 Flying Fortress (Drone controllers)
20 C-46 Commando (Transport)
10 C-54 Skymaster (Transport)
3 WB-29 Superfortress (Weather reconnaissance)
2 B-29 Superfortress (Radio broadcast, press, observation)
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