Operation Crossroads - Lest We Forget!: An Eyewitness Account, Bikini Atomic Bomb Tests 1946 - Softcover

McGee, William L.; McGee, Sandra V.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0970167857 ISBN 13: 9780970167859

Publisher: BMC Publications, 2016

Synopsis

EYEWITNESS TO HISTORY

A Sailor's Account of Operation CROSSROADS

"A sobering, but entertaining read."
- Mark Barnes, WarHistoryOnline.com

1 July 1946, Bikini Atoll. The world held its breath. Millions tuned in by radio as the United States conducted Operation CROSSROADS, the first postwar atomic bomb tests. No one knew what to expect.

Among the 42,000 servicemen, scientists, and civilians stationed at Bikini Atoll was William L. McGee, a Gunner's Mate aboard the USS Fall River (CA-131). Tasked with positioning the 95+ target ships for the blasts, McGee had a front-row seat to history—and to the dangers of atomic warfare.

Less than a year after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, these nuclear tests were meant to assess the bomb's impact on warships. In July 1946, two detonations—Test Able from the air and Test Baker from underwater—unleashed unprecedented power. What McGee and his shipmates witnessed would shape military policy, nuclear research, and global tensions for decades to come.

Inside This Book

• A firsthand account of life aboard the Fall River during Operation CROSSROADS
• Excerpts from the ship's log and testimonies from fellow sailors
• Early expert opinions on nuclear testing—and how they evolved over time
• Rare photographs and illustrations documenting this historic event

134 pages, 52 black-and-white photographs & illustrations

About this title

About the Author

About the Authors:
William L. McGee has garnered critical praise for his World War II military histories including his memoir within a history, "Bluejacket Odyssey, 1942-1946: Guadalcanal to Bikini," and the acclaimed Pacific war trilogy, "Amphibious Operations in the South Pacific in WWII." The author welcomes reader comments on his website at WilliamMcGeeBooks.com.
Sandra V. McGee has co-authored eight books with her husband.

Edition details

• Publisher: BMC Publications
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0970167857
• ISBN 13: 9780970167859
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 134