Nuclear Tests: Hardtack Teak and Orange, Johnston Atoll, 1958

My grandfather, VL Pinson, was a part of Hardtack Teak nuclear testing in 1958. They were conducted above the Johnston Atoll as part of Operation Newsreel, and the weapon was carried aloft by a Redstone missile — making it one of America’s first attempts at constructing an intercontinental ballistic missile. The bomb was 3.8 Megatons in power, and exploded at an altitude of 47.7 miles. Teak, along with HARDTACK-Orange were the two largest high-altitude nuclear explosions in US history.

As for my grandfather, he worked as a telemetry engineer, making him and his team responsible for maintaining communication with the missile throughout its flight. That was required in order to have command and control of the rocket itself, as well as gathering information not only from the rocket but also the weapon as well.

After my grandfather’s passing, we found this unclassified memo in his personal papers. It describes general instructions for an atomic test, in this case Hardtack Teak: