PIERRE, (KCCR) — Gerald Johnson of Pierre was awarded the Atomic Veteran Commemorative Medal and Certificate at a special ceremony Friday at the American Legion Post Eight Log Cabin. The commemoration is given to service members who took part in testing or clean up relating to atomic weapon testing. Johnson experienced a nuclear explosion at the Nevada Proving Grounds in 1953…
The blast took place in the early morning hours which Johnson believes may have intensified the already tremendous light from the bomb…
And while Johnson feels for the loss of Japanese civilians in the two blasts at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he puts the blame on the Japanese government…
Johnson’s unit took part in Camp Desert Rock Five. They were bussed to trenches four-to-five thousand meters from the detonation. After the blast, troops were ordered to walk toward the site until radiation levels became too high.
