LLNL-TR-679776

The Mystery of the Gun Turret inthe Desert

R. D. Hoffman

November 30, 2015

Disclaimer

This document was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States government. Neither the United States government nor Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, nor any of their employees makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States government or Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States government or Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Themysteryofthegunturretinthedesert

R.D.Hoffman

Themysteryofthegunturretinthedesertbeganwithaningeniousidea:todevelopareusableopen-airlineofsightdiagnosticdevicetosupportLLNL’searlynuclearweaponsdevelopmentefforts.ObtainedfromtheMareIslandNavyShipyard(MINS)inJanuary1957,thegunturrettraveledbyshiptotheNavalConstructionBattalionbaseatPortHueneme,California,andthenbytrucktoArea2intheYuccaFlatsvalleyattheNevadaNuclearSecuritySite(NNSS).

Theturretwasintendedtosafelyhouseequipmentthatwasusedtodiagnosethreeabovegroundatomictests(Shasta,Diablo,andWhitney)duringOperationPlumbbobin1957.

Eachnucleardevicewasdeployedatopa500-foottowersituatedlessthanamileawayfromthe2-300bunkercomplex,nexttowhichthegunturretwassited.Thecentralpositionofthegunslidewasfittedwithan81cmx4.8mlead-linedcollimatingtube.Withtheabilitytoelevateandrotatethrough360degrees,theturretwasintendedtopointateachdevicesittingontopofitsrespectivetower.Thetowerswereverystableplatformstoaimatandbecauseoftheirgreatheighthelpedreduceradioactivefallout.

Whendetonated,lightfromthedevicewouldshinedownthecollimatorandontosensitivedetectorswithinthegunturret.Theywouldthenconvertthislightintoelectricalsignalsthatwerethentransmittedviacoaxialcabletoabankofoscilloscopesinthe2-300bunkercomplexwherethescopetraceswerephotographed.Thesewerethenanalyzedtoassesstheefficiency,or“bangforthebuck”ofagivendevice.Aprimarymotivationforinstallingthegunturretwastosavemoney.Apartfromthecostofthedeviceanditssupportstructure(typicallytowersorballoons),anatmospherictestalso

requiredbuildinganumberofspecialpurposebunkerstohousedetectorstations.Oftenseveraldetectorsweremountedonthetowersthemselves.Thesewereconnectedtotherecordingbunkerbyhighqualitycoaxialcablethathadtobeburiedintrenches(frequentlyreferredtoas“PanamaCanals”)thatwereoften20’wideby20’deepanduptoamileormoreinlengthdependingontheyieldofthedevice.Thegeniusofusingthegunturretwasthatitcouldobserveanumberoftowertestswithjustonebunkercomplexforbothobservationandrecording,thusservingasare-usablelineofsight.Foradetaileddescriptionofthe2-300complexseethereportdevelopedbyEdwards&Johnson(DesertResearchInstitute-ReportSR062095-2,1995).

Itwasintendedthatthegunturretbeusedinmorethanoneoperation.However,in1958,theUSandUSSRagreedtotheirfirstnucleartestmoratoriumwhichlasteduntil1961.Subsequentagreementsendedabovegroundnucleartestingby1963.SixabovegroundtestswereconductedinArea2between1952and1957butthegunturretwasneverusedagainafterOperationPlumbbob.TheDRIreportsuggeststhatthegunturretwasremovedfromapre-WW2battleshiporheavycruiserthatwasmothballedatoneoftheCalifornia

NavalShipYards,andthatitshistoricalsignificanceisrelatedtoitscurrentlocationandassociationwithatmosphericnucleartesting.Afairnumberofcurrenthistoricalexpertsatthetestsitehavedifferentopinionsofwheretheturretoriginallycamefrom,butallagreethatithasarichhistorythatdeservestobefurtherexplored.Theremainderofthisreportattemptstodeterminethathistoryandfindsthatitisalegacyofcourageforgedinatimeofultimatehumanconflict.

ThedesignofthegunturretattheNNSSisofUSNavyorigin.DesignatedasaMark9turret,itmountedthree8”/55calibernavalrifles.Twelveshipscarriedthisparticularturretdesign,tencruisersandtwoaircraftcarriers.Thecruisers,allbuiltaroundtheearly1930’s,werethetwoshipsofthePensacolaclass(PensacolaandSaltLakeCity),thesixshipsoftheNorthamptonclass(Northampton,Chester,Louisville,Houston,Chicago,

andAugusta),andthetwoshipsofthePortlandclass(PortlandandIndianapolis).Thesewereknownas“Treaty”cruisersbecausetheywerebuiltundertherestrictionsoftheWashingtonNavalTreatyof1922.Assuchtheywerelimitedtoa10,000tondisplacement.Allwereoriginallybuiltaslightcruisers(CL)duetotheirfairlyweakarmorschemes.Theywerere-classifiedbytheLondonNavalTreatyof1930asheavycruisers(CA)duetotheir8”mainbatteryarmament.TheaircraftcarriersLexingtonandSaratogaeachmountedfourtwo-gunversionsofthisturret,butthesewereremovedshortlyafterthebeginningofWW2foruseascoastaldefensegunsontheHawaiianIslands.

Thebattlehistoryoftheseshipsisataleofgreatsuccessandsorrow.Ofthetwelveshipsmentioned,fivewerelosttoenemyaction:HoustonintheSundaStrait,LexingtonattheBattleoftheCoralSea,NorthamptonandChicagoatGuadalcanal,andtheIndianapolisinthePhilippineSea.AllweresunkbyJapanesetorpedoesandallbuttheIndywerelostinthefirst14monthsofthewar.TheonlycruiserstoescapetorpedodamageweretheAugusta,whoservedintheAtlantic,andtheSaltLakeCityandLouisville,whowerebothhitbytorpedoesthatdidnotexplode.TheaircraftcarrierSaratogawastorpedoedontwo

occasionsbutsurvivedthewaronlytobeexpended,aswerethePensacolaandSaltLakeCity,duringOperationCrossroadsin1946,thefirstofaseriesofnucleartestsconductedinthePacific.Truetotheirbattle-hardenedreputations,thesecruiserseachsurvivedtwoatomicblastsbutwereseverelycontaminatedandeventuallysunkastargetdronesin1948.

Theremainingfourcruisers,Chester,Louisville,Augusta,andPortland,werefullyfunctionalatwar’send.AfteracceptingthesurrenderofnumerousJapanesecommandsandreturningthousandsofservicemenhome,theywereputintofleetreserveatthePhiladelphiaNavyYardfrom1946untiltheyweresoldforscrapin1959.TheAugustainreserveappearsbelow.

Theeventsdescribedsofarpresentaseriousquandary.ThegunturretwasemployedattheNevadaTestSitein1957,butthefourcruisersitcouldhavebeenremovedfromwereinfleetreserveontheeastcoastfrom1946to1959.Whileinfleetreserve,shipsareregularlyoverhauledsothattheycanbequicklyre-conditionedandreturnedtoserviceifneedbe(severaloftheBaltimoreclasscruiserswerere-activatedfortheKoreanconflict).ArchivalphotosofthefourfleetreservecruiserswiththeMark9turretshowthatallturretswereinplacewhentheywerescrapped.MightthegunturretobtainedfromtheMareIslandShipyardhavebeenaspare?Thisisverydoubtful,asturretsweremadefromarmorplate,acommodityinhighdemandduringthewar.Obviously,thegunturretwasnotrecoveredfromthebottomofthesea!Mostlikelyitwasdamagedinbattleandremovedfromoneofthesetencruisersbeforetheendofthewar.AlltenofthecruisersthatmountedtheMark9turretwiththeexceptionoftheAugustasufferedbattledamageinWW2.DetailedsummariesoftheengagementsanddamagewerepublishedinaseriesofWarDamageReports.Thisinvestigationwillfocus(withoneexception)oninstanceswhereacruisersustaineddamagetoamainbatteryturret.TheUSSPortland(CA-33)sustaineddamageduringtheNavalBattleofGuadalcanalonNovember13,1942.ShewasstruckbyashallowrunningtorpedofiredbyaJapanesedestroyerthatcausedextensivedamagetohersternonthestarboardside.

Thishitlockedher#3mainbatteryturretintrainandelevation.ShehadtobetowedtodrydockinAustraliaandeventuallyreturnedunderherownpowertoMareIslandforextensiverepairs.AccountsfromthecruisebookdedicatedtothisshipaswellaseyewitnesstestimonyfromTedWaller(S1,USSPortland,1941-46)indicatethatallmainbatterygunswererelined,butthatthe#3turretwasre-mounted,notreplaced.TheUSSPensacola(CA-24)sustaineddamageoffthecoastofGuadalcanalduringtheBattleofTassafarongaonNovember30,1942.ShewashitinthesamemannerasthePortlandbutontheportsideatframe120.Thishitalsolockedher#3mainbatteryturretintrainasshownbelow.

OnreturntoPearlHarborthisturretwasremoved,butthedamagewastoitsstructurebelowdeck,nottotheface,sides,orroof.Interestingly,bothsidedoorsontheNNSSgunturretexhibitthehanddrawncharacters“CA24”suggestingthattheywereatsomepointaboardthePensacola.OffofIwoJimaonFebruary17,1945shereceivedsixhitsfromJapaneseshorebatteries,onejustaftofmainbatteryturret#2thatcausedsomerelativelyminorsplinterdamagetoit.

TherehasbeenanenduringaccountbysomehistoriansattheNNSSthatthegunturretcameoffoftheUSSSaltLakeCity(CA-25).Shewasdamagedintwoengagements.ThefirstwasagainoffthecoastofGuadalcanalduringtheBattleofCapeEsperanceonOctober11,1942.Thereshetookthreegunfirehitsonthestarboardside,onetothearmoredbelt,andanothertofireroom#1.Athirdroundfellshortandcausedsomesplinterdamage,butnomainbatteryturretswereseriouslyaffected.HersecondengagementwasattheBattleoftheKomandorskiIslandsintheBearingSeaonMarch26,1943.Thereshetookseveral8”projectile

hitsfromtwoJapaneseheavycruisers.Althoughdeadinthewateratonepoint,shemanagedtoescapewhenherdestroyerconsortsscreenedherwithsmokeandconductedadaringanddeterminedtorpedoattack,forcingtheenemytodisengage.Again,nomainbatteryturretswereaffected.Finally,theUSSLouisville(CA-28)sustaineddamagefromtwokamikazeattackswhileproceedingtoLingayenGulfinthePhilippinesonJanuary5and6,1945.ThefirstwasfromaD4Y“Judy”torpedobomberthatimpactedontheroofofmainbatteryturret#2.

ThesecondattackwasbyaD3A“Val”divebomberthatcrashedintothesignalbridgeandknockeddowntheforwardstack.Bothattackscausedextensivedamage,andthelatteroneseverecasualties,mostnotablytoherCaptainandtoRearAdmiralTheodoreChandler,commanderCruDiv4.Withover40deadand120wounded,“LadyLou”wasforcedtoretire,arrivingatMareIslandonFebruary6,1945.

TheimagesaboveshowthedamagetoLouisville’smainbatteryturret#2.TheWarDamageReportstatesthat“thedamagewassoextensivethattheentire8”/55cal.turrethadtobereplacedwithanewunit.”Theturretwasjammedintrainandelevationduetoabombthatexplodedjustabovetheleftgunleavingallthreeoutofbattery.Prominentisthelargedentontheportsiderooftopthatextendsfromtheinnersideofthefaceplatetothecenterofthemiddlegun.Also,thegun-portplateandshieldusuallymountedbetweentheroofplateandthethreemaingunsarenotvisible

(bothhadbeenblownintotheturretbytheforceoftheexplosion).Finally,theportsidefaceplatemadeofSpecialTreatedSteel(STS)wasdismounted.Eachofthesearmorpanelsisattachedtothemainsideandbaseplatesoftheturretwithrivetsorbolts(mostoftensecuredfromtheinside)thatwereshearedawaybytheforceofimpactandexplosion.Theinterioroftheturretwasbadlydamagedbyblastandfire.ThegunturretattheNNSStodaystillbearsthesesamebattlescarsinflictedover70yearsago.WhatfollowsisphotographicevidencethatstronglysuggeststhegunturretisfromtheUSSLouisville.TheseweretakenonMay17,2015.Fromavantagepointatoptheroofofthegunturretlookingdownandforward,anon-uniformpatchthatextendsfromtheinnersideofthefaceplatetothemiddlegunisweldedintotherooftoparmorplate.ThispatchislargeenoughtoencompassthedeformedandrupturedareaseenintheMINSphotos.Althoughnotyetconfirmed,thegun-portplateappearstobebentinwardontheportside.Theshieldjustbelowthegun-portplateappearsnewandwaslikelyreplacedwhentheturretwaseitherrepairedorreconfiguredfortheNNSS.

Enteringthegunpointerstationfromtheportsidedooronecanviewthebacksideofthegun-portplate.Itisaflatbrowncolorunlikeanyotherpaintedsurfaceinsidetheturret.Itsboltpatternalsoappearstobedifferentfromoneshowninaphototakenaboardshipjustaftertheattack.

Again,lookingdownandforwardtothelowercorneroftheportsideSTSfaceplate,itisseentobedisplacedfromthebaseplateoftheturretby½”.

Closeenoughforgovernmentwork?Theviewofthissamejointonthestarboardsideshowsafitworthyoftheterm“factoryfinish.”Finallyaclose-upofthegunslide,whichismadeofsoftersteelthantheSTSplatesattachedtoit,showspingsanddingsthatappearontopoftheslidebutnotintheshadowofthegunsbelow.Thissuggestsasplashpatternoffragmentsfromtheexplosionthatscarredtheupperareasoftheslide.

Theevidencepresentedtothispointissuggestive,butstillcircumstantial.However,definitivemarkingsdoexistintheformoftheactualserialnumberoftheturret.Locatedtwofeetupfromthebaseandmidwayalongtheportandstarboardsidearmorplatesisthefollowinghandstampedinscription:BP132347-DOUTSIDEPLATENO2ASSEMNO117

Thesewerelikelyappliedin1930whenthegunsandturretsfortheLouisvillewerebeingassembledattheWashingtonNavyYard.Belowisanimageofthisveryassembly.

Trackingdownaserialnumberfromthe1930’s,40’s,oreven50’s,hasprovenverychallenging.TherelevantsourcesweretheBureauofShipsandtheBureauofRepair,bothofwhichweremergedintoNAVSEAin1974.SincetheLouisvillewasbuiltatthePugetSoundNavalShipyardin1930,theNationalArchivesinSeattle,WAwerefirstconsulted.Sadly,archivedirectorSusanKarrenreportedthatrecordsoftheLouisville’sconstructionin1930arenolongeravailable.Therecordsforthenowde-activatedMareIslandShipyardfrom1925-1995arecontainedin134boxesfromFederalTransferRecord181-58-3234,currentlystoredattheSanBrunoAnnexoftheNationalArchives.WithassistancefromarchivistBillGreene,fiveboxesofrecordswereexaminedthatcontainedfoldersrelatedtoturretsandfirecontrol(NavyFileSystemnumbersS-71andS-72).Therecordsinthesefoldersaremostlyofalegalnature,alongwithafewtrainingmanuals.Thedetailedrepairrecordsappeartohaveallbeendestroyed.OneboxofgreatinterestwaslabeledBattleDamageReportsandcontainedanumberoffoldersthatwerelabeledbyshipnameandhullnumber.ThesetypicallycontainedacopyoftheWarDamageReportfortheshiplistedandoneormoreplatesillustratingthedamagetoberepaired.Noneofthesedocumentswentintothenecessarylevelofdetailtodiscernaserialnumberonaturret.SanBrunohadnocopyoftheWarDamagereportfortheLouisville.ItwasobtainedfromJerryLeslieatUSNAVYRESEARCH.COM.

ThisinvestigationhasidentifiedtwoshipsthatcouldhavebeenthesourceoftheNNSSturret:thePensacolaandtheLouisville.AlthoughPensacolahadher#3turretremovednoevidencehasbeenfoundthattheupperpartofitwasreplaced,whereastheWDRfortheLouisvillestatesthather#2turretwasreplacedbyanewunit.ThisisconfirmedbytwoformerLouisvillecrewmembersMikeMarino(MM3,1941-43)andRalphHopkins(S1,1945-46).Mr.Hopkins,assignedtotheshiponherreturntoMINS,wasaneyewitnesstothisevent.HehasrelayedthatwheninformedofthedamageatLingayen,therepairyardconstructedareplacementturretthatwaswaitingfortheLouisvillewhenshearrived.Theswapwasperformedinfourhours,afterwhichthedamagedturretwentintooneoffive“bone-yards”wherespareordamagedequipmentwasstoredinandaroundMINS.Attheendofthewarseveralsuchturretsfromavarietyofshipswereavailableaswarsurplus.InonesuchyardthegunturretwasselectedbyBillMcMaster,whohadtheinspirationtoturnapieceofscrapintoanucleartestdiagnostic.Basedonthephotographicevidencepresentedsofarandotherforensicevidenceintheformofpaintsamples(stillbeinganalyzed)thatmightconfirmaninteriorfire,itismyfirmcontentionthatthegunturretattheNNSSwasoriginallyinstalledaboardtheUSSLouisville.Sheendedupservinghercountrylongafterherlastsalvowasfired.Toallwhogoinharm’sway,andthosewhosupportthem,wesaluteyou.

AcknowledgmentsIwishtothankseveralcolleaguesfortheirhelpinmakingthisresearcheffortpossible.ChuckCosta,NelsonCochrane,andErnieWilliamswereinstrumentalinarrangingmysecondvisittotheNNSSwheretheforensicevidencewasobtained.JimKapselas,DonSmith,WillyCooper,andDawnContrerasledtheFederalNuclearExpertiseClassexpeditiontothetestsitewhereIoriginallysawthegunturret.RichardWardhasprovidedconstantsupport,andKimKnightcontinuestoprovideforensicinsightandanalysis.ArchivistsBillGreene,GinaBardi,andresearcherJerryLesliehavebeenveryhelpfulinarrangingaccesstoraredocuments.SpecialthanksgotothethreeWW2veteransIhavehadthegreathonortocorrespondwith:MikeMarinoandRalphHopkinsoftheUSSLouisville,andespeciallyTedWallerwho,asamemberoftheanti-aircraftdetailaboardtheUSSPortland,personallywitnessedtheKamikazeattackontheUSSLouisvilleonJanuary5,1945.ThisworkwasperformedundertheauspicesoftheU.S.DepartmentofEnergybyLawrenceLivermoreNationalLaboratoryunderContractDE-AC52-07NA27344.LLNL-TR-679776