I am looking for info on Manzana Base, New Mexico.
I am looking for info on Manzana Base, New Mexico.
Found your link in History Hub while trying to decide whether to dispose of some old files: copies of orders from the Headquarters Filed Command, Armed Forces Special Weapons project, Sandia Base, Albuquerque New Mexico. Special Orders 132, dated 5 November 1951, signed by KF Hertford, Colonel, CE Chief of staff for Brigadier General Stranathan covers a wide range of actions in the command. Six Sergeants identified by name had separate rations terminated, and five enlisted were granted separate rations. Major Charles Green was assigned to duty as the Executive Officer for Base Ord (Ordnance). SSGT Roger Wallace and Sgt Arthur Flanagan were assigned as armed guards to escort a prisoner to the 5th Aviation Field Deport Squadron (Prison). 1stLT James Stanley was sent for Temporary Duty at Los Alamos; and several others were sent temporary duty to Special Weapons units in San Bruno California, Patuxent MD, and to HQ in Washington DC. I also have a copy of a Armed Forces Special Weapons Project, Sandia Base Certificate for a non-commissioned officer who completed the "Assemblyman" training course in July 1950. The Certificate is signed by Brigadier General Montague, noted as Commanding in July 1950. Most likely the assembly of nuclear weapons.
Several other orders for the months of August, November, and December 1951 announce conversion of Military Occupational Specialties for members of the HQs Special Weapons Group 8460 AAU, HQs Company, 8460th Special Weapons Group, the 111th Special Weapons Unit, the 1096th USAF SP (Special) Rept Sq (Squadron) and various detachments of the 1096th, and 1097ths USAF units. There are Army, Navy and Air Force service men. both enlisted and officers on these documents. Colonel Oberdeck is noted as the Commander of the Headquarters, Killeen Base, in Killen Texas, and sent people from the 8461st Special Weapons unit to Sandia Base for training / certification (Feb 1953). All of these orders are marked RESTRICTED.
Reading between the lines shows that Sandia Base was a training facility for Special Weapons personnel in all services. That training included assembly of special weapons and probable radiation exposures.
Of the 8 specific individuals I tried to track mentioned on these orders, all were dead. I found one death certificate that indicated respiratory failure, pre-leukemia, and a myleoma????? (bad doctor handwriting) condition. If any of these people on the orders are still alive, they probably will not talk to anyone about their service. They were ordered, and convinced that their service was so classified that they are still at risk of being sent to jail if they talk about their special weapons service. In attempting to assist a veteran with a radiation exposure claim related to "Bugcatcher mssions", where the Air Force flew specially equipped weather recon planes (WRB-57) into Chinese and Russian nuclear test radiation clouds in the 50s and early 60s. While the military was aware of radiation hazard during this time, there was no good way to measure radiation exposure, and no basis to predict how much exposure would, or could lead to future medical problems.
The veteran I was helping described a dosimeter he wore during his decontamination duties at Yokata Japan in 1962 and 1963. I sent him to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Museum and he identified the dosimeter he used as a Radiac DT60/PD Personnel Dosimeter. A reader allows an estimate of exposure measured in roentgen (equivalent to rad used below) .
Fast forward to late 70s and early 80s physics, I know the glass / film inside this dosimeter measured (primarily) gamma and X-ray radiation exposure, and would not accurately reflect radiation exposure from the alpha and beta particles found in the fall-out the veteran was washing from the Bugcatcher aircraft. Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory did a field study of the DT60 in Sept 1959 and found that gamma, neutron and x-ray responses from 25 to 600 rads at energies in excess of 200 kev were found to be within 20 percent (accurate) in 92 of the 160 dosimeters examined. (This was generally favorable report but demonstrates that in 1959, we still didn't have a good understanding of the effects of radiation on the body. A current CAT Scan exposes a person to .01 mSv of radiation. Over a year, the average person gets 3 (three) mSv of radiation exposure from the sun & cosmic radiation which is equivalent to .30 rem. For practical purposes, rem and rad are the same. One measures actual radiation, and the other describes the biological impact of that same amount of radiation. Bottom line is that 1960s dosimeters could only measured radiation doses whose energy levels greatly exceeded what is considered safe today for medical exposure.)
Returning to the reluctance of individuals involved in special weapons to talk about their service, two years after my dealings with the veteran from the 56th Weather Recon Squadron, I met another veteran from the same unit who had a little overlap in time with my first veteran. When I asked him what he knew about the BugCatcher missions, he became highly indignant, remined me of the Atomic Energy Act, and told me he was going to report me to the FBI. He left my office convinced that I was an irresponsible idiot for talking about Bugcatcher and possibly a spy.
Manzana Base was part of, or at least controlled by Sandia Base which totally surrounded Manzana. 1970s vintage maps show a weapons storage are within Sandia Base which is most likely the Manzana Base. In 1971, Kirtland AFB took control of both Manzana and Sandia. Confusing??? Consider this a part of inter service rivalry. Sandia Base (early 50s) was commanded by an Army General who couldn't be a base commander if he was part of an Air Force Base. The Dept of Defense was not created until 1947 and competition between the Services was intense (This hasn't changed much but cooperation is better.) The Army was still stinging from losing the Army Air Corps to the newly created Air Force. Manzano, as a special weapons facility, had both Air Force security Police and Army personnel as shown by the orders cut by an Army Commander detailing two Air Force Sergeants to take an AF PFC to an Air Force Prison. The same set of orders sent two Navy men to Norfork VA.
Hope this paints some background for you.
Read: " The B29 in Weather Reconnaissance" by Tom Robison (BugCatcher Missions)
About Operation Sandstone in 1948. Major, eventually Colonel Fackler, dreamed up the Bugcatcher missions and was tasked by Major General John Mills, Commander of the AF Special Weapons Command, which became the AF Special Weapons Center at Kirtland AFB. (Sandia Base was adjacent to Kirtland AFB and merged with Kirtland AFB in 1971. Manzano Storage was part of Sandia and also merged into Kirtland AFB) Col Fackler died in 1986 from a type of Brain Cancer at 71 years of age. He suffered from a type of brain cancer that "could be triggered by radiation exposure. His family believed it was from many years of of sampling flights through radiation clouds. http://www.awra.us/gallery-feb07.html
Hello William Brame,
Thank you for this historical background information. You mentioned the Veteran who had identified the DT60/PD Personnel Dosimeter as the one he had worn. You also mentioned the reluctance of individuals involved in special weapons to talk about their service.
Many years after we had been married, my late husband told me he had loaded, transported, and unloaded Nuclear Weapons (bombs) while stationed at Manzano Base (late 1965-1967). He also told me that Nuclear Weapons (bombs) had been stored in bunkers under the mountains at Manzano Base.
I had asked him if he had to wear a dosimeter film badge while at Manzano ( job duty there: Weapons Handler). He said he hadn't been required to wear one. He mentioned that someone would come to the Base to check for radiation. Having worked in hospitals as a Registered Nurse, I knew how cautious hospitals were about radiation; so, I had been shocked my husband hadn't been required to wear a dosimetry badge.
Even though my husband had talked about his time at Manzano, through all the years he had never said anything about working with Nuclear Weapons. I had no idea Manzano had been a Nuclear Weapons Base.
In a request, after my husband's death, to the AF Radiation Exposure Registry for any radiation exposure monitoring records he may have had during service, there was one DD 1141 for a 3 month period at Manzano Base during 1967. The report was negative for alpha-beta gamma radiation. The monitoring device he had worn was a DT-60/PD badge.
An AF Memorandum, in regard to the DT-60/ PD badge my husband had worn, stated that "historically many Air Force personnel at nuclear capable units were issued the DT-60 accident dosimeters to their workers for medical readiness purposes to measure exposures in unlikely occurrence of a high radiation exposure, e.g. nuclear criticality, These devices were only capable of recording high exposures and were not sensitive to occupational-level exposures. The AF Safety Center is unaware of any event where these devices were used to establish radiation-exposure for individuals. Since the US has never experienced a high radiation exposure from a fielded nuclear weapon, records of exposures recorded by these devices are of no benefit today."
My husband's military records do not indicate why he was monitored for that 1967 3 month period.(His military records also show he had worked with radioactive isotopes at the base he was stationed before Manzano. Apparently, radiation monitoring hadn't been required there either).
My husband wouldn't have been considered a Nuclear Veteran; because, he didn't enter the service until Sept. 1963. It wasn't until after his death that I started an internet search on Manzano Base. It wasn't an easy find. But, it lead me to information (through my searches, and the many great reference sources I have been given) that has provided me with a frame of what the 1960s military era (and 1950s, 1970s) was like.
I remain puzzled, however, as to how it would have been determined that a Weapons Handler at a 1960s Nuclear Weapons Base would not have been required to be monitored for radiation exposure. I haven't run across that information yet.
The historical background information you provided was very interesting; and, I thank you for it.
My Best To You, Marilyn Kirkley
Hello Marilyn Kirkley
Where was your husband station before Manzano Base?
Also, when you file your claim with the VA, attached a copy of the letter from the Secretary of Defense dated 1969, which established Manzano Base as a AEC/DoD DASA installation with AFSWP a top secrets combat Branch (The Radiation Group) of the Armed Services and his cause of death, should be enough to file or reopen a claim. The Secretary of Defense letter explains that Manzano Base is not an Air Force Base
Manzano Base is an AEC/DOD DASA instillation staffed with AFSWP personnel a top secret military combat branch of the Armed Services the radiation group. AEC/DOD DASA/AFSWP makes them Department of Energy (DOE) employee
The letter filed as new evidence, ionizing radiation
https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/hazardous-materials-exposure/ionizing-radiation/
https://www.va.gov/disability/how-to-file-claim/
Thank you for your service
Hello Louis,
My late husband had been stationed at Keesler AFB (1963-until late 1965) in Mississippi, prior to Manzano.
I will follow your advice about the letter from the Secretary of Defense. There are several of your reference articles I plan to add also.
I appreciate the 2 references you provided on the Armed Forces Medical Symposiums held in 1961 & 1962. Each symposium listed their topics and speakers. It would be interesting to know if any speakers from either meeting made their presentation information available. The speakers have impressive biographies that have lead to some good search material.
I am always glad to get your references; and, I hesitate to say when I will think I have all the information I need. Each reference I receive through History Hub always adds information that is very helpful; and, that I wouldn't have found on my own. However, I think I do need to catch up on reading what I have received; and, I'm attempting to get an understanding, in the simplest possible layman's terms, about radiation dose, effective dose equivalent, absorbed dose, etc, etc.
Thank you again for your help.
Marilyn Kirkley
Hello Marilyn Kirkley
First History of AFSWP
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004113.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004119.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004121.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004122.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004123.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004124.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004125.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004126.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004127.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004128.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004129.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004132.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004134.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004136.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004214.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004215.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004544.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004545.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004546.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004547.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004548.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004549.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004551.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004552.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004553.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004554.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004556.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004557.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004576.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004605.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004612.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004654.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004655.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004465.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16389033.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16389035.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16389037.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16389041.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16389090.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16389048.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16389064.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16389090.pdf
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16389267.pdf
Atomic Technical Training
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16016912.pdf
Semi-Annual
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16072294.pdf
Radiation Review Master List
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004610.pdf
Notes from Semi-annual Histories of Field Command, DASA, 1958 thru 1962
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16022923.pdf
MEMORANDUM 1947
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16389322.pdf
General Order 8
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16004306.pdf
Mission and Responsibilities of the Officer-in-Charge 1956
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16016937.pdf
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE DIVISION OF MILITARY 1968
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16365493.pdf
AFSWP reports have fun enjoy the read
Hello Louis,
I wanted to touch base with you to let you know that I am reading the pdfs on the AFSWP history and other reports you sent on Feb 8. It will probably take me a while to get them read; but, I am grateful to you for sending them.
Before I began reading the AFSWP history pdfs, I skimmed through them all. There was one pdf that included reports on each AFSWP base. (I don't remember which pdf it was without going through them all). A Table of Contents on one of the pages in that pdf listed a Volume that contained a Manzano Base report. I wondered if you would know where I could find that Volume report?
Thank you again for your help.
Marilyn Kirkley
Hello Louis,
I wanted to touch base with you to let you know that I am reading the pdfs on the AFSWP history and other reports you sent on Feb 8. It will probably take me a while to get them read; but, I am grateful to you for sending them.
Before I began reading the AFSWP history pdfs, I skimmed through them all. There was one pdf that included reports on each AFSWP base. (I don't remember which pdf it was without going through them all). A Table of Contents on one of the pages in that pdf listed a Volume that contained a Manzano Base report. I wondered if you would know where I could find that Volume report?
Thank you again for your help.
Marilyn Kirkley
Hello Marily Kirkley
All Volume on Manzano Base are Top Secrete you may need to make a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for a specific Volume
I will look to see if I can fine more on Manzano Base
Here is something about OAK RIDGE
https://inldigitallibrary.inl.gov/PRR/93933.pdf
Three Mile Island
https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1465985
Defense Intelligence Agency At the Creation 1961-1965
https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a578664.pdf
Resident’s Message to Congress - 17 Feb 54
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16006054.pdf
STATEMENTBY THE ACTING SECRETARYOF DEFENSE
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/servlets/purl/16380703.pdf
Thank you
Louis Mabra
Hello Louis,
I think I will submit a FOIA request to see if I can get the Volume on Manzano. I'll need to look through the AFSWP history pdfs to see what the Volume number was; and, also see if any Volume numbers are listed for Manzano in the other history pdfs.
Thank you for the references you sent . Again, I appreciate your help.
Marilyn Kirkley
Hello Marilyn Kirkley
The privilege is all mine, let me know if you need any additional information
Thank you for your service
Louis Mabra
Hello Marilyn Kirkley
You had mention radiation doses for Manzano Base; this study was done in 2013
Site Profile for Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the Tonopah Test Range, Nevada
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ocas/pdfs/tbd/snlnm-r1.pdf
The VA should be using this CDC site profile.
Thank you
Louis Mabra
There is a document that would help anyone with concerns about Manzano WSA. It was titled Installation Recovery Program Kirtland AFB and was published in 1983. It is long but very detailed about what was buried on the base and Manzano. 
This report is on the web.
