- USS LSM-60
"LSM-60" was a
World War II era landing ship, medium (LSM)amphibious assault ship of theUS Navy . It was notable for being used as the float to suspend afission bomb underwater during theOperation Crossroads BAKER test, becoming the first naval vessel to "use" a nuclear weapon. [The ill-fated USS|Indianapolis|CA-35 was the first to "carry" a nuclear weapon.]World War II Service
"LSM-60"'s keel was laid on
7 July 1944 and she was launched on29 July . [cite web |url= http://rasputin.physics.uiuc.edu/~wiringa/Ships/Period3/UnitedStates/Amphibious/LSM-60.html |title= LSM-60 |accessdate= 2006-12-26 ] She was commissioned on25 August , LT. William W. Doar,USNR , commanding.cite web |url= http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/14/14060.htm |title= NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive LSM-60 |accessdate= 2006-12-26 ]"LSM-60" participated in the assault landings at Iwo Jima, where she earned one
battle star .Operation Crossroads "ground" zero
In 1946, the
United States conducted the firstnuclear weapon test s designed to measure weapons effects, Operation Crossroads. The second shot of this test, BAKER, was designed to test the effects of an underwater nuclear blast on surface ships and submarines."LSM-60" was modified with a well through the cargo deck and hull, a derrick to lower the bomb through the well, and a large antenna to receive the detonation signal. On
25 July , a standard Mk. 3A "Fat Man " type atomic bomb, placed in a watertight casing, was suspended 90 feet below "LSM-60" in the lagoon ofBikini Atoll in theMarshall Islands .cite web |url= http://www.aracnet.com/~pdxavets/jordanj1.htm |title= Operation Crossroads |accessdate= 2006-12-26] At 0835 local time the bomb was detonated, destroying "LSM-60" and eight target ships, including USS|Saratoga|CV-3. [cite web |url= http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Tests/Crossrd.html |title= Operation Crossroads 1946 |accessdate= 2006-12-26 ] "There was not one identifiable piece of the LSM 60 ever located."External links
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/14/14060.htm NavSource photos of LSM-60]
* [http://www.aracnet.com/~pdxavets/jordanj1.htm Atomic Veteran Joseph K. Jordan's account of LSM-60 and Operation Crossroads]References
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