My grandfather
 

Apologies if this is not the right section, I know we have a relatives subform, however it states it's for those who've served in the world wars. As such that didn't fit. Little interesting tidbit, my grandfather (I'll just use his first name Tom) who's going strong at 84 (isn't that something? :D ) was drafted when he was 24 during peacetime, (actually sent a letter to the sitting senator from Rhode Island John O. Pastore requesting to be exempt for some reason that I can't quite recall, none the less the senator responded that it "Was an honor and a privilege to serve one's country and he should be proud." (though proud may not have been the correct feeling when describing what Tom was feeling at the time). Anyways he went through basic, was stationed in a few different places, before finally he was shipped out to the atoll of eniwetok in the Marshall Islands early spring 1958. There as a Jeep mechanic, but witnesses/participant in about a dozen and a half atomic detonation tests (Operation Hardtack) and one Hydrogen Bomb at 8.7 MT (shot oak) sworn to secrecy until 1995/1996 I am very fortunate to be able to know what happened and what they did, many families were left and possibly still are wondering what their relatives service entailed, and unfortunately may not directly know that premature deaths of their loved ones wether to cancer or other exposure related diseases, likely was a direct result of radiation exposure. For Tom though his story ended well, either the end of 1958/early 1959 he went from in two weeks 105-110 degree weather in the South Pacific to the dead of winter in the middle of February living in a cold water flat, being the smart guy he is thought to himself of how he would get out of such a situation, and proposed to his girlfriend of four years. (my grandmother). By the end of that week was sleeping in my grandmother's bed. (Who's father happened to own Cranston oil and had a fully heated house with hot water.) and are still happily are married after 59 years. (I do tell him also that should the power go out we would be able to see with him glowing in the dark :P ). *Also that photo of shot Oak was taken by the US government as previously stated, was classified until 1995-1996. Personal cameras would've not been allowed.*