James Neuhoff

James Neuhoff  SN 1st Div - 1952-1956 - Submitted 12/12/17

I found a few of my dad's, James Neuhoff, pictures of his navy days on the Estes. I believe he served from 52-55. Up to Alaska, across the equator, a number of Hydrogen Bomb Tests, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Japan, and maybe Korea… those are the areas I remember him talking about. I’ll have to ask him for a few more stories… his mind is not as sharp as it once was, but he’s still pretty good. 84 catches up to you but he’s still living on his own without assistance.

He remembers the bomb tests; he talked about being on deck, told to close his eyes, and cover his eyes with his forearm. They were told not to look no matter what they heard or felt. When the bomb detonated, he claims it was so bright he could see his arm bones, saw the shadow they created through his arm and closed eyes. He also heard someone scream in agony. Apparently someone looked, and they were taken below. Pops says they never saw that person on the ship again, not sure what happened to him. He also talked that because the admiral was on board, he elected to move the ship an additional 5 miles further away than originally designated but that could have just been the scuttlebutt amongst the crew.

He didn’t like shore leave in Vietnam. Claims everyone was back on the boat in a few hours. But he liked his time in Japan. Learned how to drink black coffee while in the arctic; cold in those crows nests.

Darryl

James Neuhoff  SN 1st Div - 1952-1956 - Submitted 2/22/18

Dad passed away 5 Feb 2018, I found these certificates in his stuff…
thought you might like them for the web site.
Since he made it to 84, I’m guessing the radiation didn’t get to him… :)

Darryl

Certificates from Pacific Proving Grounds

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