Operation Greenhouse
Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands in 1951
Shot Dog, Shot Easy, Shot George, & Shot Item
Veterans may receive $75,000 Nuclear Test Site Cancer Compensation. Find out if you qualify.
Operation Greenhouse was the fifth American nuclear test series, the second conducted in 1951, and the first to test principles that would lead to developing thermonuclear weapons (hydrogen bombs). Conducted at the new Pacific Proving Ground on islands of the Enewetak Atoll, it mounted the devices on large steel towers to simulate air bursts. The main idea was to reduce the size, the weight, and, most importantly, the amount of fissile material necessary for nuclear weapons, while increasing the destructive power. The success of Operation Greenhouse was vital before the development of thermonuclear weapons could continue.
A number of target buildings, including bunkers, houses, and factories were built on Mujinkarikku Islet to test nuclear weapon effects.
Dates: April 5 - June 20, 1951 (Garrison or Maintenance Forces: through July 1, 1952)
Videos
Operation Greenhouse Thermonuclear Testing 1951
Operation GREENHOUSE George Color Test
Joint Task Force 3 Presents Operation Greenhouse (1951)
Ultra High-Speed Photography Greenhouse George Shot 1951
Joint Task Force 3 Report on Operation Greenhouse (1951)
List of Participants
| SHOT | DATE | SITE | US SHIP PARTICIPATION |
| Dog | 4/8/1951 | Enewetak | Curtiss, Sproston, Walker, Cabildo, Sgt. Charles E. Mower, LST-859, David C. Shanks, General D.E. Aultman, Sgt. Andrew Miller, LSU-1345, LCM-20, Bald Eagle, Planetree, Cimarron, Faribault, Fred C. Ainsworth, General Daniel I. Sultan, General Edwin D. Patrick, Lt. Robert S. Craig, Genesee, Nemasket, PC-1546, Pvt. F.J. Petrarca, Pictor, Pvt. Joe E. Mann, Rio Grande, Sgt. Truman Kimbro, Sussex, Warrick, Zelima |
| Easy | 4/21/1951 | Enewetak | Curtiss, Sproston, Walker, Cabildo, Sgt. Charles E. Mower, LST-859, Eugenia M. Moran, David C. Shanks, General D.E. Aultman, Sgt. Andrew Miller, AVR-20987, LSU-1249, Bald Eagle, Planetree, Cimarron, Faribault, Fred C. Ainsworth, General Daniel I. Sultan, General Edwin D. Patrick, Lt. Robert S. Craig, Genesee, Nemasket, PC-1546, Pvt. F.J. Petrarca, Pictor, Pvt. Joe E. Mann, Rio Grande, Sgt. Truman Kimbro, Sussex, Warrick, Zelima |
| George | 5/9/1951 | Enewetak | Curtiss, Sproston, Walker, Cabildo, Sgt. Charles E. Mower, David C. Shanks, General D.E. Aultman, Sgt. Andrew Miller, Bald Eagle, Planetree, Cimarron, Faribault, Fred C. Ainsworth, General Daniel I. Sultan, General Edwin D. Patrick, Lt. Robert S. Craig, Genesee, Nemasket, PC-1546, Pvt. F.J. Petrarca, Pictor, Pvt. Joe E. Mann, Rio Grande, Sgt. Truman Kimbro, Sussex, Warrick, Zelima |
| Item | 5/25/1951 | Enewetak | Curtiss, Sproston, Walker, Cabildo, Sgt. Charles E. Mower, David C. Shanks, General D.E. Aultman, Sgt. Andrew Miller, Catamount, Bald Eagle, Planetree, Cimarron, Faribault, Fred C. Ainsworth, General Daniel I. Sultan, General Edwin D. Patrick, Lt. Robert S. Craig, Genesee, Nemasket, PC-1546, Pvt. F.J. Petrarca, Pictor, Pvt. Joe E. Mann, Rio Grande, Sgt. Truman Kimbro, Sussex, Warrick, Zelima |
Contact Us for More Information
If you believe you were exposed to the effects of Operation Greenhouse and were diagnosed with cancer, please call the National Cancer Benefits Center at (800) 414-4328 or use our online form to request more information.
