Operation Wigwam
Pacific Ocean in 1955
Shot Wigwam
Veterans may receive $75,000 Nuclear Test Site Cancer Compensation. Find out if you qualify.
Operation Wigwam involved a single test of the Mark 90 "Betty" nuclear bomb. It was conducted about 500 mi (800 km) southwest of San Diego, California. 6,800 personnel aboard 30 ships were involved. The purpose of Operation Wigwam was to determine the vulnerability of submarines to deeply detonated nuclear weapons and to evaluate the feasibility of using such weapons in a combat situation. The task force commander, Admiral John Sylvester, embarked on the task force flagship USS Mount McKinley. Operation Wigwam was the first atomic test in the deep ocean and it remains the only test that has been conducted in water deeper than 1,000 ft (300 m).
Dates: May 14 – May 15, 1955
Videos
2000 Feet Very Deep Underwater Nuclear Explosion
Operation Wigwam - Underwater Nuclear Test Film
List of Participants
| SHOT | DATE | SITE | US SHIP PARTICIPATION |
| Wigwam | 5/14/1955 | Pacific | Wright, HMR-362, VS-21, VC-35, VP-2, Mt. Mckinley, Curtiss, Ft. Marion, Comstock, Reclaimer, Bolster, Chanticleer, VR-3, Blue, Cunningham, Evans, McKean, Walke, O'Brien, Hubbard, Small, LST-975, LST-1048, Cree, Moctobi, Hitchiti, Tawasa, Molala, Butternut, Gypsy, George Eastman, Granville S. Hall, Coronado, TACRON-1, FltWeaCen, SWUpac, RV Horizon, RV Baird, RV Paolina-T, T-Boat, YFNB-29, SQUAW-29, YFNB-13, SQUAW-13, YFNB-12, SQUAW-12, YC-473, Boat Pool (25 LCM/4 XLCM) |
Contact Us for More Information
If you were exposed to the effects of Operation Wigwam and have been subsequently diagnosed with cancer, please call the National Cancer Benefits Center at (800) 414-4328 or use our online form to request more information.
