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Desert Rock was the
ACHRE report Chapter 10: Human Research at the Bomb Tests The Defense Department's Medical Experts: Advocates of Troop Maneuvers and Human Experimentation
1951 in Nevada 1952 in Nevada 1953 in Nevada 1955 in Nevada 1957 in Nevada 1951 in military history 1952 in military history 1953 in military history 1955 in military history 1957 in military history Explosions in 1951 Explosions in 1952 Explosions in 1953 Explosions in 1955 Explosions in 1957 American nuclear weapons testing Military exercises involving the United States
Desert Rock was the code name
A code name, call sign or cryptonym is a code word or name used, sometimes clandestinely, to refer to another name, word, project, or person. Code names are often used for military purposes, or in espionage. They may also be used in industrial c ...
of a series of exercises conducted by the US military in conjunction with atmospheric nuclear tests
Nuclear weapons tests are experiments carried out to determine nuclear weapons' effectiveness, yield, and explosive capability. Testing nuclear weapons offers practical information about how the weapons function, how detonations are affected by ...
. They were carried out at the Nevada Proving Grounds between 1951 and 1957.
Their purpose was to train troops and gain knowledge of military maneuvers and operations on the nuclear battlefield. They included observer programs, tactical maneuvers, and damage effects tests.
Camp Desert Rock () was established in 1951, south of Camp Mercury. The site was used to billet troops and stage equipment. The camp was discontinued as an Army installation in 1964.
Summary
Desert Rock I, II, III
Observer programs were conducted at shots ''Dog'', ''Sugar'', and ''Uncle''. Tactical maneuvers were conducted after shot ''Dog''. Damage effects tests were conducted at shots ''Dog'', ''Sugar'', and ''Uncle'' to determine the effects of a nuclear detonation on military equipment and field fortifications.Desert Rock IV
Observer programs were conducted at shots ''Charlie'', ''Dog'', ''Fox'', and ''George''. Tactical maneuvers were conducted after shots ''Charlie'', ''Dog'', and ''George''. Psychological tests were conducted at shots ''Charlie'', ''Fox'', and ''George'' to determine the troops' reactions to witnessing a nuclear detonation.Desert Rock V
Exercise Desert Rock V included troop orientation and training, a volunteer officer observer program, tactical troop maneuvers, operational helicopter tests, and damage effects evaluation.Desert Rock VI
Observer programs were conducted at shots ''Wasp'', ''Moth'', ''Tesla'', ''Turk'', ''Bee'', ''Ess'', ''Apple 1'', and ''Apple 2''. Tactical maneuvers were conducted after shots ''Bee'' and ''Apple 2''. Technical studies were conducted at shots ''Wasp'', ''Moth'', ''Tesla'', ''Turk'', ''Bee'', ''Ess'', ''Apple 1'', ''Wasp Prime'', ''Met'', and ''Apple 2''. A test of an armored task force, RAZOR, was conducted at shot ''Apple 2'' to demonstrate the capability of a reinforced tank battalion to seize an objective immediately after a nuclear detonation.Desert Rock VII, VIII
Tactical maneuvers were conducted after shots ''Hood'', ''Smoky'', and ''Galileo''. At shot ''Hood'', the Marine Corps conducted a maneuver involving the use of a helicopter airlift and tactical air support. At shot ''Smoky'', Army troops conducted an airlift assault, and at shot ''Galileo'', Army troops were tested to determine their psychological reactions to witnessing a nuclear detonation.See also
*Totskoye nuclear exercise
The Totskoye nuclear exercise was a military exercise undertaken by the Soviet Army to explore defensive and offensive warfare during nuclear war. The exercise, under the code name "Snowball", involved an aerial detonation of a 40 kt RDS-4 ...
of 1954, a somewhat comparable series of Soviet
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
exercises.
Research
External links
* * * {{Internet Archive short film, id=ExerciseDesertRock1951, name=Exercise Desert Rock (1951)ACHRE report Chapter 10: Human Research at the Bomb Tests The Defense Department's Medical Experts: Advocates of Troop Maneuvers and Human Experimentation
1951 in Nevada 1952 in Nevada 1953 in Nevada 1955 in Nevada 1957 in Nevada 1951 in military history 1952 in military history 1953 in military history 1955 in military history 1957 in military history Explosions in 1951 Explosions in 1952 Explosions in 1953 Explosions in 1955 Explosions in 1957 American nuclear weapons testing Military exercises involving the United States