Operation Crossroads - Test Charlie

Test Charlie

Charlie was to explode deep under the surface in the lee of the atoll to test effects on unmoored ships. Charlie, originally scheduled for early 1947, would have tested the effects of using nuclear weapons as depth charges. Technical support personnel were unavailable because of the unanticipated decontamination delay following test Baker. There were no uncontaminated target ships available for use in Charlie. The official reason for canceling Charlie was that it was felt unnecessary after the success of the Able and Baker tests, and it was deemed less pressing when the entire US arsenal had only a handful of such weapons. The test intended for Charlie was conducted in 1955 as Operation Wigwam.