J. C. Penney Company and the Atomic Bomb (part 2)

Here are some more articles from the J. C. Penney publication Pay Day:

"Laboratory Associates at Atomic Bomb Tests," April 1955

"Charles W. Dorn, Laboratory head, and James Fynn, assistant, were invited to attend the recent Atomic Test Program of the Federal Civil Defense Administration's Operation 'Q' as project consultants on textiles."

"'The Penney Company clothed 75 mannikins [sic] for the operation. Fifty were placed in houses and trailer homes while the remaining 25 were placed in the open at various distances from the point of explosion' Mr. Dorn explained. Two years ago the Company furnished clothing for mannikins [sic] used in similar tests."

"Help in Exposing Fabrics"

"Mr. Dorn and Mr. Fynn also cooperated with the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists, an organization in which they are both active members, in exposing over 300 fabric samples to atomic radiation. The samples were composed of various textile fibers ranging in color from black through the intermediate shades to white."

"Known as 'open shot tests,' their purpose was to test certain effects of an atomic blast on an imaginary civilian population and installations. Between 1500 and 2,000 persons in industry participated."


"FCDA Honors Lab Heads and Company," August-September 1955

"The Federal Civilian Defense Administration recently presented to Penney's a public service award certificate for its contribution to the National Defense through participation in the Civil Defense Atomic Test program at the Nevada test site last spring."

"The Company contributed fabrics and clothing for a test conducted by the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists during Operation Cue, the atomic explosion set off May 5. Over 300 combinations of various fabrics were exposed at varying distances from ground zero, the point of explosion, to judge the effects of the intense radiation generated in a nuclear reaction on textile fibers. Mannikins [sic] clothed by the Penney Company were also exposed both indoors and outdoors."

"Individual Awards Given"

"C.W. Dorn, head of the Central Office laboratory, and P. J. Fynn, his assistant, spent nearly a month on the test site to prepare and set up the experiments. In appreciation of their participation in the test, they were awarded individual certificates from the Federal Civilian Administration and the Atomic Energy Commission."

[I hope they used the certificates as toilet paper!]

"Operation Cue occurred near the end of a series of 'shots' or atomic explosions designated as Operation Teapot. A part of the AEC research program on nuclear explosion devices, Operation Cue was conducted by the FCDA as an industry participation program in an attempt to work out some of the problems of protecting life and property in the event of atomic attack. Private industry was encouraged to experiment by exposing standard and special installations of material with the purpose of determining the effects of an atomic explosion."

"All material used in the test was shipped to Lowell, Mass., headquarters of the AATCC, for photographing and study. Mr. Dorn recently visited Lowell to examine the fabrics. Results of the textile experiments were given in a technical paper presented at the annual convention of the AATCC in Atlantic City in September."