Operation Dust Up

Vintage photos
Post Reply
User avatar
Luis
G-Lieutenant Colonel
G-Lieutenant Colonel
Posts: 1003
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 11:15 am
Location: Buenos Aires,Argentina

Operation Dust Up

Post by Luis » Wed May 25, 2011 4:50 pm

Operation Dust Up
Date taken: 1953
Photographer: Yale Joel

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image
Mariano Paz
LU4ALM
1967 M606
1952 M100
MEP CE-016-AC Hol-Gar Mfg.
1945 Willys MB

Buenos Aires,ARGENTINA


User avatar
gerrykan
G-General
G-General
Posts: 9303
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 3:37 am
Location: Ozark Mountains, USA

Re: Operation Dust Up

Post by gerrykan » Wed May 25, 2011 5:23 pm

I wonder what the story is that goes with those pictures?
Roy

User avatar
Chuck Lutz
Gee Addict
Posts: 26829
Joined: Wed Jun 28, 2006 7:00 am
Location: Jeep Heaven

Re: Operation Dust Up

Post by Chuck Lutz » Wed May 25, 2011 5:55 pm

After repeated A-Bomb tests in the New Mexico desert, the Manhattan Project board wanted to assess the level of fallout across America but could not simply ask Americans to collect radioactive material from their own homes so the Dept of Defense sought a solution. Thus the Great American Vacuum Roundup began. From Alaska to Alabama and from California to Canada and all points in between, housewives from all across the country answered the call and emptied their vacuum bags on September 1st and did not dump the contents until September 30th when the US Army, the US Army Reserve, the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts set up collection points in towns and cities across this country.

The contents of each of the vacuum bags was sent to Oak Ridge, Tennessee for analysis to determine the amount of harmful radiation that had fallen in the area where each sample was collected from. The cover for this operation which was determined would have completely freaked out not only housewives but their family if the actual purpose of the collections was known meant that a cover-up was needed for the operation.

The public was informed that a smelting factory at an undisclosed location had been using a new process that had some initial problems and that several thousand tons of gold had been released as a particulate into the atmosphere. While it posed no health risks to anyone, it was determined that the particles would bond with common dust and as such could be collected by a common household vacuum. Those housewives who turned in their vacuum contents were promised 50% of any gold found would be returned to them and no public announcement would be made to protect those who did "strike it rich"....
Chuck Lutz

GPW 17963 4/24/42 Chester, PA. USA 20113473 (USA est./Tom W.)
Bantam T3-C 1947

User avatar
Luis
G-Lieutenant Colonel
G-Lieutenant Colonel
Posts: 1003
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 11:15 am
Location: Buenos Aires,Argentina

Re: Operation Dust Up

Post by Luis » Wed May 25, 2011 6:49 pm

Chuck Lutz wrote:After repeated A-Bomb tests in the New Mexico desert, the Manhattan Project board wanted to assess the level of fallout across America but could not simply ask Americans to collect radioactive material from their own homes so the Dept of Defense sought a solution. Thus the Great American Vacuum Roundup began. From Alaska to Alabama and from California to Canada and all points in between, housewives from all across the country answered the call and emptied their vacuum bags on September 1st and did not dump the contents until September 30th when the US Army, the US Army Reserve, the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts set up collection points in towns and cities across this country.

The contents of each of the vacuum bags was sent to Oak Ridge, Tennessee for analysis to determine the amount of harmful radiation that had fallen in the area where each sample was collected from. The cover for this operation which was determined would have completely freaked out not only housewives but their family if the actual purpose of the collections was known meant that a cover-up was needed for the operation.

The public was informed that a smelting factory at an undisclosed location had been using a new process that had some initial problems and that several thousand tons of gold had been released as a particulate into the atmosphere. While it posed no health risks to anyone, it was determined that the particles would bond with common dust and as such could be collected by a common household vacuum. Those housewives who turned in their vacuum contents were promised 50% of any gold found would be returned to them and no public announcement would be made to protect those who did "strike it rich"....
Very interesting history Chuck! :shock:

Thanks! :wink:
Mariano Paz
LU4ALM
1967 M606
1952 M100
MEP CE-016-AC Hol-Gar Mfg.
1945 Willys MB

Buenos Aires,ARGENTINA

User avatar
wjohn
LTCOL, RA Sigs
LTCOL, RA Sigs
Posts: 8012
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:23 pm
Location: Country Victoria, Australia

Re: Operation Dust Up

Post by wjohn » Wed May 25, 2011 7:23 pm

Amazing story, now we know that some of the Conspiracy theorists have some true stories to fall back on.

Imagine if that was done today, the outcry!!!
GPW 204556
USA 20536862

MB371922
ACM2 Tub 23298

MB130849
ARN: 79731
DOD 26 Mar 1942

User avatar
gerrykan
G-General
G-General
Posts: 9303
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 3:37 am
Location: Ozark Mountains, USA

Re: Operation Dust Up

Post by gerrykan » Thu May 26, 2011 3:23 am

wjohn wrote:Imagine if that was done today, the outcry!!!
And lawsuits!

Thanks for finding that Chuck.
Roy

mb4ever
G-Command Sergeant Major
G-Command Sergeant Major
Posts: 232
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2007 9:09 am
Location:

Re: Operation Dust Up

Post by mb4ever » Thu May 26, 2011 4:32 am

.
What a wonderful scam.

Thanks for the pictures Luis.

Thanks for the information Chuck.
"Compared to the crimes, robberies and excesses committed by the army [part of the Wehrmacht], the SS and the police don't look all that bad" Reinhard Heydrich, Chief of the Reich Main Security Office (including the Gestapo).

Buggy Man
G-Major General
G-Major General
Posts: 2668
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2006 10:29 am
Location: H'burg VA

Re: Operation Dust Up

Post by Buggy Man » Thu May 26, 2011 8:46 am

I'm still waiting for my gold............
Matt

User avatar
Luis
G-Lieutenant Colonel
G-Lieutenant Colonel
Posts: 1003
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2006 11:15 am
Location: Buenos Aires,Argentina

Re: Operation Dust Up

Post by Luis » Thu May 26, 2011 1:37 pm

Image
Mariano Paz
LU4ALM
1967 M606
1952 M100
MEP CE-016-AC Hol-Gar Mfg.
1945 Willys MB

Buenos Aires,ARGENTINA

User avatar
tamnalan
G-Lieutenant General
G-Lieutenant General
Posts: 6310
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:58 am
Location: SW Oregon
Contact:

Re: Operation Dust Up

Post by tamnalan » Tue May 31, 2011 6:15 pm

Folks could have called that op the "Hoover D@mn", once they learned what the dust really was...
Alan W. Johnson
_______________
MB, 201453, "Lt Bob"
MB, 1942, not stock
M-100, Sep 1951
MB-TD, Mar 2012
Ford 91C, 1939

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: Operation Dust Up

Post by Joe Gopan » Sun Mar 18, 2018 8:46 am

Good honest photos of M-38A1 Jeeps without cosmetic mods.
And note the original M-38A1 factory U.S.A. registration location above the hood cut out.
These M-38A1's would be in their 2430 S.G. O.D. factory finish. They also have the O.D. Vinylite Seat Cushion covers.
U.S.A. 20959664 would be a JULY 1952 dated M-38A1. :wink:
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

User avatar
YLG80
G-Lieutenant General
G-Lieutenant General
Posts: 4095
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:45 am
Location: near Namur, Belgium
Contact:

Re: Operation Dust Up

Post by YLG80 » Wed Jul 11, 2018 6:59 am

Chuck Lutz wrote:
Wed May 25, 2011 5:55 pm
After repeated A-Bomb tests in the New Mexico desert, the Manhattan Project board wanted to assess the level of fallout across America but could not simply ask Americans to collect radioactive material from their own homes so the Dept of Defense sought a solution. Thus the Great American Vacuum Roundup began. From Alaska to Alabama and from California to Canada and all points in between, housewives from all across the country answered the call and emptied their vacuum bags on September 1st and did not dump the contents until September 30th when the US Army, the US Army Reserve, the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts set up collection points in towns and cities across this country.

The contents of each of the vacuum bags was sent to Oak Ridge, Tennessee for analysis to determine the amount of harmful radiation that had fallen in the area where each sample was collected from. The cover for this operation which was determined would have completely freaked out not only housewives but their family if the actual purpose of the collections was known meant that a cover-up was needed for the operation.

The public was informed that a smelting factory at an undisclosed location had been using a new process that had some initial problems and that several thousand tons of gold had been released as a particulate into the atmosphere. While it posed no health risks to anyone, it was determined that the particles would bond with common dust and as such could be collected by a common household vacuum. Those housewives who turned in their vacuum contents were promised 50% of any gold found would be returned to them and no public announcement would be made to protect those who did "strike it rich"....
Ah ah ah, this is one of the most hilarious stories I've ever heard in my life !
But since the Saddam massive destruction weapons hoax, we never know.
That X factor could have indeed been related to radiations in 1953.
Because the army with the nice M38 jeeps was working in that project, it could be related to one of the many unethical projects performed in the past (hopefully) in the US. see here :https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unethical ... ted_States

Not sure, but it could also be a fabulous marketing event organized by the vacuum manufacturer together with Life :) !

Here are the news paper archives from September 19th and 21th, 1953. (From the Lowell Sun, Newcastle News,

It all happened in a little town named Littleton (Massachusetts) as written on the truck shown on one photo.
In reality it was Operation PayDust.
Peter Bent has been truly working in the Brigham hospital in 1953
Operation_PayDust-1.jpg
Operation_PayDust-1.jpg (124.11 KiB) Viewed 6507 times
Operation_Pay_Dust_2.jpg
Operation_Pay_Dust_2.jpg (83.42 KiB) Viewed 6507 times
Operation_PayDust_3.jpg
Operation_PayDust_3.jpg (58.74 KiB) Viewed 6507 times
Chuck story was re- posted on a Spanish/ South American forum. http://foro.aacvm.com.ar/viewtopic.php? ... 39&start=0

OCR Text of the story :
(Reprinted from The Lowell September 9lh)
"X" Factor Search in Littleton
Seek Find Potential Threat of Dust
LITTLETON, Sept. 9 (INS)
--An army of housewives, doctors, chemists and industrialists today launched "Operation Paydust" in the village of Littleton.
The living rooms of every house were vacuumed lo help medical science discover the potential danger of dust.
Under the direction of the allergy department of Boston's Peter Bent Brigham hospital, hags of dust were collected to undergo spectrochemical
analysis.
Scientists hoped to track down the unknown "X" factor contained in household dust.
This factor is believed to be related to respiratory and infectious diseases.
Doctors in Littleton prepared detailed medical histories of each family participating In the dust collection In order to correlate the individual dust findings to the health record of each person.
More than 100 vacuum machines, equipped with micro-dust filters to capture the most minute dust particles, were provided by a Brooklyn, N. Y., manufacturer.
Littleton was chosen for the dust research project because it is a typical small town community with working factories and established local customs, and also because it Is geographically close to the great medical research center of Boston.
THE SAME MODEL LEWYT VACUUM CLEANER CHOSEN FOR THIS VALUABLE RESEARCH PROJECT BECAUSE OF THE LEWYT'S ABILITY TO PICK UP EVEN EMBEDDED DIRT OR DUST IS AVAILABLE TO YOU NOW AT GAUMONT BROS.
FOR FASTER, BETTER VACUUM DO IT WITH A LEWYT!
LIMITED TIME OFFER! REGULARLY $89.95, $20.00 FOR YOUR OLD CLEANER.


Alex Lewyt was really a technology fool :) :)!
Alex Lewyt, president of Lewyt vacuum company in 1955 stated, “Nuclear-powered vacuum cleaners will probably be a reality within 10 years.

I guess that would be useful with glow in the dark dust :D .
Ford GPW 1943 - Louisville - DoD 12-7-43
serial 164794

User avatar
RedArrow2016
G-Major
G-Major
Posts: 932
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2018 3:55 pm
Location: Central Wisconsin, USA
Contact:

Re: Operation Dust Up

Post by RedArrow2016 » Tue Oct 23, 2018 9:21 pm

Learned a lot from reading this post and I never knew that this was a real thing and thanks for posting this...
US ARMY 1995-2000
32nd Brigade,126th Field Artillery, Battery D
redarrowparts.com/ email me at bryan@redarrowparts.com

User avatar
W. Winget
LTC, U.S. Army
LTC, U.S. Army
Posts: 4446
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2002 10:37 am
Location: USA, Virginia, Carrollton
Contact:

Re: Operation Dust Up

Post by W. Winget » Wed Oct 24, 2018 3:42 am

So where's the mention of "Gold" in the news stories?
A conspiracy within a conspiracy? Somewhere the results are out there, and either they were too traumatic to reveal, :o or they just found dust... :oops:
Oh well.
W. Winget
Looking for 1918 Standard B 'Liberty' truck parts

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: Operation Dust Up

Post by Joe Gopan » Wed Oct 24, 2018 7:31 am

NOTE THE Early 1952 M-38A1 USA Registration and the USA font.and M-38A1 USA Registration location. The Army did away with U.S.A. starting 1956.
I kind of prefer U.S.A. to the U.S. Army.
Oh, and note the vinyl covered seats. :wink
This M-38A1 is under a year old at the time of the photo.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO


Post Reply

Return to “Vintage Photos & Video”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 46 guests