Operation Ranger and Operation Buster/Jangle

Operation Ranger was the first continental nuclear test series conducted at the Nevada Proving Ground (now called the Nevada Test Site). With the exception of the Trinity shot in New Mexico, all previous weapons testing was conducted at the Pacific Proving Ground in the Marshall Islands area. From January through February, 1951, five airdrop tests were conducted. Some of the shots were designed to test trigger devices for weapons to be tested in Operation Greenhouse scheduled for the Spring: Able, January 27, 1 kiloton Baker, January 28, 8 kilotons Easy, February 1, 1 kiloton Baker-2, February 2, 8 kilotons Fox, February 6, 22 kilotons Because of the low yields of the devices, the military conducted many tactical nuclear effects tests for the entire operation. Foxholes, textiles, plastics and wood were placed at various intervals to measure the effects of thermal radiation. Operation Buster/Jangle, conducted October and November 1951 at the Nevada Proving Ground, was comprised of five shots un