9 Radiations ÿ Spring 2005
he 2004 Sigma Pi Sigma National Congress began
on Thursday, October 14th with a truly special
event: a visit to the Trinity Site, where the first atomic bomb
was detonated. The four buses which transported partici-
pants to the site began boarding at 6:30 am, with departure at
7:00 am. The early morning air was chilly as people began
exiting the hotel and choosing seats on the buses. One of the
first to board the bus I would be taking, I shivered slightly,
and wondered with anticipation what the day would bring.
The skies began to lighten with the first hints of dawn,
and as the orange-glowing disk of the sun slowly rose above
the horizon, a white mist began to gather. Soon the bus was
engulfed and the surrounding landscape obscured. My mind
was left to wander, and soon turned to what I knew of the
atomic bomb.
In high school, I had been shown videos describing the
events leading up to the bombings of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki, and the horrible aftermath that had ensued. For
contrast I had Feynman’s accounts of his days at Los Alamos
and the reaction of the scientists who had worked so diligent -
ly on the Manhattan project upon witnessing the fruits of
their labor. The bomb’s significance in the course of history
is recognized by all, and the appropriateness of its use still, at
times, debated. We have heard of the bomb’s awesome power
and witnessed its explosion on a television set. Yet, the reality
of it can seem distant from the lives of most Americans. What
would it be like to stand in the actual place where the first
atomic bomb was detonated, and in the house where it was
assembled?
Before long, we arrived at the White Sands Missile
Range, where the Trinity site is located. The buses then fol-
lowed the official’s car across the wide expanse of the base
towards our destination. The White Sands Missile Range is
located on a large flat stretch of land covered with small
shrubs. In the distance, one can see a range of mountains sur-
rounding the wide plain. The Trinity site is sit