20 Facts About Donald Mastick

Donald Francis Mastick was an American chemist who worked at the Manhattan Project's Los Alamos Laboratory.

Donald Francis Mastick was born in St Helena, California, the son of Spencer Mastick and his wife Frankie Hite.

Donald Mastick entered the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied chemistry, graduating with his Bachelor of Science degree in 1942.

Donald Mastick was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi honor societies.

Donald Mastick told Professor Wendell Latimer that he could not stand by while there was a war on, and that he was leaving.

Donald Mastick introduced him to Robert Oppenheimer, who recruited him for the Manhattan Project.

Donald Mastick moved to Los Alamos early in 1943, where he worked in the Chemistry Division and studied the mysterious chemical properties of plutonium, a synthetic element then available only in microscopic quantities.

Donald Mastick tasted some of the acid in his mouth, so he knew that he had ingested some plutonium.

Donald Mastick replaced the vial in its wooden container, and went to see Dr Louis Hempelmann, the director of the Health Group at Los Alamos.

Donald Mastick's face was scrubbed, but his skin remained contaminated with a microgram of plutonium.

Unable to work in the Chemistry Division any more because of the accident, Donald Mastick suggested to Oppenheimer that he become an assistant to Commander Frederick Ashworth.

Donald Mastick initially served as Ashworth's administrative assistant, but soon became involved in the drop-testing of pumpkin bombs in the Salton Sea, Silverplate modifications to the Boeing B-29 Superfortress to carry nuclear weapons, and modifications to the casing and tail configurations of the bombs themselves.

Donald Mastick investigated the inadvertent dropping of Little Boy due to a faulty electrical circuit.

Donald Mastick was commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navy Reserve in June 1945.

Donald Mastick left the Navy with the rank of lieutenant.

Donald Mastick returned to the University of California, where he earned his PhD in 1950, writing his thesis on A study of gaseous oxides at high temperatures.

Donald Mastick became the head of the Radiochemical Research section at the Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory San Francisco.

Donald Mastick then became vice president and Director of Precision Technology at General Precision Equipment.

Donald Mastick married Irene Pietrusiak, and they had a daughter, Patricia.

Donald Mastick died in Santa Barbara, California, on September 8,2007.