Rick Phillips, Enewetak Atoll (1977) Glimmer of Lights

Introducing a series of narrative articles about the Atomic Cleanup Veterans of Enewetak Atoll.

The following are first-hand accounts told by comparatively few survivors of the Enewetak Atoll Atomic Debris Cleanup Mission, Marshall Islands; a mission that took place from 1977-1980. Their stories appear as told to T-M Fitzgerald(published author, veteran, veteran advocate) because theirs are tales needing to be known.

Read - H.R. 5980: Mark Takai Atomic Veterans Healthcare Parity Act

Introduction: “Where in the World is Enewetak?”

Enewetak is just one of many atolls and islands in the Pacific Ocean’s Marshall Island chain. Located about 2,365 nautical miles SW of Hawaii (just north of the equator), the Marshall Islands were once a major testing ground for nuclear weapons post WWII. This island chain is also home to the project called Cactus Dome, a 350’- wide blast crater located at the northern end of Runit Island that has become known as the ‘Nuclear Trashcan of the Pacific.’

Between 1948-58, forty-three nuclear weapons were detonated over Enewetak and its sister islands. Among these tests were ‘Ivy Mike’ and ‘Castle Bravo’ (a device 1000X as powerful as the bomb ‘Little Boy’ which was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan post Pearl Harbor.)

In 1977, a coalition of United States military forces and civilian support teams were sanctioned to ‘clean’ the islands of residual radioactive fallout. Men, many who were mere teenagers back in the day, were tasked with cleaning the contaminated fallout from the nuclear testing that occurred throughout the previous three decades. Keep in mind, that as recent as 2012, the United Nations reported that the cumulative effects from all that nuclear testing had effectively caused near-irreversible environmental contamination. There was a problem beginning in 1977 and currently, effects from that exposure have begun to manifest, taking toll on many surviving Enewetak vets and contractors today. Four decades later, survivors are telling their stories because the world needs to know.

Personal story by Rick Phillips

Branch: US Navy MOS: EN3 Location: Enjebi Year: 1977

Quote: “Who was the wizard behind the curtain that made the decision to send us to harm’s way?”

“I am but one of a few of the survivors of the 1977-1980 Enewetak Atoll Atomic Debris Cleanup Mission that took place in the Marshall Islands.

A major focus of this group has been to help one another with information and moral support during some of the challenging times we’ve encountered following our time in service at Enewetak.

A secondary focus/goal is to urge Congress to change current law and recognize Cold War Era soldiers of the Enewetak Cleanup Mission as “veterans who participated in radiation-risk activities during active service.”

By obtaining their second goal, individuals experiencing health complications resulting from radiation exposure at Enewetak Atoll will be eligible to apply for funds that have previously been set-aside for other Atomic Veterans who have already been recognized and acknowledged for their service.

Holmes and Narver had the original contract to set up Cactus Crater on Runit before the military did. (An industrial engineering and construction company founded in 1972.) When we got there, we had this Army captain with us. He’d never stay out there but he’d come down where we were working every few days with his Geiger counter. We’d been down there picking up relics from WWII. The captain would check our stuff out and his Geiger counter went off the charts. “Nope, can’t keep any of that stuff.” All of a sudden, it seemed Holmes and Narver decided to back out because the environment was too atomically ‘hot’ and so the Army came in.”

“When we first went down there, we knew very little. They told us some about the nuclear testing that had taken place in the 40’s and 50’s and assured us that everything was safe. We were just going down to help the Marshallese get their islands back to their pristine state. We had no movies, no safety gear, not even so much as a dust mask. Our uniforms consisted of shorts, Ray-Bans and maybe a T-shirt. That was how we started out on Enewetak.”

“When we first started our work, we had one loader to use. We’d go out to Lojwa and back carrying men, equipment and what not. While we were all together (Army and Navy guys), we ended up cross-training. They taught us their jobs and we taught them ours.”

“I ETS’d in October of 1977. It always bugged me that I’d never heard from anybody else for all those years. Little by little I started finding out things about Enewetak. I’ve developed numerous health problems, unexplained aches and pains. When I tell healthcare providers about Enewetak, they have no clue as to what I’m talking about. I’ve had breathing problems especially. So I started doing my own research and that’s how I found the Enewetak Atomic Cleanup Veterans group a few months ago.”

“My thoughts about this whole situation?” After giving the answer much thought, Rick Phillips responded. “We were just really glad to make it back stateside. I got out, I was pissed. If I had the opportunity to ask for and get a straight answer, I think I’d like to ask our government, ‘How could you? How could you take those young kids and send them to this cesspool of poison. Who was the wizard behind the curtain that made the decision to send these kids in harm’s way?’”

"The primary focus for this group is to urge Congress to change legislation and recognize soldiers of this seemingly forgotten cleanup mission as “veterans who participated in radiation-risk activities during active service.”

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