Ken Brownell, 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 Ken Brownell

Branch: US Army MOS: 51B, Charlie carpenter, mason Location: Lojwa Basecamp Year: 1977

Quote: “Our government needs to know that we are still here and will be for a very long time, continuing the fight for what we feel is right.

“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.

Army veteran Ken Brownell provided this snapshot of his part in a seemingly forgotten military mission in the Marshall Islands of the South pacific. At the beginning of his interview, Brownell was asked, “Before you went to the Marshall Islands, what did you know about the location or the mission you were about to be involved in for the next six months of your life?”

“Nothing. I had never heard of the place before or what we were even doing there in the first place. Eventually, we were briefed on what our duty was going to entail. We were told we were going to be setting up a base camp for 300 men so they could come down and clean up these islands. I was stationed with the 84th Engineers, Company B.” (This cleanup mission was assigned to a coalition of military forces hosted by the 84th Engineers out of Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.)

“We never wore any special protective gear. Our uniform of the day was basically boots and cut off jungle pants… sometimes clean socks.”

“Back in the 70’s, we were all young and had no idea that there was potentially any problem. We trusted our chain of command: until now. As far as how I learned about the Enewetak Atomic Cleanup Veterans pages, well an old Army friend of mine (Tom Parrish) whom I’ve kept in contact with over the years told me about the websites. At first I thought the others were just letting off some steam about the Enewetak project but then got a little more involved after realizing that I’d had the same problems as many of them. (I’m a cancer survivor, had it back in 2001 but am doing fine now; though I know it could always come back.)”

“We live in a great nation filled with many amazing sites with wonderful places to go and see. Our greatest asset is our people. I’m one of those people who enlisted in the military and served this country as many before me have done. Our government needs to know that we are here and will be for a very long time, continuing the fight for what we feel is right.”

"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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