Terry Hamrick, Enewetak Atoll (1978) 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 Terry Hamrick

Branch: Air Force MOS: Telecomm Location: Enewetak Year: 1978-79

Quote: “I’d like to see the VA do something for us now and not wait until it’s a disaster situation…”

“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 and contractors of the Enewetak Cleanup Mission as “veterans and workers 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.

“I knew I was going to Enewetak and I already knew I was going to be removing different types of communication equipment: setting up, tearing down, relocating, etc. I’d worked on the eastern and western test ranges previous to my duty on Enewetak so I knew there’d been nuclear testing performed there previously. I was sent there to remove and insure destruction of certain pieces of communications equipment and relocate others (like navigational beacons). Relocation included establishing ground fields which meant disturbing the sand/soil. I have no memory of wearing any type of protective clothing but I do remember a briefing about destroying all but our clothing before getting back on the C-130 and leaving the island.”

“My job consisted of removing and relocating communications equipment, setting up ground fields for navigational beacons …. I don’t remember a whole lot about being down there or of the things I did while there. I do have a vague memory of a concrete ship on one of the other islands but that’s really about all I know.”

“I saw and heard how people were having issues with the VA particularly when it came down to certain cancers. I knew the environment was hot, but didn’t know how hot. Things started going wrong in my 50's when I began getting skin cancers. I started hearing about some of the other guys who served down there who had developed some really harsh types of cancers so I thought I’d join in and do what I could to help.”

“If I could share a message, my message would be to all veterans that served on the atoll. “Keep reminding your VA PACT team and specialists about your service in a hot zone, even if those people keep writing it off as "not relevant".

“I would give another message to the house, senate and president: ‘You do a disservice to people you asked to do extraordinary tasks when you say their exposure is less valuable to the country than others.’ I’d like to see the VA do something for us now and not wait until it’s a disaster situation; do something now. We need everybody to keep the pressure on. Maybe we’ll get something done.”

"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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