Mike Chumley, Enewetak Atoll (1979) 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 Mike Chumley

Branch: Army MOS: 63B/Mechanic Location: Lojwa Year: 1979

Quote: “I had no reason to think my own government was going to intentionally put me in 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 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.

“When we were sent to the Marshall Islands, we were all really young. I knew very little about the assignment; I didn’t even know there was such as place as the Marshall Islands but I remember thinking how everything was so cool. As far as what we were getting into? Nobody knew.”

“I was a mechanic so I worked on everything. I went out to the other islands (I was on the LARCs a lot) and fixed whatever needed fixing. As far as safety gear, I only wore a safety one time. After that, the uniform of the day was pretty much just shorts and boots. We did wear film badges though.”

“It’s hard to say when I first really suspected things weren’t quite right. I mean, I really didn’t expect anything bad to come from service to my country. The Army shipped me to Enewetak and Lowja. It had to be safe, right? I had no reason to think my own government was going to intentionally put me in harm’s way. Before we went, we were told that Lojwa was a totally different atmosphere. That was the truth, it was. They gave us an information packet with information telling us all we needed to know about heat stroke,” Mr. Chumley paused before continuing, “-but nothing about radiation.”

“Things started hitting me after I got home in 1981. I knew something was wrong. My wife suffered three miscarriages and we ended up burying our only son. He was stillborn/premature. I have a daughter who was born right after him. I’m not certain it has to do with me being down on Lojwa, but she has issues.”

“About two years ago, I had a swollen lymph node that I went and had looked at. The doctors ended up finding a spot on my lungs. That’s when I really started investigating. One night typed in the word ‘Enewetak’ on the computer and so many things popped up; links to sites and photos and such. That’s when I found out about all the problems other people who had served down there were having.”

“We didn’t know what we were sitting on when we were sent to Enewetak. Now, we’re all dying, one by one and our government doesn’t want to do anything about it. It’s unreal to me that we were purposefully sent into that environment. They never said a word about potential radiation exposure; only told us about heat stroke. I don’t even know how many of us have already passed and how many are still alive…but all the people who served down there during that time under the conditions we served in? We need help.”

“I met so many people from so many different places. We were serving in the shadows of Viet Nam, sent to serve our country, ready to put our lives on the line but you know something? Here in Indiana, the VFW won’t even recognize me. They tell me I wasn’t shot at so I’d have to sign up under my dad’s name. Well, I served my country too and a lot of us who were on the Rock are dying. We served our country, too. No different. I fee let down. We didn’t have a chance to defend ourselves against what we were exposed to.”

"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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