Abandoned Heroes: The Forgotten Soldiers of Enewetak Atoll’s Nuclear Cleanup
The Tragic Fallout from America’s Largest Nuclear Remediation Effort
Abandoned Heroes: The Forgotten Soldiers of Enewetak Atoll’s Nuclear Cleanup
The Tragic Fallout from America’s Largest Nuclear Remediation Effort
In a heart-wrenching exposé published on November 27, 2017, by ABC Australia, foreign correspondent Mark Willacy sheds light on the tragic fate of American soldiers who undertook the harrowing task of cleaning up the radioactive remnants of the United States' nuclear testing program on Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Despite their selfless sacrifices, these veterans now face a dire fate, abandoned by the very government they served.
Willacy’s report centers around soldiers like Jim Androl, who arrived at Enewetak Atoll in the late 1970s as part of the largest nuclear cleanup operation in US history. The soldiers were provided with minimal protective equipment—often working in just shorts, t-shirts, hats, and jungle boots—despite being tasked with collecting and disposing of radioactive waste from atomic tests. Approximately 4,000 US troops were sent to the atoll between 1977 and 1979 to clean up the aftermath of 43 nuclear tests that had devastated the islands.
The cleanup effort, designed to save money by employing regular soldiers rather than specialized nuclear workers, exposed these servicemen to the long-lasting dangers of plutonium and other radioactive materials. Plutonium, with a half-life of 24,000 years, was collected in plastic bags and dumped into craters created by previous atomic blasts. Even a tiny amount of plutonium—just one-millionth of a gram—can lead to fatal cancers decades later.
Despite their immense sacrifices, the veterans who participated in the Enewetak cleanup operation have been denied recognition as "atomic veterans" by the US government. This lack of official acknowledgment has deprived them of access to critical health benefits and compensation for radiation exposure. Unlike atomic veterans from previous generations, who were granted medical coverage for specific cancers linked to radiation, the Enewetak cleanup soldiers remain excluded.
Veterans like Ken Kasik have shared their struggles with serious health conditions, which they believe are directly connected to their time at Enewetak. Kasik, who now suffers from a brain aneurysm, speaks out about the hazardous conditions they faced on the atoll. Jim Androl and others have reported debilitating illnesses, with some suffering from 40 to 45 different cancer-related ailments.
Despite mounting evidence and a social media survey that showed 20% of Enewetak cleanup veterans have developed cancers, the US military denies any link between the veterans’ illnesses and their service. The government maintains that radiation exposure during the cleanup was within "safe" limits, leaving the soldiers’ claims for medical support unaddressed.
The veterans’ fight for recognition continues, as their stories shine a harsh light on the human toll of nuclear testing and the government's failure to provide for those who risked their lives in the name of national duty. Willacy's report serves as a powerful reminder that the legacy of these nuclear tests stretches far beyond the atoll’s contaminated soil, impacting the lives of the soldiers who gave everything for their country and were left to bear the consequences alone.
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(ABC.AU)
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