Radiation: The Silent Killer

So far as I'm concerned, one of the reasons I have worked on this research was to demonstrate how arrogant the Government has been to the very people who served their country in time of war, by not giving the veterans who deserved Health Care and compensation what they deserved. We have to wonder how many veterans have suffered and died while the records of the Atomic Bomb (radiation testing) were sealed from July 16, 1945, for 49 years, until Secretary. Hazel O'Leary opened the sealed 'TOP-SECRET' files to the public on December 7, 1993.

In the beginning, everything was 'TOP SECRET,' and all records of Physical testing and events were sealed by our Government. If anything needed to be covered up to protect a superior or friend from scrutiny, it would be, without the possibility of anyone ever seeing the records. In the records it says that everything was so top secret that even the 'TOP SECRET' laws and rules were sealed, so that the operations managers didn't know what they could or couldn't do. Everything that was done by our supervisors was done on the same basis, and we heard it every time we turned around: 'This is not to going to hurt you.' 'We don't have to tell anyone anything.' 'Why do they have to know, anyway?' In my own mind I will always believe that our superior officers were not informed and did not really, know the dangers to which they were subjecting the enlisted men and even themselves. They also believed that their superiors would not put them in harm's way intentionally. They were wrong!!

Sometimes in the field on some of the Atomic Tests, some of the scientists would argue with us (AFSWP), because they didn't want to leave the shot area when radiation levels were too high and they hadn't completed their experiments yet. Sometimes we had to threaten to drive away and leave them if they didn't get in the vehicle so we could go back to the Control Point.

America's struggle to be Number One in the Nuclear Race in the World is perhaps best reflected in a comment by Rear Admiral W.K. Meridenhall, a Senior Nuclear Weapons Officer who complained that the Bomb Test Scientists were wasting valuable time. In a memo recently released, Field Commander Meridenhall wrote on October 18, 1951... 'I'm not interested in the science of measuring Radiation. I merely want to know can the troops tolerate the Radiation to which they are being subjected for FIVE MINUTES OR FIVE DAYS?'

I am not really provoked about what we had to do for our country. We were proud to have a part in our fight to maintain our freedom. Some men gave a lot more than those of us who survived-THEY GAVE THEIR LIVES. So we don't think we were mistreated during our time in the service. We also feel we did our part in staying ahead of Russia in Atomic Technology even if it cost our health or lives. What we are provoked at is that after we did our part, the Government turned its back on us and said 'PROVE IT--THE RECORDS ARE SEALED,' when it came to our hospitalization and compensation.

I guess the main point I'm trying to get across in all of my research is how poorly the FILM BADGE was used. I will try to explain by the Government's own books and records, how they did not use the film badges like the laws are today, and yet the Veterans Administration uses the film badge records they have to base our claims and dosage on.

ALL STATEMENTS ON THESE ARTICLES HAVE GOVERNMENT RECORDS PROOF.

Let's just compare today's standards on Film Badge usage against 1952 usage. Today, if you work in a Nuclear plant you receive a (ONE) film badge for every shift, or each day. This film badge has to be developed within 24 hours.

In 1952 the AEC said I had 11 Film Badges (reconstructed) in 91 days. So what amount of radiation did I receive in the other 80 days? By the way, we had our first ATOMIC TEST only 10 miles from the camp we lived in for 91 days. Every morning we swept the floor out, but water was hauled in by truck, so we weren't allowed to scrub the floors at all (according to proof by letter written April 25, 1952). We had no windows in the hut. We also had a laundry bag full of dirty contaminated clothes under our beds until laundry day. So did we need a film badge? Yes... Did we have one? No... We were not allowed to have a film badge in Camp Mercury. We had plywood over screen, so if you wanted air, you just propped the plywood up and the screen was viable. There was no roofing, just plywood roofs (photo available).

Let's go a step further. Today a badge is issued that cannot accidentally be turned with the wrong side of the badge facing out, to record the radiation-in 1952 the film badge was worn in the chest pocket, with the lead strip facing out. So what happened if you accidentally put it in your pocket wrong?? Or if you bent over and it fell out of your pocket?? You're right-NO reading or contamination on your record.

According to Government Records, quoting from page 136, 'The On site Operations Officer determined daily requirements for film badges and pocket dosimeter for the groups taking part in the tests.' 'A DuPont type 558 film badge and one or more self-reading pocket dosimeters to official reentry parties and other personnel entering a controlled radiation area (an area with radiation intensities exceeding 0.01 Roentgens per hour).'

On Fox Shot from 25 through 31 May, according to records there were 10,600 personnel on the Tumbler-Snapper series and only 340 film badges were issued for the entire week of the shot. The majority of the Military Personnel, as you can see, didn't get a film badge. On this basis, how can the Government take the readings from these film badges, issued only on a hit or miss, or priority basis, and reconstruct a dosage amount for anyone else and call it accurate?

'Until 1955 film badges were issued to some of the personnel in a unit, such as a platoon, ship, or aircraft. If everyone in the unit was expected to receive similar exposures, only a few representatives might be badged. After 1955, DOD and AEC policy changed to require the badging of all participants. Some badges were environmentally damaged during their use and were rendered unreadable, and some records were lost or destroyed in the 1973 fire at the Federal Records Center in St. Louis.