Operation Castle
US Atomic Veterans
Herbert E. Foge
Gordon E. Harrington sent email about his friend Bert Foge's duty at Operation Castle.
From: "Gordon E. Harrington" flashg@cybertrails.com
To: "Keith" pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: recollections of Bert Foge about the Yankee shot
Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2001
Here are Burt's Memories of the days following the Yankee Shot of Operation
Castle.
Contrary to what the DNC says, the ship was NOT washed down at the site.
They towed LST 762 (disabled) from the site to Pearl Harbor. This took 2-3
weeks. When they reached Pearl they were not allowed into port. They were
told to stand out at sea and wash down the ship. Each day someone from
Pearl would come out to the ship (in FULL protective gear) to check the
amount of radiation. They would not even come on board but checked from
another boat. After three days of washing down they were allowed in port.
They (US Government) claimed that because Bert was in the engine room at the
time of the fallout that he did not receive any substantial exposure. He
was not in the engine room the whole time of the tow or after they reached
Pearl. This was the longest tow in Naval history at the time. They
received a commendation for it at the time. He was also involved in the
wash down operation and was exposed there.
The government claims he has Rheumatoid Arthritis but none of their tests
have established this. They have also said he has Sero-negative RA which
has none of the effects to the body that he has experienced.
He has had over half the joints in his body replaced. He has melanin on his
face and basal cell cancer on the neck. His elbow has been replaced several
times and can't be done again as they say three is nothing left to attach
to.
His name on the ship log would be Herbert E. Foge. I call him Bert.
I hope you can find some help for him. I have researched the sites you told
me about in you previous e-mail. He did not even know of NAAV before I
found it on the Internet.
Gordon E. Harrington
Email: flashg@cybertrails.com
[ Operation Castle ]