Eniwetok Clean-up
U.S. Atomic Veterans
Robert Celestial
Robert Celestial sent email about his duty at Eniwetok.
From: "Robert Celestial" rcgolf@netpci.com
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Re: Post cleanup Enewitok Atoll
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2000
Dear Sir,
My name is Robert N. Celestial, I would like to share with you my history, but first I would like to thank you all for what you have been doing for Atomic Vets.
I was attached to the 84th Engineer Bn and was based in Lojwa Island a sister Island of the Enewitok Atoll in 1977. I was 19yrs old and naive. I was a heavy equipment operator, I drove 20 ton dump trucks, operated earth augors and drove cement trucks during my tenure on Enewitok Atoll.
We were exposed to high levels of radiation on a daily basis and worked with yellow suits, rubber boots, gloves and power pack breathing apparatus. and was deconed after each cleanup.
We also were told by our superiors that the fish, lobsters where safe to eat, and we did eat the fish and lobsters....I dont' think that was a wise thing to do now but we did.
On our little Island of Lojwa we had about 500 military personnel. We rode a shuttle boat LCU each morning to our designated Island for clean up and sometimes we would be ordered to conduct experiments with our equipment on how effective they would be to move radiated debris.
I remember some of the ideas our superiors would come up with on transporting these tons of radiated soil to another Island so we could cap them off in a large pit, and also to our surprise we would have a large barge in the middle of the lagoon to dump these soils into the lagoon after we had cleared a large portion of earth from a contaminated Island.
I was in Lojwa for six months and when I returned to the States I woke up one morning with my entire back red with a rash. I was diagnosed with Psoriasis at the time. Years went by and I acquired Psoriatic Arthritis, Gout, Degeneritve of my bones, Hepatitis C. and Severe Gultate Psoriasis. I was given 100% unemployablility Compensation from the VA. I have fought for over 20 years and on the 22nd year they have given me 100% disability.
From reading all the accounts of past histories of exposure to radiation and how cancer has been a factor in the deaths of hundreds of Atomic Veterans, I have come to a conclusion that I may be next. I have an appointment with the VA in Hawaii in October of this year and they will do a thorough checkup on me... I hope and pray they do not find anything else growing in my body.
I do believe that my being in Enewitok was the main factor for all my illnesses and diseases. I also pray that an amendment to the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act for post war cleanup of radiated debris may come soon and not wait as others have waited and now they are either passed or in their 70's.
I would also like to recommend a great information book that may shine a light to others who participated in the Pacific Islands Atomic era. " Tidy little Universe of Islands" by William Peck.... He resides in the Island of Rota one of the Marianas Islands. He is 78 yrs old, and was a particpant during most of all the atomic blasts and also a Naval Officer in charge during his time in Rongelap Island, Bikini Atoll, he was also the Health Director for the Trust Territories at the time, and Commander of Naval Hospital Guam. He has claimed to be an ex-patriot due to the fact of the things that he has seen and witnessed. If this information or book may help anyone, it has helped me. I have spoken to Mr. Peck a couple of times and he does not know of your association. Please forgive me for almost writing a book, then let me end with this.
Please contact me if you have any questions or information that may be helpful. I thank you so very much.
Sincerely,
Robert N. Celestial
SGT, DAV
dcollin1@ix.netcom.com
Keith Whittle
June 4, 2000
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