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Thanks to those survivors who have sent their email. We encourage any emails with comments from atomic veterans, friends and family. The strength of this web site is the personal histories. Help it grow, contribute your stories. Please email me for details.
Keith Whittle
From: dcswan76@comcast.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Operation Crossroads - Bikini Atoll
I ran across this email address on a web site today about Operation Crossroads - Bikini Atoll. My father was on the USS Presque Isle and the plaque with ships picture and Operation Crossroads - Bikini Atoll we still have. His name was
Burdette Staats and he served in USN 1944-1947. He passed away October 29, 2004.
He shared with me a lot of his WW II memories in the last 3 months before he died.
I would very much like to have his name added to the list on your web site.
Please email me if you would like additional information.
Cheryl (Staats) Swanson
dcswan76@comcast.net
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From: yvonne blas
Subject: family mail call
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
I am the wife of Edward J. Blas, my name is Yvonne M.G. Blas and I am testifying on the basis of my observation with my disabled husband, as a Disabled American Veteran and as an Atomic Veteran on the 1977 & 1978 Clean Up Project in the Enewetok Atolls of the Marshall Islands.
When I first met my husband, he had just got out of the U.S. Army,
He was also with the Guam National Guard, and was going night school at Guam Community College sometime in 1982
In 1983 he was diagnosed that he had very low count of reproductive cells.
In 1984 he had his tonsils removed. He also suffers a problem of constant sleeping, unable to breath thru his nostrils, severe choking-like sound and loud irritating snoring when sleeping.
In 1985 he had irritated a back injury caused from lifting and carrying a large size safe while in the military, unable to stand or walk.
In 1986, we got married in December; he worked two full time jobs. At the same time he was building our new home.
In 1987, he lost his vision and was later diagnosed that he has a high sugar count in his blood. He was always getting tired, weak or exhausted, run down, and stayed in bed for a weak or so.
In 1995, my husband had a tremendous loss of weight and he just kept on working.
In 1999, he had surgery on both eyes having two artificial lens implanted.
In 2003, after a couple years attempting to go for training.
He was unable to go to training for advancement in his job.
Later in April 2003, he quit his full time job due to so many cuts in his full time employment benefits with the Gov’t. of Guam. During that time, he was working full time hours with his part time job and had just started getting more sick.
In January 2004, my husband had stepped on a trinket toy and didn’t attend to it and so his foot got infected and was hospitalize, he had surgery on the bottom of his foot. He didn’t return to his part time job until March 2004
In April 2004, He then, had a hard time breathing, getting weak and exhausted during working hours at his part-time job. He was rushed by his private doctor to the hospital and was admitted because he had a weak heart.
In August 2004, we then went to Hawaii for an angiogram testing, as per the request of Guam’s Veteran’s Clinic Doctor. Straub’s Hospital Cardiologist diagnosed him and that he needed an open-heart surgery. He had a double by pass and has not recovered fully to this day. After surgery two weeks later, he suffered a stroke and thru so many tests, the doctors of Straub’s Hospital found out he had a heart attack before his surgery. Other new ailments coming back an forth immediately after his angiogram test and his double by-pass heart surgery, such as weakness and light headed, no appetite to eat, shortness of breath, pale looking face, poor blood circulation, always sleeping, constant coughing, lost his vision on both eye, had laser treatment on both eyes, pain and swelling of his knee and elbow, and deforming of his bones, continuously every other week.
Sometime in mid 2005 three times, my husband discharged large clods of blood thru his rear end. VA doctor was not sure what it is or what causes it to happen.
Guam’s VA Clinic Doctor referred him to a private specialist for his kidney and as a result the doctor there stated that his kidneys are only functioning 30 percent and that he had a spot on both of his kidneys as large as a dime.
In early 2006, the referral doctor of Guam’s Naval Hospital, counseled us (my husband and I) that a colonoscopy is not a good idea to go through and that it would have cost him his life. Her recommendation was that the only other test would be thru an upper and lower G.I., because his weak heart would not be able to withstand the test. The doctor also stated his heart was not functioning properly, especially after his by-pass surgery.
Recently, both arms of his skin are discolored, medium gray spots on his forefront hips; large lumps behind his thighs are starting to appear.
In 2007, to this day, my husband is unable to work at all to earn an income, can’t do handyman work around the house, such as carpentry work, electrical work and plumbing work, not able to lift or carry anything with medium weigh of 10 lbs. or higher, yard work and maintenance, such as painting, water blasting, cutting trees, bush cutting, or mowing the yard. He cannot stay out on the sun to long, he gets short tempered fast, at times he cannot comprehend, unable to walk or exercise, unable to play with our grandchildren. He will gaze up and consider if he should climb the stairs every time to use the restroom or to go to the bedroom to rest. He is not even able to drive himself anywhere, especially at night.
My husband is a victim of on-site participant attached to the 84th Engineer in Hawaii with the U.S. Army at Schofield Barracks, for the clean up project in the Marshall Islands. He is one of the many victims, a living proof whose body is deiterating and decaying slowly and progressively. And to think the doctors are not sure why and what causes my husband to be this ill.
I feel that because my husband was an on-site participant during the clean up project. I am assuming that my mother-in-law got contaminated from my husband thru his exposure to radiation when he came discharge himself from the military. She got sick and had passed away November of 2005.
I am also assuming that I too, got contaminated and exposed to radiation from my husband.
1982 I started dating my husband in August.
1982 diagnosed of having High Blood Pressure
1983 blockage of my ovaries, unable to have children from my husband
1986 Hyper Thyroidism, same year my brother died from cancerous thyroid and leukemia (at the time my brother lived with my husband and I for a short time.
1994 Total Hip Surgery of the right hip
1995 Laparoscopic Surgery of Gall Bladder
1996 Total Hysterectomy
1997 Diagnosed of having Uncontrollable High Blood Pressure
1998 Diagnosed of Having Diabetes and Cholesterol
2006 Laser treatment of both eyes
2007 I am still suffering most of these illnesses to this day.
All these ailments I am suffering from is when I started dating my husband when I was about 26 years old and suffered all the symptoms and signs of the different sicknesses, that are symptoms of Radiation Exposure on Cancer Victims, but in my situation is not Cancer yet.
I ask and pray that the U.S. Gov’t. Officials, U.S. Army, the Veterans Administration, Senators of this Legislature, the Congresswoman, the Governor and all our leaders to put their utmost support, cooperation, consideration and attention in having this bill passed and approved by this Legislature and U.S. Congress, Senate and VA.
I also ask and pray that this Legislature, Government and Congresswoman put their full 100% in supporting the movement of the PARS Group, especially it’s committee in assisting in the speedious compensation to victims of on-site participants and down winders for the People of Guam and any or all affected by exposure to radiaton..
I thank you all for your undivided attention.
YVONNE M.G. BLAS
From: Midge56@aol.com
Subject: Robert England -Castle Bravo death
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
My Uncle, Robert England, worked for Los Alamos Labs as a member of Scientific staff in division J-DO. He designed detonation circuits and measuring equipment for tests at Enewetak and NTS as well as circuits for the Los Alamos Betatron between 1946 and 1954. He was electrocuted on Enewetak on Feb 17, 1954 while setting up the Castle Bravo test...just 9 days prior to the detonation. He was 33 years old at the time. I have copies of his records from Los Alamos. I understand that he was not wearing a shirt at the time and was perspiring in the heat when he accidentally grounded himself while handling a high voltage circuit.
I never met him because he died 2 years before I was born and was interested in finding out more about him. I have been surprised that his death has never been mentioned in connection with Castle Bravo. I have not found any other websites like yours for people who worked at Los Alamos, but I was interested in hearing from anyone who remembers him. To this day, I have never seen a photo of my uncle and don't know very much about him except what I learned from his files. All other known family members have since passed away. He had some distinctive scars that someone might have remembered. According to his medical records, he had an 18 inch scar on his right shin and some muscular atrophy and a limp from several surgeries for osteomyelitis he had as a child that did not properly heal. It was also operated on again in 1950 before they let him go to the Enewetak tests.
He also had a large scar on his left arm from a broken window as a child and a scar on his left ankle also from osteomyelitis. I obtained this info from his files and don't know much else except that he was 5'8" and weighted about 139 lbs with brown hair and eyes.
I thought perhaps this might tweak someone's memory. I would imagine that someone might remember his death or having seen him on site during some of the tests.
Midge England-Chapman
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Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006
From: Tom Nystel tom.nystel@sbcglobal.net
Subject: family history
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
I have the following information to provide. I wish I had more definite information on specific military units, but this is what I have. Both men are deceased.
My stepfather-in-law, Robert H. McAfee, was a chief petty officer on the USS Collett during Operation Hardtack. He had a large certificate of participation, identical to the one posted on your site. He had a number of stories to tell. During one shot, they were anchored relatively close to ground zero. He claimed that a "wall of mist" came to within yards of the ship before stopping and that the shock wave was severe. He asked one of the "guys in the white coats" later and was told privately that they actually expected the ship to founder. He was not particularly pleased to find that out.
He also reported that on other shots they would hunker down behind the blast shields on deck, with their arms over their eyes to protect them from the glare, and jump up to watch after it subsided. One shot was sufficiently bright that he was able to see the bones in his arm. That one was supposed a bit bigger than expected. After the shots, they would send boats around the lagoon, with a survey meter, to check for buoys and retrieve floating debris. They would check them for residual radiation. They would often find that they would peg the meter, and those buoys were sunk with rifle fire.
Afterwards, they would camp on the beach, swim, and barbeque fish that they caught. Nobody seemed concerned about any of this. Later on, he developed multiple sarcomas on his hands, cataracts in both eyes, and bone degeneration. He died from kidney failure about 10 years ago.
He was contacted by the VA during the 70's as part of a survey to determine exposures. They sent a letter, which I got to read. In it, they stated that only two shots in the series were close enough to cause any concern and that based on their calculations, he had received no significant radiation exposure. He never contacted the VA for anything after that, stating that they were worthless liars.
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Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006
From: Tom Nystel tom.nystel@sbcglobal.net
Subject: A previously untold tale
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Thanks for your kind reply to my email. I knew a man named Melvin Ray Kerchee, a Comanche tribal leader whom I had the privilege to know, who was part of the task force surrounding the attack on Hiroshima. I do not know what Army unit he served in, but his assignment prior to this was UXO disposal, in the Pacific campaigns. He said that he always volunteered for the most dangerous assignments and got the most dangerous one of all at the end of the war.
Because the Little Man device was an untested design, they put together a team of people who were taught how to disarm and disassemble it, as well as how to detonate it manually. They were kept on standby, in the event that the device failed, to go to the drop zone (by parachute, if I recall correctly), secure the uranium, destroy the remaining components, and bring back the uranium by any means possible. If conditions were such that they could not evade capture (quite likely, considering where they would be going), they were to attempt to detonate it manually Everyone knew the consequences of that.
Thankfully, they were not needed. I have no way of verifying this account, but he did have a silver-colored uniform pin which showed a downward facing bomb, with 4 lightning bolts radiating from it. I haven't seen any of those anywhere else.
Later, he reported that he was able to go to Hiroshima to see what that thing did. He claimed that the experience changed him forever, when he realized that his assignment was to ensure that this destruction occurred, no matter what. He dedicated his life to spiritual pursuits after that.
His family told me recently that he had the opportunity to meet Robert Oppenheimer at a conference some years later. They reportedly discussed his assignment, and Mr. Oppenheimer left him with a rather simple pencil sketch of the device. I think he was testing Melvin's knowledge. The family still has this sketch, but they are considering donating it to a museum, possibly at Fort Sill. He died last month of causes unrelated to his service.
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From: "Matlak" bwmatlak@earthlink.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: civilian atomic veteran
Sir:
I have been meaning to email your organization for some time. My father
was a civilian on Johnston Island in the time frame of 1962 /63. He was
with Douglas (now McDonnell Douglas) and as a girl growing up the name Thor
was a common family friend both during and after Johnston island.
He was eventually Chief Test Conductor and Manager of Launch Operations for
McDonnell Douglas out of Cape Canaveral and was stationed there from Gemini
through All Apollo missions.
He died at the young age of 50 in 1980
and 2 years before he died he mentioned that if he ever got cancer it would
be because of radiation received at Johnston island. It was to be a most
prophetic statement as he died of a particularly unusual and virulent form
of lung cancer in a man who never smoked a day in his life. I remember he
used to visit us where we were stationed in Honolulu while he was on
Johnston(or the Rock as he referred to it) and he would tell me stories of
how the men were told not to disturb the sand as it was hot. Years later i
understood the importance of this.
I contacted the government to find out
how much radiation he truly received and i was told that none of the men on
the island were ever issued dosimeters as the risk was so low and there was
no need . No need indeed!
Well I guess i am writing because there has
always been a resurfacing sadness that never entirely goes away and it has
not been until recently that i realized how many others were affected. I am
especially saddened that because he was a civilian, for my government, he
didn't exist. They do not want to include him in any studies or data because
he wasn't military and while I never would take anything away from our
servicemen, he served and ultimately gave his life as well and should be
counted among those so sorely afflicted.
If possible I would like to have
him remembered at your site and I would appreciate hearing from anyone who
may have remembered him. He might most easily be remembered by the fact that
he had lost the 3 middle fingers on his right hand (as a boy.) His name was
John H. Bennett and I am his daughter, Vickie. Thank you.
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From: "Robert Choate" rchoate7@comcast.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Operation Ivy Certificate
Date: Tue, 1 Jun 2004
My father recently died. In going through his Navy papers and records, I have learned many things about him that I had no idea of his involvement. This certificate may interest many of those of you who participated in Operation Ivy. Apparently Dad (LCDR Robert B. Choate) was a Patrol Plane Commander in PV2 type aircraft. His unit was US Navy Patrol Squadron TWO (Task Group 7.3 of the Joint Task Force 132). He received a commendation letter for this service. Since Dad was very tight-lipped about his Navy service, I would ask if anyone who reads this remembers him, please post a note or send an email. --Robert B. Choate, Jr.
------------------
From: "Thomas Baker" bakes66buggy@msn.com
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Tumbler-Snapper
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2004
My father Donald Baker, participated in this exercise. He was assigned to the 140th Motor Vehicle Squadron at the time. My brother, Joe Baker, has some stories about the incident. I am particularly interested in being able to contact some of the men that were assigned to the 140th MVS that may have known my father. He died in 1961 during the construction of a Titan 1 missile silo. You are welcome to post that he died on your web site and give my email address to any one that may be interested. My father wrote some letters to a pen pal, who later became my mother, about his impressions just a few days after he witnessed the Charlie Shot. I just read them, 52 years after he wrote them, for the first time. He died when I was 1 1/2 years old so I never got to know his impression of the experience before now. Please let me know. I would like to have my email address posted for anyone to write that may have more information.
Any help with this would be appreciated.
Thomas Baker
25 April 1952
Clovis AFB, NM
Dear Carol,
Very sorry I haven't written sooner, but you have probably received my card from Las Vegas, Nevada. Yes, I was among the GI's who were 3 1/2 miles from "Ground Zero". It was an experience I'll never forget, believe me. I'll try to give you an explanation of the atomic bomb. We were all dug in 3 1/2 miles from "Ground Zero", in trenches about 4 1/2 ft. deep. Then came the last two minutes. The radio was cut in on the B-50, then came the count, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - Bomb Away. Then a silence, I can't explain. I had on all field equipment, helmet and covering for my eyes. I had my face in my lap, with a leather glove over my eyes. Yet I saw the flash. Then 3 seconds, came the blast wave, dirt was blown in the foxhole, then, (the blast creates a vacuum) the blast wave rushed over, returning to the explosion area, then, the most horrid wicked thunder followed, like a million rain thunders in one. Then the ground began to tremble. 3 1/2 miles away, then a continuing rumble. This all happened in about 7 seconds. I rose up out of my shelter and saw the greatest, most powerful sight, in the history of mankind. The fire ball, dark orange was rising upward, the whole valley below me was in an uproar hen the ball formed a giant ring going up 35,000 ft. into the heavens. It took about an hour for the valley to clear up, afterward we hiked into the valley, to "ground zero". (The bomb went off 3,000 ft above the earth's surface.) There was destruction that I can't start to explain. There were various tanks (armored), jeeps, sheep, goats, etc, twisted, burned to a state I can't start to explain.
To be perfectly truly, I was never more frightened in my life during the explosion. Thank God, we have this weapon on our side. I hope it is never dropped on human beings again. Enough of that subject...
As Ever
Don Baker
P.S. Buy next week's Life.
Please post this to your web site and I would want to invite anyone to respond via email to me in reference to the Charlie Shot or any other interest about the testing.
Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999
From: mnorwood mnorwood@erols.com
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Atomic test
Dear sir.
My father was on the MT Mckinley and I am trying to find out if I am on the right track. He was on the ship during the tests but I can't find any record but the picture's of the ship and my Uncle was on the ship too. They were twins. My father died in 1970 and I am trying to find out
about his past for my Uncle. He does not have much on his brother so if you could help me I would appreciate the help. His name is Donald Norwood and Ronald Norwood.
Thank you very much
Michael Norwood
From: LarkinsR@aol.com
Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1999
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Operation Castle
My father in law, C. William "Bill" Larkins, Sr., from Owings Mills, MD served
with the Joint Task Force, JT7, 2nd Army, Signal Corp. 1954.
He's interested in locating any others associated with Castle with whom he may
have served. His best friend, Reds Lang, from Pittsburgh, was also with him
at the time. He has since passed away from related health reprocussions.
The health history of fellow corp members is of great interest, in particular
any health related issues of children and grandchildren.
You may contact me, R. Larkins at LarkinsR@aol.com with any info.
We look forward to future correspondence.
Best regards
From: matthew pacillo
THATSANICE@worldnet.att.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Sandstone
Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999
I was wondering if anyone had some infomation on this Sandstone project . My brother was there and he passed away at an early age. Also info on the Grand Council Exclusive Order of the Eniwetok Guinea Pigs. At that time I think he was on the USS Henry Tucker.
Thanks
Mat Pacillo
From: Bdm40@aol.com
Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: OPERATION DOMINIC
My father participated in OPERATION DOMINIC during the spring and summer of 1962. He was aboard the USS PRINCETON . He passed away in 1996 from renal cell cancer. It has helped me tremendously reading this site knowing I'm not alone in my feelings about how the government has shaken their responsibility to these veterans.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Scoggins
Date: 14 Feb 99
From: Harry Jorgensen
hvj@netscape.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com, 1atomvet@airmail.net
Subject: operations crossroads and leukemia
My father, Harry Victor Jorgensen, is a Navy Veteran and witnessed Operation Crossroads at the Bikini atoll after WWII.
This week he found that he had leukemia. We would like to participate in your survey, and to see what type of research you have on veterans of this operation or similar operations who have cancer.
Has anyone succeeded in seeking government coverage of benefits or linking the government to responsibility for related diseases? Actually, my father gets upset when we talk about suing the government. But one of his doctors suggested that we might want to investigate this and that he would write a letter suggesting a link.
He has been going to the Veteran's hospital for a number of years for testing, but has never heard anything back from them. Now, my father wants to focus on getting better, and we have high hopes for that. At the same time, I'd like to research our options and get as much
info as possible.
Thank you.
Nancy Jorgensen,
njorgensen@cobank.com
From: jblb@california.com
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: My Father. . .
Date: Thu, 11 Feb 1999
Dear Keith,
My father was in the Navy (VP 872) and served as some kind of office clerk from about March 1962-June 1962 on Christmas Island. I can probably find out from my mom. My mother filed a claim and thanks to my dad's documentation we won and actually have a letter stating the government's responsibility for his death. I believe the letter is very rare and we only won because I compiled a lot of documentation. Although the monetary compensation is nothing, (for the loss of my father), for my mother, brother and myself it was the victory of the government admitting they took my father's life.
I have two motives in furthering my research of the Dominic I operation, they are: to possibly help others that served with my father with their claims and to find out the statistics on cancer, deaths and the family diseases within this group.
I was an infant when my father came home from Christmas Island. I believe he unknowingly exposed my family to radiation fallout. In 1994 I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and having never been "radiated around the head or throat" as I was asked repeatedly by all my doctors I wonder if a link is at all possible. Not that I can change the condition, but
information is power.
Thanks for all the addresses
Laura
From: loscorrales@worldnet.att.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: US Navy Sea Bee's in Nevada
Date: Sun, 7 Feb 1999
My dad, and his cousin, both were in a US Navy Construction Battalion detachment that went to the Nevada Test Site performing "Make Work Projects" for the Atomic Energy Commission. I do not know the exact dates, but I believe it was 1950-51.
He was a heavy equipment operator in the Seabee's and told me he would bulldoze
an area where the blast would take place, they would all get into a trench, to witness the
blast, and afterward be sent into the affected area to bulldoze more, I assume this was one
of the "make work projects," that was devised, to get sailors, marines, soldiers, and airmen
into the "Hot Zone" for more exposure and experimentation.
He spoke of the urine samples, and of not having regular latrines but instead would defecate in cardboard "ice cream" type containers which would be tested by the AEC scientists.
In 1979, or 1980 the VA contacted my dad, and asked him to come to the VA Hospital for a check up mentioning his exposure in Nevada during that two year period, my dad said: "hell no !" He didn't realize it when he was a 19 year old sailor, as after all our gov't wouldn't harm its military men, but by 1980 he realized that he had been just a guinea pig, and they just
wanted to continue on a "long term checkup."
My dad died of cancer at age 54, and although cancer had spread throughout his body and every gland, the death certificate indicates "lung cancer" which is not on the DOJ list.
His is cousin died of cancer at age 61, with a listed cancer.
loscorrales@worldnet.att.net
From: "Step Clarke" Step@fiber-net.com
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Operation Crossroads
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1999
I have lived with a silent fear all my life. I wonder if I glow at night. You may laugh but if your father was exposed to a massive amount of radiation on the U.S.S. San Marcos, you would wonder too. His ship was radioactive and for one year after his exposure during the Atomic Bomb tests. His ship was finally allowed to dock in Seattle, Washington. He told me of the men that left in body bags and how his Captain committed suicide. The men on his ship got the orders wrong and went swimming 7 hours after one of the tests. They were also swallowing small whole fish in glasses of sea water playing around.
My father Roger Schaeffer has now passed on. He suffered from Osteoporosis.
I suffered a bone disease Oshgodslauders when I was growing up, which usually affected boys not girls. I had it twice.
A few years ago I was at a neighbors house having dinner when he brought out some Navy pictures. He is around 45. In the pictures which were taken in Bikini in the South Pacific, he showed me men that looked like they were on the moon in space suits. He was stationed there cleaning up 20 years later. Needless to say how I felt.
My father was also told that he would be sterile from the exposure. I was born in 1951 and my sister in 1957. He crossed the 180th Meridan on 0300 Sept 2,1946.
I am so happy to find others that have this experience in their GENES.
Please let me know of any other survivors from the San Marcos(LS10-25) . Also is the government doing any thing for us. I know that the natives in the South Pacific are being compensated for their exposure, what about us. I am so glad to know that I am not alone . I wonder for my children and my grandchildren and all the generations to come. I harbor a silent fear.
Step
From: "Merideth & Leigh"
moverton@tds.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Roger K. Schaeffer
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999
Hello again,
This is Merideth S. Overton I wrote you about two years ago
about my dad Roger K. Schaeffer. After I sent you that e-mail my dad got
very ill and my computer went down and I lost your site ..
Today my sister called reading a letter sent to you and brought me to tears
It was the letter I sent !!!!!!! My sisters name is Step Clarke.
I am sorry to say dad passed away on December 23, 1998.
Please post my name and dads. Dad was and is one of the most important people in
my life. Please give him credit for his life and death. And also put my new
e-mail address moverton@tds.net just in case there is is someone out there
that needs to talk.
Thank you so much for your kindness!!!!
Merideth S. Overton
Here is Merideth's first email
Hello,
My name is Merideth S. Overton, my dad Roger K. Schaeffer, F2, 225-76-59
served on the USS San Marcos (LSD-25) during the operation. Needless to say
that his ship was radioactive for quite some time. My dad is alive but with
but is suffering from oseoperosis and emphyzema. I have most of his
paperwork, his Joint Task Force One Atom Bomb Test card, a large document
titled Imperial Domain of the Golden Dragon it is signed and has the Navy
seal on it. Also I have several letters he wrote his mother telling her how
radioactive the ship was and about all the men getting sick on board.
There are a couple of reasons I'm writing you. First to try to find out
where dad could have some testing done to see if his problems are were
caused by exposure and also if there is genetic testing for him and myself
and possible my son who was born with CP. Second, my dad would love to find
his old shipmates and what happened to the ship.
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1998
From: Karen Elizabeth Husby
kehusby@evansville.net
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Veteran Rolf Husby information
My father, Rolf Husby, was an Atomic Veteran, a Marine who was part of
the small detachment that accompanied officials, Life Magazine
photographers, and scientific persons into Nagasaki before the main
occupation forces landed. I believe that was the party that landed on
September 16, but I'm not sure. He was an artillery expert. My father
died on Oct 12, 1991 of chronic myelogenous leukemia, and I understand
that he was the last of that group, and that all the others died of
leukemia as well.
He was granted VA disability because of his atomic exposure, partly because of the efforts of Dennis Warling (VA officer in Detroit Lakes, MN) and some of the doctors at the VA hospital in Fargo, ND (I think). His VA case # 437/211 C 6 852 158. His separation serial number was
880948, his separation papers list the sea/foreign service 23Dec43 - 22Dec45, and his discharge date is Jan 9, 1946. Did you receive information about his case from the VA? My mother's name is Betty Husby.
I am wanting to find out more about his service, and clarify/verify the
details of the story, as well as seeing if I can contact family of the
other members of this group. My father never said much about his
service or his experience in Japan, so I am piecing this together after
the fact.
Karen Husby
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