Eniwetok Clean-up
1978-1979
U.S. Atomic Veterans
Richard Masculine
Richard Masculine sent email about his duty at Eniwetok.
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004
From: richard masculine ballbustersbest@yahoo.com
Subject: enewetak cleanup prodject 78/79
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Howdy, Lojwa Animal Rick Masculine, aka bklyn ballbuster say's hello. It brought tears to my eye's when I found this site. I have quite a collection of pictures of the Enewetak Clean Up Project 78/79. Trying to get in touch with Ron Madden, I remember him, I was a dump truck operator on the Isle of Janet (Enjubi) 2 loads a day to the Isle of Runit. When we had to bring the truck's back to Lojwa for repairs and they were clicking on the Geiger counter, they would have us back the trucks in the lagoon and hand wash them with buckets of water. Then when our hand's were clicking they would have us jump in the lagoon. When we still clicked they said it was just background rads. Why was our dosemeters in a plastic sealed bag? Where do we get the results of our gallon urine jugs? Anyone have a article about the captain and enlistedman (Grape Ape) that went out in a canoe? They found it overturned and their
clothes, thinking they got eaten by sharks, only to turn up in Okinawa. Must have been real bad for a captain to go awol, or the article about a few GI's that died from chewing C4. I've been signing guess book's for Eastern Ok Atomic Vets, Florida Atomic Vets, even Austrailian Atomic Vets (for 6 months), since I got myself computer literate, still learning to spell, sorry,
I put in for VA disability for some health issues. While I was there (Eniwetok) I was sent back to Hawaii to have 4 teeth removed, then back to Lojwa with open wounds. Well my teeth seem to get brittle and break. Last year I had them all removed. 8 years ago I had a squamus cell carcinoma removed with a wedge out of my tongue, thank god I still can talk. Unusually dry skin (seems to make a lot of dust), constant dry cough, depression and anxiety plus lots of worry for the health of my 21 year old daughter. The last time I put in for compensation they gave me 10% for tinnitus. The Austrailian website says there is an atomic veterans's syndrome.
Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Bob (footz) Lawrence from N.C. or Helem (Runt) Rundel N.Y. feel free to call, or write, as soon as I figure out how to add pictures to my email I will forward them. I sent Pat Broudy a letter I found on the web from Congress to Sec. Brown stating now that funding has been approved for the Cleanup due to the hazards of the job that we know of and don't. We should only use volunteers and they should be apprised of the dangers. Well I also faxed her a copy of the original info pack stating the danger of radiation is no more than a chest x-ray. Yeah one that lasts 6 month's. How safe was drinking water from a desalinazation plant from radiation contaminated water? I read a study concerning testing the rad levels in fish, before and after the Cleanup. No wonder the beer was only $4.00 a case. Sure do miss, All ya can eat PRIME RIB on WEDNSDAY...
Well, God bless us all, stay healthy.
Richard Masculine
PO Box 2285 Middletown, N.Y. 10940
845-457-1941 shop / 845-374-3714 home
ballbustersbest@yahoo.com
Keith Whittle
September 27, 2004
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