Operation Plumbbob
US Atomic Veterans
Monte L Schlarman
From: Calientejug@aol.com
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2000
Subject: Plumbbob
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
This letter was sent to both Senators and congress persons it got no action.
I am writing this letter for several reasons. First I want the
records/documentation corrected on what really happened on the following
events. Second I request a complete medical examination by qualified
physicians such as an Ear, Nose and Throat specialists, Rheumatology,
Arthritis Disease, and Physiatrics. I would also like to be judged by
professionals (ie. doctors and judges) not by records that have been altered
and changed.
I was a Radio Chief (SP3) in the U.S. Army and was sent to the Yucca Flats
test site from June 23, 1957 through September 3, 1957, for reasons unknown
at that time (see DOC D & E).
The following is my account of the events that took place during the time
period mentioned above.
There were eleven men assigned to the Yucca Site (see names listed below).
This group of men were used/misused as guinea pigs by the military and
civilian personnel for experimental reasons to determine the quantity of
radiation the human body could endure before becoming critically ill or dying.
To deliberately expose us to radiation and then not follow up with further
testing/observation indicates that we were in fact used as guinea pigs.
In my opinion, there has been large amounts of tax dollars used to cover up
and deceive the men involved by destroying and creating contradictive and
misleading paper work to convince us that the tests were not dangerous or
life threatening and most importantly, damaging to our health (see exhibit
A). The following are questions I would like to have answered:
1. What about the eleven men (listed below) who worked at the Yucca Flats
radio station? Where are they? Are they alive? What is their health
conditions?
2. What about the five men at Mine Mountain radio station? Where are they?
Are they alive? What is their health conditions?
The Yucca Flats radio station was five miles closer and more exposed than the
Mine Mountain site.
The following is a list of the men stationed at the above mentioned sites:
Yucca Site Mine Mountain Site:
- Schlarman, Monte L.*
- Morrow, John I.*
- Augtin, Charles E.
- McLaughlin, James Sr.
- Holiday, Donald
- Dicintio, John R.
- Bass, Edward L.
- Wiik, Richard A.
- Smith, Dale A.
- Hill, Amon J. Jr.
- Bennet Copppinger, David J.*
- Kula, Ralpha*
- Fidler, Robert H. Jr.*
- Kohler, Raymond C.*
- Auer, Alfred T. Jr.
* 16 or more atomic bomb exposures
An atomic bomb as low as 1 KT could be heard over 100 miles away. The flash
would light the sky as bright as the noon day sun as far away as 100 miles.
I witnessed this numerous times, as I was raised in Caliente, Nevada (Lincoln
County) which is approximately 100 miles away.
What harm did these bright flashes, loud noises and radiation have on the
human body at a distance of three to ten miles away (see DOC M)? Could any
of these cause a hearing loss? Was there ever a study done on this? I have
a severe hearing loss.
The flash from the bombs were so bright you could see bones in your arms when
you covered your eyes with them. I recall one time when we were told to hold
our arms over our eyes for approximately four hours, due to a miss fire. We
were not equipped with eye protection. Why? Did they think we would not
survive these experiments and it would be a waste of money. What effect did
all this flash radiation have on the human body? Did it cause damage to our
joints? All my joints suffer with severe pain.
What about the shock waves, there was a massive black wall coming at you with
a tremendously loud noise that hurt your ears. The dust was so thick you
couldn't breath or see. The force of the wind and dust was so strong that it
stung when it hit you. There are times when I relive that moment and I see
that horrible black wall coming at me.
As Radio Chief I had to transfer several of the men because they were afraid
of the black wall and would try to out run it.
According to previous correspondence and documentation the Defense Nuclear
Agency (DNA) maintains none of the conditions could have caused health
problems to the men involved in the above mentioned exposure.
What damage did this black wall of dust, dirt, and radiation have on these
men and what health problems might they have today?
It appears to me that I have been deceived and mislead by the contradictive
documentation in the U.S. Announced Tests and Radiation Dose Assessment (DOC
B).
Event Pascal-A 07/26/57: Participants were evacuated from the radio station
shortly after the shot as a safety precaution, since the test did not go as
expected. Radsafe survey subsequent to shot revealed that fallout, including
significant alpha contamination drifted northeast from the test site (Refer
DNA6030F). The radio station was located 9-10 km SSW.
My concern is, how can an individual be engulfed in this black cloud that has
blown across other contaminated areas collecting dust and debris, and not receive
any radiation. In all the time I was at the radio site it was never
inspected for radiation fallout.
The true story can be verified by the men that served at the two separate
radio sites (DOC D).
Refer to DOC C, C1, B, B1, & B2 3-A Badge No. AA223J, August 14, 1957 through
September 2, 1957, showing no radiation. Now refer to DOC B-B1 and B2, if
you will note I was exposed to more bomb tests on Badge AA223J, which shows
0.000(r) which amounted to six tests. The other badges, which were fewer in
tests show exposure. This indicates to me that your documented information
is incorrect. From my experience, whenever there was an exposure we were
issued new badges. The badge I was wearing at the Pascal A exposure was
eliminated and does not appear on this report.
On July 26, 1957, at about 0200 it started to rain. It rained wet mud which
woke us up, we were sleeping outside on folding cots. As we were trying to
get into the radio truck to stay dry someone drove up to the radio site in a
jeep and told us to evacuate and go to the Control Point (CP). I asked how
to evacuate the men, he said to use the truck which was the radio site. I
told him it would take at least one hour to dismantle the site before we
could move the truck. He said to dismantle and move the truck. I asked
about the Mine Mountain site and he instructed me to go to the Mine Mountain
site and remove the men. We tore down the site, drove five miles up a steep
hill to Mine Mountain radio site, picked up the radio team and drove to (CP)
as instructed.
We were highly contaminated, they took our clothes, washed them, had us bathe,
took our film badges, and took urine samples. We were then sent back to the
Yucca and Mine Mountain radio sites. Our other gear was left at the Yucca
site and the other radio truck was left at the Mine Mountain site and were
never decontaminated. We must have lived with that contamination from then
on. What happened to the badge they took from us that night? Why would they
tell us to evacuate and decontaminate us and take our badges unless they were
sure we had been contaminated. Refer to DOC C1, item 4, regarding above
mentioned urine tests. This was the only time a urine test was ever
requested.
Having worked at the test site (1961) as a miner on re-entry tunnels, every
time you were contaminated they would take your badge immediately and process
it. I know they took our badges from us on the morning of July 26, 1957, for
that same reason, but it was not documented. Why?
I have written to Military Personnel Records to obtain radiation records.
The reply I received is that they were lost or destroyed in a fire on July
12, 1973.
According to DNA, their reconstructed documentation on the radiation history
I received 0.050(k), refer to DOC C. Where did this information come from if
the records were destroyed in the July 12, 1973 fire.
DNA said they got it from the United States Department of Energy. Please
note DOC R, paragraph three. Because your inquiry indicates you were a
member of the military service during the period of your participation, we
have referred your request for information to the military. The executive
agency for the military service Nuclear Test Personnel Review (NTPR)
organization is the Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA). Information provided by
them regarding your exposure history has been included on the attached
radioactive exposure history form NV-185. If you wish to do so, you may
contact NTPR by calling 1-800-462-3683. We also are forwarding a copy of
this letter to the DNA contractor for these matters.
When I requested information from my personnel records I was told they were
destroyed in a fire (See DOC L). However, when SAIC needed information it
was available (see DOC C). Why was this information available to them?
When the Veteran Affairs (VA) needed information from my personnel records,
supposedly destroyed by fire, for my hearing loss claim, which they denied
(see DOC K, paragraph three). The VA said the evidence used to deny my claim
was my service medical records. Why didn't they have a problem in getting my
records?
I was raised in Lincoln County (Nevada) in several small towns, Rox, Elgin
and Caliente. This area is in the path of the down wind radiation drift.
While serving in the military I was present and witnessed 16 nuclear blasts
from a distance of three to ten miles. Later I worked in five re-entry
shafts and tunnels ( see DOC R RA and R2) and was also exposed to radiation
from 1961 through 1967.
I feel I am entitled to extensive testing to monitor my current and future
medical problems to determine if they were caused by any elements of the bomb
exposures.
I am willing to take a lie detector test to verify the truthfulness of this letter.
Please contact me upon receipt and review of this correspondence so we may
discuss the above issues and possible resolution.
Sincerely,
Monte L. Schlarman
6230 Yellowstone
Las Vegas NV
89156
Calientejug@aol.com
From: Monte L Schlarman@vegasjug@xts.net
Date: 1998
Subject: Plumbbob Vet
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
To other Radiation victims, military and civilians
This is a short history of Monte L. Schlarman radiation exposure.
It all started on 1-27-51 living in Lincoln County, Nevada. Considered a down-winder in 1951.
Then on 1-16-56 I joined the U.S. Army. In the first part of June 1957, the Army sent me to Camp Desert Rock then out to Yucca Flats for 16 Nuclear bomb tests. There were two radio sites one on Mine Mountain, one on Yucca flats. I was the radio chief on the radio site on Yucca flats.
Then in Oct. 1962, I went to work at the Nevada Test Site as a miner. I worked in 4 re-entry tunnels and 4 hot tunnels.
What I would like is some help in finding some of the men I was with. I will give out their names and the state they lived in as best as I can remember. Any information would
greatly be appreciated.
Contact
Monte L Schlarman@vegasjug@xts.net
Or Snail Mail to:
6230 Yellowstone, Las Vegas, NV 89115
Or Phone:
702-452-5889
- McLaughlin, James R. CL
- Holiday, Donald G. OK.
- Dicintio, John B. Iowa
- Bass, Edward L. OK
- Wiik, Richard A. NJ
- Austin, Charles E. CA
- Morrow, John I. Grants NM
- Hill, Amnon J. Jr. CA
- Bennet, Richard J.
- Coppinger, David J. Iowa
- Auer, Alfred T. Jr.
- Fidler, Robert H. Jr. NJ
- Kohler, Raymond C.
- Kula, Ralph A.
Operation Plumbbob