Operation Ivy
US Atomic Veterans
Bill Whitmore
Bill Whitmore sent email about his duty at Operation Ivy.
From: Ram1928@aol.com
Date: Sat, 4 Dec 1999
Subject: Ivy
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Hi Keith,
I was drafted into the Army in 1951. I was sent to Camp Roberts, CA for 17 weeks of Infantry Basic. While waiting for orders to go the Korea I was called to C&A. Since I was a shoe repairman by trade they needed one on Eniwetok. I met Dick Dunlap there and we were in the same tent. We shared most of the experiences, shell hunting, picnics on Japtan, the typhoon and many other fun things. I read Dick's story about exploring the beached ship. It was a lot of fun then, now I see the danger in it. Does any one out there remember the giant lizards? We used to chase on Japtan? We never tried to kill them though.
I'm 71 years old, been married to the same great girl for more than 50 years. I retired 9 years ago after 34 years with the local electric company. I began to have attacks of pancreitus. After a couple of years, I was sent to the Clevland Clinic, where it was determined I had a tumor. I had an 8 hour operation and 16 days in the hospital. Since then I'm doing pretty good. I do have sugar, and take 2 pills a day. They took out over half of my pancreas. This caused the sugar problem. It never ocured to me that my problem could be service connected afer all these years. In retrospect though I would never trust our local VA hospotal with the operation I had. The Cleveland Clinic does over 1100 operations a day and only does 2 or 3 of my surgerys a year. When I read how the government has stonewalled the Atomic Vets, Agent Orange Vets, the Gulf War Vets, I don't need the hassle.
Well Keith, I'm going to sign off for now. Nice to hear from you. Dick and I send email to each other. He is a great guy.
Later
Bill Whitmore
8528 Jacob St.
Navarre, OH 44662
Email: Ram1928@aol.com
Keith Whittle
December 8, 1999
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