Entries in Nuclear Weapons Exposed Veterans (6)
I was an atomic test guinea pig
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A pensioner who says he was a "guinea pig" during atomic bomb tests in the 1950s is suing the Government.
Ex-serviceman Derek Connelly, of Churchill Road, Kidlington, says he was made to stand just wearing his shorts and socks to witness nuclear and hydrogen bombs being set off in the Pacific Ocean 50 years ago.
The 71-year-old's grandchildren have suffered miscarriages, deafness and premature birth, which he fears are linked to his exposure to radiation from the weapons.
Now he has joined forces with hundreds of other servicemen to sue the Government for damages.
The Government says it will argue in court that the legal action has been lodged too late.
Mr Connelly said: "We were taken out of our beds at about 2am just in our shorts and socks - no protective clothing whatsoever. We were made to stand with our backs to the blast, with fists clenched over our eyes.
"When the flash came, you could see every bone and sinew in your hand. The heat on your back felt like someone was running an electric fire across your body - and that was from 30 miles away.
"We didn't know much better. We were just all guinea pigs."
Four bombs were tested during the nine months he served on Christmas Island - now known as Kiribati - while serving in the RAF police, guarding airfields.
For three of the tests, Mr Connelly was 30 miles away from the blast, but for the fourth, he was just 12 miles away.
He left the RAF soon after to became a prison officer. He and his wife Jill moved to Kidlington in the 1970s. They have been married for 45 years and have five grandchildren.
Recently, Mr Connelly has suffered heart problems, while his grandson Ellis Connelly, now 18, was born prematurely, weighing just 1Ib 13oz.
His seven-year-old grand-daughter Freya Connelly-Warne was born deaf.
A third grandchildhe did not want to name has suffered three miscarriages.
Mr Connelly said there were no tests available to prove a link between the health problems and the nuclear bomb tests.
He said: "I never really thought about it until my children and their children started having health problems. I don't wish to achieve anything for me personally, but for my wife and family for after I've gone. But I'm also doing it for all those who have died since the tests.
"The Government needs to accept what happened. We have all been forgotten. It happened in 1958 and now here we are in 2008 and nothing has been done."
If the Government fails to persuade the courts to halt the ex-servicemen's case, it is expected to be heard in 2011.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "When compensation claims are received, they are considered on the basis of whether or not the Ministry has a legal liability to pay compensation. Where there is a proven legal liability, compensation is paid."
Gregor Gable
in Nuclear Weapons Exposed Veterans
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Veterans' Advisory Board on Dose Reconstruction
[Federal Register: February 20, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 34)]
[Notices]
[Page 9303-9304]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20fe08-45]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
Veterans' Advisory Board on Dose Reconstruction
AGENCY: Department of Defense, Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
ACTION: Advisory board meeting notice.
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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of
1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended) and the Sunshine in the
Government Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended) the Defense Threat
Reduction Agency (DTRA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
announce the following advisory board meeting:
Name of Committee: Veterans' Advisory Board on Dose Reconstruction
(VBDR).
Dates of Meeting: April 2-3, 2008.
Location: Sheraton San Diego Hotel, Mission Valley, King and Knight
Chamber Rooms, 1433 Camino Del Rio South, San Diego, California 92108.
Time: Wednesday, April 2, 2008, from 8-11 a.m. and 1-5 p.m. with a
public comment session from 11 a.m.-12 p.m., and Thursday, April 3,
2008, from 8-10:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m.-1:15 p.m. with a public comment
session from 10:15-11:15 a.m.
Purpose of Meeting: To obtain, review and evaluate information
related to the Board mission to provide guidance and oversight of the
dose reconstruction and claims compensation programs for veterans of
U.S.-sponsored atmospheric nuclear weapons tests from 1945-1962;
veterans of the 1945-1946 occupation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan;
and veterans who were prisoners of war in those regions at the
conclusion of World War II. In addition, the advisory board will assist
the VA and DTRA in communicating with the veterans.
Meeting Agenda: On Wednesday, the meeting will open with an
introduction of the Board. The following briefings will be presented:
``Activities of Atomic-bomb Survivors (Hibakusha) Health Care Committee
Based on Hibakusha Protection Law'' by Dr. Yasuhito Sasaki;
``Department of Veterans Affairs Quality Review of the Radiation
Claims'' by Ms. Edna MacDonald; ``NTPR Dose Reconstruction and Veterans
Communication Activities'' by Dr. Paul Blake; and ``VA Radiation Claims
Compensation Program for Veterans'' by Mr. Thomas Pamperin.
On Thursday, the four subcommittees established during the
inaugural VBDR session will report on their activities since September
2007. The subcommittees are the ``Subcommittee on DTRA Dose
Reconstruction Procedures'', the ``Subcommittee on VA Claims
Adjudication Procedures'', the ``Subcommittee on Quality Management and
VA Process Integration with DTRA Nuclear Test Personnel Review
Program'', and the ``Subcommittee on Communication and Outreach.'' The
Board will close with a discussion of the Subcommittee reports, future
business and meeting dates.
Meeting Accessibility: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended, and
41 CFR 102-3.140 through 102-3.165, and the availability of space this
meeting is open to the public. Seating is limited by the size of the
meeting room. All persons must sign in legibly at the registration
desk.
Written Statements: Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-
3.140(c), interested persons may submit a written statement for
consideration by the Veterans' Advisory Board on Dose Reconstruction.
Written statements should be no longer than two typewritten pages and
must address: the issue, discussion, and recommended course of action.
Supporting documentation may also be included as needed to establish
the appropriate historical context and to provide any necessary
background information.
Individuals submitting a written statement must submit their
statement to the Board at 7910 Woodmont Ave., Suite 400, Bethesda, MD
20814-3095, at any point; however, if a written statement is not
received at least 10 calendar days prior to the meeting, which is the
subject of this notice, then it may not be provided to or considered by
the Veterans' Advisory Board on Dose Reconstruction until its next open
meeting.
The Chairperson will review all timely submissions with the
Designated Federal Officer, and ensure they are provided to members of
the Veterans' Advisory Board on Dose Reconstruction members before the
meeting that is the subject of this notice. After reviewing the written
comments, the Chairperson and the Designated Federal Officer may choose
to invite the submitter of the comments to orally present their issue
during an open portion of this meeting or at a future meeting.
The Chairperson, in consulting with the Designated Federal Officer,
may, if desired, allot a specific amount of time for members of the
public to present their issues for review and discussion by the
Veterans' Advisory Board on Dose Reconstruction.
Public Comments: The April 2-3, 2008 meeting is open to the public,
approximately one hour each day will be reserved for public comments on
issues related to the task of the Veterans' Advisory Board on Dose
Reconstruction, and speaking time will be assigned on a first-come,
first-served basis. The amount of time per speaker will be determined
by the number of requests received, but is nominally five minutes each.
All persons who wish to speak at the meeting must sign in legibly at
the registration desk. Questions from the public will not be considered
during this period. Speakers who wish to expand on their oral
statements are invited to submit a written statement to the Veterans'
Advisory Board on Dose Reconstruction at 7910 Woodmont Ave., Suite 400,
Bethesda, MD 20814-3095.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Veterans' Advisory Board on Dose
[[Page 9304]]
Reconstruction toll free at 1-866-657-VBDR (8237). Additional
information may be found at http://vbdr.org.
Dated: February 13, 2008.
L.M. Bynum,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. E8-3085 Filed 2-19-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P
Gregor Gable
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Nuclear worker described as ‘an angel sent from heaven’
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Her father was a phosphate worker who, she said, died of exposure to contamination. Since, she has been fighting the U.S. government for survivor benefits.
Hand has become an authority on workers exposed to radiation and other contaminants. She has been assisting the Nuclear Workers of Florida in their quest to obtain medical benefits and compensation for illnesses caused by contaminant’s.
At a Dec. 10 meeting in Largo with affected former nuclear workers she and representatives of various federal lawmakers and the U.S. Department of Labor heard the stories of the suffering caused by various contaminants at Pinellas Plant.
“The burden is on the people to prove that their illnesses are the result of exposure to pollutants,” Hand said.
The Department of Labor has paid out more than $1.5 billion under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Program to nuclear workers in various parts of the United States. Since 2001 more than 75,000 claims by workers or their survivors have been filed under the program. About 51,000 claims have been approved for lump sum awards with another $104 million to cover medical care.
The Labor Department continues to work with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which must complete a radiation dose reconstruction for each individual before the Department of Labor decides on eligibility for benefits.
Part E of the program was launched with more than 25,000 cases shifted from the U.S. Department of Energy. The Department of Labor has held 143 “town meetings” in all parts of the country as part of its outreach efforts with a goal of making final decisions compensation by Sept. 30 on 75 percent of the backlogged cases.
But workers feel they have suffered and waited enough. At a recent Florida Nuclear Workers meeting at the Epicenter in Largo, one woman identified only as “Sue” said when her father worked at Pinellas Plant he cut his hand on a glass tube. That, the daughter said, exposed him to toxins that went straight to his blood stream.
To get compensation, Ann Gleason of the Florida Nuclear Workers said, a person must have suffered a 50 percent exposure to contaminants. One woman who worked at the plant between 1979 and 1993 suffers from an eye cancer. She was rejected for benefits because her exposure rate was determined to be only 45 percent. Then doctors determined she had breast cancer.
“I had to undergo a double mastectomy and they said my exposure was only 49 percent,” the woman said. “I was rejected again for benefits.”
Exposure to chemicals, radiation and other elements has caused leukemia, blood disorders, various cancers, breathing and other disorders.
One of the saddest testimonies came from a 62-year-old man who lost his wife of nearly 20 years to cancer.
“We were married just two days shy of 20 years,” the man said between tears. “She died from exposure to radiation.”
A 27-year veteran at Pinellas Plant said employees also were exposed to asbestos and leaking corrosives.
Sam Max of Tarpon Springs worked in the machine shop and today suffers from prostate cancer.
“It was a dangerous place to work,” said Max, who worked at the plant 30 years. “There was so much airborne particles that a yellow powder covered everything.”
Another man identified only as Robert K. said he worked in the tube exhaust area where he said he was exposed to many contaminants. He provided a photograph taken at the plant that showed him wearing only a cotton gown and cap for protection against radiation.
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Gregor Gable
in Nuclear Weapons Exposed Veterans
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Britain's nuclear test veterans win major victory
Britain's nuclear test veterans win major victory in battle for justice
EXCLUSIVE MoD to fund study into horror illnesses passed to veterans' children SUNDAY Mirror JUSTICE FOR NUKE VETS CAMPAIGN
By Vincent Moss And Susie Boniface 10/02/2008
Britain's nuclear test veterans have won a major victory in the battle for justice more than 50 years after they were exposed to crippling radiation.
Funding for an independent study into their health and that of their children and grandchildren has now been agreed in principle by Defence Minister Derek Twigg.
It is one of the key demands of troops who suffered terrible illnesses after being exposed to radiation during the tests in 50s and 60s in the Pacific - which in many cases led to inherited conditions including cancer and deformities in their children. And it follows a six-year Sunday Mirror campaign on behalf of the vets and a promise from PM Gordon Brown in November to take a fresh look at the issue.
The change of heart follows two studies - one in the UK showing British troops' offspring suffering inherited illnesses, the other from New Zealand revealing gene damage in that country's vets.
Mr Twigg has agreed to spend £412,000 on further investigation provided the two studies are confirmed to be credible by scientists scrutinising them. Campaigning MPs Dr Ian Gibson and John Baron hailed the MoD's statement as a "positive step forward".
But they still want Defence Secretary Des Browne and the PM to agree an immediate £4,000 "goodwill" payment to the veterans while more substantial compensation packages are considered.
Tory MP Mr Baron said campaigners would continue to push the MoD on a range of issues, including reform of the tribunal process and compensation.
Out of 22,000 troops who took part, only 3,000 remain alive. Their demands were boosted this month when the Government agreed payouts of about £8,000 to 360 vets who took part in chemical weapons tests.
Gregor Gable
in Nuclear Weapons Exposed Veterans
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Soldiers made to swim on radioactive island
Soldiers made to swim on radioactive island after nuclear bomb was detonated
EXCLUSIVE
By David Collins 10/02/2008
Soldiers were made to swim, fish and play football on a radioactive island hours after Britain's first nuclear bomb was detonated there, the Sunday Mirror has learned.
Some of the guinea pigs had to stay for three weeks during topsecret Operation Hurricane.
The radioactivity on their bodies sent scientists' Geiger counters off the scale.
Many of the soldiers later died from cancer.
Sergeant Norman Daber, who saw the blast in 1952 from a ship off Australia's Trimouille Island, was sent ashore a day later.
One of the last of his army pals to survive, he lived to the age of 70 but died a painful death from cancer.
Son Tony, 44, from Southport, Lancs, said: "My dad told me they built a small town to see what the effects of the bomb would be. On the day of the blast they were told to turn away while the bomb was exploded.
"A day later they were back. Everything had been obliterated but they were encouraged to swim in the sea and catch the fish and eat them."
Ex-wife Betty, 70, added: "They were guinea pigs. Norman suffered terribly in the end. He blamed his cancer on what had happened to him in Australia."
Navy veteran Arthur Smith, 84, who developed skin cancer when he was 60, was put ashore after a bomb fried Monte Bello Islands and boiled the sea.
Arthur, of Newton Abbot, Devon, said: "It was a moonscape - the vegetation had been scorched. When the Geiger counter came near me it went crazy, but we were just young sailors and had no idea of the implications."
Gregor Gable
in Nuclear Weapons Exposed Veterans
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