Introducing Our Viewpoints – T-M Fitzgerald

We are but a few of the Survivors of the 1977-1980 Enewetak Atoll Atomic Debris Cleanup Mission in the Marshall Islands.

Our Original Mission was to remove radioactive fallout and debris from the surface of the islands of Enewetak Atoll so the dri-Enewetak Islanders could return to their beautiful homeland of Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

On July 4, 2012, three of the cleanup participants decided to create a Facebook Group to discuss our mission at Enewetak. Since then we have found over 70 others who participated in the cleanup. We’ve also attracted supporters who are interested in helping us get the word out so Congress can finally admit we are veterans who worked in radiation-risk activities while serving active duty.

In our Facebook Group, we have shared many photos and memories of our time spent on Enewetak Atoll. In fact, one of our supporters created a video from some of our photos to share with students interested in the history of the atomic cleanup of Enewetak Atoll. She selected some good music and added some captions to make her presentation more enjoyable..

Very few people have ever seen the photos and information T. Marie Fitzgerald shares in her snapshots of our atomic cleanup work because we were given direct orders not to discuss the project with anyone. Fortunately, those direct orders are no longer valid.

If your group wants to learn more, please let us know by writing your interest in the comments section at the end of this article.

Continue to learn more about us from various resources shared by supporters and cleanup participants in future AtomicCleanupVets.com articles. Our articles contain photographs, videos, documents and stories written by the actual participants who cleaned radioactive contaminated soils and materials from the surface of the islands at Enewetak Atoll.

Article written by Girard Frank Bolton, III. 1977-1979 participant with C Company and HHC S-3 (Operations) 84th Engineer Battalion (Combat Heavy) (Fwd) Enewetak Atoll, Marshall Islands.

Special thanks goes to T-M Fitzgerald for producing this video. T-M served in our nation’s military but is too young to have participated in the 1977-1980 Enewetak Atoll Cleanup Mission. She is the author of From Yellow Ribbons to a Gold Star: Biography of a Hero: Lcpl. David R. Baker, USMC.

Our Current Mission is to help health challenged Atomic Cleanup Veterans become included in the Veterans Administration’s definition of an Atomic Veteran so we can qualify to apply for funds set aside for veterans “who participated in radiation-risk activities during active service.”

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