First Thoughts
Hello to all.
I am setting up this blog to get the input, feelings, stories and information about one and all who were stuck on this wretched Atoll for the cleanup.
I was stationed on Lojwa from Aug. '78 to Feb. '79 with the 84th Engineer Battalion from Schofield barracks, Hawaii. I was volunteered 8 months before my departure from active duty. Had no choice in the matter, go and do my duty.
I lived on the Island of Lojwa, with all the other "Animals", but took a boat ride to Runit every morning. On Runit I worked as a debagger, Mike "the debagger" Dager. Busted my ass for 6 months, actually 5 months then got a double hernia and spent the last month resting, spent a wonderful Christmas and New Year with a bunch of good guys, partying our butts off.
If any of you remember the Engineer Bar, Steve McKee and I were the driving force in building this oasis away from civilization. Spent many nights hanging out and telling stories.
I have been experiencing some strange ailments as of late, Osteopenia, bone density loss, thin skin among other more serious problems. Wondering if anyone else has had similar problems. Looking into trying to get disability rating from the VA. We will see how that goes. Hope to hear from some of the hardworking guys that were there before, during and after my stay.
I am setting up this blog to get the input, feelings, stories and information about one and all who were stuck on this wretched Atoll for the cleanup.
I was stationed on Lojwa from Aug. '78 to Feb. '79 with the 84th Engineer Battalion from Schofield barracks, Hawaii. I was volunteered 8 months before my departure from active duty. Had no choice in the matter, go and do my duty.
I lived on the Island of Lojwa, with all the other "Animals", but took a boat ride to Runit every morning. On Runit I worked as a debagger, Mike "the debagger" Dager. Busted my ass for 6 months, actually 5 months then got a double hernia and spent the last month resting, spent a wonderful Christmas and New Year with a bunch of good guys, partying our butts off.
If any of you remember the Engineer Bar, Steve McKee and I were the driving force in building this oasis away from civilization. Spent many nights hanging out and telling stories.
I have been experiencing some strange ailments as of late, Osteopenia, bone density loss, thin skin among other more serious problems. Wondering if anyone else has had similar problems. Looking into trying to get disability rating from the VA. We will see how that goes. Hope to hear from some of the hardworking guys that were there before, during and after my stay.
posted by Debagger at 6:58 PM
37 Comments:
My father was a civilian working on Enewetak Atoll in 1979. His name was Sheldon Wunder. He died in 1988 due to multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that is typically caused by exposure to radiation. While he was there, he ran into a guy I knew in Ventura. His name was Darryl "Mike" Driggins, an African-American cook who was also working on the Atoll. My email address is weavingtheweb@yahoo.com.
Barbara - do you get The Star? I'm Mike's wife and I write an opinion column. It runs every other Thursday in west county, but doesn't always appear in east county editions. Did you see it on Thursday? It was about the atomic vets.
Barbara,
I'm sorry to hear about your father, was he a cook? If so he made us very happy, that was the one good thing on the island, the food. Always good and plenty of it.
HI THIS IS NORMAN SOVA AND I WAS THERE FROM 1978 TO 1979.THE PHOTO OF THE BAR BRINGS BACK MEMORYS.I HAVE A PHOTO OF ME AND A GUY NAMED ANIMAL.ALSO THE STORM PHOTO;IM THE SECOND GUY FROM THE FRONT.PLEASE CONTACT ME AT NSOVA55290@MSN.COM
What a shock to see lojwaanimals.blogspot after running a search for Enewetak Atoll. My name is Bill Keller, some called me "Billy Bulldozer" while I was on Enewetak Jan 79 to Jan 80. I was on Lojwa until Oct 79 (I think) and then went to air conditioned! barracks on Enewetak. I did get to take part in the demobilization of Lojwa. It was almost sad. While on Runit I ran the 5 yd loader for a short time, in the full banana suit, and then went to D-8 dozer and the quarry. The blasts were always interesting. And yes, I am one of the strange ones that stayed a full year. I would have stayed until the end, but Apr 80 was my ETS date...wasn't going to miss another one, and I was beginning to wonder about the real world.
I sometimes wonder where everyone I met there have gone. In the past 2 or 3 years I have heard from Norm Sova (and yes Norm, I do remember you...the rolled up hat brim jogged a brain cell or 2) and Dennis Alexander. I lost (or shall I say, the Army lost) almost all of my photos from the tour. I have found a few and I will try to get them posted in the near future.
Thanks for starting this blog, I really appreciate it. I wish everyone the best, and it would be great to hear from you animals. wok@beer.com (yep, it's a real email addy)
Hey WOK, good to hear from you. I have been working on this blog for a while now, happy to see it is getting some hits. Hope all is well, check back from time to time, I will post new pictures.
Beer.com looks interesting I will have to check that out too.
i was in lojawa in late 77' iwas with a co. drove 20 ton dumps and erma the 5 ton stake bed to sally to drop off troops jimbo gallager, patty green, papa john statton, john blackwell were some of the guys that hung together i had the corner desk & bnk we built the big rock fire place right outside the door.i am trying to remember the names but it has been a while. did anyone work on the high rise on janet? 140 deg. in a banana suit running a jack hammer ,so much fun. would like to hear from some of the old gang
Mike, Great site. It's Great to see some interest in the 'Lojwa Animals' past. I search Enewetak every now and then, and came across your site today.Very Exciting. I'm still in heavy construction, with Rogers Group, Inc. out of Nashville, Tennessee as a Senior Project Manager.I hope you and the rest of the 'Lojwa Animals' are also doing well.I agree with another post---- the civilian mess hall was one of the best places on Lojwa, especially Saturday night.
Steve McKee--mckee5558@msn.com or littlebuddysteve@gmail.com
My father was in Enewetak from 78 to 79.Jim Armitage cwo ret.With the 84th Engineer Battalion.Larc 60 team.He has no sign of any cancer at this time...Thank God,cause i was so worried about him getting some kind of cancer from being over there...My Prayers to the familys who have lost loved ones for their service during the clean up....my main reason for leaving a message is about the grey color t shirts with the lojwa animal(monster)on them.I have one of my fathers.It is in poor shape.I would love to make some new ones with better quality grey t shirts.Maybe personalized with the year and the persons name and with what group,or Battalion. My father was told the grey t's you guys wore were leftovers from WWII or the Korean war....maybe someone has already done this,but would love to get this project going if not done yet for all that have served during the 77 to 80 clean up.I can make a stencil of the Lojwa animal from my old t shirt...if any of you would like to start placing orders,and have ideas for how you would like them done,i will get making them.I will start to find out what my cost would be,and let all know who are interested...those t shirts were so COOL that i will make a new one for my self as well.
my email is w8lessm@aol.com
pic of Larc 60 team Lojwa Base Camp
my father is on far right in sun glasses
http://img207.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=94480_lojwa_122_340lo.jpg
Hey Mike I meant to leave my blog address.It is a work in progress.I have lots of work to do on it.I thought many that served in the clean up would like a Lojwa Animal t shirt.I have a stencil of the animal and will be soon making them.Now after hearing about all the deaths due to exposure i am worried for my fathers future.I would also like to give my support and appreciation to all that served by donating proceeds to The National Cancer Institute,or a better institute if you know of one.......Matt Armitage
http://lojwa.blogspot.com/
hi my name is ken wilson i was an animal from 78 to 79 i drove a dump truck rode on the lark to runit to off load brings back alot of memories
My name is Ken Brownell I was with the first party to arrive on the island we slept in tents drank warm beer and showered from a 55 gal. drum on top of a 2x4 frame. We cleared brush and started the base camp.A few guys I worked with stay in touch but would like to hear from more.
Hi! My name is Doreen Vollbrecht and my husband, Steve, was the IMDT (AF medic) on Lowja. He passed away from mesothelioma (asbestos cancer). I remember one of the guys that he "hung out" with was called Grape Ape. Anyone know how to reach him? He was also great friends with Ken Kasik, the PX manager. I remember that he kept our boys entertained with stories of "rat stomping in flip flops" at the dump, and the time he was "bitten" by a shark he caught while it had been landed and was on the pier, and the story of the octopus that bit him on the shoulder, and the time the camp doc went sailing and never came back. Would like to communicate with anyone that wishes to do the same... dvollbrecht@satx.rr.com.
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Aloha guys,what a blast from the past.Heres a few pictures of da- island of our past.Ive got hundreds of pictures, just thought Id tease you with a few for now.Alls well in paradise.Great talking with you steve.ps hows the catch of the day?I just got this e-mail address for this site.
email: KenKasik@live.com
call: 8086226185
or visit my blog: http://lojwa-enewetak.blogspot.com/
VISIT TO SEE PICTURES AND ADD YOUR OWN:
http://photobucket.com/KENKASIK
Is this blog site still working? Looks like nobody has bloged for some time now. I was on the Island from Aug 78 to Feb 79, (the mail Island mainly) Just looking for information on illness due to this wonderful place the Military sent us to.
Allen Beck
Lojwa Animal...now that's a term I've not heard in years. I was an Air Force SSGT stationed on the atoll from September 1978 to Febraury 1979. I ran the post office on Enewetak and guess I had it easier than the guys at Lojwa...lived in the concrete barracks. Got to Lojwa several times a week to deliver mail via Army helicopter. While I was there, Paul Crandall was the Air Force Commander...he died some years ago from a type of cancer. I survived two typhoons on the island with the last one being Alice in January 1979. Just prior to that storm's arrival, Captain Flores, an Air Force Doctor, disappeared while sailing in the lagoon. As I recall, speculation was that he was washed out over the western reef and no one could see his small sunfish due to the high waves associated with the approaching storm. I've a photo of me after Alice along with one of the atoll I took from a helicopter. Those usually sit on my desk at work reminding me that no matter how bad this day is, I have been worse. Good to hear from others who endured this remote location.
Hey to all my fellow ANIMALS, I am Aaron Ducote, I was voluntold and hit the Atoll from Jan - July 1979.
I drove a 20 Ton Dump truck and stayed on Lojwa also. It's all like a blur now to remember much about that place but once I read all of your mail it brought back so many memories. You know, rat stomping at the dump pit, shell collecting oh yes and the damn bananna suits. But I have to say. The out door movies and the steak and endless alcohol was at the top of the list.
I am sorry to hear about all of the illness we face in these days. I regret I don't remember Antibes name that I served time with too. I wish we could some how compile all of our assorted photos and make a CD available to our brothers.
We need more memories to pass along to our families who probably are like mine, doubtful that this could have existed at all.
Respectfully,
Aaron Ducote, EODK9@aol.com
im mark huppman as was on lojwa from aug.78 to jan.79 with b company 84th engineers. doreen, ur husband treated me for ring worm, whatever the hell that was. and yes the doc did sail away, but not alone. i remember his face but no name.he also was in the af.moody was killed on sally by sexton who was running a dozer trying to jump a 20 ton. and baby hughey went off and ran a 5ton into a hooch trying to wack someone. hit the wrong rack though. lol.and the c4 chewers died after they shipped out.i've only had a case of melonama that was caught in time and am otherwise healthy.i wish all my fellow animals the best.it was something i know all of us will never forget. if u like, my e-mail is jesttme@yahoo.com. take care my brothers
Hi to all,
My name is Kim Evers and I also served on Enewetak Atoll from Oct. 1979 till March 1980. We were part of the last group to leave the rock.
I have been trying to get in touch with anyone who was there and found this site. I would like to here from anyone who was there and how they are doing. I now have some health problems and wonder if it or all of it is from Enewetak. Please email me at kimmarye@hotmail.com
My name is Kim Evers and I also spent some time on Enewetak Atoll. I was there from Oct. 1979 till March 1980 we were part of the last group to leave there. I would like to here from anyone who was there and I glad I found this web site. email me kimmarye@hotmail.com
Hey All Lojwa Animals! It is just great to see all the blogs from a past with so many memories! I was on Lojwa (77-78)We were the second group to show up.I was a crane operator and we built the water tank and installed telephone poles and of coarse many other tasks. We lived in hooch 13 with the picket fence and the skeleton head cross above the entrance to our (yard with the rock bbq builtin it) I hope some of you remember that! I have a bunch of pics that I hope to post on here soon to jog all our memories,which at times I struggle with!I do remember some of the names I've seen on here -Patty Green from chicago was a good friend Ed drappla ect.Any one remember a first leautenant we called the pillsberry dough boy that was younger than us? And when we threw him off the cause way? I could go on forever on the stories but we'll do that later ! Hope to here from anyone from hooch 13! oh and sandbagging on xmas eve from the typhoon and going across the lagoon at night trying to get to enewetak to be flown out to guam! Oh Guam what a fun time! my email is spaul56@directv.net if you want to contact me !
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Damm, I freaked out finding this blog. I was a Lojwa aniamal 78-79. They moved a bunch of us to Enewetak, we put a sign outside our houch "Home of the Lojwa Animals" with a big pot leaf on it and sold runway weed to everyone it even smelled like the real thing!
I was on Enewetak from December '78 to May '79, serving as a medic with the Body Snatchers dustoff unit.
I remember our visits to Lowja and the other islands with some fondness, Lowja and the crew there were always interesting and I can't help but laugh when I remember that they took away the silverware and glasses from the mess hall.
I also remember the searching we did looking for that Air Force Doctor and the medic that was with him on that Sunfish. We searched all the islands throughly and even chanced loosing sight of the islands by taking three choppers out beyond the reef where one stayed in view of the islands, the second and third ones flew on until the second chopper was keeping visual with the 1st and the third flew out as far as we dared while keeping an eye on the 2nd bird. With those winds, flat islands and relatively low altitudes we had to search from, it was more than a bit risky should one crew loose sight of the other. We were VFW only.
We believed that the airmen were swept out in the deep channel which, we had been told, moved about 90% of the water out of the atoll.
IIRC, the hull of the sailboat was found sometime latter way the heck away from the islands.
On the health issues, I have psoriasis which started out there, as well as permanent fatigue, hot flashes and supposedly do not process oxygen properly and various other problems related to my service there.
And yes, rat stomping was a real good time;-)
Eli
I was at Lojwa from April 1978 until Sept 1978. My name is Jim Proffitt I was with the Army.
Where is Moose I served with him on Lojwa Base. We use to snorkle a lot and drink a lot. Also Dave Denning, Steve LaGrande, Ken Basil, Dave McDaniels. I was stationed at Fort Campbell Kentucky. I was in the 20th Engineer Bargade. I called my sleeping space Rebar Hotel. haha.
I was a friend of mooses. He camae from Panama with about 14 other guys. One of them would have been The Griz--Grizwald just like The Moose big polish kid.
I saw him in Kansas once he left the isleand and then again in Boston once out of the military.
I told all those guys in 20 yrs they would end up with lukemia. Suprised all of you havee not at this point. I can be reached at jcrhdd@gmx.com.
Moose sent me a picture of a giant clam he turned into a bbque on the island. That would have had to stand out in someones mind.
Yeah i can remember Moose carrying that clam shell out of the lagoon. We had more than a few olyes together.
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I was stationed on Lojwa in 77 and 78. I was a power plant operator at the Cat House known as the "Kid."(Don't mess with me if you want your movie tonight.) What an experience. We were the infamous group that took the "shoes and shirts" policy at the PX a little too literally. Major 'splainin on that one.
I will never forget the fresh lobster we "found" on the reef at low tide. We started our own "resort" establishment called the Hotel California and when I left we had one of the few televisions that we purchased with the profits. Great for those week old football games. ARRRRR ARRRRRRR!
This is Jim Proffitt again. I was at LOJWA BASE April 15 1978 - September 1978. We all made the best of a bad tour. I remember the 6 day work weeks ,hot sun 120 degree plus temperatures. Our guys worked on Janet ,we worked with demolition C4 mainly. We would set the charges on different concrete structures, get on a boat, leave the island, blow the charges then return to the island and pick up the ruble and throw it on a 20 ton dump. We would drive the dump trucks on a maggie boats. The boats would take them out to the lagoon and the crane would unload them. The high spots were good friends, good food, and lots of beer. With an occasional doobie. Ive got plenty of pictures. You can reach me at pljproffitt@aol.com 513 267 0051. Some people knew me as the Cincinnati kid.
Hi all. My name is Jim Patterson I spent some time on lojwa in 79. Worked in the heavy equipment maintenance shop on Runit. Boy does this blog bring back some memories. Remember the Saturday night toga parties. Watching Animal house night after night rain or not. would love to here from anyone that remember. Email address is jjpiii@comcast.net
I was on the islands 77-78. Worked on enjebi ,runit and a couple of others I think. Blew the elements out of 3 geiger counters in a row coming out of a hot zone on Runit one day! I recall the xmas eve evacuation to Guam due to tropical storm and the following storm, which we did not evacuate for. That one washed all the Navys' lcms up on shore and put us out of commission for a month. Also recall wtching the crane buckle when the lt. ordered the crane operator to use a 3 ton wrecking ball on a crane that was only designed for a 1 ton ball. This was in spite of the operators' warning..was that you operating Scott Paul? I don't recall a lot of names, but I hung around with Dan Kroemmelbein, Serge Deselex, Dave Choate and others. I do remember Ken Kasik , as well. On our last night on Lojwa, one of the new guys ran a 5 ton dump truck through the side of our barracks trying to kill one of the other guys. Wish everyone the best. Would love to hear from others and pray for those of you who have ended up sick. randy roberts roberts.rr@pg.com
Was on Lojwa Jan-Jun '79-- Worked in motor pool and several islands--have had skin cancer and colon cancer--other than that doing good.A lot of memories from back then.
I was at Lojwa from 77-78 and remember being evacuated to Guam for Christmas. That was a nice ride on C141 and being strapped to the floor because only on aircraft came. The ride across the atoll that nice was also fun. I was one the Air Force guys who did the radiological monitoring. Does anyone remember the USO show that entertained us. I can be reached at jnoverola@gmail.com. If frenchy of Steve is out there it would be nice to hear from you.
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