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Cataracts Blamed On Nuclear Powered Ships

By VVAW

Some vets have never faced the atrocities of the Vietnam war and many vets will not suffer the effects of Agent Orange. But if you're one of these "safe" vets, and if you spent your time on a nuc ship or sub, you might have some extra "benefits" from your sea duty tour.

Nuclear powered ships or subs are most touted for the extended months they can spend at sea, the enormous kill power of the nuc weapons they carry, and the great hotel type living and working accommodations. The crew members, however, most remember the subs for the crowded living conditions, long work hours, incompetent officers, and the constant threat of a disaster from the unsafe conditions of the ship or sub and its systems. These stinking conditions continually exist and get worse while the big time brass get more and more money to advertise the great education, travel, and benefits of being a nuc-power trained sailor.

Most nuc sailors have out-lived their sentence—have lived through the numbers of casualties on board ship, have lived through the periscope snapping and depth charging of Russian patrol boats (a few miles outside Russian harbors) and have made it back from the hot spots they're constantly sent to. But, just like the "guinea pigs" at White Sands in the '50's, or the 'Nam vets who were sprayed with Agent Orange, nuc sailors haven't collected all of their active duty "benefits." It appears that the Navy left out some facts from its nuc power education program.

Recently, one sailor stationed aboard a nuc sub complained of cataracts developing in his eyes, and felt it was a result of exposure to radiation. The Navy, upholding its tradition of disregard for the safety of its crews, ran out the old line on how safe nuc power is, so safe that the 80-year-old "Father of Nuclear Power," Admiral Hymen Rickover, actually drank a glass of radioactive water once. Despite the concern of the Navy and Rickover's heroic feat even though he wears glasses, and probably glows in the dark) the GI did a little research on his own.

References from medical studies on the effects of radiation, many dating to the years from 1953-1964, substantiate the sub sailor's claim. The characteristic appearance of early stages of a radiation cataract appears as a dot in the lens which the man doesn't even notice. But as the cataract develops and grows, the lens becomes opaque, followed by loss of vision. Such a cataract can take place from 6 months to 28 years after exposure to relatively small amounts of neutron-gamma radiation (common to all nuclear powered vessels). The exposure of the eyes to this radiation is especially serious:

1. Unlike other parts of the body which shed cells daily, the lens of the eye is unique in that the cells are not eliminated, but remain within the lens, capsule during the life of the individual.
2. Other cells in the human body which have received radiation exposure to the extent that there is latent damage can be removed before the damage is complete. In the case of the cells of the eyes, this can't be done. Thus, the cells remain in the lens and obstruct vision.

Thousands of vets and GIs that were "safely" tucked away on nuc chips, along with the thousands of sub base and shipyard workers who spent many hours repairing the steel hulks, could be affected by this exposure to radiation. But just like in the case of Agent Orange, the military will stand on its hind legs and bellow about the safety of nuc power and the V.A. will echo that the effects of radiation exposure are "not service connected." Well, it's clear that you didn't have to be in 'Nam to be a victim of the rich man's profit system—you could have been "safe."