Salem-News.com Marine Corps articles Page 41

Toxic Hangars: Veterans Told to `Take a Hike`

The Marine Corps takes great pride in taking care of its own. Marines are known to greet each other with “Semper Fi.” Semper Fi is a truncated form of “Semper Fidelis,” Latin for “Always Faithful.”

(SOMERDALE, N.J.) - This is the second report in the continuing investigation of the contamination at former MCAS El Toro. A prior report addressed issues related to the possible contamination of El Toro’s base wells.

The focus of this report is the government’s response of January 2, 2009, to requests from Marines to evaluate the risk of their possible exposure to trichlorothylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) vapors in the hangars and buildings of the Marine Wing Support Group 37, the most industrialized portion of the base.

Government Findings on El Toro Wells Not Unexpected

Marine veterans and dependents asked for assistance from ATSDR. Government agency cites lack of information and sampling data, despite evidence of TCE in base wells and El Toro engineering drawing showing wells part of the water distribution system after the award of an early municipal water services contract.

(SOMERDALE, N.J.) - This is the first report in addressing the possible contamination of former MCAS El Toro’s base wells. Future stories will address possible contamination from dermal contact and inhalation and ATSDR’s response.

In April 2008, a group of former El Toro Marines and dependents asked the Agency for Toxic Substances Disease Registry (ATSDR) to evaluate their exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE) and other contaminants found in the soil and groundwater at Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, California.

In 1985, the Orange County Water District found trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) in shallow irrigation wells down gradient of the base.

Deadly Toxic Chemicals from El Toro Marine Base Affect Woodbridge in Irvine

The Internet is allowing the truth about this contaminated and closed down Marine air base to move into public view. Sign the petition to help Marines, the link is at the bottom of this article.

(IRVINE, Calif.) - A Salem-News.com series that began May 1st 2007 about deadly toxic contamination at the now-closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in Orange County, California, seemed like unwelcome news at the time to City of Irvine officials and also the public representative for the Irvine Ranch Water District.

Loose lips do sink ships, but so do plenty of other things. The ship in this case, was a huge development project planned by Lenar Homes that would have turned the dangerously polluted base into an upper end housing community and public park.

Construction ground to a halt and the base is now being used to store automobiles.

Veterans `Kept in the Dark`

The Defense Department does not notify veterans of military Superfund sites of contaminants and the health effects of exposure to them. However, after several deaths from TCE contaminated well water, legislation required the Navy and Marine Corps to contact veterans of Camp Lejeune regarding the TCE contamination of base wells.

(SOMERDALE, N.J.) - Congress established the Superfund program in 1980 to clean up the country's most contaminated places.

The Defense Department owns 133 EPA Superfund sites, the most of any entity.

Millions of Americans live near military Superfund sites. A June 12th, 2006, statement from Representative Bart Stupak, House Energy and Commerce Committee noted: “Nearly one out of ten Americans live within 10 miles of a military site listed on the Superfund National Priority List for hazardous waste cleanup.

Government Recovers Marine Pilot Missing In Action From WWII

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC used dental comparisons in the identification of McCown's remains.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

He is Maj. Marion R. McCown Jr., U.S. Marine Corps, of Charleston, S.C. He will be buried on January 18th in Charleston.

Retired Head JAG Interferes in Plans For Lawsuit Meant to Free Marine Sergeant Hutchins

Those of us fighting for justice for Hutchins will not stop until his freedom is realized.

(FORT LEAVENWORTH) - Sgt Lawrence Hutchins III sits in the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, wrongfully convicted of manslaughter. His case is one that made worldwide headlines in 2006, and continues to set records for the amount of corruption and dishonor involved in putting this amazing Marine away for over a decade–all because he did his job.

There are those who have worked to free him, and continue to do so even now, almost three years after the incident in Hamdania when seven Marines and a Navy Corpsman ended the life of a terrorist responsible for many deaths.

There was to be a lawsuit filed in federal court regarding the practice of attainder...

Marine Jet Crashes Near San Diego Killing 3 (VIDEO)

Miramar spokeswoman 1st Lt. Katheryn Putnam, said the pilot was in stable condition at a naval hospital in San Diego.

(SAN DIEGO) - A tragic military fighter jet crash killed two people near San Diego today. The jet reportedly was preparing to land at the Marine Air Base at Miramar, when it crashed into a densely populated San Diego neighborhood. At least two people were killed as the jet slammed into three houses Monday, but the pilot was able to eject before crashing.

The Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, reports that the F/A-18D Hornet's pilot did eject safely.

Three homes were destroyed, Fire Department spokesman Maurice Luque told reporters. Three and a half hours after the plane crashed, firefighters were hosing down the crash where smoke still rose in the air. About 20 homes saw residents evacuated, with no certainty as to when they would be allowed to return.

Have Irvine and Lennar Ignored Hazardous Nuclear Waste at El Toro?

The Chair for the former Marine base Technical Subcommittee in 2000, went public with details about nuclear contamination at El Toro shortly before his death the same year.

(IRVINE, Calif.) - We have written several articles and produced video reports on the environmental damage on the grounds of the now-closed El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. Most of the stories revolved around contamination from TCE, trichloroethelyne, an aircraft degreaser sold to the U.S. government by Dow Chemical. As it turns out, the deadly cancer-causing and liver killing TCE may just be the tip of the iceberg. El Toro is also contaminated by nuclear waste.

One problem with El Toro, is that most of the people involved in the decisions to subject Marines and their families and civilian workers to dirty water, are dead. a former named Marine Robert O'Dowd, who also writes for Salem-News.com, has discovered that the doctor who wrote the most comprehensive article written about the problems with radioactive waste at this old Marine base, died of a heart attack the same year he wrote it.

Dead men tell no tales, but those who publish their research go on helping people long after they are gone. That is the case with the late Dr. Chuck Bennett, former Chair of the Technical Subcommittee, on the Restoration Advisory Board for the Former MCAS at El Toro.

Marine Veterans Lead Petition Drive

El Toro Marine Air Station veterans are collecting signatures for a petition to President Elect Obama and Congress to require the DOD to notify Marine and Navy veterans of El Toro and other military bases on the EPA Superfund list of the risks of exposure and health effects to contaminants. Please help the Marines by signing the Petition.

(SOMERDALE, N.J.) - The Defense Department has 1,400 military sites contaminated with trichlorothylene (TCE). Of the 1,255 EPA Superfund sites, the Pentagon owns 129, the most of any entity.

Interview with Interpreter Based with Marines in Iraq (VIDEO)

A Jordanian interpreter who works with the Marines in Iraq's Anbar Province gives a candid interview about his experience.

(ANBAR PROVINCE, Iraq) - I met a gentleman named Jakope Al Salim in Iraq while spending time with the Marines at the Al Asad Air Base in the Anbar Province. These Marines normally work on airplanes, but in Iraq where there is a shortage of personnel, they have been pulling infantry and military police duty and operating the base entrances and exits.

Jakope has worked with Marines in a number of places including Al Asad and Fallujah. At this time he is working with Marines near the Iraq/Saudi Arabia border. He says Iraqi people are increasingly working with and placing trust in the Marines. Last summer when I was there, combat encounters were minimal and cooperation was increasing.

But things are changing. He says the election of Barack Obama has caused many Iraqi people to feel unsure about their future.