George AFB's Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Testing Decontamination Centers - George AFB, CA (original) (raw)

Aircraft returned to GAFB for decontamination

If you worked or lived next to the west side of George AFB, worked at an engine test cell or the weapons test bunker, you were likely exposed to unsafe levels of fission byproducts (radioactive dust) from the decontamination of aircraft and equipment used in the open-air nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). This exposure could potentially pose serious health risks to you and your children. Aircraft from George AFB participated in the Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Testing at the Nevada Proving Grounds/Nevada Test Site (NTS). These aircraft performed atomic cloud sampling, weather observations, and aerial photography, resulting in some of the aircraft, equipment, and personnel becoming highly contaminated with fission byproducts from the nuclear bomb test. The returning aircraft were washed down or stored onsite at George AFB until the radioactive contamination decayed to safe levels, and then washed down.

The Nevada Test Site Cloud Sampling missions were conducted within minutes of the detonation of the atmospheric nuclear test (from 1951 to 1962). These radiological decontamination centers generated an enormous amount of highly radioactive waste, including decommissioned clothing, equipment, aircraft, water, degreasers, solvents, and soil. The Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) and Air Force Real Property Agency (AFRPA), in a significant lack of transparency and accountability, have denied the existence of the George AFB decontamination centers since 1985. This lack of transparency is a serious issue that needs to be addressed for accountability and justice.

There are dozens of documents published by the US Government, including the Air Force, Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), and Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA), which mention the Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Test Decontamination Centers for aircraft, crews, and equipment at George AFB. However, the Air Force Civil Engineer Center’s CERCLA Administrative Record for George AFB contains NO mention of an assessment or remediation of the radioactive waste these decontamination centers would have generated.

When the Air Force and DoD chose to suppress information, withhold documents, and deny the existence of George AFB’s Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Testing Decontamination & Decommissioning Centers, they were not just being secretive; they were lying:

To the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs;
To the public: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), Restoration Advisory Board (RAB), Congress, local, state, and federal regulators;
To FOIA requestors;
On the CERCLA 120(h) deed restrictions;
To the recipients of the properties at George AFB.

When Air Force personnel, civilian employees, contractors, and subcontractors concealed the true nature and extent of the contamination and the completed exposure pathways that existed at George AFB, they potentially:

Endangered the public;
defrauded the injured Air Force personnel and family members of medical care and compensation for injuries caused by their exposure to hazardous, toxic, and radioactive substances and/or materials;
defrauded recipients of the George AFB land parcels and/or their insurance companies;
unnecessarily exposed the construction workers who demolished the old buildings to hazardous substances and/or materials;
caused the demolition contractors to dispose of hazardous substances and/or materials improperly;
unnecessarily exposed the construction workers who built the new buildings to hazardous substances and/or materials;
unnecessarily exposed the current occupants of the new buildings built on the contaminated property to hazardous substances and/or materials.

Completed Exposure Pathway (CEP)

The fission byproducts (radioactive dust in the soil and air) at George AFB provided a Completed Exposure Pathway (CEP).

ATSDR’s Public Health Assessment (PHA) for George AFB

The DoD and Air Force failed to notify the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) about the location of the “HOT” wash area at George AFB. Additionally, because the Air Force did not correct the ATSDR during the Peer Review / Public Comments period or after the report was published in 1998, the Air Force lied by omission.

ATSDR - Public Health Assessment (PHA) for George AFB (PDF 3.36 MB)

California Department of Public Health Investigation

In 2015-16, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Radiologic Health Branch investigated the radiological decontamination centers at George AFB. CDPH concluded that historical documents demonstrate that aircraft were decontaminated at George AFB, and the Air Force has NOT publicly acknowledged the radiological contamination or the cleanup of this possible radiological contamination.

The location of the decontamination centers and “Hot” aircraft parking

With the recent declassification and/or release of documents through FOIA by the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) and Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), we now know that several Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Testing Radiological Decontamination Centers were located at the former George Air Force Base (AFB), CA—EPA Superfund ID: CA2570024453.

“History of the 479th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1952 to 1953”. The maps are on pages 133 and 134 of the PDF and show the location of the decontamination area as being in the west-central part of the base. Photographs of the Decontamination Centers start on page 282
GAFB Aircraft Decontamination Area Extracted pages
The full report “History of the 479th Fighter-Bomber Wing, 1952 to 1953” (PDF 32.1 MB)

Amazon Fulfillment Center & Radiological Decontamination Center

Volkswagen diesel “buy back” vehicles

Volkswagen stored thousands of diesel “buy-back” cars at the Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA). Unfortunately, this storage location is on the site of the Radiological Decontamination Centers at the former George Air Force Base (AFB), CA.

… “Stirling has leased them 134 acres,” said [Anita] Tuckerman, director of Asset Services for Stirling Development. “They can hold 21,000 cars on their current land.”
The lessee is a so-called third-party logistics provider, Extreme Logistics Solutions Inc. Company President James Perham would only confirm he is working with VW. …

Diesel VWs land in 134-acre purgatory at Southern California Logistics Airport
Victorville Daly Press, April 29, 2017, by Steve Hunt

Google Maps: Volkswagen TDI Buy Back vehicles stored at the SCLA

The Air Force lied to the City of Victorville and the Southern California Logistics Airport Authority (SCLA)

The Air Force and DoD failed to disclose the possible presence of degreasers, solvents, and radioactive isotopes (fission byproducts) in the CERCLA §120(h) deed restrictions.

The Air Force lied to the US Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs

George AFB, CA

The Air Force failed to disclose to Senator John Glenn and the US Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs that George Air Force Base, CA, had several radiological decontamination centers for aircraft and personnel involved in the nuclear cloud sampling program.

The following bases reported nuclear cloud sampling aircraft washdown – (Fission Products)

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, AZ

George Air Force Base, CA, was not listed despite having several radiological decontamination centers for aircraft and personnel.

Holloman Air Force Base, NM

Nellis Air Force Base, NV – (Lake Mead) (Indian Springs)

Norton Air Force Base, CA – was listed after the Norton AFB Restoration Advisory Board (RAB) forced the release of historical records and provided them to the US EPA and Senator Glenn.

Radiological contamination in the United States PDF – extracted pages

Norton Air Force Base, CA

The Air Force failed to disclose to Senator John Glenn and the US Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs that the “HOT’ aircraft were decontaminated at the former Norton Air Force Base, CA.

Question 6: …
How do you account for the fact that EPA determined, from a review of Air Force documentation, that washdown activities did take place at Norton, and yet you neglect to even mention Norton in your written or oral testimony?… Page 354

The full document, Radiological contamination in the United States
Hearing before the Committee on Governmental Affairs
United States Senate, One Hundred Second Congress, second session
April 9, 1992
HathiTrust – Digital Library

The Air Force lied to the ATSDR

The Air Force failed to disclose to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) for the Public Health Assessment (PHA) for George AFB that George AFB had several radiological decontamination centers for aircraft and personnel that were involved in the nuclear cloud sampling program.

Radiological Contamination

Radiological contamination does not represent an apparent past public health hazard and does not represent a present or future public health hazard. A small amount of radioactive material was discovered and removed from a portion of the Southeast Disposal Area (SEDA). Radiation surveys and exploratory soil excavation indicate that this area and the two munitions storage areas were not used for disposal of significant quantities of radioactive waste. Although people using the SEDA for recreation in the past may have been exposed to small amounts of low-level radioactive material, such exposures would have been infrequent and of short duration and would not be expected to pose a health hazard. The SEDA has recently been fenced and its landfill cover has been rehabilitated. The George AFB property located south of Air Base Road, which includes the SED A, has been transferred to the Federal Bureau of Prisons and will be the site of a prison that is currently under construction; the SEDA will remain fenced and will be within the fenceline of the prison.

pages 3 and 4 of the PHA for George AFB

Complete ATSDR - Public Health Assessment (PHA) for George AFB (PDF 3.36 MB)

The ATSDR relied on the Air Force to provide the relevant information and records to conduct the Public Health Assessment (PHA). The Air Force failed to notify the ATSDR of the existence of:

George AFB’s Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Testing Decontamination Centers for aircraft, crews, and equipment;
The large quantity of highly radioactive waste that the decontamination centers would generate.
Where was this highly radioactive waste disposed of, including the decommissioned and radioactive aircraft, equipment, and clothing?
The potential exposure pathways that this radioactive waste would create.

The Air Force failed to provide the ATSDR any information or records about the Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Testing Decontamination Centers or the location of its radioactive waste. See: George AFB PHA – References

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, ATSDR, was established by Congress in 1980 under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, also known as the Superfund law. This law established a fund to identify and clean up our country’s hazardous waste sites. The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, and the individual states regulate the investigation and cleanup of the site.

Aircraft Radiological Decontamination Procedure

The document (Operation Ranger—Decontamination Of Aircraft) describes the Air Force’s approved method for the radiological decontamination of aircraft used during Operation Ranger. It also lists some of the highly radioactive waste generated during this process. It should be noted that it was not uncommon for aircraft to require decontamination up to three times before they were safe to use again.

While this document does NOT specifically mention the Radiological Decontamination Centers at George AFB, it does describe the radiological decontamination process and the average amount of chemicals and radioactive waste generated.

“To accomplish these results, the average time required per aircraft was 127 minutes for decontamination and 61 minutes for surveying, adding up to a total of 188 minutes. The average decontamination materials used per aircraft were 1200 – 1600 gallons of water, 12 – 16 lbs. of trisodium phosphate, 150-200 lbs. of ‘GUNK’ and 75 – 80 gallons of cleaning solvent.”

“Cleaning solvent” is defined as “(Compound, Cleaning, Formula 11C, Part No 7300-204500, Class 07).”

What “cleaning solvent(s)” were used at George AFB’s Radiological Decontamination Centers? TCE, PCE, or…?
Did the Air Force conduct an assessment and/or remediation of the contamination created by the Radiological Decontamination Centers?

If you open the document in Adobe Acrobat, the cited pages are bookmarked

Operation Ranger – Decontamination Of Aircraft - Air Force – February 2, 1951 – (PDF – 4.04 MB)

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests

FOIA Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA)

FOIA request to the Air Force Historical Research Agency – March 14, 2014
FOIA Response and bill AFHRA - History of the 479th Fighter-Bomber Wing - 11 August 20014
Released record: History of the 479th Fighter-Bomber Wing, December 1, 1952 – June 30, 1953, George AFB, CA – (PDF 32.1 MB)
Photographs of Decontamination Centers start on page 282

FOIA Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)

The AFHRA / DNA / DTRA Documents Released Under FOIA

Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA)

DNA 6005F PLUMBBOB SERIES 1957 US Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Tests, Nuclear Test Personnel Review.
http://www.dtra.mil/Portals/61/Documents/NTPR/2-Hist_Rpt_Atm/1957_DNA_6005F.pdf

Project 53.9 (Photographic Reconnaissance Training)
This project was established to provide an opportunity for Air National Guard tactical crews to observe an atomic detonation in the near vicinity of a burst and make a damage assessment photo run over the target. Air National Guard units from 14 states participated during PLUMBBOB (see footnote page 162). These units (two RF-84F aircraft for each shot) participated on a rotational basis, staging out of George Air Force Base, California. Prior to the detonation, the aircraft flew from George AFB to a holding point where they orbited in a race-track-shaped pattern at 31,000 feet from Beatty to Lathrop Wells. About 10 minutes after the detonation, the aircraft were cleared to make a photo-reconnaissance run over ground zero at an altitude of approximately 10,000 feet.” – Page 185

DNA 6007F – SHOTS WHEELER TO MORGAN
The Final Eight Tests of The PLUMBBOB Series,
September 6 – October 7, 1957
http://www.dtra.mil/Portals/61/Documents/NTPR/2-Hist_Rpt_Atm/1957_DNA_6007F.pdf

8.2.4 Department of Defense Operational Training Project
The PLUMBBOB operational summary (27) indicates that the Air Force sponsored one operational training project at Shot CHARLESTON. Project 53.9, Photographic Reconnaissance Training, was fielded by the Tactical Air Command to indoctrinate Air National Guard Tactical Reconnaissance Units from George AFB, California, in conducting photographic missions over a nuclear target. Air National Guard Units participated in the project on a rotational basis. At Shot CHARLESTON, one T-33 with two crewmen aboard passed over ground zero ten minutes after the detonation at an altitude of 10,000 feet to photograph the nuclear target (8; 27).” – Page 27

DNA 6008F – Shots BOLTZMANN TO WILSON The First Four Shots of the PLMBOB Series 28
MAY-18 JUNE 1957 US Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Tests, Nuclear Test Personnel
http://www.dtra.mil/Portals/61/Documents/NTPR/2-Hist_Rpt_Atm/1957-DNA-6008F.pdf

Project 53.9, Photographic Reconnaissance Training, was intended to train Air National Guard Tactical Reconnaissance units in photographic missions over a nuclear target. Two RF-84F aircraft with one pilot each departed from George AFB, California, and flew to the NTS, where they orbited above Lathrop Wells at 31,000 feet until the shot was fired. Upon clearance from the Air Operations Center, they began the photographic mission, flying toward ground zero. They crossed the shot area approximately 15 minutes after the detonation at an altitude of 10,000 feet. At about 0525 hours, upon completion of the run, they left the area to return to base (2; 24).” – Pages 33 and 34

Project 53.9, Photographic Reconnaissance Training, was to indoctrinate Air National Guard Tactical Reconnaissance Units in conducting photographic missions over a nuclear target. Two RF-84F aircraft with one pilot each departed from George Air Force Base (AFB), California, and flew to the NTS, where they orbited above Lathrop Wells at 31,000 feet until the shot was fired. Upon clearance from the Air Operations Center, they began a photographic mission flying toward ground zero. The aircraft crossed the shot area approximately 15 minutes after the detonation at an altitude of 10,000 feet. Upon completion of the run, they returned to George AFB (3; 24).” – Page 57

Project 53.9, Photographic Reconnaissance Training, was conducted to indoctrinate Air National Guard Tactical Reconnaissance units in photographic missions over a nuclear target. Two RF-84F aircraft departed from George AFB, California, and flew to the NTS, where they orbited above Lathrop Wells at 31,000 feet until the shot was fired. Upon clearance from the Air Operations Center, they began a photographic mission flying toward ground zero. They crossed the shot area approximately 15 minutes after the detonation at an altitude of 10,000 feet. Upon completion of the run, they returned to George AFB (4; 24).” – Page 76

Project 53.9, Photographic Reconnaissance Training, was intended to indoctrinate Air National Guard Tactical Reconnaissance Units in conducting photographic missions over a nuclear target. Two RF-84F aircraft with one pilot each departed from George AFB, California, and flew to the NTS, where they orbited above Lathrop Wells at 31,000 feet until the shot was fired. Upon clearance from the Air Operations Center, they began a photographic mission toward ground zero. They crossed the shot area approximately 15 minutes after the detonation at an altitude of 10,000 feet. Upon completion of the run, they returned to base for decontamination procedures (5; 24).” – Pages 105 and 106

DNA 6010F Shots WASP to HORNET The first Five TEAPOT Tests 18 FEB – MARCH 12, 1955
US Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Tests, Nuclear Test Personnel Review.
http://www.dtra.mil/Portals/61/Documents/NTPR/2-Hist_Rpt_Atm/1955_DNA_6010F.pdf

DNA 6013F SHOTS ESS TROUGH MET and SHOT ZUCCHINI The FINAL TEAPOT TESTS 23
March 1955 — May 15, 1955, US Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Tests, Nuclear Test Personnel Review.
http://www.dtra.mil/Portals/61/Documents/NTPR/2-Hist_Rpt_Atm/1955_DNA_6013F.pdf

Source accessed on October 13, 2015: US Atmospheric Nuclear Test History Reports

United States Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA)

History of the 479 Fighter-Bomber Wing (FBW) December 1, 1952 – June 30, 1953, George Air Force Base, California
Supporting Documents Include Photographs Of The Aircraft Decontamination Center At George Air Force Base, CA.
Air Force History Index

History of the 479th Fighter-Bomber Wing, December 1, 1952 – June 30, 1953, George AFB, CA – (PDF 32.1 MB)
Photographs of the Decontamination Centers start on page 282

Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC)

Operation UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE Nevada Proving Grounds, March-June 1953, Project 6.11. Indoctrination Of Tactical Air Command Air Crews In The Delivery And Effects Of Atomic Weapons
… were retracted, normal fighter formation was resumed, and all aircraft proceeded directly to George AFB for decontamination, interrogation, and …
www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a951616.pdf – 268k – 1953-12-01

Shot PRISCILLA A Test of the PLUMBBOB Series, June 24, 1957.
… Upon clearance from the Air Operations Center, they began a photographic mission toward ground zero. They crossed the shot area approximately 15 minutes after the detonation at an altitude of 10,000 feet. Upon completion of the run, they returned to George AFB …
www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a105674.pdf – 618k – 1981-02-27

Shots DIABLO to FRANKLIN PRIME The Mid-Series Tests of the PLUMBBOB Series, July 15 – August 30, 1957.
… 10,000 feet. Upon completion of the run, the aircraft returned to George AFB for decontamination (1; 3). 37 Page 43. 2.2 …
www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a118683.pdf – 1090k – 1981-09-29

Fact Sheets: Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Test

Between 1945 and 1962, the US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) conducted 235 atmospheric nuclear weapon tests at sites in the United States and the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. About 220,000 Department of Defense (DOD) military and civilian participants were at the tests. Of these, approximately 142,000 participated in the Pacific test series and another 4,000 in the single Atlantic test series.

US Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Tests Fact Sheets

Reference: Nuclear Weapons

U.S. Nuclear Weapons Testing Components

Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)

Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL)
University of California Radiation Laboratory (UCRL)

Department of Defense (DoD)

Manhattan Engineer District (MED)
Weapons Effects Test Group
Armed Forces Special Weapons Project (AFSWP)
Air Force Special Weapons Center (AFSWC)
Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA)
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)

Department of Energy (DOE)

Nevada Test Site (NTS)
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL)

Federal Civil Defense Administration

Civil Effects Test Group (CETG)

U.S. Nuclear Weapons Complex

Allied Chemical Corporation Metropolis, Illinois

Ames Laboratory
Iowa State University

Area IV of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory

Argonne National Laboratory-West

Baker Brothers Toledo, Ohio

Battelle Laboratories King Avenue Columbus, Ohio

Bethlehem Steel Corporation Lackawanna, New York

Blockson Chemical Company
Joliet, Illinois

Brookhaven National Laboratory
Upton, New York

BWX Technologies, Inc.
Lynchburg, Virginia

Burlington Atomic Energy Commission Plant (BAECP)
Location:
The first plant in the United States to assemble atomic weapons for the AEC

Canoga Avenue
Los Angeles County, California

Clarksville Modification Center
Fort. Campbell, in Clarksville, Tennessee

Clinton Engineer Works
Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Combustion Engineering
Windsor, Connecticut

Connecticut Aircraft Nuclear Engine Laboratory (CANEL)
Middletown, Connecticut

DeSoto Avenue
Los Angeles County, California

Dow Chemical Company
Madison, Illinois

Downey Facility
Los Angeles County, California

Electro Metallurgical
Niagara Falls, New York

Feed Material Production Center (Fernald)
Fernald, Ohio

General Atomics
La Jolla, California

General Electric Co.
Evendale, Ohio

Grand Junction Facilities
Grand Junction, Colorado

Grants, New Mexico
Santa Fe Railroad and the Anaconda Copper Mining Company

Hanford Washington
Richland, Washington

Harshaw Harvard-Denison
Cleveland, Ohio

Hood Building
Cambridge, MA

Hooker Electrochemical Corporation
Niagara Falls, New York

Horizons, Inc.
Cleveland, Ohio

Idaho National Laboratory
Scoville, Idaho

Iowa Army Ammunition Plant (IAAP) – Location: west of Burlington, Iowa
Years in operation: 1940-1945, 1949-Present

Joslyn Manufacturing and Supply Company
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Kansas City Plant
Location: Kansas City, MO

Kellex/Pierpont facility
Jersey City, New Jersey

—

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories
Location: Livermore, CA

Los Alamos National Laboratories
Location: Los Alamos, NM

Nevada National Security Site
Location: near Las Vegas, NV

Pantex Plant
Location: near Amarillo, TX

Rocky Flats Plant
Location: Denver, Colorado

Sandia National Laboratory
Location: Two sites—one near Albuquerque, NM, and one at Livermore, CA

Savannah River Site
Location: Near Aiken, SC

Y-12 National Security Complex
Location: Oak Ridge, TN

Source accessed on October 13, 2015: Union of Concerned Scientists

Source accessed on October 20, 2015: Cold War Patriots

Source accessed on November 1, 2015: Atomic Heritage Foundation

Source accessed on April 21, 2018: US Department of Labor