KQED's Forum The Legacy of U.S. Navy Radiation Experiments in Hunters Point
Dec 18, 2024
Chris Roberts, an investigative journalist known for his series "Exposed: The Human Radiation Experiments at Hunters Point," discusses the shocking legacy of U.S. Navy radiation tests from 1946 to 1963. He reveals how troops and civilians were subjected to unethical experiments, including radiation injections and crawling through toxic substances. The conversation dives into the environmental contamination left behind, the long-term health risks for local residents, and the urgent need for accountability and justice for affected communities.
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Fallout Mud Experiment
- The Navy conducted experiments involving troops crawling through mud.
- This mud was chemically treated to simulate nuclear fallout.
Navy's Existential Crisis
- Post-WWII, the Navy faced an existential crisis due to the rise of atomic weapons.
- They sought to regain relevance by studying radiation's effects, leading to experiments at Hunters Point.
Radioactive Ships at Hunters Point
- Target ships from Operation Crossroads were towed to Hunters Point for study.
- These ships, contaminated with unexploded plutonium and other byproducts, became a source of radioactive material.