Noelan 'Mac' McCormack: Atomic Vet

COEUR d'ALENE - To best explain "Operation Teapot," Noelan "Mac" McCormack pulls out a binder, and points to page one.

The first paragraph reads: "The Marine Corps Test Unit 1 was an experimental testing unit of the United States Marine Corps. It was established outside the Fleet Marine Force for the development of specialized tactics, techniques and organizational concepts, and to evaluate its tangible employment in the nuclear age."

In other words, the 75-year-old McCormack says with a laugh, "we were guinea pigs."

The Coeur d'Alene man was just 18 years old when he was a member of that unit sent to Yucca Flat, Nev., in March 1955 to participate in Operation Teapot, which included the explosion of atomic weapons.

"We were told we can't fight wars like we did in World War II, there would be no beach landings," he recalled. "That's one reason they formed our unit, was to experiment with new tactics and so forth."

Experiment they did.

McCormack and others in his battalion were positioned about 3,000 yards from an atomic blast during a test. The idea, he said, was to see how they and their equipment reacted after the blast, to determine how it affected their ability to respond to military maneuvers.

His was called bomb explosion "Bee."

"A nuclear weapon was detonated simultaneously as the Infantry Battalion maneuvered within 3,500 yards away from ground zero, acting as an amphibious battalion landing force in the vicinity of a nuclear fallout," according to a description in Wikipedia that McCormack carries with him. "While the Marines were advancing, the mushroom cloud was still forming above."

He seemed fine, afterward, he said, and went about following orders.

McCormack produces a black and white photo of his unit, Platoon 243, Marine Corps, San Diego, 1954. He is fifth from the left, top row. Young, fit and strong, he would go on to spend eight years in the military.

Later, he worked in security and settled in Coeur d'Alene, where he was influential in the naming of Pappy Boyington Field.

"I felt we should honor him in some way," he said.

But six weeks ago, during a visit to his doctor, McCormack was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia. He believes, without a doubt, the cause can be traced to Operation Teapot and that atomic blast a few thousand yards away.

"Yep. It's the first thought because it doesn't run in the family," he said. "There's no past history in the family of any type of leukemia. It's the type of leukemia that's only gotten through radiation. Where would I get that radiation?

Why are you considered one of what's called the atomic vets?

We were exposed to atomic exercises. We were about 3,000 yards away from ground zero when that went off. We were in slit trenches. We were told to put our hands over our eyes and our heads down. The light was so bright.

Why were you there?

We were there to test the endurance of what military personnel would be able to continue with combat situations. We were guinea pigs. That's exactly what we were. There was a whole battalion of us. As far as I know, they didn't test us or check us with Geiger counters.

What else was there?

They had mannequins in slit trenches. They had tanks sitting over in one area, and it just picked the tank up and rolled it over like a piece of tin can. It's pretty astonishing how this A bomb works.

What was your understanding at the time of what you would be doing? Did you think there was any danger?

You don't question things. You leave it to the adults, the older ones, the ones with the experience. You think they can do no wrong. Looking back now, I don't really think this was in good taste.

What happened after the blast?

We went within 50 yards of ground zero. This was after the cloud rose and everything else, and they determined it as safe to do so. We were in areas that had already experienced A-bomb blasts that were contaminated. They tried to measure on that bomb blast how much you receive. But we were in slit trenches that were already contaminated so this was the exposure that I had.

When did you learn you had leukemia?

About a month, six weeks ago, I went to the VA clinic here and had my blood tested. The nurse over there, he says, 'Hey, your white count is getting out of sight here. You better go to your doctor and tell him to address this problem.'

So I went to my doctor, and he set up an appointment for the cancer center here in Coeur d'Alene. They ran blood tests and did a bone marrow test. He came back and said, 'I've got good news and bad news. The bad news is, you have leukemia. The good news is, it's the type we can treat now.' When it's caught early enough, they can pretty much put it in remission. But it's not totally remission, because you wind up taking chemo pills the rest of your life.

What type of leukemia do you have?

It's called chronic myeloid leukemia. The only way you get it is through radiation. So I proceeded to go to the VA hospital. The doctors there in the report, said my leukemia was caused by the exercise I was on, more likely than not.

How could that show up today, when you're 75, and this was back in 1955?

I asked that. The doctor said when you're young you have an immune system. As you get older your immune system starts breaking down. You start getting disease. Apparently this creeped up and came out.

So what would you like to do now?

What I would like to do is be able to address any atomic veteran with any medical problems, get a hold of your VA medical center. It's not just for me. It's for everyone involved. This is my function in the matter as far as atomic bombs. If you feel you have any sickness, any health conditions related to the

see MAC, C2

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atomic exercises, get into the VA.

Apparently, there aren't that many atomic veterans around. A lot of them are probably already dead from cancers and everything else.

Why didn't this come up before now?

We couldn't talk about this back then or do anything about it. They always said, 'You didn't get any poisoning, you're OK, you're safe.' Well, I don't know.

Were you told not to talk about anything?

Our unit was an operation under confidential secret exercises. We couldn't talk about it or anything else. I think they finally declassified everything back in around 1996, '98. That's how many years down the road from '55.

What's your treatment?

They've got me on Gleevec, one pill a day.

How does that affect you?

This pretty much zaps me of an evening. I take it after dinner. They tell you to take it with food and a bottle of water. Don't ask me to go anywhere or do anything in the evening. I'm not going to be worth a hill of beans, because it does knock the slats out from underneath. I get tired, weak, sleepy, but in the morning I seem to be OK. At least it's doing what it's supposed to do.

How do you feel today about your military experience?

I think I'd do it over again as far as the Marine Corps. That's how I feel. Here I am, I'm still a Marine.

You don't hold any animosity?

I have no animosity toward the Corps about what happened. The thing is, I did what they wanted me to do. Now, I want them to do what they need to do to take care of me.

Will they do that?

I think they are. They do recognize chronic myeloid leukemia as radiation exposure. Now whether they will accept my claim or deny it, that's up to them.