Pohakuloa Toxic Dangers
Experience Pohakuloa Toxins?
The Military Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA) is hosting an “Experience Pohakuloa Day” on Thursday, April 20, 2023. It is inviting school children and the general public to this Open House event on the base. Teachers, parents, children, and the general public need to be aware of the dangers of Depleted Uranium (DU) radiation, and a wide range of toxins that have been used at Pohakuloa over more than 75 years of bombing and shelling. Inhalation of Depleted Uranium (DU) oxide dust particles is “the most deadly form of radiation.” This is according to Hawaii resident, Dr. Lorrin Pang, MD, 25 years retired from the Army Medical Corps and listed in the who’s who best doctors. See PSA by Dr. Pang here: https://vimeo.com/19153948
Let’s be clear. DU metal on the ground at Pohakuloa does not pose a serious health threat. But if that metal has been hit with high explosives it burns and turns the metal into DU oxide dust particles which can be carried long distances in the wind. If anyone inhales DU oxide particles those particles can remain in your body for decades causing a wide range of problems including cancer, and genetic damage to future generations.
DU was first used by the military at Pohakuloa in the early 1960s fired into the 50,000-plus acre impact area. That impact area has been subjected to decades of high explosives firing ever since. The military disclosed in an Environmental study in the early 2000s that over 14 million live rounds are fired annually at Pohakuloa. A current figure is not available. I suspect it is even higher now.
There are dozens of various DU weapons in the US arsenal since the 1960s used by the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. Modern DU weapons are known as “penetrators.” They are made of solid DU metal. When fired, the DU metal begins to burn and when it hits a hard target –tank, armored vehicle, etc. it slices right through the armor, like a hot knife through butter, and explodes at 3000 degrees. There is no documentation that DU penetrators have been fired at Pohakuloa but for decades there was no documentation that Davy Crockett DU spotting rounds were used either. Then in 2007 documents appeared that DU spotting rounds were used at Pohakuloa for the Davy Crockett Nuclear weapon system. The numbers range from 750 to over 2000 Davy Crockett DU spotting rounds fired at PTA. But given the fact that all sorts of weapons have been used at Pohakuloa, it seems reasonable to conclude that DU penetrators, along with other DU spotting rounds besides Davy Crockett, may also have been fired at PTA. That’s why it is extremely important that independent comprehensive testing and monitoring be done to determine the full extent of DU and other toxic contamination and what’s coming off PTA blowing in the wind. If the military has nothing to hide they would welcome, and pay for, such an independent study to assure the confidence of the community. But the military has been stonewalling efforts by the community calling for such a study since 2008. See Hawaii County Council resolution 639-08 passed by a vote of 8-1.
How come? Is it to keep troops, residents, and the tourist industry in the dark? Don’t we all have a right to know?
Are we Inhaling DU Oxide Dust and other military toxins?
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— Jim Albertini Malu ‘Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown) Hawai’i 96760 Phone 808-966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org Visit us on the web at www.malu-aina.org
