/ The Associated Press - In this March 23, 2011 photo, a flight deck crew walk on the flight deck where water is sprayed for radioactive decontamination aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN76) in the Pacific
By Associated Press, Friday, March 25, 8:23 AM
ABOARD THE USS RONALD REAGAN — When U.S. Navy helicopters returned from a humanitarian mission on the first weekend following Japan’s earthquake and tsunami, Lt. j.g. James Powell felt a slight unease.
Powell, the radiation health officer aboard the USS Ronald Reagan, knew there was a chance the choppers could have been exposed to radiation from the damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant as they ferried relief aid to northeastern Japan, and even though “the Japanese had told us we’d be fine,” he still wanted to be sure.
“I was kind of nervous about it,” the 30-year-old nuclear engineer said. “So I said, ‘Let’s just go check them, just in case. ... Let’s just go check it out.’”
That was Sunday, March 13 — two days after the earthquake and tsunami had hit the coast and one day after the first explosion from the nuclear plant.
Thus began three days of mostly sleepless nights for Powell as he and others worked to contain contamination to the $4.5 billion nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and calm the nerves of its crew of about 4,500.
Read the whole story on: The Washington Post
Powell, the radiation health officer aboard the USS Ronald Reagan, knew there was a chance the choppers could have been exposed to radiation from the damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant as they ferried relief aid to northeastern Japan, and even though “the Japanese had told us we’d be fine,” he still wanted to be sure.
“I was kind of nervous about it,” the 30-year-old nuclear engineer said. “So I said, ‘Let’s just go check them, just in case. ... Let’s just go check it out.’”
That was Sunday, March 13 — two days after the earthquake and tsunami had hit the coast and one day after the first explosion from the nuclear plant.
Thus began three days of mostly sleepless nights for Powell as he and others worked to contain contamination to the $4.5 billion nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and calm the nerves of its crew of about 4,500.
Read the whole story on: The Washington Post
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