US Marines have learned lessons from the Japanese nuclear-plant disaster:
The first Marines deployed for ground operations in northern Japan were equipped with lightweight radiation suits and hoods, potassium-iodide pills and handheld radiation detectors. Briefers said that all crew members wore so-called dosimeters to track potential exposure to radiation, and dosimeters were also installed aboard Marine aircraft. At the end of each flight, personnel, aircraft and equipment were scanned for possible exposure. A specialized team prepared daily reports with updated radiological readings around Japan to give military commanders and officials a snapshot of the situation.
According to briefing slides prepared by the III Marine Expeditionary Force’s nuclear-incident response team, Marine teams surveyed a total of 73 aircraft, more than 300 vehicles and major pieces of equipment, and hundreds of personnel.
The exposure of personnel was, for the most part, negligible. But Marine teams identified a total of 25 aircraft requiring decontamination. Stripping down and cleaning aircraft of radiological contamination became a manpower-intensive task.
According to Marines, it took 1,200 man hours to decontaminate one “hot” CH-46 helicopter that had contact with radioactive debris. Certain parts on the aircraft were particularly hard to clean. In some cases, washing down contaminated parts was not enough; some had to be hand-cleaned with industrial wipes.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 John Russell, the squadron’s maintenance chief, said that “hot spots” tended to develop around parts of the aircraft that force compressed air into the engine. He also said that some surfaces, such as paint on helicopter rotor heads, “soaked up the contamination.”
All told, it took a month to decontaminate all the Okinawa-based aircraft. While that meant aviators fell behind in scheduled flying hours, the squadron commander said the lessons drawn from the operation were worthwhile.