2023 Memorial Day Weekend Reunion in Georgia

SUNDAY, MAY 28, 2023 AT 1 PM CDT
Carlos and Bucky’s Enewetak Cleanup Veterans gathering
Dalton GA

Carlos Vela Enewetak Reunion on Memorial Day Weekend at his House, in Dalton Georgia.
He has an open pasture if anyone wants to bring a camper/rv (no hookups)
If interested contact him or Bucky Holmes.

6/5/2023 Report on the Enewetak Memorial Weekend Reunion:

 

Gary Pulis
May 27 at 2:51 AM
I’m sure the group would like to see pictures from the reunion going on this weekend.

• Ray Hampton Jr.
• 

Pamela Jones Jarvis
May 27, 2023
Reunion at Carlos Velas

• Alan Leeman
  Such a good looking group of Lojwa Animals. Sorry I couldn’t be there. Have one for me.
• Bucky Holmes
  Alan Leeman I did. I don’t drink but I drank a few just for the memories.
• Buedrow Budoy
  Looking good
• Barb Quint Gill
  What a wonderful time together.
• Bucky Holmes
  Great group of Enewetak vets
• Marketta Flowers
  Great picture ❤️Doug Flowers sending Hello and happy memorial day.
• Greg Granlund
  I recognize you Ray. Good to see all you animals together.
• Alson Kelen
  Iakwe and it’s sure great to you folks together.
• David Lucinda Anitok
  That’s awesome 👏 Have a blessed Memorial Day.
• Greg Granlund
  I see you hiding in the back.
• Video of Atomic Cleanup Mission Participants at the reunion: https://www.facebook.com/100008140200288/videos/214580071369060/

Howard Gill
May 28 at 8:05 AM
Breakfast at the Reunion

• Norman Jeffries
  How awesome !!!
• Carlos Vela
  Had a great time waking up doing breakfast for everyone, then bbqing lunch…
• William Walker
  Good food and good people.
• Bruce Huffman
  Thank you Carlos and your wife for hosting the reunion. I enjoyed everything. The could not have been any better!
• Ken Sowden
  That looks better than Cracker Barrel!!!!
• John Street
  Ken Sowden The food was AWESOME! The Vela’s can cook.
• Joseph Quimby
  Many thanks to the cooks – it was great!
•   

Cynthia White
May 28, 2023
More reunion pics

• Carlos Vela
  Thank you so much Cynthia White for taking pics and sharing… and I’m still looking forward to our rematch.
• Cynthia White
  Carlos Vela 😂 you’re on.
• Bucky Holmes
  Great pictures!!
• Cynthia White
  Bucky Holmes not bad for an old phone 😁😂 thank you.
• Bucky Holmes
  Cynthia White you are awesome.
• Bev Androl
  Thank you for sharing your pictures.
•           
• Victoria Moore
  For my atomic family…
  • Bev Androl
    Victoria Moore can the guys use your artwork for their fb pages?
  • Victoria Moore
    Bev Androl Please share!!! I create these to help raise awareness. Spread these around like fallout!
  • Bev Androl
    Victoria Moore that is a beautiful piece
• 

Greg Granlund
May 28 at 5:01 PM
Find your name.

• 

Cynthia White
May 28, 2023
Some awesome goodies handed out at the reunion!

• 

Howard Gill
May 28 at 10:23 AM
Chef Carlos

• Bucky Holmes
  I had a great time thanks Charlie and Pam for hosting a great get together.
• Carlos Vela
  Bucky Holmes we were happy and honored to have hosted this event this year for us all.
• Bucky Holmes
  Carlos Vela I saw Brian and talked to him and told him he was in our prayers, he was happy to get the t shirt and honey, I told him to watch the news.
• 

Barb Quint Gill
May 29, 2023
This sweet little girl designed a poster for Atomic Vets.

• Carlos Vela
  This is my granddaughter Lani, and she made this poster for us and had us sign it for her..and we did..🥰
• 

Barb Quint Gill
May 29, 2023
This! And so much more.

• 

Barb Quint Gill
May 29, 2023
This young man [Josh Roe] asked questions and listened to the stories of the Vets assigned to a toxic mission that took so many of their comrades’ lives. This reunion was humbling as these Atomic Vets shared their stories while assigned to clean up the radiation mess left from over nuclear bomb testing in the 1940s and 50s.

• 

Howard Gill
May 29, 2023
Photos from 2023 Reunion

• Steven Reynolds
  Question: Who traveled the furthest to get there and from where?
  Is there a sign in roster or list of everyone attending?
• Ron Trunk
  Great Tshirts…where did you get it ? Looks like you all had a great time. Wish I could have gone.
• Pamela Jones Jarvis
  Great Pictures
• Carlos Vela
  Awesome pictures! Thank you so much for sharing.
• Joseph Quimby
  Great pic’s
• Kevin Bruce Aldrich Bartlett
  Looked like a great time.
• Kevin Bruce Aldrich Bartlett
  And I gotta ask this Carlos Vela – I hope you kept all the “animals” out in your barn because I can’t remember that any of us were housebroken.
• Robert Retmier
  Carlos Vela thx Looks like everybody had great time. Safe travel home everybody.
• Robert Retmier
  Carlos, how can we get the list of names on the Animal Flag. couldnt blow it up BIG enough for my old eyes. would be great to lookup old buddies.
• Ray Hampton Jr.
  I was there tried to put name tags on all! Haha.
• Helem-Chris Rundell
  Thank you for sharing this.
• 
  • Cynthia White
    My dad made this shirt! This is the back. If anyone wants one I can order them for you. The cost is around $20 and that would include shipping. I don’t know how long it would take to ship because the lady that makes shirts for us her mother is very sick and it may be a while until she gets to them. I guess y’all can send me your address and shirt sizes and when you get them the just send me a check or something. My dad is very happy you all like it. Thank you all!
•     

Howard Gill
May 29, 2023

• Ray Jarvis
  My finger is flying, not mad at anything I promise, may have been passionate about something someone said!
• Bucky Holmes
  We had a great time
• Greg Granlund
  I served with both Lyndol and Ray.
• Greg Granlund
  What a great picture!!
• 

Howard Gill
May 29, 2023

• Greg Granlund
  These are my dudes, worked with them both on Lojwa.
• Ray Jarvis
  Lyndol Gregston , that’s a good man right there , honor to know him!
• 

Carlos Vela
May 29, 2023
More reunion pics

• 

Joseph Quimby
May 30, 2023
My photos from this past weekend

• Bucky Holmes
  Great pictures!!
• Ray Hampton Jr.
  Ivan Porter !
• 

Hopefully, these are all the photos and videos shared from the 1977-1980 Enewetak Atoll Atomic Debris Cleanup Mission Veterans’ 2023 Memorial Day Weekend Reunion in Dalton Georgia. If not, please email the Social Network or Facebook post link(s) or the actual photographs to Girard Frank Bolton III at gatekeeper@atomiccleanupvets.com

Attention!!!

Atomic Veterans Service Recognition Program

The Atomic Veterans Commemorative Service Medal and the Atomic Veteran’s Service Certificate recognizes that the service and sacrifice of Atomic Veterans directly contributed to our freedom and prosperity after World War II, and was pivotal to our Nation’s defense during the Cold War. Veterans eligible for the medal are those who, while performing official military duties during the period of July 1, 1945, to October 1, 1992:

• Directly participated in the detonation of an atomic weapon or device
• Directly participated in the cleanup of radioactive material resulting from any such atmospheric detonation;
• Directly participated in the cleanup of radioactive material resulting from an accident associated with an atomic weapon; or
• Were exposed to ionizing radiation resulting from the operational use of atomic weapons during World War II.

Eligible veterans and the next-of-kin (NOK) of deceased eligible veterans may now apply for the medal. Please note that the veteran or NOK can only be issued one medal, multiple NOK cannot each be issued a medal.