Fred Hagstrom
Strong Silent Type press, 2023
Codex binding
Printed in intaglio, 8x10 inches, 30 pages
700$
Edition of 20, 2 remain available

This book is about the experience of the “nuclear vets”, service members exposed to radiation during nuclear bomb testing.

Sample text

The U.S conducted 196 atmospheric tests, with 86 in Nevada.  Government figures estimate between 400,000 and 550,000 American military personnel participated in a variety of nuclear tests between 1946 to 1992. The service members were told to never speak of their experience in the nuclear tests- even to each other or to close family. It could be punishable as treason.

We were instructed to crouch down and to place these black leather gloves over our eyes and face as best we could. As I placed those gloves over my eyes and sat there and when it went off, I thought, this is odd, I think I see the bones in my fingers.  After 96, when it was declassified, I heard many other people say that they actually had their arm over their eyes and could see the bones in their arm.

We were just like an experiment animal that you’d use in a lab.  And I think a lot of my lumps and that, these nodules I have had taken out of my body is due to that.  I’ve had more than 30 taken out.  They knew everything that was gonna happen and what danger was involved in it, and they are just hoping you all die before they have to do anything.