"Uncovering the Navy's Failure to Inform Shipyard Veterans of Cancer-Causing Radiation Exposure"

Navy veterans who worked at the now-closed Long Beach Naval Shipyard in California may have been exposed to cancer-causing radioactive materials such as radium-226 and strontium-90, but the Navy did not inform them. Gilbert “Kip” Wyand, a Navy veteran, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and later died, sparking outrage from his family. The contamination occurred from the 1940s to the 1960s, and the Navy detected radiation involving levels of radium-226 and strontium-90 in 2023. The Navy has not alerted veterans to the potential exposure, leaving tens of thousands at risk. The VA's approval process for bone marrow transplants, required comprehensive evaluations, dental assessments, and toxicology screens, causing delays for Wyand.