Steve Eulberg: Listen to Music

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This is my uncle's story of his US Navy service in the Bikini Atoll tests, and then my aunt's experience, as told to me.

Just another sailor
standing by the rail
The war was won one year before
How could Uncle Sam now fail?

From the bullhorn came fateful orders
In a bright metallic voice
The Navy boys obeyed them,
They didn't have a choice:

Chorus

"Just close your eyes
before the blast
or surely you'll go blind;
Go swimming in the water
with no questions in your mind.
We are testing atomic weapons
In the South Pacific Sea."
At the Atoll they called, Bikini,
They promised no trouble at all, at all.
At the Atoll they called, Bikini,
They promised no trouble at all, at all.

He was my favorite uncle
Wore tattoos on both his arms
With jokes and games and funny tales
On this nephew wove his charms

Both his kids were born affected,
And his lungs began to fail
Doesn't take much of a detective
To understand this sordid tale:

Bridge
Those boys were used as guinea pigs
By the red, white and blue
Never asked for their permission
To be nuclear barbecue

Our government's plans disgraced 'em
As the islands, they defaced 'em
Islanders?--displaced 'em
So the bombs wouldn't baste 'em.

When his grieving widow
Seeks the benefits she is due
The Feds just say, "We're sorry,
There is nothing we can do.

A fire swept through one building
And consumed the whole 6th floor
It burned up all the records
So we can't help you anymore."

Last Chorus
Don't close your eyes
Next time around
Or we'll be surely blind
Stand up and ask the questions
that are stewing in your mind
They're always testing some new weapon
So let's all remember, please:
At the Atoll they called Bikini....