| 13 parents on one street lose newborns |
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jdnews.com
Editor’s note: This is the third in a three-part series looking at issues surrounding Camp Lejeune’s water contamination. Mary Bouchard, who lived on Butler Drive in 1952-53 while her husband was stationed at Lejeune and lost an infant, said she doesn’t understand why she hasn’t been told about the possible water contamination until now. “It was very hard on us when we lost our first son and it is still hard now,” she said. “We miss William every day.” The Bouchards moved from Camp Lejeune shortly after their son died. The couple now has five children, 10 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. The grim total of Butler Drive infant deaths at Naval Hospital beginning in 1953 and ending in 1985 is 380 dead babies. The overall number of infant deaths at Naval Hospital from 1947 to 1987 is a staggering 1,842, according to death certificates on file at the Onslow County Courthouse. Government health studies have so far looked only at electronic birth certificates beginning with 1968. Death certificates have not been reviewed. While many contaminates, like dry cleaning solvents and volatile organic compounds, would not be introduced into the water wells aboard Camp Lejeune until decades later, dumped fuels and lead pipes had been around for years in 1953, according to research and reports from the U.S. Department of Health. Mostly unchanged in six decades, Butler Drive was in 1953 as it is now, a quiet street in base housing consisting of young couples with at least one spouse stationed at a nearby Marine base. Compiled death certificates tell a story of yearlong tragedy for parents along Butler Drive as the seasons changed, but death remained. The New Year 1953 opened on Butler Drive with a new mother nursing a sick newborn to health and several soonto-be moms making preparations. Ann Hand, of 1124 Butler Drive, was dealing with her son’s breathing problems. He was born Oct. 25, 1952, and had trouble separating the gases in his lungs. Down the street, young couples at 1081 and 1082 Butler Drive were close to a new addition to their families entering their lives. Gertrude Dreager and Linda Fowler were neighbors and expecting mothers. Dreager due sometime in mid-January and Fowler in the middle of February. The year of loss at Naval Hospital began Jan. 14 when Gertrude Dreager went into labor and the next day, in her 40th week of pregnancy, her son was stillborn. Three weeks later, on Feb. 5, Ann Hand’s son 2½-month-old son vomited gastric contents into his lungs and asphyxiated. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Naval Hospital. Six days later, on Feb. 11, Linda Fowler delivered a baby girl who lived for one day and died of Anoxia — low oxygen. Three days later, Patsy Standiferd, of 1725 Butler Drive, delivered a premature baby girl who died days later. Three weeks later, Joan Henson of 110 Butler Drive was taken into a Naval Hospital delivery room. Her baby boy was stillborn March 12. Spring 1953 passed on Butler Drive without a birth-related tragedy, but by July the death had returned. Angela Boehm, of 425 Butler Drive, gave birth to a premature baby boy July 10. The child died three days later. A month later Bette McLeod, of 1618 Butler Drive, gave birth to a premature baby boy who died two days later on Aug. 16. Ten days later, Betty Jenson, of 203 Butler Drive, added her name to a growing list of Butler Drive mothers who were delivering stillborn babies. Two families lost newborns in September. The Bouchards, at 1808 Butler Drive, and Anna Rose Hartmann, of 1047 Butler Drive, both had children die the same day they were born. As summer gave way to fall, and families no doubt prepared for Halloween, two more mothers lost their babies. Mildred Pettyjohn, of 1149 Butler Drive, lost her 2-month-old son on Oct. 14. Bonnie Harris, of 1253 Butler Lane, lost her 3-day-old son Oct. 18, 1953, to anencephaly, the absence of a large part of the brain and the skull. As the Christmas approached, Phyllis Ann Shevitski, of 1310 Butler Drive, gave birth to a baby boy with several anomalies. The next day, Dec. 18, 1953, the infant died. Marine Corps officials suggested The Daily News provide death certificate information to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry when questioned about the high number of infant deaths aboard Lejeune. “We recommend you provide this data to ATSDR so they can ascertain any statistically significant data that might add to the body of information that has been compiled on this subject … ATSDR is best suited to determine the relevance of this information,” said Marine spokesman Capt. Brian Block. Block said the Marine Corps is committed to finding out whether past exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune has had adverse health effects. “We look forward to the conclusion of ATSDR’s ongoing studies in the hope that they will provide our Marines, sailors, family members and civilian workers the answers they deserve,” Block said. Jerry Ensminger, a retired Marine whose daughter, Jane, was conceived in base housing and died of childhood leukemia, said he no longer trusts the Corps. “It was bad enough the people who dumped the poisons, but the ones who cover it up now pretending to want to help are criminals,” he said Friday. |
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