Don Gummo

It was a good-paying job for the time. It was above average. Minimum wage, and in the middle of Oklahoma, that was pretty good money, so they always had people come to work there.

It was a good-paying job for the time. It was above average. Minimum wage, and in the middle of Oklahoma, that was pretty good money, so they always had people come to work there.

Karen just stood out to me, and I looked at her. And when I look back, she's staring right at me, and then she winks at me.

Karen just stood out to me, and I looked at her. And when I look back, she's staring right at me, and then she winks at me.

For some reason, she and I just hit it off right from the start, and we always got along good. And being in adjacent labs, when she'd go to break, I'd go with her, and we'd take lunch together. And just over time, I really got to know her real well, and I've really got to like her real well.

For some reason, she and I just hit it off right from the start, and we always got along good. And being in adjacent labs, when she'd go to break, I'd go with her, and we'd take lunch together. And just over time, I really got to know her real well, and I've really got to like her real well.

I always say that was my libertarian phase. I just didn't think I needed union membership. I think a lot higher of labor now.

I always say that was my libertarian phase. I just didn't think I needed union membership. I think a lot higher of labor now.

You know, as we got more into the project and we started having even minor episodes of spills and so on, it kind of changed the environment. They got behind on their schedule of making pellets. That was early in 1974. And we went to round-the-clock operations at that time, and that's when we had more of those kind of incidences, minor spills and so on.

You know, as we got more into the project and we started having even minor episodes of spills and so on, it kind of changed the environment. They got behind on their schedule of making pellets. That was early in 1974. And we went to round-the-clock operations at that time, and that's when we had more of those kind of incidences, minor spills and so on.

But what had happened is while the hot plate was unplugged, it was cooling off, so those stoppers that were pushed into the top got sucked in even tighter. But when I picked one up and I was going to set them off the hot plate and let them cool, and it blew up. It just shattered into a million pieces. And that hot nitric acid, from my point of view, is coming right in my face.

But what had happened is while the hot plate was unplugged, it was cooling off, so those stoppers that were pushed into the top got sucked in even tighter. But when I picked one up and I was going to set them off the hot plate and let them cool, and it blew up. It just shattered into a million pieces. And that hot nitric acid, from my point of view, is coming right in my face.

Next thing I know, she's got a respirator and she's coming in there and she just took over and she got an instrument and made sure that the glove box wasn't leaking. It was all squared away. Then she came over and checked me out to make sure I wasn't contaminated.

Next thing I know, she's got a respirator and she's coming in there and she just took over and she got an instrument and made sure that the glove box wasn't leaking. It was all squared away. Then she came over and checked me out to make sure I wasn't contaminated.

I think seeing me fall and laying there on my ass, she... It was like she crossed a Rubicon. It's like that was the final straw in all the stuff that she'd seen going on that seemed to be a final straw.

I think seeing me fall and laying there on my ass, she... It was like she crossed a Rubicon. It's like that was the final straw in all the stuff that she'd seen going on that seemed to be a final straw.

And then, of course, as it dried, it became a powder again and went airborne. And literally, we had to throw chairs and instruments and all kinds of stuff out because just a few drops of that... coated everything in the room with a film of plutonium.

And then, of course, as it dried, it became a powder again and went airborne. And literally, we had to throw chairs and instruments and all kinds of stuff out because just a few drops of that... coated everything in the room with a film of plutonium.

It was basically Clorox and Tide. And we would make up a batch of Radiac, pour it on the floor, and then slurp it up with a vacuum cleaner. The idea being it would gather up any particles that were on the floor and you could just suck them up that way. In this instance, what it did is it took a little bit of radioactive material and spread it uniformly across the whole room.

It was basically Clorox and Tide. And we would make up a batch of Radiac, pour it on the floor, and then slurp it up with a vacuum cleaner. The idea being it would gather up any particles that were on the floor and you could just suck them up that way. In this instance, what it did is it took a little bit of radioactive material and spread it uniformly across the whole room.

And it was screaming hot, and it was screaming hot for weeks. We had to work in respirators eight hours at a stretch until they could get the mess cleaned up. So... It was a big deal.

And it was screaming hot, and it was screaming hot for weeks. We had to work in respirators eight hours at a stretch until they could get the mess cleaned up. So... It was a big deal.

I always thought of Karen as a force of nature. She would get something in her head and she would be driven by it. So I know when she started learning more about the business that we were in, the industry we were in, and the hazards of it and so on, It had a big effect on her.

I always thought of Karen as a force of nature. She would get something in her head and she would be driven by it. So I know when she started learning more about the business that we were in, the industry we were in, and the hazards of it and so on, It had a big effect on her.

She was concerned that all these farm kids that they had hired to run this thing were at great risk because they didn't understand what it was they were working with.

She was concerned that all these farm kids that they had hired to run this thing were at great risk because they didn't understand what it was they were working with.

It was a full-faced respirator, and it had a canister. And then, of course, we had to wear a hood underneath the mask. It was a miserable way to spend a shift.

It was a full-faced respirator, and it had a canister. And then, of course, we had to wear a hood underneath the mask. It was a miserable way to spend a shift.

She had a mission, because I can remember when she started gathering documentation, she had a folder that she carried with her. I actually made a contribution to that folder.

She had a mission, because I can remember when she started gathering documentation, she had a folder that she carried with her. I actually made a contribution to that folder.

She came over one night. It was after work, so it was like the middle of the night, and she showed up at my house. And she was concerned because she was being followed and she had lost him. She had did her trick with the car and outran him. And she still had concerns, obviously. So she stayed there that night. And actually, that's next morning when she left.

She came over one night. It was after work, so it was like the middle of the night, and she showed up at my house. And she was concerned because she was being followed and she had lost him. She had did her trick with the car and outran him. And she still had concerns, obviously. So she stayed there that night. And actually, that's next morning when she left.

That was the last time I ever saw her alive.

That was the last time I ever saw her alive.

We all thought we were doing something that was pretty cool.

We all thought we were doing something that was pretty cool.

I was pretty much a proponent of nuclear power back in those days. I wouldn't even call Karen anti-nuclear. We both thought at least early on that we were doing something noble.

I was pretty much a proponent of nuclear power back in those days. I wouldn't even call Karen anti-nuclear. We both thought at least early on that we were doing something noble.

I am absolutely sure in my heart of hearts that she did not contaminate those urine and fecal samples. Just because of the respect and fear she had for plutonium, I can't imagine that she took a sample of plutonium home with her and contaminated her apartment in that food.

I am absolutely sure in my heart of hearts that she did not contaminate those urine and fecal samples. Just because of the respect and fear she had for plutonium, I can't imagine that she took a sample of plutonium home with her and contaminated her apartment in that food.

Well, the deal was, if your nose was clean, you shouldn't have any problems about taking a lie detector test so we can find out if you took plutonium. So I thought, well, that's a fair deal. because I didn't take any plutonium. So Don went for his polygraph test. And they had a whole other list of questions they wanted to ask.

Well, the deal was, if your nose was clean, you shouldn't have any problems about taking a lie detector test so we can find out if you took plutonium. So I thought, well, that's a fair deal. because I didn't take any plutonium. So Don went for his polygraph test. And they had a whole other list of questions they wanted to ask.

They were interested to know what I knew about Karen is what they were interested in. So they ask about drug use. They ask about taking plutonium. They ask about

They were interested to know what I knew about Karen is what they were interested in. So they ask about drug use. They ask about taking plutonium. They ask about

things that you would expect them to and then they wanted to know well have you ever slept with her well do you know anybody else who's slept with her and they're asking me these questions while i'm sitting there wired to this machine it was uh it was kind of unpleasant

things that you would expect them to and then they wanted to know well have you ever slept with her well do you know anybody else who's slept with her and they're asking me these questions while i'm sitting there wired to this machine it was uh it was kind of unpleasant