title: Betrayal: Toxic Exposure of U.S. Marines, Murder and Government Cover-Up
author: Robert O'Dowd
description: Robert ODowd is a Marine veteran of Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, CA. He served 52 months on active duty with the 1st, 3rd and 4th Marine Aircraft Wings in 1960s. After honorable discharge and graduation from Temple University, Robert worked in a series of accounting and financial management positions with the federal government, including the EPA Office of Inspector General and the Defense Logistics Agency. At El Toro, Robert was assigned to the most environmentally contaminated air group on the base. At El Toro for 20 months, he worked and slept on duty watch in a Radium 226 contaminated work space in Hangar 296. In 2008, he teamed up with Tim King of Salem-News.com to write about the environmental contamination at El Toro and Camp Lejeune. Robert is also a columnist for Veterans Today, a two time cancer survivor and disabled Marine veteran. You can write Robert ODowd at rodowd@live.com. Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the West Coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines. Tim holds numerous awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), first place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news website. You can email Tim at: newsroom@salem-news.com.
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  ![](../Images/00001.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  For the United States Marine Corps,
  
  
  
  
  
  which is a very large unit.
  
  
  
  
  
  And to the British Pathfinders,
  
  
  
  
  
  who are a very small one.
  
  
  
  
  
  To the former, Semper Fi.
  
  
  
  
  
  And to the latter, rather you than me.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  # PREFACE
  
  
  
  
  
  In the dark and secret heart of Washington, there is a short and very covert
  list. It contains the names of terrorists who have been deemed so dangerous to
  the United States, her citizens and interests, that they have been condemned
  to death without any attempt at arrest, trial or any due process. It is called
  the kill list.
  
  
  
  
  
  Every Tuesday morning in the Oval Office, the kill list is considered for
  possible amendment by the President and six men; never more, never less. Among
  them are the Director of the CIA and the four-star general commanding the
  world’s biggest and most dangerous private army. This is J-SOC, which is
  supposed not to exist.
  
  
  
  
  
  On a cold morn