laser experiments carried out on the Island by the US Navy.

Now Horace Caldwell wants compensation for years of suffering he is convinced was caused by exposure to the high-powered beams.

Mr. Caldwell -- a former Chief Radioman based at the former United States Naval Air Station -- now suffers from skin cancer and a variety of other problems.

He said: "In 1994, all my bones had problems -- that's when I saw the X-rays.

there were laser tracks through my body and since then it's just been doctors and doctors.

Mr. Caldwell added: "A lot of my problems have surfaced in the last two or three years.

"But doctors have said lesions to my lungs, hands and face are consistent with exposure to lasers.'' The Royal Gazette has seen medical reports citing radiation exposure as the cause for a distinctive pattern of tumours, known as a Rosetta Pattern, on Mr.

Caldwell's face.

He said: "There is a Rosetta Pattern on my face and each one of these things is cancerous. The same pattern is in my lungs.'' Mr. Caldwell, now 58 and living in Florida, was stationed in Bermuda with the US Navy in the early 1970s.

He worked on a scheme to use lasers instead of radar to track satellites from Bermuda.

He said: "The actual incident I have very clear memories of -- it had to do with two eight-foot high domes which appeared in August of 1974.

"On one of them, the drive motor for the turret didn't arrive with it and I turned it manually from inside.

"I was in there for an entire pass -- maybe half-an-hour -- then I came out.'' And -- only months later -- the fit and healthy then-34-year-old ended up in hospital with problems with his lymph nodes.

He added: "All they told me was that my lymph nodes were enlarged and removed three of them.

"I was fine until then -- Island doctors said I was fit and healthy and they couldn't suggest any reason for my lymph nodes doing what they did.'' Mr. Caldwell said he continued to work on "thousands'' of experiments with the lasers over the next few years, although he admitted he never worked in such close proximity to the beams again.

And by 1979 Mr. Caldwell had started to suffer from other medical mysteries, like his blood group changing from A negative to O positive.

He added that in 1981, he had to have cataracts removed from his left eye and one from his right eye just a year later.

Mr. Caldwell retired from the US Navy in 1985 with bone problems and his health continued to deteriorate.

He added: "I'm sure the lasers caused nearly all my problems -- smoking and getting a little older had something to do with it, but I'm convinced exposure to lasers had the most effect on me.''