Chapter 4
EVACUATION
4.1
and DECONTAMINATION
EVACUATION OF INHABITANTS OF RONGELAP AND AILINGINAE ATOLLS
Sbeteen (16) Marshallese were evacuated by plane from Rongelap at 1000, 3 March
(H+ 51 hours).
Forty-eight (48) Marshallese were evacuated from Rongelap by destroyer at the
same time (H+ 51 hours).
.
The eighteen (18) Marshallese who were living on Sifo Island, Allinginae Atoll, were
evacuated by destroyer at H+ 54 hours.
The Marshallese were allowed to take with them little more than the clothing they
wore.
The survey team with the evacuation party reported readings of 1.0~2.3 r/hr throughout Rongelap Village at the time of evacuation.
4.2
DECONTAMINATION OF MARSHALLESE
The 16 Marshallese evacuated from Rongelap -. plane arrived at Kwajalein at noon
on 3 Mareh.
These individuals showered and batts: several times in an emergency de-
contamination area, which consisted of 2 shower room and two adjacent buildings for
storing contaminated clothing and possessions.
The decontamination area was enclosed
by burlap sacking material (Figures 4.1 and 4.2).
The 66 Marshallese evacuated by ceatroyer (48 from Rongelap and 18 from
Ailinginae) arrived late in the evening of 3 March (10-12 hour trip from Rongelap via
destroyer). .These individuals had taken numerous. showers and prolonged washings
with salt-water-hose sprays while aboard the sestroyer. Clothing was not removed for
showers and washings.
.
On + March, showers and baths were repeated.
The personnel of Project 4.1 arrived at Kwajtlein on 9 March. The Rongelap and
Ailinginae natives were monitored on 11 March (Figure 4.3).
The instruments used by Project 4.1 personnel were the ANPDR/39A and the ANPDR’
27c (standard military issue, in general use). Due to the lack of a high-range. beta-
sensitive instrument, clothing and body surveys had to be made ‘with the ionization
chamber type meter if the activity of the contamination exceeded 3 mr/hr. In most cases,
after extensive decontamination, the probe of the 27c instrument was adequate for this
purpose. The instruments used had been recently calibrated at the Naval Mecical Re-
search Institute (NMRI) against 2 Co*® standard and were considered to be accurate
and in good operating condition.
They were hand-carried from NMRI to Kwajaein.
The most highly contaminated areas of the body were the head and hair and areas of
skin not protected by clothing. Natural folds of the skin and areas of the skin where
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