tamination was found in regions which confirmed the forecast cloud trae
jectories, the requirement for R‘2, through E448 hour tracking coverage
jectory for the twenty thousand foot level, Tkis trajectory, foruerly
moving toward the ENE, was reforecast to move toward SE in a circular
clockwise path through south to west. The CINCPACFLT advisory incladed
no health hazard problem for surface and air routes, tut that fall-out
on Bikini-Atoll, as well as danage to structures, would delay reentry sem
eral days.
,
During the trip back to Eniwetok on the night of B Day, the fleet en
countered a wide area of finely divided (arparently less than § micron)
particles which caused top-side intensities as high as 350 or/hr.
App-
ropriate measures were instituted by the Navy Task Group Comanier to the
affect that ell personnel not essential to open deck duties would remain
imioors. Ship's weather doors were closed and the weshiown systeas ope=
rated intermittently to boid down the levels.
Based on the advisory from the weather detachment that their instru-
ment was off-scele, the Air Task Group, on the morning of Bl day, sent
a monitor by amphibian aircraft to check the Rongerik situation. This
monitor upon arriving over Rongerik, reported the atoll contaminated end
requested permission to start evacuation of personnel. At about 1300
the monitor reported readings on Rongerik of 240 mr/br at 250 feet ant 3.2
r/hr one inch off the ground. The Rongerik evacuation was completed in
two segnents, the first group (6 people) coming out by B30 hours and the
second group (20 people) by 5/35 hours.
The special AEC/NYOO Kwajalein Flight ABLE, requested the previoas
right, had been instructed to make an in-flight report upon reaching Teongi.
(& preliminary Flight ABLE report indicated 1350 m/br on the ground at
Rongelap, 445 m/br on the ground at Ailinginae ani zero for Kotho.) sccordingly, it was decided to start a destroyer on the way to Rongelap ia-
mediately and to set up a Sk-16 amphibian with monitors to check the surface conditions at Ronzelap before dark. The destroyer was directed to
be off Ronzelap ready to start evacuation at dawn the following day.
4
“rust Territoryrepresentative with interpreter was requested to move by
PSY from Xwajalein to arrive et Rongelap at the same tine. The Si-15 was
set up, two responsible monitors were especially triefed to make readings
at weist heicht, use several meters of the same type for comparison ant
to use 4ifferent types for cross-check. An average reading of 1.4 r/ie
meade in the living area of Rongelap Islend by these monitors was used in
the decision the same night to order the destroyer to comrence evacuation
cperations et dawn.
Evacuation operetions began about 0730, 3 March and
ye prey
wes attributed to an H/12 bour change in the forecast air particle tra-
Le
As a result of the report from Rongerik, the advisory to CIDCFAcFL?
at 2000 hours B Day included mention of fall-out at Rongerik plus einor
fall-out at Rongelap and other northern Marshell Islanis. The fall-out
ta
was cancelled,