Participating troops were not stationed in the city of Hiroshima, which
had been almost totally destroyed by the bombing and subsequent fires.

Units

of the two divisions were billeted instead in the rehabilitated buildings,
hotels, and private residences in Kaidaichi, about 8 kilometers southeast of

the center of Hiroshima (well off the map in figure 18).

Only one unit--"G"

Company of the 2nd Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment of the 24th Division--was
stationed in the vicinity of Hiroshima.

The company was quartered in Ujina, a

small island just south of the city.
Units of the 186th Infantry Regiment, 41st Division, conducted reconnaissance patrols and other specific daily assignments throughout its area of
responsibility, which included the city of Hiroshima.

It is reasonable to

assume that individuals of the regiment made occasional patrols into the
destroyed area of the city and that individuals from nearby units of the
41st Division may have made brief sightseeing trips into the area.

Radiation

doses received by these participants and the other occupation troops are
summarized in section 6.4.

6.3.2

Nagasaki Occupation.
As compared to the Hiroshima occupation, the occupation of Nagasaki

involved many more troops, largely because the excellent harbor at Nagasaki
had not been extensively mined, thus being immediately usable.

Because the

harbor near Hiroshima had been heavily mined, it could not be used for an
extended period after the surrender.

While the Hiroshima occupation primarily

involved Army troops, the occupation of Nagasaki consisted mostly of Marine
Corps units, with small supporting Navy and Army elements.
Responsibility for the Nagasaki area was assigned to the 2nd Marine

Division, a unit of the V Amphibious Corps.

During the first 3 months of the

occupation, Division strength in Nagasaki is estimated at approximately
10,000 troops.

Division strength averaged about 5,000 to 7,000 for the next

3 months, through February 1946, and 3,000 to 4,000 for the last 4 months of
the occupation, through June 1946.

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