The fast church service on Bikiar, March 19.46. than i 13 the size of Enewetak’s 390-square-mule fish-filled lagoon. Because the islands could not Support the growing Marshallese populations, critical shortages of food and water occurred. More than once wir drops of emergencyfood raons were needed to prevent starva- tion. In 1982, the nrst hydrogen device was tested at Enewetak. The blast. estimated at 10.4 metagons. completei, .apomzed one tsland in the atoil und ‘eft a crater one mile in diameter snd 170 feet deep in the coral reef, On “arch 1. 1954. the United States tetonated Bruveo. the frst test of a deuverable hydrogen bomb. at Bikini Atoll and severely contaminuted Mshermen aboard the Lucky Dragon, a Japanese nshing vessel that had straved into nearby waters. More than 200 Marshallese on the neighboring atolls of Rongeiup and Utink. and some 78 AmMerizans monitoring the expiosion were also contaminated. The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission called Bravo a “‘routine atomic test.” But it was far from rouune, Despite an incomplete and alarming weather report indicating that winds trom sea level to 55,000 feet were blowing in an easterly direction toward Rongelap and Utink. the test proceeded. The Lucky Dragon. illegally fishing near Bikini, was the first thing hit by the radioactive fallout. Return- ing to Japan quickly. unaware that they had been exposed'to nuclear fallout. the 22 fishermen began to feei the effects of acute radiation exposure: itching of the skin. nausea and vomiting. Within two vears the In the agc’s Nevada Nuclear Proving Grounds in the United States. pnor to an atomic test senes. a public information program. including films and discussions on the fortacoming tests, was implemented. No such programs had been conducted inthe Marshalls. althougn the United States uid inform the chiefof Rongelap that a hydrogen test would soon occur. What the chief was told about the test. and what his reactions were is mot clear: that he knew nothing of the fadianon dis- aster soon to befall his people is certain. Indeed. the Marshallese on Rongelap and Utink were not even wamed of precautionary measures they might take in the event ofradia- tion exposure. Instead, the Marshallese were as- tontshed observers of the snow!like fallout that covered them and their islands. On Rongelap the white ash soon formed a layer one-and-onehalt inches thick on the ground and fell nto the drinking water tanks. Children played in the radioactive powder and an old man with vision probiems rubbed the ash tintu his eves to see if this might somehow cure his wiment. The 28 RadSate (radiation mon- itoring) personnel on Rongerik Atoil intensified their observations following news of the nuclear cloud’s erra- tic behavior. About seven hours after Bravo's detonation. radiation levels on Rongerik exceeded their monitering instrument's maximum scale of 100 millirads per hour. Instructed to take strict radiation pre- cautions. the RadSate team put on extra clothing and remained inside the tightly shut butiding until their evacuation 34 hours after the ‘test. Bravo's fallout 22 hours after the explosion. The Rongelap people were exposed to [75 rems of gamma radiation, considered a high dose of radiation. tA lethal dose is estimated at 300 to £00 rems in the absence ofintensive medical care.) Nevertheless. they were not evacuated from the tsland for more than 24 hours utter the Americans left Rongenk. which is only about 23 miles away. The Utink population was not removed bv the United States unul more than’ three days after the Bravo test. After their evacuation to the Navy base at Kwajalein. manyof the esposed Marshailese began to expen- ence the effects of severe radiation poisoning: itching and burning otthe skin. eves and mouth: nausea: vomiting and diarrhea. Later in the month. in the second stage of acute radiatton exposure, many of the people began to wholly or partiaily lose therr hair. and skin burns began appearing on the necks. shoulders. arms and feet of those most heavily exposed. The Utirik people were told bythe Atomic Energy Commission that “their island was only slightly contaminated and considered safe fer habitation.” and they were moved back in May 1954. Three years later the Rongelapese were permitted to return home— after a July 1957 radiological survey stated that “in spite ofslight lingering radioactivity’ Rongelap Atoll Was safe for rehabitation. With thts dubious recommendation. the Rongelapese returned. Brookhaven Nanonal Laboratory (on contract to the AEC) reported that: Japanese yovernment received $2 Medical reports on these men are sall unputlished. “Even though... the radioactive fishermen’s suffering. children were the last to experience considered perfectly safe for human million in compensation for the Ctirik’s [37 men. women and contamination of Rongelap Island is February 1979 The Buidetin il