13 $ 4} + rs pt > 92 Oo me Pe @ nr O) yt tu bry Cormanding Q icer c Corzzander, T sk Group 7,3 p From: T QO: ry 5 Har 1954 Subj: Evacuation of Rongelap and Ailinginae Atolls on 3 March 1954; report of Ref: (a) COMTASKGROUP 7.3 Disp 0208482 of March 1954 Enel: (1) P (2) Radiological statistics reported by monitor teams, Rongelp (3) Location of water cisterns, Ronzelap Island (b) COM JTF SVEN Disp 0212252 of March 1954 +s of evacuees from Rongeslap and Ailinginae and Ailinginae Atolls 1. In compliance with reference (a), the PHILIP got underway fron Bixini at 2140 on 2 March and arrived ane anchored off Rengelap Island in the lazoon at O73CM on 3 Narch. & f-54 (VP-29) aircraft, No. 2085, piloted by LCDR VTSLCA which oreviousty. had been dispatched from Kaj stein anchored about 200 yarss off the beach of the same island shortly before the PHILIP anchor Prior to anchoring, the PaM, in good radio com~ munication with the. FAILi?, made a thorough reconaaissance flight around the atoll, «Also on decarture the previous evening, the Commanding Officer of the PC 1546 offered muca veluable navigational and general information which was of great neip to the PHILIP. 2. ths beach party including the Commanding Officer, Executive Officer, Recdiclogical Safety Officer and a three man monitoring team proceeded from the PHILIP in e motor vhale-boat to the PBM and picked up Mr. Marion “ILDS, civilian representative of the Civil Administration Unit, Marshalls Trust Territories af Pacific Islands, and Oscar DeBrunm, Marshallese interpreter. The beach was such as to allow en easy close-in landing without danger to the boat. The party was met at the beach by John, the Magistrate of Ronzelap. nitoring of the island commenced tmediately, On the oasis of initial Gings it sopeared obvious that evacuation was cefinitely in order. Comnandirzs Officar, U.S.S. PHILIP presented itr, Wilds with the gen1 picture cased on monitoring information, end on being informed that nder Joint Task Force SEVEN had stated that the actual evacuation uld ba recuasted by trust territory officials, Ur. wilds was very : the need for evacuation, Through the interpreter 0 4 bh my "Y w Ny UO 33 p ct pe Q m © 43 Ou ae He 1 0 r i ts .