DRAFT 8 11 Dec 53 ADMINISTRATION RADIATION RELOCATION WEAPONTESTING The AEC appoints Maj. Gen. P.W. Clarkson as the senior Al ‘C representative for Operation Castle at the PPG. Among his responsibilities are d isions to act in emergency situations to protect the health and safety of task fo property and "the national interest." Clarkson also is the military JTF-7. personnel and mander for Revising the Castle radiological safety plan, Clarkson emphagizes, "Temporary evacuation of native populated islands is not recommended as a prye-shot measure.” He will use weather as a major safety measure to detonate shpts "when wind conditions present minimum hazardsto inhabited islands and air afd surface routes of the Pacific.” He augments the cloud tracking for Castle and placts the downwind area from the shotsite as first priority, the upwind area in the tas] force campsite as second priority, the upwind region of populated atolls in the as third priority, and air and surface routes through Wake and. the as least priority. Clarkson acknowledges “a remote possibility of adverse populated atolls." Because of "operational difficulties" Clarkson [has insufficient documentation of fallout from Pacific high-yield shots, especially og the area above the Pacific tropopause, which is 15,000 feet higher than the ada Test Site tropopause. Healso cites limitations on weather and radsafe forecasting techniques that make it impossible to assure "that no radsafe conditions cond§cive to possible adverse criticism will ensue." Relying on an earlier prediction by Dr. T. L. Shipman, LAS} health division leader, Clarkson cites Ujelang as a remote possibility for fallouj hazards. The commanderconsiders similar hazards at other populated islands temporary evacuation of the natives is required after a shot, Cla force security ships for that purpose, and personnel with T.T. a inistrative and interpretation experience will be required to supervise that effort.’ 1 Mar 54 RADIATION WEAPON TESTING The United States detonates an experimental thermonuclear evice in Castle Bravo at Bikini. Because of a surprisingly higher yield than exp ed radioactive fallout extends beyond the announced danger area and reaches gerik Atoll, site of a U.S. weather station, and inhabited areas, including Rongelap nd Utirik Atolls in the Marshall Islands. Also, according to the AEC, these atolls “w e contaminated by radioactive fallout because of an unexpected shift in wind condi ons."” 1 Mar - 15 May 54 RADIATION WEAPON TESTING Operation Castle tests are conducted at Bikini.*' Estimates differ on the amount of radiation exposure received|by the Marshall islanders. A military report made shortly after the detonation suggests Rongelapese exposures of "150 r. whole body gamma."* Another military memorandum reports that 64 Rongelapese may have received up to 130 roentgens over 51 hours; 17 additional Rongelapese o@ Ailinginae, 80