DRAFT fallout. LASL " He recommends analyses of various substances, indludipg plutonium, by 11 Mar 54 MEDICAL RADIATION The AFSWPchief, with the concurrence of the JTF-7 comm der, adds to the weapons effect program of Operation Castle project 4.1, "Stu of Response of HumanBeings Exposed to Signiticant Beta and Gamma Radiation dife to Fall-out from High Yield Weapons,” a study,of the Marshallese exposed to falloug. The command designates Commander E. P. Cronkite of the U.S. Navy as project officer.” 12 Mar 54 RADIATION As part of the fallout collection for Castle JTF-7 radiological survey parties send water and soil samples from 12 Marshall Islands atollq to the AEC New York operations office (NYOO) for analysis.” 15 Mar 54 CONGRESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP PLUTONIUM RADIATION WEAPONTESTING Joint Committee on Atomic Energy (CAE) members Sen.Jolin O. Pastore (D- Rhode Island) and Rep. Chet Holifield (D-California) visit evacuees al Kwajalein Island and hold hearings on the radiation exposure from the Castle [Bravo operation. Pastore and Holifield report that “some of the residents of the] Islands received radiation exposures considerably in excess of the tolerances set for Workers in atomic energy plants" but that, to date, scientific and medical testimony “geems to indicate that no permanentinjury will occur" as a result of the excess expabure.” A military report shortly after the detonation suggests that the Rongelap children’s white blood cell counts are lower than those of adults ash result of Castle Bravo. In testing urine of the affected Marshall Islanders, an uni i LASL) scientist states, "This plutonium number you cannot depend ppn. Gen. Clarkson decides that the remainder of the Castle defonations will be restricted to limited weather conditions under which it will be saf@ to fire because Bravo showed what Ivy Mike did not: that high-yield detonatfons can release radioactivity with potential health hazards hundreds of miles away ffom ground zero. Clarkson vows to "take every precaution to avoid danger during the course of future operations to other populated areas of the Pacific." Because of [Castle Bravo he extends the danger area.” Mid-Mar 54 ADMINISTRATION RADIATION Upon determination of excessive radioactive fallout in CBhstle Bravo, the commander of JTF-7 requests assistance of the Department of Deffnse (DOD) and the AEC and asks for a medical team and a medical study of exposgres. The Armed Forces Special Weapons Project (AFSWP) of the DOD and the AEC/DBM share responsibility for the organization of the initial medical team, whith is formed by "experienced" personnel from the Naval Medical Research Institute](NMRI) and the Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory (NRDL) and directed by Eugene P. Cronkite, M.D., head, hematology division, NMRI, Bethesda, Maryland.’