68 N-3 of The following comments the Rongelap people. relate to the timing of the evacuation (a) According to C. L. Dunham, Director of the AEC Division of Biology and Medicine, (Cronkite et al, 1956), “unexpected changes in the wind structure deposited radioactive materials on inhabited atolls and on ships of Joint Task Force 7, which was conducting the tests. Radiation surveys of the areas revealed radiation levels above permissible levels: therefore evacuation was ordered, and was carried out as quickly as possible-with the facilities available to the Joint Task Force”. (b) According to Herril Eisenbud (personal communication, see references) a scientific member of the Task Force, “There are many unanswered questions about the circumstances of the 1954 fallout. It is strange that no formal investigation was ever conducted. There have been reports that the device was exploded despite an adverse meteorological forecast. It has not been explained why an evacuation capability was not standing by, as had been recommended, or why there was not immediate action to evaluate the matter when learned (seven hours after the explosion) that the the Task Force AEC Health & Safety Laboratory recording instrument on Rongerik was of many days off scale. There was also an unexplained interval before the fallout was announced to the public”. (c) Since the Rongelapese had been evacuated prior to previous tests, it is inot clear why the usual procedure was changed. In February 1954, Dr. Bertell has told me, Magistrate John Anjain of Rongelap was told about the Bravo test, but was not given the date. He said that “there are no orders from Washington to evacuate the people”. (d) Rongelap was evacuated hours after the shot. on March 3, 1954, approximately 50-55