DRAFT
fallout.
LASL.”
"1
He recommendsanalyses of various substances, including plutonium, by
,
11 Mar 54
MEDICAL
RADIATION
The AFSWPchief, with the concurrence of the JTF-7 commander, adds to the
weapons effect program of Operation Castle project 4.1, "Study of Response of
HumanBeings Exposed to Significant Beta and GammaRadiation dueto Fall-out from
High Yield Weapons,” a study of the Marshallese exposed to fallout. The command
designates CommanderE. 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 atolls 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. John O. Pastore (D-
Rhode Island) and Rep. Chet Holifield (D-California) visit evacuees at 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 “seems to indicate
that no permanentinjury will occur’ as a result of the excess exposure.”
A military. report shortly after the detonation suggests that the Rongelap
children’s white blood..ceil counts are lower than those of Beilis as a result of Castle
Bravo. In testing urine of the affected Marshall Islanders, an unidentified (passibly
ava
LASL)scientist states,."This plutonium number you cannotdepend. on."”
Gen.. Clarksgn decides that the remainder.of the.
detonations. will be
restricted to limited weather conditions under which it will.be safe to fire because
Bravo showed what Ivy Mike did not:
that high-yield detonations can release
radioactivity with potential health hazards hundreds of miles away from 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 dangerarea.”
Mid-Mar 54
ADMINISTRATION
RADIATION
Upon determination of excessive radioactive fallout in Castle Bravo, the
commander of JTF-7 requests assistance of the Department of Defense (DOD) and
the AEC and asks for a medical team and a medical study of exposures. The Armed
Forces Special Weapons Project (AFSWP) of the DOD and the AEC/DBM share
responsibility for the organization of the initial medical team, which is formed by
“experienced” personnel from the Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) and the
D
or
“or
wand
em
OFF
ca
Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory (NRDL) and directed by Eugene P. Cronkite,
M.D., head, hematology division, NMRI, Bethesda, Maryland.’