The last church service
on Bikini. Marcn 946.
than { 13 the size of Enewetak’s
390-square-mile fish-filled lagoon.
Because the islands could not
support the growing Marshallese
populations, critical shortages of
food und water occurred. More than
once wir drops of emergencyfood ratlons “ere needed to prevent starvation.
In i952. the first hydrogen device
Was tested ut Enewetak. The blast.
estimuted at 10.4 metagons, completeis. .aporized one island in the
atoil and ‘eft a crater one mile in diameter ind i70 feet deep in the coral
reef,
On “farch 1. 1984. the United
States tetonated Brave. the nirst test
ofa denserable hydrogen bomb. at
Bikini Atoll und severely contaminuted Mshermen aboard the
Lucky Dragon, a Japanese fishing
vessel that had straved into nearby
waters. More than 200 Marshailese
on the neighboring atolls of
Rongelup and Utink. and some 28
Amerizans monitoring the explosion Were also contaminated.
The U.S. Atomic Energy Com-
mission called Brave a “routine
atomic test.” But it was far from
routine.
Despite an incomplete and alarm-
ing weather report indicating that
winds from sea level to $5,000 feet
were blowing in an easterly direction
toward Rongelap and Utink. the test
proceeded.
The Larky Dragon. illegally
fishing near Bikini, was the first thing
hit by the radioacuve fallout. Return-
ing to Japan quickly. unaware that
they had been exposed to nucleur
fallout. the 22 fishermen began to
feei the effects of acute radiation exposure: itching of the skin. nausea
ang vomuung. Within two vears the
Japanese government received $2
million in compensation for the
fishermen’s sutfering.
In the agEc’s Nevada Nuclear
Proving Grounds in the United
States, prior tO an atomic test senes.
4a public tnformation program. tncluding films and discussions on the
Bravo's fallout 22 hours after the
explosion.
The Rongelap people were exposed to 173 rems of gamma radia-
tion. considered a high dose ofradia-
forthcoming tests, was implemented.
thon. tA lethal dose ts estimated at
3)0 to £00 rems in the absence of !ntensive Medical care.) Nevertheless.
they were not evacuated from theisland for more than 24 hours arter the
Americans lett Rongenk. which is
only about 25 miles away. The Ctink
population was not removed by the
United States until more than three
days after the Brave test.
wamed of precautionary measures
fase at Kwajalein. many of the erposed Marshallese began to expenence the effects of severe radiation
poisoning: itching and burning otthe
skin. eves and mouth: nausea: vomiting and diarrhea. Later in the
month. in the second stage of acute
radiation exposure. many ofthe
people began to wholly or partiaily
lose their hair. and skin burns began
appearing on the necks. shoulders.
arms and teet of those most heavily
exposed.
No such programs had been conducted in the Marshalls. although the
United States uid inform the chief of
Rongelap that a hydrogen test would
soon occur. What the chief was told
about the test. and what his reactions were ts not clear: that he
knew nothing of the radiation disaster soon to befall his people ts certain. [ndeed. the Marshallese on
Rongelap and Utink were not even
they mighi take in the event ofradia-
tion exposure.
Instead. the Marshallese were astonished observers of the snowlike
fallout that covered them and their
islands. On Rongelap the white ash
soon formed a laver one-and-onehalf inches thick on the ground and
fell into the drinking water tanks.
Children plaved in the radioactive
powder and an old man with vision
probiems rubbed the ash intu his
eyes to see if this might somehow
cure his wiiment.
The 28 RadSafe (radiation monitoring) personnel on Rongerik Atoil
intensified their observations following news of the nuclear cloud’s erralic behavior. About seven hours
after Bravo's detonation. radiation
levels on Rongerik exceeded their
monitoring instrument's maximum
scale of 100 millirads per hour. Instructed to take strict radiation pre-
cautions. the RadSafe teum put on
extra clothing and remained inside
the tightly shut buniding unl their
evacuation 34 hours after the test.
Medical reports on these men are
stl unpublished.
Curnk’s [37 men. women and
children were the last to experience
After their evacuation to the Navy
The Utirik people were told bv the
Atomic Energy Commission that
“their island was only slightly contaminated and considered safe for
habitation,” and they were moved
back in May 1954.
Three years later the Rongelapese
were permitted to return home—
after a July 1987 radiological survey
stated that “in spite of slight linger-
ing radioactivity’ Rongelap Atoll
Was sate for rehabitation. With this
dubious recommendation, the Rongelapese returned. Brookhaven Natronal Laboratory(on contract fo the
AEC) reported that:
“Even tnough .. . the radivactive
contamination of Rongelap Island is
considered perfectly safe ror human
February 1979
The Builetin 11