bSz1o0s The Kili Resettlement: CHAPTER FIVE 1948-1954 Founding the Settlement Ii date Sepecmber, 1948 two vessels carrying an advance pas ty ol twenty four Bikint men and eight Seabees under the com mand ofa Navy officer arrived at Kili, Because of rough seas and Kali’s reef, the vessels could noc be anchored near the shore. Ove a period of twelve days, lumber, tarpaper roofing, concrete, Cools, and other material for constructing a village had to be termed a shore by rafts. An area was cleared on the north side of the is land where the dwellings of the plantation iborers had formerly stood. During October tent shelters, two concrete cisterns, and four permanent buildings a store, copra warehouse, uredical dis pensary, and council house were erected On November 2 two vessels arrived bearing the rest of the community, The islanders had only their personal possesstons; their canoes had further deteriorated at Kwajalein and had been abandoned as worthless. Kil’s reef again hampered operations; rough seas and hazardous landing conditions allowed only a few people to reach shore, and the vessels proceeded to Jahue and the shelter of its lagoon. Three days later the seas subsided; the vessels made a dash go Kili, and unloading was completed. On November 11 the vefsels and all navy personnel were returned to Kwajalein, except fof a carpenter's mate who remained to super- vise the constructionof permanent dwellings. The Kwajalein epi sode had lasted a little over seven months.