USS PHILIP (DLE 498) ©
Care of Fisut Post Orfice
— San Francisco, C.sirornia
DDE 498: VLM: GWA: wi
H2el
Serial:
O01
§ Mar 1954
From:
Commanding Officer
Subj:
Evacuation of Rongelap and Allinginae Atolls on 3 March 1954;
Ref:
fs) COMTASKGROUP 7.3 Disp 020848Z of March 1984
Encl:
(1)
Tor
Commander, Task Group 7.3
report of
b) COM JTF SEVEN Disp 0212252 of March 1964
(2)
(3)
1.
Passenger lists of evacuees from Rongelap end Ailinginas
Atoll
Radiological statistics reported by monitor teams, Rongelo
and Ailinginae Atolls
Location of water cisterns, Rongelep [sland
In compliance with reference (a), the PHILIP got uiderway from
Bikini at 21464 on 2 March and arrived and anchored off Rongelep Island
in the Lagoon at 0730M on 3 Marck,
A PBM-SA (VP-29) aircraft, No. 2088,
piloted by LCOR 'fSLCH which previously had been dispatched from Kwajalein
anchored ebout 100 yards off the beach of the same island shortly before
the PHILIP anchored. Prior to anchoring, the PBM, in good radic com-
munication with the PHILIP, made a thorough reconnaissance flight around
the atoll. Also on departure the previous evening, the Commanding
Officer of the PC 1846 offered much valuable navigational and general
information which was of great help to the PHILIP.
2. The beach party including the Commanding Officer, Executive Officer,
Raediclogioal Safety Officer ond ea three man monitoring team proceeded
from the PHILIP in a motor whale-boat to the PSM and picked up Mr. Marion
WILDS, eivilian representative of the Civil Administration Unit, Marshalls
Trust Territories of Pacific [slands, und Oscar DeBrum, Marshallese interpreter.
The teach was such as to allow an easy closeein landing with-
out danger to the boat.
3.
The party was met at the beach by John, the Magistrate of Rongelaop.
Monitoring of the {sland commenced immediately,
On the basis of initial
readings it appeared obvious that evacuation was definitely in order.
The Commanding Officer, U.S.35. PHILIP presented Mr, Yilds with the gex-
eral picture based on monitoring information, and on being informed that
Commander Joint Task Poree SEVEN had stated that the actual evacuation
should be resussted by trust territory officials, Ur. Tilds was very
emphatic rezarding the need for avicuaticn, Through the interpreter
At
ENCLOSURE (1)
-37