INFORMAL NARRATIVE OF EVACUATION OF NaTIVES FROM - UTIRIK ATOLL, MARSHALL ISLANDS Having received orders at just before dawn on 3 warch 1754, to proceed to Utirix atol., tne Nensnaw, immediately departed from the patrol area nortn of Eniwetok Atoll and set course eastward to pass south of Bikini enreute. Speed was adjusted to arrive at daylight the next day and the 400 mile voyage was completed without incident. Meanwhile, new activity was evident in Renshaw. Charts, sailing direc- tions, tide tables and all possible sources of information on the Atol. were searched and avidly studied. although the decision that the natives would be evacuated was not known on board until late in the night of the 3rd, plans were firmed up for handling the people. Swveral schemes were put forward but the final plan was made with the invaluable knowledge and assistance of =. X. Tryba, BMC, USN. He had served a tour of duty in trust territories west of the Marshalls and had experience in evacuation of natives. Although the Douglas A. unro (DE-L22) was detailed to assist Rensnaw, her estimated arrival was not until OLI33QM, hence plans were made for the possibility of receiving on board Renshaw all the reported 180 natives of tne Atoll. The appreach to the target Atoll was cade from the westward and nortn <r Taka Atoll which is only 4 miles SW of Utirik. It was sighted at about 063CL on the moming of & uwarch and course was set southeastward to pass between the two atolls, Enroute to the south side of triangular shaped Utirik Atol. we passed close to the reef on the western side in order to get a look at Utirik Passage. There was no thought of entering this channel inasmuch as Sailing Directions were very definite that no ship larger than a PC should make the attempt. Wevertheless, a look was desired to determine if charted beacons were present (they weren't) and to determine the feasibili: of cur boats entering the lagoon or perhaps even the DE should it be founa toc dan“ gerous on the south side for the evacuation. Theoretically, it would nave aven been possible for Renshaw to enter at high tide about 160M when cur 18 ft. drag aft would clear the channel about 3 ft. if the charted deptns were correct and if the sun at cur backs made the channcl aud coral heads visible. It was reckoned that tne thrill of entering this channel for tne C.0. would be about like that of Russian roulette. — Upon rounding the SW tip of the Atoll, course was set eastward to skirt the reef along th3 soutnemn leg which appeared to offer the best lee frea wind and surf for the evacuation. Fortunately the weather was excepticna_y good with light NE winds and only soderate swelis. at 0735a tne ship cove to at about 500 yds just south of Utirix Is., tne Largest of the atoli. inc on which all the natives were reported to ive. at this time trust terri- tory officials and interpreters had -ot arcived ner had an ETA been rec2ive:. In view of our directive to commence ivatuaticn at daylignt it was dec.ies ie -3 ENCLOSURS L