HEADQUARTERS JOINT TASK FORCE SEVEN APO 187 (HOW), c/o Postasater San Franeisce, California JO apral 1954 SUBJECT: THRU: ~_ Survey of Rongelap and Utirik Atolls Commander, Joint Task Porce SEVEN APO 187 (HOW), c/o Postmaster San Francisco, Californis TO: Commander in Chief, Pacific Navy No. 128, c/o Fleet Pest Office San Francisco, California l. Roferences: a. Letter, CJIF SEVEN to CINCP.C dated 9 April 1954, subjects "Return of Inhebitants of Rongelap and Utirik to their Home Atolls", b, Message, CINCPAC to CJIP SEVEN, 1.00422 April 1954. G. Message, CINCPAC to CMO, 1605012 April 1954. 2. In accordance with the provisions of references arand b, & survey party visited Rongelap and Utirik Atolls during the period 21-23 April 1954. The mission of the survey party was to determine what action must be taken price to the return of the native population to these atolls, frea which they were cvacuated early in March 1954 as & comeequence of the initial detenation of the CASTLE test series. The campositicn of the survey party ig indicated in Inclosure 1. A narrative account of the ac= tivities of the survey party, including observations concerning the two atolls, is presented in Inclosure 2, 3. Im general, the conclusions of the survey party confirmed the planning factors crtlined in reference a. The natives of Utirik atoll may be returned to their homes shortly after the last shot of the CASTLE series. On the other hand, the natives of Rongelep itall can net be re= turned to theiy homes for approxcimetely me year. 1 May 1955 is recam> mended as the plarming date for the return to Rongelap. The natives of Rongelap should be examined pertodically to monitor their recovery fram