Gordon M. Dunning
a

-2-

29 July 1954

‘Three members of YAG 39 and YAG 40 returned film badges reading 13.5,
55 and 135 roentgens. Investigation revealed that the badges had been
left aboard these experimental ships during radioactive fall-out and do not
reflect their true exposure, It is to be ncted that the unit encountered
badge tampering in three organizations located at Bikini for the longest

period (TG 7.3 and 7.5).

Eleven Task Group 7.4 weather station personnel on Rongerik Atoll received

exposures approximating 40 roentgens and one weather reconnaissance pilot
received 17 roentgens. These first exposures are considered to be the
highest actual exposures encountered by JIF Seven personnel during Castle.
Two members of Task Group 7.5 exceeded twelve roentgens due to extended
work in contaminated areas and equipment. One individual accrued his

exposure due to the fact that he went to sleep aboard a highly contaminated

LCT that was being transported back to Eniwetok aboard the Belle Grove.
This exposure was an avoidable exposure that resulted from the uncontrolled

"roll-up" of equipment from Bikini.

The great bulk of Task Force exposures between 6 and 12 roentgens are due

to the Navy ship decontamination project and the Air Force cloud sampling
project. Whether the value of the decontamination project justifies the

exposure or not, I cannot judge, but without these two projects the operation
could have easily been completed with exposures of less than 6,0 roentgens.
Enclosed you will find a tabulation of exposures listing numbers of personnel

rather than percentages,

I am being ordered to the Command and General Staff School for a period of

1O months and, before lesving, would like to express my appreciation to
you anc Dr. Bugher for your complete cooperation. After the school I hope
to return to be the first radiological safety officer to say that he had
no overexposures during a test operation,
Sincerely yours,

ReD.
Sous —
OUN D. SEAVIS
enc.

ce:

Tabulation of uxposures

TU-7 File w/enc.

Dep/Admin., TG 7.1 w/enc.

H&R w/o enc.

US DOE ARCHIVES

396 U.S. ATOMIC ENERGY
_ 2 MISSION

RG

__DOt ths foricw ( DB)

Box

3 SES

Collection
Folder

Le
L2

DOS ARCHIVES

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