yee Utirik Is. ® wee, 3 aftcr establisning radio communications witn tne plane and 4s- certaining the number of passengers, the txccutive Officer wes directed to cross over to the lagoon side and use the rubber raft or any means to land the plane passengers. With the friendly help of the cooperative natives, the X.0. with the rubber raft, set out in an outrigger canoe towards tne seaplane in the lagoon. But just as he approached the planc it taxiicd ewy apparently not distinguishing him among the natives, It had been sugresicd to the plans thet if he had difficulty landing passengers in the lagoon, he might try landing outside the legoon near tne ship. Upon hearing this Suggestion, the plane took off immediately and efter onc try, 2 tremendous bounee, another circle and approach, landed near the snip about O915i. Meanwhile, the gig having disembarked the Executive Officer was instructed ty him to procced castward about 500 yerds to a small cove wher: the natives said landings could be made with more ease and sefcty, This was done but calling it a cove is a misuse of the term. wase and safcty did not seem to fit the situation csither but it did appear less dangerous. Ey using the ancnor to scaward the gig was slowly worked up to the reef edgé where the Fadsafe Officcr and his team disembarked and wad-d esnore to the same friendly welcome, handshakes and "Good Morning" from every nativ. large and small. During this time the Executive Ofticer had returned to the beach from the lagoon and his try at receiving tne plane passengers and advised the native chief to prepere nis people for evacuation. Som: of the natives who seemed to understand and spoke some broken Engligh were of great assistance in this. At this time the ship was advised by the X.0. of the necessity for evacuation on southern and scaward side of Utirik Island and tnét native boats would be of no practical assistance. The Gunnery Officer in the LWB, after searching for several miles along the south leg of the atoll, reported there were no breaks in the reef nor landing places of any xind, re After the gig had disembarked the remainder of the beach party, it was ‘> & retumed to the ship naving lost its anchor in leaving the reef. It arrived in the vicinity of the snip just in time to meet tne plane and take aboard its passengers. They consisted of Marshall Island Trust Territory representative, Larshall Island interpreter, and two public relations civilians attached to staff, CUIF 7. after a brief tonsultation on boérd ard procurement of anothcr boat anchor, the gig was apain dispatched to the beach, meeting the 14.8 enroute and receiving from it a radioman with a portable SCR-300 radio wnich greatly facilitated the operation. This party was met by the mdxecutive Officer and tne group then set owt for tne village, The seaplane departed shortly for Kwajalein. Gem Copled/DOE LANL, J-Dly, 3 ENCTOSURE (1) Ug