« € to procecd at once as best we could until the trust officicls arrived or if necessary without them. It was hoped that we might find a missioncry, 2 pidgin English native or even a trust répreSentative asnore. Cons@quently at about 0740 the gig (26 ft. vB) was launched and 2 beach party was emberked with the wxecutive Officer, LCDR V. hk. Exston, US, in chargs, he was to try to gst ashore as soon as possible, organize whe netives for evacuation and determine tne best location and means for the evecuation, Included in tnis party were tne Radsafe Officer, moniter, hospitalmen, signalmen, etc. «5 soon as this party shoved off, & second wb wes launched w_th the Gunnery Officer in cnarge, who was to search along the reef for a breek or &@ more favorable spot ror safe boat handling in the evacuation. . how, as the boats left the snip, we commenced execution of our plens for receiving the natives on board, Awnings were rigged on the fantail with Side strips from the deck to the redge ropes, additional life lines were rigecd for tne safcty of children. Fore and aft and vertical accesses to the fantzil were closed or roped off and awnings rigged where necessary to ensure privacy for the natives. Ths entire crew's weshroom and head aft (largest on board) were set aside for tine natives and for their decontamin- ation inasmuch 2s this is the ship's mein station for this purposs, «an outSide silt water shower was rigged, a receptacle wes proviaed for thir clothes and sufficient clean dungeree shirts, trousers, ctc., were r2iscd by an appeal to the crew, to thus clothe ell the natives. a pig-pen wos fashioned by closing off access to a 3" gun tub. We planned to tether chickens to life lines on the O1 deck and ict the dogs roam free amongst the populace, Meanwhile, the Executive Officer and party approached the south snore of the island et &@ point about 1500 yds west of the easter tip. Tne island ners and clsewnere has & continuous outer perimeter of table recfs extending some 4O yds out into the water over which the waves produced a surf of medium size and presented considerable small boat hazard. neving selected a point where the surf was slight and appeared to offer the best spot, the nxecutive Officer commer.ced paddling ashore in a small, one-man rubber raft (we kept it after picking up a bailed-out jet pilot lest fall), which had a line atvaecned to it from tne boat. after sone preeress towards the beach he appeared to experience aifticulty wits tne surf and some unseen foree resulting in no progress. Considerable humor ana some coneermm were evoked at signt cf the nxecutive Officer furiously paddling, cach stroke wnirling the raft lec around but maxing no progress, It was later determined thet the line from boat to the reft hed fouled in the coral, securely anchoring him to seaward. by this time a few of the natives had aprearcd and some of tnem swam out end nelped him ashore amidst friendly greetings. at about this time, Navy JRF 912 scaplane arrived from Kwajalein, landed in the western part of the lagoon and commenced taxiing castward towards cL Conte La N i YDo & "Dy, CO —_—_—_—_—_,,,2 ENCLOSURE (1)