REPORT OF FIELD TRIP TO THE MARSHALL ISLANDS, TRUST TERRITORY OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS, AS A RADIOLOGICAL CONSULTANT TO THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE CONCERNING RONGELAP AND UTIRIK ATOLLS, CONGRESS OF MICRONESIA, ON JULY 16-20, 1972 Introduction This is a report of ny observations and recommendations based on a field trip in the Marshall Islands, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, with the Special Committee composed of the following individuals: Senator Olympio T. Borja, Chairman Representative Timothy Olkeriil, Member Representative Hans Wiliander, Member Representative Ataji Balos, Interpreter Masao Kumangai, Deputy Director of Health, Trust Territory Brian M. Farley, Researcher, Trust Territory William S. Cole, Radiological Consultant Henry Moses, Majuro Atoll, Interpreter The purpose of the visit to Rongelap and Utirik Atolls was to interview those people living on those Islands at the time of the detonation of the thermonuclear device at Bikini Atoll on March 1, 1954. This resulted in exposure to fallout radiation of those people due to an unpredicted shift in winds at the time of the explosion. Sixty-four persons on Rongelap received an estimated 175 rads of whole~body radiation and severe contamination of the skin; an additional 18 Rongelap people on a fishing trip received an estimated 69 rads of whole-body radiation; and 157 people on Utirik received an estimated 14 rads of whole-body radiation. Twenty-three Japanese fishermen aboard the vessel, the Lucky Dragon, also received significant whole-body radiation. These data are reported by the Brookhaven National Laboratory Medical Survey Team. In the 18 years following the radiation exposure, an undetermined number of the exposed persons have died and others have moved to different atolls. The Committee for this reason interviewed people on Majuro and Ebeye. The four sessions were attended by approximately 300 people including exposed persons, families of deceased exposed persons, and numerous persons in the control groups. Although the interviews were carried out through Marshallese interpreters, there was little difficulty in following the proceedings. [~~ ' 4 i | eeee | beni tuna fof hi | | I Dr. Mr. Dr. Mr. The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Olympio T. Borja, presided at each of the four sessions. At the onset of each session, he stated the purpose of the visit of the Committee was as follows: a 238