NAVY DEPARTMENT
JOINT CROSSROADS COMMITTER
In reply refer to:
JCC/181
File:
Serial:
Washington <5, D.C.
All
097
4 Jume 1947
MEMORANDUM FOR THE ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION:
Via:
Military Liaison Committee
Subject:
Scientific Resurvey of Bikini |
A apeer: er
Aha OG
1.
By a neworandun’*to ‘ifs Secretary of the Navy
dated 16 May 1947 the Joint Chiefs of Staff requested that
a scientific reaurvey of Bikini Atoll be undertaken by the
Navy Department during the summer of 1947 in order to com
plete studies and projects begun in 1946 in connection with
Operation Crossraods.
In a separate memorandum to the Sec-
retary of War, the War Department was requested to cooper~
ate in this resurvey and to furnish such facilities and
personnel as might be needed and could be made available.
Joint Crossroads Committee and its successor organization.
2
In accordance with this rejjuest of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Naval Operations on 2 June
1947 directed the various bureaus and offices of the Navy
Department to make arrangements for the resurvey and assigned
operational control to the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet.
Three vessels have been made available for the expeditions;
a large Attack Transport (iISS CHILTON APA-38), a Submarine
Rescue Vessel capable of deep diving operations (USS COUCAL
ASR-8), and a Landing Craft, Infantry (LCIL~615).
A target
date of 15 July 1947 for commencing operations at Bikini
Atoll is proposed. It is contemplated that the work at Bikini will occupy a period of six weeks.
36
It is contemplated that the scientific work
ae
Determinations of the amount and nature of
of the expedition will include:
.
the radioactivity remaining in the water, the lagoon floor,
and the reef and land structures of the atoll, wherever such
radioactivity exceeds the normal level of natural radicactivity and cosmic rays. Particular attention will be paid
to that portion of the reef between Amen and Bikini Islands,
which was covered after test Baker by highly radioactive
rain falling from the "Base Surge" cloud, end to the bottom
i
er sediments of the target area.
N
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3
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Li-n- 7
Technical supervision of the project was ussigned to the