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 1 . c 3 -l- es Li-n- 7 Technical supervision of the project was ussigned to the