i | & a a P| 49 N-3 The following comments relate to the timing of the ev of the Rongelap people. (a) According to C. L. Dunham, Director of the AEC Divisi Biology and Medicine, (Cronkite et al, 1956), “unexpected in the wind structure deposited radioactive materials on i atolls and on ships of Joint Task Force 7, which was condu tests. Radiation surveys of the areas revealed radiation above permissible levels: therefore evacuation was ordere carried out as quickly as possible with the facilities ava the Joint Task Force". (b) According to Merril Eisenbud (personal communication, & a & wa references) a scientific member of the Task Force, “There unanswered questions about the circumstances of the 1954 f It is strange that no formal investigation was ever conduc There have been reports that the device was exploded despi adverse meterological forecast. It has not been explained evacuation capability was not standing by, as had been rec or why there was not immediate action to evaluate the matt the Task Force learned (seven hours after the explosion) t AEC Health & Safety Laboratory recording instrument on Ron off scale. There was also an unexplained interval of nany days before the fallout was announced to the public”. (c}) Since the Rongelapese had been evacuated prior to preyi tests, it is not clear why the usual procedure was change 88H February 1954, Dr. Bertell has told me, Magistrate John An Rongelap was told about the Bravo test, but was not given He said that "there are no orders from Washington to evacu people”. (d) Rongelap was evacuated on March 3, 1954, approximately hours after the shot.