S a © cree ‘. wa < HEADQUARTERS JOINT TASK FORCE SEVEN CLASSIFICATION CANCELLED ' APO 187 (HOW) e/o POSTMASTER BY AUTHORITY OF DOE/OG ° SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Compt 8 March 1954 SUBJECT: Report on Soil and Water Sampling Mission 326 US ATOMIC ENERGY RG TO: Commander COMMISSI * Joint Task Force SEVEN Location AFO 187 (HOW) aster Collection £ 0 c/o Postm San Francisco, California 1, . Oa Folder Et2 LO C Z aoY Fa LLrh - In compliance with your oral instructions, the undersigned visited LIKIE and AILUK Atolls, JEMO Island and MEJIT Island in the Eastern Marshalls between the period 5-8 March 1954 for the purpose of collecting soil and water S an measuring level of gamma radiation present at those places in connection with BRAVO. The mission, consisting of the undersigned and a Marshallese interpreter, . Lan Lakapun, embarked on the USS RENSHAW (DDE499) at Kwajalein, visited the four sites and returned to Bikini, where the remainder of the trip to Eniwetok was per. formed by PEM, There follows a detailed discussion of the findings at each loca- tion: a. LIKIEP ATOLL. The samples were taken on Likiep Island, which had th largest native population. Access to the lagoon was gained through South Pass. Poor light at the end of the day and numerous coral heads necessitated anchoring about 4 miles from Likiep Island. Trip in was made by whaleboat the following morning. A water sample was taken from a large cistern fed from the roof of the Catnolie rectory, and earth samples were taken from random spots about the island vhich were unsheltered by trees or other growth at approximtely 0800 M 6, March "954. Radiation readings were takn with a MX~5 instrument between O800 M and 0906 d and showed a mximum of 3 milliroentgens per hour. No variations from this reading were noted on clothing or bare feet of individuals. According to accounts received by Bishop Feeney, S.J., the population was greatly excited by the light and blast wave, the latter which reportedly arrived about 30 minutes subsequent to the light flare. According to Bishop Feeney, church attendance was greatly stimulated on the day of the test. b, JEM) Island. This location was reached at 1100 M, 6 March 1954, tonsists of a small heavily wooded island, surrounded by a line coral reef with - It heavy surf on three sides. There being no place for landing a whaleboat, personne. and equipment were transferred from the whaleboat to the reef by a one man rubber 3 raft. The undersigned transferred himself by swimming. The isl«nd proved to be zs uninhabited, and reportedly is a sea turtle preserve, Turtle hunters erected '€ several houses, a rain barrel of which provided a water sample. Earth samples 2S were gathered at random from open areas, including one of beach sand above the = high tide mrk, The party was led straight across the island and back to the lnnding areca via the beach, in order to verify its uninhabited state. Samples were “A Vv cur CONSISTS OF..&.. PACE(S) SRD- al3- S4ate | 3 Gamay neoos ATA / | 8.13