Fe eB PANES i, 4S. AL GT ME Ertan Ue U Min m™! oe ~h- Islands visited on Saturday were Aomen, Iroij, Nam, and the Sand Island along the northern rim, and Endrik, Eneman, and Aeroxojlol along the southern rim. Bunkers, towers, and numerous items of contaminated WIDH1O- JAV-ISVT a scrap (as determined by the gamma survey instrument) were photographed “for the engineers. A large number of photographs of these installations ‘and activities were made by press representatives. There was considerable press interest in the Bravo Crater area including the sand island and a heavily damaged bunker that sits in shallow water near the sand island. The landings and pick ups went smoothly. We were ashore at Aomen at first light in the morning and cleared the Eneu channel departing Bikini Atoll for Kwajalein a few minutes after dark. Saturday night Mr. Norwood decided that it would be desirable for the party to visit Rongelap to allow the Bikini Council representatives opportunity to see the village that had been built for the return of these natives to their home islands in 1957. We went ashore Sunday morning and received & warm welcome. However, it rained heavily for most of that day. The houses built on Rongelap, which were of plywood construction, are in need of repair and paint. We were told by a Peace Corp worker who lives on Rongelap that the houses have not been painted in the eleven years since they were built and that he has been unable to get the natives to paint them even though pairtsupplied by the Navy is available. Carl Mydans of Life Magazine told me he took no pictures on Rongelap because the place looked so drab in the rain. We departed Rongelap for Kwajalein about noon. At the dock in Kwajalein we had a final talk with the Bixini Council representatives. Lorie summarized the Bikinian's feelings about the tresent condition of the islands in tne Atoll. He said that much land is gone and that they are very sad to see that the trees and food plants are gone. He said all his people will be sad when told of conditions in the Atoll. However, they want to reach an agreement on the planning for their return and want to cooperate in this effort. Mr. Norwood responded by saying that we share their loss but cannot restore the isiands to the way they once were nor promise to pay for loss. We will do wnatever we can to restore the islands. This will take time and patience. We will do what we can. Mr. Norwood asked if I would again summarize the conditions under which WASTTIO D4V-1SV1 the resettlement is to be made. I stated that experts have been studying the possibility for their return for the last one and one-half years and that the determination has been made that it would now be safe provided certain things were done. This will include restricting rehabilitation