nan use a eacen es ae HEADQUARTERS JOINT TASK FORCE SEVEN APO 187 (HOW) ¢/o POSTMASTER SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA COMPT 8 March 1954 SUBJECT: Report on Soil and Water Samplihg Mission ef nv TO: Commander Joint Task Force SEVEN 0 APO 18% (HOW) Y 2 4 c/o Postmaster San Francisco, California 1. In compliance with your oral instructions, the undersigned visited LIK] . 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 samples anc measuring level of gamma radiation present at those places in connection wth BRAVO. The mission, consisting of the undersigned and a Marshallese interpreter, Lan Lakapun, embarked on the USS RENSHAW (DDZ499) at Kwajalein, visited the four sites and returned to Bikini, where the remainder of the trip to Eniwetok was per formed by PBM. There follows a detailed discussion of the findings at each loca- tion: a. LIKIEP ATOLL. largest native population. The samples were taken on Likiep Island, which had tl.c 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. morning. Trip in was made by whaleboat the following A water sample was taken from a large cistern fed from the roof of the Catholic rectory, and earth samples were taken from random spots about the island which were unsheltered by trees or other growth at approximtely 0800 M 6, March 1954. Radiation readings were takn with a MK-5 instrument between 0800 M and 090¢ M and showed a maximum of 3 milliroentgens per hour. No variations from this reading were noted on clothing or bare feétofindividuals, 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 stimulzted on the day of the test. be. J=MO Island. This location was reached at 1100 M, 6 larch 1954. consists of a smill heavily wooded island, surrounded by a Line coral reef with heavy surf on three sides. It There being no place for landing a vhaleboat, personn-- and equipment were transferred from the whaleboat to the reef by a one man rubber raft. The undersigned transferred himself by swimming. The islund proved to be COPIED/DOE LANL RC uninhabited, and reportedly is a sea turtle preserve. Turtle hunters erected several houses, a rain barrel of which provided a water sample. Earth samples 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 land- ing arca via the beach, in order to verify its uninhabited state. rool! sn BS Tocere ‘ceoTr Te Fr erence ee na | He ee oe ay tA Samples were ‘ eS ae annette g