average reading on the 42-18 radiac instruments were 200 mr/hr. Another pass at 250 ft altitude was 340 ur/hr. The aircraft climbed to 5000 ft to attempt direct radio communication with the USS Estes or Eniwetok. Transmissions were garbled and intermittent. The following message (message #4), however, was received by the AOC, Mniwetok, at 1043, 2 March from Navy aircraft #1902 "Should Rongerik Island be evacuated at once. Request immediate answer", The message as received did not make much sense but Lt Colonel Crosty, TG 7.4 Operations, queried Lt Colonel Richard House, Rad-Safe Officer, JTF SEVEN. House's information based on shipboard contamination (USS Estes-USS Bairoke) in the target area and fall-out prediction indicated that Rongerik should be in the same contamination level as the ship or approximately 300 mr/hr. The effect should be transient and disappear in a few hours. He counseled no evacuation. Crosby then sent a message to Navy aircraft 1902 informing them not to evacuate Rongerik. This message was sent to Navy aircraft 1902 at 1117M on 2 March 1954 (Message #5). @. The request from Crosby was received by “avy 1902 and Chrestensen sent back that his only radiological reading was "340 mr/br at 250 ft altitude." This message was received at TG 7.4 as "340 mr/br at 250 ft. This was discussed by Crosby and Houghton and Chrestensen was informed at 1126, DAl, to disregard message to not evacuate and again requested the radiological situation’ in more detail (Message #6). : f. Chrestensen finally landed at 1130, 2 March, and made a quick rad survey of the island and work spaces. It was as follows: Inside buildings Outside buildings Outside buildings 0.6 r/br 1.8 r/br (waist height) 2.4 r/br (sand surface) tent 1.2 r/br surface 3/2 v/for Surface of one bed in One inch from ground g. Eight (8) men was loaded on the Navy aircraft and started for Kwajalein. As the aircraft departed Chrestensen was informed by the pilot that additional information on the rad situation was requested by TG 7.4. A reading of 3.2 r/hr at one inch was sent (not received). At 1125 Crosby received a TWX stating that the Navy aircraft had taken off eight (8) personnel. (Message #7 & 8). h. At 1439 a classified message was received from JTF SEVEN LNO at Kwajalein stating “Upon advise of Captain Chrestensen, Adm Clark is returning same aircraft to Rongerik to evacuate remaining personnel = Hughes sends." At 1440 a confidential message was received from JTF SEVEN LNO Kwajalein addressed to JTF SEVEN Eniwetok and TG 7.4. Eniwetok: Crosby's request following submitted. assist by Adm Clarke. Declassified DOD DIR 520018) "Per Captain Hughes was requested to Following is summary, Navy 1902 UF~1 with Chrestensen 3 Declassified DOD DIR 5200.1 + =a ob