atoll on Mareh 6, 1946.
square miles,
has a
Rongerik has a dry land area of 0.65
scattered over approximately 17 isiands.
lagoon area of
$5.38 square miles.
than the 2.32-square-mile land area and
This
It
is much
smaller
229.40-square-mile
lagoon area of Bikini, with its 36 islands
The attempt to settle at Rongerik was a failure,
due to the insufficient natural resources.
allegedly
A Board of
Investigation convened by the Navy on June ?,
1947,
recommended
that the displaced Bikinians be moved again.
The Bikinians through their leader "King" Juda, as he was
erroneously christened by romantically minded newsmen,
accom-
panied by three leaders (alab) of Bikind, inspected Rongerik,
Kili,
Ujilang, Wotto and Ujae to try to find a suitable place
in which to relocate
interested
their people.
in getting back
The Bikini people were
to their ancestral
home as
rapidly
as possible and had allegedly regarded tne past and future
resettlements as
only temporary.
Tne period from June 2,
in inspecting these
August 26,
resettlement
areas.
On
the following letter to the American authoritics:
(translation):
"To the Office at Kwajalein:
Gentlemen:
We
the council
have held
to find the best place to go to.
a meeting
We nave been
to some other places to inspect und have conSidered them.
In moving we find it quite a
problem.
The place we all agreed to stay on
is Rongerik Atoll.
£57
=
=
it
CaF
s/fde, Pac Council"
xo
sent
possible
to September 1, 1947, was
1947 the council of the ex-Bikini people on Rongerik
wit
spent
1947,