OFFICIAL USE ONLY
INTRODUCTION
On 1 March 1954 a thermonuclear device (the Bravo event) was deto-
nated in Bikini Atoll.
<A shift of winds occurring after the detonation car-
ried radioactive particles towards the islands of RONGELAP, RONGERIK, |
and UTIRIK.
Thirty-one American test personnel and 236 Marshallese
were exposed to radiation.
|
Because the level of residual radioactivity at
RONGELAP remained unacceptable from a health point of view, emergency
evacuation of 82 Rongelapese was effected by the vessels of TG 7.3 (U.S.
Navy).
These people were landed in KWAJALEIN Atoll, where they were
housed in emergency quarters on EBEYE Island until a village could be
constructed for them.
‘Holmes & Narver was directed in April 1954 by the Atomic Energy
Commission to prepare plans and estimates for the construction of a suitable village on EJIT Island in MAJURO Atoll.
The project was constructed,
and in June 1954 most of the Rongelapese were moved to this newly constructed village, where they remained until they could be returned to their
homeland.
During their residence at MAJURO and KWAJALEIN, the people were
joined by a number of Rongelapese who were away from their homeatoll
at the time of the fallout.
The size of the group was also increased by
marriages with non-residents of RONGELAPand by births.
The repatri-
ation of this group was effected on 29 June 1957, when 250 persons were
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