214 RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLL TYPHOON MARY: DECEMBER 1977 The first indications that Typhoon Mary might strike Enewetak Atoll came on 24 December 1977. Reports from the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Weather; Central on Guam indicated that the storm, which had formed severa; hundred miles northeast of Enewetak, might approachthe atoll in the next few days. The JTG began making preparations for the storm as well as fo, the Christmas holiday. Additional landing craft were positioned at Lojwa, sensitive laboratory equipment was moved to the three-story masonry barracks, and other actions to minimize storm damage were initiated. Plans were made to evacuate if that became necessary. Constant communications were maintained with Commander in Chief, Pacific Command, DNA, Field Command, and other commandpoststo keepaj concerned apprised of the status of the storm and of preparations for evacuation. At 1830 hours on Christmas day, as Typhoon Mary continued to approach, Commander, Field Command, decided to evacuate the atoll,74 By 1900 hours, the order was being implemented. By 2330 hours, aij} personnel at Lojwa Camp had been evacuated to Enewetak Camp by landing Craft. When seas in the deep passage becametoo high for boat traffic, helicopters were used to bring the dri-Enewetak from Japtanto the main base. Fifty-four people were airlifted from Japtan between 2300 hours on 25 December and 0500 hours on 26 December 1977. The helicopters were then lashed down 1nd secured. Landing craft were beached on the leeward shores of Medren and Enewetak Islands and mooredto bulldozers and other heavy equipment.75 U.S. Air Force C-141 Starlifter aircraft from the 610th Military Airlift Support Squadron, Yokota, Japan, beganarrivingatfirst light, 0755 hours, on 26 December 1977. Eight hundred and twenty nine personnel, including the dri-Enewetak, were combat-loaded on four C-14ls and flown to Guam. Asit happened, the evacuation took place during the peakofthe storm at Enewetak. At that time, Typhoon Mary was 120 miles south of the atoll, its closest point of approach. The wind was reported at 50 knots, with gusts to 60 knots, and there were I5-foot seas outside the reef and 5- to 6-foot waves in the lagoon. The CJTG, COL Mixan, and 20 other military and civilian personnel remained at Enewetak to make immediate repairs to life-support facilities and reopen the airfield for the return of the evacuees. Since the storm came no nearer, damage from Typhoon Marywasrelatively light. As the storm moved on to the west, plans were made to begin returning the evacuees to Enewetak on the next day.76 The evacuees began arriving at Guam at approximately 1145 hours on 26 December and were taken to the Anderson AFB gymnasium. There,