LCU (landing craft utility) based and maintained at Kwajalein (with AEC fund.ng). This vessel, thowvh small and slow, has the distinct advantage that it can be beached, so that ship-to-shore trans: fer of equipment and personnel by sinall boat is unnecessary. Pliree 30-f air-condivoned trailers have been placed on the tank deck, one equipped asa “slecper,” one cantaining a whole-body counter (shadow-shield lead assembly aud elec. tronic equipment), and one setup for clinical ex- auinations with a doctor's office, a sail! liabora- tory, and an x-ray Cachet. Phe LOU with these trailers is nawia full use and affords treniendeus TN provenscats ia Ube operations, Bxainination facilities at Curik const of several Butler-type buildings left bs a weather stagion group. Ou Rongelap several examination travers have been installed so that the schoolhouse need bo longer be uscd. Examinations trailers have also been installed on Ebeve and Majuro, Major events inthe Marshall Islands related to the surveys, including the political probleus of the past few vears, are summarized in Appendix 1, Before and after each survey, village meetings have always been held on Ronuclap and Curik ta intorin the peaple af the objectives of the examina- Hons, the tindines, and recommended treatments, Because of the language barrier, the peaple did bot always understand the need for the exaninations, or their results, Every ctfort is now being niide to correct this, Preparation of a question: and-aaswer bogkleron the elects of the fallout and treatment onthe Rongelap and Uurik people was recommended by the Coauress of Micruaesias such a bouklet has been printed at BNL for the Viust Territory Health Services and is being cistributed: it should do much to correet many of the lormer misconceptions (see Appendix 4), During the 20 years covered by these reports drastic chanuges have occucred in the Marshall Isbatids District, Vhe population mace than doubled fram 1948 te LOTS, the total gota from 10.000 tu ~ 25,000. The increases were most dramatic on Majure (yoing from 1.2000 te $0400) and on Ebeve (going frou 750 ta 5.000). On the ourer isaods dhe total population changed less (Rongelip. 100 10 167; Cuinik, batt lds), but the age distribution becane abnormal Young adults hove gravitated to- + ward the district centers, and the “homme islands” are Ieft with children and old people. A recent survey on Rongelap showed that of its 167 people, 1t5 were 15 years oid and 30 were >50. The flux is great: during anygiven field trip up to 30 people maybe arriving ur leaving. The district has opened up to forcign travel. Majuro has a jet airport, paved roads, electricity, and telephones, Expectations are rising, and when public services fail tu keep pace with increasing demand, dissatisfaction is more vocal. ; a h ’ The atmospheric bomb tests ended in 1958. Rwajalein was abanduned as a Navy Base in 1900 and was made part af the Ariny’s missile test i 4 ! range. For the visiting medical teams, lass of Navy Jesitance io toansportauion has increased the lagistic problems, but the continuing support of the Anavy Base has been invaluable. The people of Rongelap and Ctirik have always been most friendly and cordial to the medical team. Except for political interference with the 1972 examinations, the people have always been cooperative, il. Initial Findings A. DOSE ASSESSMENT 1. Source The radiation exposure of the Marshallese was due entirely to fallout, since the detonationsite wits loo far awayfor thertnal, blast, or direct irradiation cilects. (In constrast, direct efficts were re- sponsiblefor all the injuries fromthe atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with lithe or no fall- out.) The fireball from the 1954 Bravo device, detonated from a tower, touched the surface of the earth at Bikini, and Large amounts of material were drawn up and mixed with fission products in the bomb cloud. Because of an unpredicted shift in the winds ia the upper atmusphere, fallout was deposited in a cigarshaped area 20 10 40 miles wide extending ~ 200 miles to the east of Bikini (see Figure 1). Vhe radioactivity was due to fission products and seme neutron-induced isotopes: the fallout contained liulefissile material, The radiation was therefore almost entirely from gamma and beta rays of varying energy from numerous fission radioisotopes. Thetime after detonation when fallout began was estimated as dso 6 hr at Rongelap, ~ 7 he at Rongerik, and 22 hr at Utirik - lane meer ps We om pies : rreren ACe ee vn ga . ' te . . es w. being returned tu these islands, ft became apparent that a special vessel was needed, and in 1973 the ARC arranged for the Army to provide an A anhtance tate dit 5 .