RG 326 US ATOMIC ENERGY CoM LESION i 2DLY¢ Folderfptheur TU=13-—54-375 SUBJECT: 1, 410610 gsi HEADQUARTERS TASK UNIT 1, ' Task Group APO 187 (HOW) 7,1 P.O. Box & c/o Postmastor San Francisco, California : 12 Merch 1954 Radiological Survey of Downwind Atolls Contaminated by BRAVO Acknowledgement The members of the survey toam wish to express thcir appreciatio to the Captain, officors and members of the crow of the USS NICHOLAS (DDE 449) for thei: assistance and cooperation in conducting tho survoy herein reported. Captain Elliot turned over all possiblo facilitics of his ship in ordcr to assist in the survey. LT Frink, tho Exccutive Officcr, organized all the operations of tho boat partics, and it was only through his personal dircction and participation that it was possible to carry out the small boat surveys under cxtremoly difficu eenditions, Since most of the lagoon waters were not navigable by a DDE, it was neecssary to make long boat trips in “high scas and land on tricky coral reefs, That it was possible to make, without mishap, a detailed survey of fivo widely separated atolls in the course of threc days with only two boats was largely duc to his efforts, 2. Introduction The BRAVO Shot contaminated a number of atolls in gorerally castward direction from Bikini to such an axtent that it became necessary to cvacuate the native populatims from Rongelap, Alinginae and Utirik Atolls and the military persannel on Rongerik Atoll, Following this cvacuation CJTF SEVEN organized the subject detailed radiological survey of the atolls to the castward of Bikini (Ref, CJTF SEVEN Eniwctok 060400Z). The data from this survey wore required for the following purposcs: &e Tho evaluation of the radiation cffccts on cvacuccs,. b. The cstimation of the clapsed time before rcoccupancy. Ce The cstimation of the residual radiation effects of large yiclds surface dctcnations. ~ In connection with this survey, tcams from various Task Groups and Mr. Wilds, Trust Territory Representative, rcturned to the atolls to secure the evacuated habitations, service military cquipment, and obtain documentary photo: graphy. 36 COPIED/poe LANL RG a Operational Schedulo 8 March - 0800 Te Jf 23285) BEST COPY AVAILABLE Survey toam rendezvous aboard USS NICHOLAS (DDE 449) in Rongelap Lagoon. CLASSIFICATION CANCELLED ay F DOE/O¢ Levee LULEMGF PDA ee tS A i MH om, ~ sa te ft av I Mefebe 7Q hie errs nul 4 ( is [