An average reading of 1.400 R/hr at approximately 1700 taken in the living area of Rongelap Island by these monitors supported the decision that same night to order the Philip to commence evacuation operations at dawn. Evacuation began about 0730, 3 March, and was completed by 1030. It developed that all the people on the atoll but away from the living area had returned home after BRAVO in order to discuss the unusual phenomena of the visible light and audible shock. This factor simplified evacu- ation by concentrating all natives on the home island of Rongelap. Interrogation of the Rongelap people disclosed that all were present except for 18, who were fishing at Ailinginae. Operation, Following the Rongelap the destroyer proceeded to Ailinginae, and proceeded to Kwajalein. removed the remaining 18 A total of 17 male and 20 female adults and 15 male and 14 female children were removed by destroyer and debarked at Kwajalein. An additional 16 old and sick were removed from Rongelap by PBM at about 0930 and flown to Kwajalein. All evacuees underwent decon- tamination procedures during the trip to Kwajalein, and again on Kwajalein (Reference 65). The full report from flight Able, received at approximately 1900, 2 March, indicated Utirik ground contamination of 0.240 R/hr at 1651, 2 March, and contamination of 0.076 R/hr at about 1716, 2 March, at Ailuk, the nearest populated island to the south. Bikar, the nearest island to the north, was contaminated to about 0.600 R/hr at about 1628, 2 March, but was determined to be unpopulated. the north, showed 0.014 R/hr at 1525; these readings, another destroyer Taongi, the next nearest island to it was also unpopulated. Based on (the Renshaw) was sent to Utirik to anticipate an order for evacuation at dawn on 4 March. Meanwhile, a PBM flew monitors to Utirik on 3 March to conduct a ground survey while the destroyer was on the way. This ground survey, conducted similarly to that for Rongelap, indicated 0.160 R/hr at 1830, 3 March. The exposure of the Utirik people was computed at 58 R if they remained on the atoll. 228