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.

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