- Fans JOINT TASK FORCE SEVEN & APO 187 (HOW) c/o POSTMASTER Location SAN BRUNO FRC Commander Joint Task Force SEVEN APO 187 (HOW) toss W/W eadDep ete /o Postmaster L81- 609A 267 45 an Francisco, California 2 Stl)atte 1. 410543 ‘ ' TO: BA DOsO3ZIFP Lyte C¢() Report on Soil and Water Sampling Mission jrebh st sCENCS : Done lL. 8 March 1954 SUBJECT: Re3 “ cn ( piel (A) & SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA COMPT a CLASSIFICATION CANCELLED BY AUTHORITY OF COK/OC 5 pte 23/ & ALTA DNA Varalle ro DoE @ oc dated de 6 lief wt 1 Th compliance with yotr oral instructions, the undersigned visited LIKXIEP and AILUK Atolls, JEMO Island and MEJIT Island in the Eastern Marshalls between the period 5-8 March 1954 for the purpose of collecting soil and water samples anc measuring level of gamma radiation present at those places in connection with BRAVO. The mission, consisting of the undersigned and a Marshallese interpreter, Lan Lakapun, embarked on the USS RENSHAl (DDZ499) at Kwajalein, visited the four sites and returned to Bikini, where thé reminder of the trip to Eniwetok was pc.’ formed by PB. tion: There follows a detailed discussion of the findings at each loca- &- LIKIEP ATOLL. The samples were taken on Likiep Island, which had the largest native population. Access to the lagoon was gained through South Pass. Poor light at the end of the day and numerous coral heads necessitated anchoring about 4 miles from Likiep Island. Trip in was made by whaleboat the following morning. A water sample was taken from a large cistern fed from the roof of the Catholic rectory, and earth samples were taken from random spots about the island which were unsheltered by trees or other growth at approximtely 0800 M 6, March 1954. Radiation readings were takn with a MX~5 instrument between O800 M and 090¢ M and showed a mximum of 3 milliroentgens per hour, No variations from this reading were noted on clothing or bare feet of individuals, According to accounts received by Bishop Feeney, S.J., the population was greatly excited by the light and blast wave, the latter which reportedly arrived about 30 minutes subsequent to the light flare. According to Bishop Feeney, church attendance was greatly stimulated on the day of the test, be. JEM Island. GAN BRENO FRC This location was reached at 1100 M, 6 March 1954. It consists of a small heavily wooded island, surrounded by a line coral reef with heavy surf on three sides. There being no place for landing a whaleboat, personr and equipment were transferred from the whaleboat to the reef by a one man rubber raft. The undersigned transferred himself by swimming. The isl«nd proved to be uninhabited, and reportedly is a sea turtle preserve. Turtle hunters erected several houses, a rain barrel of which provided a water sample. Earth samples were gathered at random from open areas, including one of beach sand above the high tide mrk, The party was led straight across the island and back to the linding area via the beach, in order to verify its uninhabited state. Samples were nn. SRD- ats-Ld-1€ BEST COPYAVAILABLE 3