DEFENSE NUCLEAR AGENCY
°
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20305
29 May 1979
MEMORANDUM FOR THE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
SUBJECT:
1.
Records and Reports of Pacific Atmospheric Nuclear
Testing, 1946-62
.
References:
_a.
ASD(MRA&L)
memo of 28 Jan 1978,
subj:
DoD Personnel
Participation in Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Testing.
b.
ASD(MRA&L) memo of 1 Aug 1978, subj:
Radiation Inquiry...
c. USDRE memo of 15 Dec 1978, subj:
Exposure.
Ionizing
Utah Radiation
2. On 16 May 1979 representatives of the new government
of the Marshall Islands attended an interagency meeting
in Washington called by the Department of Interior (DoI).
The purpose of the meeting was to permit Marshallese govern-
ment representatives to raise questions regarding radio-~
‘logical conditions in the Marshalls with representatives
of the U. S. Government (principally Interior, Energy,
Defense (DNA), State,
tions Team).
3.
At the meeting,
and the Micronesian Status Negotia-
representatives of the new Marshallese
government requested, inter alia, that they be provided
all pertinent records and reports from the Pacific atmos-.
pheric testing, 1946-62,
tion of the Marshalls.
bearing on radiological contamina-
4.
On behalf of the Defense Department, Director, DNA
accepted this responsibility as regards DoD records and
reports which are or could be declassified.
This action
was taken in accordance with references a. and b., which
,
~
establish DNA as the DoD Executive Agent for all matters
pertaining to atmospheric nuclear test participation
erence a)
and ionizing radiation exposures
(ref-
(reference b).
This also parallels DNA's responsibilities under reference
c. for provision of similar reports and records to the
Governor of Utah as regards radiological contamination from
testing at the Nevada Test Site.
+, —
Ae