DOE ARCHIVES
were not getting enough to eat.
He recommended that the
Bikini people be moved to another location.
Sojourn on Kwajalein
Upon the basis of Mason's investigation and recommendation,
the
ex-Bikinians were again moved
to a temporary location on
Kwajalein Island itn the middle in March, 1948.
Here, in a "tent
city" in the midst of Marshallese workers from far and wide, as
well as thousands of American members of the armed forces, the
wandering Bikinians awaited the next move.
Once again a tour of
inspection was made of available and possible locations for
resettlement.
Atoll,
Tne possibilities finally narrowed down to Wotto
which was populated,
southern Marshalls.
and the single island of Kili in the
Kili was not populated and was U.S.
Government property.
The majority of the Bikini people allegedly voted for Kili
as against Wotto, and in early November of 1948 the 184
Bikinians were transferred to Kili Island. 2
Kili Island
The new home of the Bikini people is a low single coral
island about one and one half miles iong, on an axis of 063°
true, and i8 approximately three-fourths of a mile wide at its
widest point.
The extent of the area is only 0.36 square miles,
with no lagoon area and a small fringing reef.
2
This compares
The increase in population was caused by the addition of
Bikinians wno had married out, plus their spouses and
offspring,