HEADQUARTERS JOINT TASK FORCE SEVEN AFO 187 (HOW) e/o POSTMASTER SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA COMPT _ SUBJECT: TO: 6 March 1954 Report on Soil and Water Sampling Mission Commander Joint Task Force SEVEN APO 187 (HOW) éYo Postmaster San Francisco, California 15 In compliance with your oral instructions, the undersigned visited LIKIE™ and AILWK 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 ar. measuring level of gamma radiation present at these places in connection with BRAVO. The mission, consisting of the undersigned and a Marshallese interpreter, Lan Lakapun, embarked -on the USS BENSHAW (DDE499) at Kwajalein, visited the four sites and returned to Bikini, where the remainder of the trip to Eniwetok was per formed by PEM. tions a. There follows a detailed discussion of the findings at each loca- LIKIEP ATOLL. largest native population. The samples were taken on Likiep Island, which had tl. 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 mde 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 0600 M 6, March 1954. Radiation readings were talkn with a MX-5 instrument between O800 M and 0900 M and showed a maximum 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. 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, personne and equipment were transferred from the whaleboat to the reef by a one man rubber raft. The undersigned transferred himself by swimming. The island 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 ny high tide mrk, The party was led straight across the island and back to the luc ing area via the beach, in order to verify its uninhabited state. SAD-2/13-S54¢-1& Samples were