2 Oe ee ee ee 1954 continued after Bravo, the Utirik people are evacuated by a Navy LCU. MARCH 5 Kwajalein: Many of the exposed people from Rongelap, Rongerik and Utirik, evacuated to the Kwajalein Navy base, continue experiencing symptoms of severe radiation exposure: itching and burning of the skin, eyes and mouth, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. The ma- jority of the Rongelap people and the 28 Americans suffer from skin burns on their necks, arms and feet and loss of body and scalp hair beginning about two weeks after their exposure. MARCH Japan: Two weeks after their exposure, the fishermen on the "Lucky Dragon'' arrive in Japan. Within a short time, the radio operator is dead of leukemia, and other crew members are 111. Within two years the Japanese government receives $2 million in compensations from the U.S. government for the "Lucky Dragon's" exposure. "When we arrived on Kwajalein we Started getting burns all over our bodies and people were feeling dizzy and weak,...After two days something appeared under my fingernails and then my fingernails came off and my fingers bled. We all had burns on our ears, ShoulGers, necks and feet and our eyes were very sore." Etry Enos, Rongelap Atoll. MARCH 27 Bikini: Following the Bravo test, the off limits zone around Bikini is enlarged eight times. The area includes the inhabited atolls of Rongelap, Utirik, Ujelang and Likiep. No islanders are ever evacuated before subsequent tests, however. APRIL 20 United Nations: 111 Marshallese, elected and traditional leaders from more than 10 atolls, petition the United Nations Trusteeship Council re- questing that "all the experiments with lethal weapons within this area be im- mediately ceased. If the experiments... should be judged absolutely necessary for the eventual well being of all people of this world...all possible precautionary measures to be taken (and) all human beings and their valuable possessions be transported to safe distances before such explosions occur..." "The first shot (Bravo) has been variously described as devas- ' tating, out of control and with other exaggerated and mistaken characterizations. I do not wish to minimize it...but at no time was the testing out of control." Admiral Lewis Strauss, U.S.AEC, at a Washington, D.C. press conference after the “Bravo" shot. <5 APRIL United Nations: The Trusteeship Council approves a resolution in re- sponse to the Marshallese petition sup- porting continued U.S. nuclear testing, but requesting that added safety precautions be taken and urging the U.&. to compensate the Marshallese for loss of land. APRIL 26 Bikini: Ailinginae, Rongelap and Rongerik Atolls are contaminated with radioactive fallout from the Union test at Bikini Atoll. The yield of | this bomb remains classified information MAY 5 Bikini: Ailinginae, Bikar, Ronge- lap and Rongerik Atoils are contaminated with radioactive fallout from the Yankee test at Bikini Atoll. The yield of this bomb remains classified information. MAY 16 Rongerik: The 28 Americans evacuated from Rongerik are pronounced fit, and released for active duty after medical examinations at Kwajalein and Tripler Hospital in Hawaii. They re- ceive no further medical follow up despite their exposure to at least 78 rads of whole body radiation. (continued on page 12) RRR Ree 10eee 9002605 C0 00GAN 00 a TD OR alS Aa OS OD SG OS SS SD OO ee a a ea SS Ue ‘peceeseee ee WEAPONSTESTING