The fast church service
on Bikini, March 1946,
than i 15 the size of Enewetak’s
390-square-mile fish-filled lagoon.
Because the islands could not
support the growing Marshallese
populations. critical shortages of
food and water occurred. More than
once air drops of emergencyfood rations were needed to prevent starvatron.
In the aEc’s Nevada Nuclear
Proving Grounds in the United
States. prior to an atomic test senes.
a puodlic information program. in-
cluding films and discussions on the
fortncoming tests. was implemented.
No such programs had been con-
Was tested at Enewetak. The blast.
estimuted at 10.4 metagons. completeis .aponzed one island tn the
atoil and left a crater one miie in diameter ind 170 feet deep in the coral
reef.
ducted inthe Marshalls. altchougn the
United States did inform the chief of
Rongelap that a hydrogen test would
soon occur. Whar the chief was told
about the test. and what his reactions were is not clear: that he
knew nothing of the radiation disaster soun to dbefail his people is certain. Indeed. the Marshallese on
States detonated Brave, the nrst test
wamed of precaullonary measures
In 1982. the nirst hydrogen device
On “arch 1. 1934. the United
of a deuverable hydrogen bomb. at
Bikint Atoll and severely contaminuted Ashermen aboard the
Lucky Dragon, a Japanese fishing
vessel that had straved into nearby
waters. More than 200 Marshallese
on the neighboring atolls of
Rongeiup and CUtink. and some 28
Amerizans monitoring the explosion Were also contaminated.
The U.S. Atomic Energy Commissien called Brave a ‘routine
atomic test.” But it was far from
routine.
Despite an incomplete and alarm-
ing weather report indicating that
winds trom sea level to $5,000 feet
were blowing in an easterly direction
toward Rongelap and Urink. the test
Rongelap and CUtink were not even
they might take in the event of radia-
tion eXpusure.
instead, the Marshallese were astonished observers of the snowlike
fallout that covered them and their
islands. On Rongelap the white ash
soon formed a layer one-and-one-
half inches thick on the ground and
fell into the drinking water tanks.
Children plaved in the radioactive
powder and an old man with vision
probiems rubbed the ash into his
eyes lo see if this might somehow
cure his utiment.
The 28 RadSate (radiation monitoring) personnel on Ronverik Atoll
intensified therr observations following news of the nuclear cloud’s erra-
tic behavior. About seven hours
proceeded.
after Bravo's detonation. radiation
The Lucky Dragon. illegally levels on Rongerik exceeded their
fishing near Bikini, was thefirst thing monitoring instrument's maximum
hit by the radioactive fallout. Return- scale of 100 millirads per hour. Ining to Japan quickly. unaware that structed to take strict radiation prethey had been exposed to nucleur cautions. the RadSafe team put on
fallout. the 22 fishermen began to extra clothing and remained inside
feel the effects of acute radiation exposure: itching of the skin. nausea
and vomiting. Within two vears the
Japanese government received $2
million in compensation for the
fishermen’s sutfering.
the tightly shut building until their
evacuation 34 hours after the test.
Medical reports on these men are
sul unpuclished.
Cunk’s [37 men. women and
children were the last to expenence
Bravo's fallout 22 hours after the
explosion.
The Rongelap people were exposed to 1753 rems of gamma radiation. considered a high dose ofradia-
tion. {A lethal dose is estimated at
300 to 500 rems in the absence ofintensive medical care.) Nevertheless.
they Were not evacuated from the is-
land for more than 24 hours after the
Amencans left Rongerik. which is
only about 23 miles away. The Ctink
population was not removed bythe
Lnited States until more than three
davs after the Brave test.
After their evacuation to the Navv
base at Kwatalein. manyof the exposed Marshallese began to expen-
ence the effects of severe radiation
poisoning: itching and burning ofthe
skin. eves and mouth: nausea: vomiting and diarrhea. Later in the
month. in the second stage of acute
radiation exposure. manyof the
people began to wholly or partially
lose their hair. and skin burns began.
appearing on the necks. shoulders.
arms and feet of those most heavily
exposed.
The Utirik people were told by the
Atomic Enerey Commission that
“their tsland was onlv slightly contaminated and considered safe fer
habitation.” and they were moved
back in May1954.
Three years later the Rongelapese
were permitted to return home-—
after a Julv 1957 radiological survey
stated that “in spite of slight lingering radioactivitv’” Rongelap Atoll
was sate for rehabitation. With this
dubious recommendation. the Rongelapese returned. Brookhaven Na-
tronal Laboratory (on contract to the
AEC) reported that:
“Even though. . . the radioactive
contamination of Rongelap Island is
considered pertectly safe for human
February 1979
The Bulletin [1