to fall on the ship, its gear, and crew members. Puzzled by this strange snowfall, some of the crew actually tasted the radioactive flakes in an attempt to ascertain just what they were. fallout which lasted some 5 hours (77, During the 2/454) several of the men suggested they had witnessed a nuclear test--none of them, however, immediately connected the snowfall with tne test. These peculiar and unnerving events were enough to convince the captain that it was time to abandon any hope of returning with a full catch, They had poor catches, lost some of their fishing gear, were low on fuel--and now this. home. He headed the Lucky Dragon northward for Three days later all of the members of the crew would suffer the acute effects of their exposure, itching of the skin and mucous membranes, nausea and vomiting. Two weeks after their exposure they would arrive in their port city of Yaizu and discovery of their experience would result in an international controversy and fear and panic in Japan. Unknown to the Joint Task Force, the little ship started its journey homeward; the radio operator, who would later die, sent no mesSages to Japan or to other ships telling them of their experience. RONGERIK Upon receiving word of the cloud's erratic behavior, the RadSafe crew on Rongerik must have intensified their observations. Information indicated that it might be heading their way and they sent in readings from their instruments and findings of their observations. lO14b89 At 13:33