PRIVACY ACT MATERIAL REMOVED thunder of the explosion, and some of the people on the island rumored that another war had possibly started. On Rongelap, talk probably turned to the visit of a Navy Commander to the island a couple of weeks ago. The Commander had tried to explain something to them about a test, and bombs—but despite the efforts of an interpreter, the people did not understand what he was talking about. to do with it. Perhaps this noise and light had something At this point, SRG oust have briefly recalled the field trip officer's remarks--but, since they had only seen an unusual light and heard the noise of an explosion far away, there appeared to be no immediate worry. Maybe the Hawaiian had been mistaken. Four to six hours after the detonation, as the Lucky Dragon crew was puzzling over the strange ash falling on them and their vessel, the people on Rongelap and Ailinginae witnessed the third unusual phenomenon; fluffy, white particles, like the ash of a fire blown into the air, was settling down upon the island from the heavens, the lagoon and the atoll. Two young boys at that time were climbing a papaya tree to pick some fruit and, as they looked up, the ash fell into their eyes. An older man, paddling near shore in the lagoon also looked up. He had been having trouble with his eyes lately and so intentionally let some of the flakes fall into his eyes. He then rubbed them with his eyelids shut, hoping that this strange substance would help his affliction. Back on the island, the "snow" was falling steadily and soon the ground, tree leaves, and the roofs of houses sported a white, powdery Oleg) 81