copgneeas “see to proceed at once as best we could until the trust officials arrived or if necessary without them, It was hoped that we might find a missionary, a pidgin English native or even a trust representative ashore. Consequently at about O740 the gig (26 ft. MsB) was leunched and a beach party was embarked with the wxecutive Officer, LCDR ¥V. kh. Easton, USN, in charge. He was to try to get ashore as soon as possible, organize the natives for evacuation and determine the best location and means for the evacuation. Included in this party were the Radsafce Officer, monitor, hos- pitalman, signalman, ete. «s soon as this party shoved off, a second MuB wes launched with the Gunnery Officer in charge, who was to search along the reef for a break or a more favorable spot for safe boat handling in the evacuation. Now, as the boats left the ship, we commenced execution ‘of our plans for receiving the natives on board. Awnings were rigged on the fantail with Side strips from the deck to the redge ropes. additional life lines were rigged for the safety of children. Fore end aft and vertical accesses to the fantail were closed or roped off and awnings rigged where necessary to ensure privacy for the natives. The entire crew's washroom and head aft (largest on board) were set aside for the natives and for their decontamin-~ ation inasmuch as this is the ship's main station for this purpose. An ®utside salt water shower was rigged, a receptacle was provided for their clothes and sufficient clean dungaree shirts, trousers, etc., were raised by an appeal to the crew, to thus clothe all the natives, A pig-pen was fashioned by closing off access to a 3" gun tub. We planned to tether chickens to life lines on the Ol deck and let the dogs roam free amongst the populace. Meanwhile, the Executive Officer and party approached the south shore of the island at a point about 1500 yds west of the eastem tip. The island here and clsewhere has a continuous outer perimeter of ‘rble reefs extending some 40 yds out into the water over which the waves prcuuced a surf of medium size and presented considerable small boat hazard. Having selected a point where the surf was slight and appeared to offer the best spot, the Executive Officer commenced paddling ashore in a small, one-man rubber raft (we kept it after picking up a bailed-out jet pilot Last fall), which had a line attached to it from the boat. after some progress towards the beach he appeared to experience difficulty with the surf and some unseen force resulting in no progress. Considerable humor and some coneem were evoked at sight of the Executive Officer furiously paddling, cach stroke whirling the raft 1g0° around but making no progress, It was later determined thet the line from boet to the raft had fouled in the coral, securely anchoring him to seaward. By this time a few of the natives had appeared and some of them swam out and helped Him ashore amidst friendly greetings. At about this time, Navy JRF 912 scaplene arrived from Kwajalein, landed in the western part of the lagoon and commenced taxiing eastward towards —_ COPIED/DOE LANL RC _ 2 ENCLOSURS (1)