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CHAPTER IZ
HARRATIVE SUOURE
A.
Sen Sega
aneperuavavertare of Joint Task Terse S5VEs
Te our persenal kneuledge, the first indication regarding the
imeident of the TAKUTO MARU and SATIMA MARU (alse spelled SATSIMA (eld
epelling)) was @ mesenge seen by Colonel Balph N. Lechausse, WAP (NC),
Steff Surgeon, JTF-7, on 19 July 1958.
This vee message date-tine
group 1902042, reutine precedence, from CINCPAC with information te
Comender JTF~7, Inivetek (see Tab A, Appendix I).
This message
eviginated in Tokyo at 10 a.m. op 17 July from Macirthur to State 110
and eaid, "CHO net adee pase by GIO 1719052 2 Meritine Safety Beard
shipe new engaged in Pueifie survey projects in connection IGE have
reperted high levels ef radissctivity in vieinity ef Truk.
Stipe have
iaferned KSB cf 19,000 eount per ninute en scintillation counter, rain
radioactivity ef up te 100,000 couts per liter and sea vater radicse~
tivity ef 247 eounte per liter per uimute.
Vernacular press have given
fairly extensive tack pags play te these reports. MSD officials told
Heval Attache that erevs on both shipe are very verried cheut redioactivity.
MBB, theugh net tee concerned about reperted levels of
redioactivity, has diverted beth ships te Rabaul fer fresh water dem
eontanination.®
Ta view of the absence in this advisery of certain inpertent
techuienl information (19,000 counts per uizute, ete., of vant? Bficloney of the counter, ealibration, ete.}, curtain asowuptions were
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