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U. S. S$. NICHOLAS (DDE-449)
c/o Fleet Post Office
San Francisco, California
DDI4LS /mw
P22
Ser: 054
28 March 1954
CONFIDENTIAL
From:
Commanding Officer
To:
Commander Task Group 7.3
Subj:
Rongelap Survey Trip 25 - 26 March 1954; report of
1. The USS NICHOLS (DLE-449) departed BIKINI Atoll at 1900M, 25 March
1954 for RONGELAP Atoll in accordance with Commander Joint Task Force SVs
2311312 and Commander Task Group 7.3 2323232 of arch 1954. The following
personnel from Task Group 7.1 were on board:
Dr.
br.
ir,
Ir.
Ir.
Lauren R. Gonaldson
Thomas L. Shipmen
sdward «. Held
ralph F. Palumbo
Paul R. Olson
Dr. Thomas N. White
Mr. William W. Nobbins
Mr. Pescuale R. Schiavone
Major Charles i. Barnes, USAF
2. The ship arrived off the South Entrance, RONGELAP Atoll at 260100! and
put a whale boat inthe water at 260630M to meet the plane arriving from
Kwajalein with Dr. Bond's party.
3. The ship then proceeded to Northeast Pass, RONGZLAP atoll, entared and
anchored. Dr. Donaldson and his party departed the ship at O830M.
4. The plane from Kwajalein arrived off RONGELAP at O905Lk, was met by thwhalebo2t. Dr. Bond, Mr. Marion “Wilds, three Public Health Service Officers,
three Natives and mscellaneous equipment was transported to the beach.
plane was guided to an anchorage about two hundred (200) yards off shore
from the village where it was anchored.
The
a. Personnel from the NICHOLsS assisted Dr. fond to accomplish the
following: Capture five young pigs and one sow; capture five chickens,
obtain soil, fruit and vegetation samples. One boar was killed and an autopsy was cerformed on the spot. The animals and othor samples were pleced
in cages and trénsportsd to the plane. Dr. Bonds party depcrted RONCZLAF
at 1300M, 26 March 1954. The whaleboat then departed RONGILAT Island and
proceeded »orth to rejoin the ship, stopping at BUSCH and sNI.STOK Island
to mzasur. radioactive intensity. One member of RadSurvey Tssm accompanied
this boat to condict RadSurvey on Southeastern Islands.
Dr. Donaldson's
party worked in the Northeast part of RONGZLAP atoll, collecting fish, soil,
birds, invertebrates, algae and vegetétion samples. One mamber of RadSurv<e,
Team accompanied this this party to conduct RedSurvey of Northern Islands.
It was not possible to collect rats, as desired, due to the unexpected departure of the ship as directed by Commander Task Group 7.3 2602172 of arch
yepi00 1954.
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ENCLOSURE (4)
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UNCLASSIFIED