USS PoP (Doe =5)" UNCLASSIFIED
Core of Fizst Post Oiraice
Sen Fre.easco, G4rirorniz
DDE498: VLM: GWA: wk
He-l
Serial:
O01
§ Mar 1954
From:
To:
-Commanding Officer
Commander, Task Group 7.3
Subj:
Evacuation of Rongelap and Ailinginae Atolls on 3 March 1954;
report of
Ref:
(a) COMTASKGRCUP 7,3 Disp 0208482 of March 1954
(bd) COM JTF SEVEN Disp 0212252 of March 1954
Encl:
(1)
(2)
(3)
1.
Passenger lists of evacuees from Rongelap and Ailinginse
Atoll
Radiological statistics reported by monitor teams, Rongelp
and Ailinginae Atolls
Location of water cisterns, Rongelap Island
In compliance with reference (a), the PHILIP got underway from
Bikini at 2145¢M on 2 March and arrived and anchored off Rongelap Island
in the lagoon at 0730M on 3 March. A PBM-5A (VP-29) aircraft, No. 2085,
piloted by LCDR WELCH which previously had been dispatched from Kwajalein
anchored about 100 yards off the beach of the same island shortly before
the PHILIP an: ‘iored. Prior to anchoring, the PBM, in good radio com~
munication with the PHILIP, made a thorcugh reconnaissance flight around
the atoll. Also on departure the previc.s evening, the Commanding
Officer of the PC 1546 offered much valuable navigational and gencral
information which was of great help to the PHILIP.
2. The beach party including the Commanding Officer, Executive Officer,
-Radiclogical Safety Officer and a three man monitoring team proceeded
from the PHILIP in a motor whale-boat to the PBM and picked up Mr. Marion
WILDS, civilian representative of the Civil Administraticr Unit, Marshalls
Trust Territories of Pacific Islands,
and Oscar DeBrum, Marshallese ine
terpreter. The beach was such as to allow an easy close-in landing without danger to the boat.
3. The party was met at the beach by John, the Magistrate of Rongelap.
Monitoring of the island commenced immediately. On the basis of initial
readings it appeared obvious that evacuation was definitely in order,
The Commanding Officer, U.S.S. PHILIP presented Mr, Wilds with the general picture based on monitoring information, and on being informed that
Commander Joint Tasx Force SEVEN had stated that the actual evacuation
should be resuested by trust territory officials, Mr. Wilds was very
emphatic regarding the need for evacuation, Through the interpreter
ENCLOSURE (1)
row
son
= UNCLASSIFIED