——
U. $. $. ‘TICHOLAS (208-449)
DDl445/xw
c/o Fleet Post Office
P22
San Francisco. California
Ser: C54
28 Warch 1954
From:
To:
Commanding Officer
Commander Task Group 7.3
Subj:
Rongelap Survay Trip 25 - 26 March 1954; report of
1. Ths USS NICHOLAS (DDB=-449) daparted BIKINI atoll at LSOCOM, 25 KMarcn
1954 for SONGELAP Atoll in accordance with Commander Joint Task Force $ivi:
2311312 and Commander Task Group 7.3 2323232 of March 1954.
The following
personnel from Task Group 7.1 were on board:
Dr. Lauren R. Donaldson
Gr. Thomas L. Shipman
Dr. cdward s. Held
Or. Ralpn F. Palumbo
Cr. Paul R. Olson
Dr. Thomas N. ‘hite
Mr. Ailiiam Wi. sobbins
Mr. Pascuale R. Schiavona
Major Charles U. Sarnes, USAF
2. Ths ship arrived off the South Entrance, RONGELAP Atoll at 26010CM and
put a whale boat in the water at 260630M to mest the plana arriving froea
Kwa jalain with Or. dond's party.
3. The shin then proceeded to Northeast Pass, RONGILAP Atoll, antarzd and
anchored. Or. Donaldson and his party departed the ship at O830M.
4.
The plane from Kwajalein arrived off SONCELAP at OS905M, was met by tne
whalaboat.
Dr. Sond, Mr. Marion Wilds, tnree Public Health Service Officers,
tnrsae Natives and adiscellanaous equipment was transported to the beacn.
plana was guided to an anchoraga about two hundred (200) yards off snora
rom the village where it was anchored.
&.
Th:
Personnel from the NICHOLAS assisted Or. cond to accomolisn -n3
following: Capture five young pigs and one sow; capturs fiva chickens,
obtain soil, fruit and vegatetion samplss. One boar was killed and an iutopsy was parformed on the spot. The animals and other samplas wars pi2ced
in cages and transported to the cslane.
at 1300M, 26 March 1954.
Or. Sonds party departed RONCZLAP
The whalaboat then depart2d RONGILAP Island and
proceeded :orth to rejoin the snip, stopping at SUSCH and -NIASTOK Isic:
to msasurs radioactive intansity.
in: nember of RadSurvay Taam accompani-:d
this boat to conduct RadSurvey on Soutneastern Islands. Or. Uonaldsen's
party worked in tha Northeast part of RONGLaP atoll, collacting fisn, so:.,
birds, invertebratas, algaa and vegetation samplas.
Ona mambsr of RacSarve,
Taam accompanied this this party to conduct RadSurvey of Northern islancs.
It was not possible to collact rats, as desired, dus to tha unexpectec 22parturs of the snip as diracted by Comandsr Task Croup 7.3 2602172 cf warcr
1954.
How
oNCLOSURS
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