ogram
habilitation Pr
The Enewetak Re
ational, medical, and communications services; and for resuppl
m‘PIfield
soon ships.9°
became apparent that values andpriorities in the Mar
ainds were quite different from those with which most U.S. Governr
Sas were familiar. The Marshall Islands Public Works employees
Coed to prepare the Japtan facilities appeared ill-equipped. In fact,
aded to borrow most of the equipment and material from
enewerak base support contractor. When the base support contractor
:o furnish labor as well in order to complete the Japtan facilities before
early returnees, News teams, and U.S. Government officials arrived,
issistance was given and accepted as a normal, expected arrangement.
agreem:
fine line between DOI and DOD responsibilities under the
fided as the work of supporting the Japtan settlement proceeded.
The first returnees, led by Chief Johannes Peter, arrived on the T
feld ship ‘*Militobi’* on 15 March 1977 (Figure 10-38). There were
people in the party including Planning Council members,
DISTADREP, the school teacher, and their families. Following the ar
day ceremonies described earlier,9! they set up housekeeping in
-ofurbished shops andoffice buildings on Japtan (Figures 10-39 and
40). Lieutenant Colonel John R. Sitten, Jr., USA, the first Joint ©
Group officer to arrive at Enewetak, established friendly relations witt
returnees while acting as atoll commander. He remained their prir
point of contact when he reverted to his permanent assignmen
Logistics Officer. Since most of the Japtan settlement’s tangible prob!
were logistical, the succeeding Logistics Officers also acted as Civil Af
Officers.
The dri-Enewetak, like most Marshallese, are a practical people. A
centuries of living as foragers and fishermen whoselives depend on
vagaries of Nature, they had learned to adjust to periods of plenty an
famine. The Japtan settlement, adjacent to an American base with mo
the American consumer products and comforts, obviously offerec
opportunity for a more plentiful life for the dri-Enewetak than
available on Ujelang. It did not approach the magnitude of thesir
Marshallese settlement on Ebeye Island at Kwajalein Missile Range,
the material attractionsof life at Japtan were considerable. On neighbc
Enewetak Island, there was sweet distilled water, a bountiful food stu
in the base warehouses, a nightly movie, and a base exchange fu
consumer goods. On the other hand, Ujelang had been the home o
dri-Enewetak for 30 years, and many of the people felt displaced
homesick on Japtan. After the first 6 months, the concept of the Ja
settlement changed.92.93
In September 1977, the DISTADREP, Ismael John, and Magist
Hertes John, surprised LTC Sitten and the other government officials