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HEADQUARTERS
TEST SERVICES UNIT, PROVISIONAL
APO 187, c/o POSTMASTER
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
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30 March 1954
SUBJECT:
Operations at Rongerik Atoll
TOs
Commander
Task Group 7.4, Provisional
APO 187, c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, California
1.
Reference is made to letter Headquarters, Weather Reporting
Element, Provisional, Subject:
Rongerik Incident, dated 27 Merch 1954
with lst Indorsement by this headquarters,
2. The Test Services Unit has been unable to obtain any definite
word on when we can expect the Rongerik people to be released from the
hospital at Kwajalein.
If any information on this matter is available
at your level, request we be advised accordingly, Further we need to
know, as soon as possible, if these people will be made availahle to
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us for added duty during Castle or if they are to be returned to the
ZI prior to the end of the operation,
The personnel from Fniwetok,
being used to make the rawinsonde runs at Rongerik on the days preceding
each shot, are avcrroaching the maximum radiation level. Several trips
have been made to the island since 2 Marche Radiological readings have
been taken each time in addition to the rawinsonde soundings, communications
maintenance, cte,
In order to continue this service at Rongerik it will
be necessary to sond the ex-Rongerik men to one of the other weather islands
(probably Majuro) in order to make personnel with little or no radiation
exposure available for these missions, Otherwise additional personnel
will be required,
3.
Informl information from Red-S-fe authoritics indicates that
we will be unable to use Rongerik on a full timo besis for the duration
of this project. In view of this we now plan operations, when absolutcly
cssential, on a ocight (8) hour besis., Request you advise if this
informal informition is correct and if our planning is in consonance with
your desires,
/s/Mohlon Be Hammond
/t/MAHLON B. HAMMOND
Lt Coloncl, USAF
Commander