HEADQUARTERS
="
"WEATHER REPORTING FLEMENT, PROVISIONAL
APO 187, c/o Postmastor
San Francisco, California
SUBJECT:
TO:
Evacuation of Rongcrik Personnel
Commander
Weather Reporting Element, Prov.
APO 187
1. The following paragraphs contain a bricf summary of events that
I have knowledge of rclative to cvacuation of personnel on Rongcrik
Atoll,
2. I departed Eniwetok on 28 Fobruary by military aircraft and
arrived ot Kwajaloin samc dato.
_
3. On 1 March I mado plans with Commander McDanicl, Air Dopargnept
Officer, Kwajalcin NAS for visits to the weather islands including a
visit to Rongorik on 2 March,
4.
Om 2 March I was awakonod by my alarm clock at 0530 hours.
When
I loft my room in tho Air Force BOQ to proccod to the latrine I saw Lt
Col DiSana and Captain Christensen approaching the latrine.,
Captain
Christensen stated that he had cme to Kwajaloin to accompany mo to Rongorik to make a survey of thc conditions on the atoll. Up until this
time I was not aware of cortain cvents thet had occurred at Rongcrik
during tho precoding 24 hours,
5. After a short discussion of the mattcr at the BOQ we procceded
to the MATS Torminal for breakfast. After cating broakfast we loaded all
supplics consigned to Rongcrik on the UF-1 Scaplano, Captain Christensen
issuod a film badge to cach individual going on the trip to Rongcrik, We
got aboard the aircraft and departed at 0800 arriving over Rongerik {toll
approximatcly 0930,
Captain Christensen had the pilot of the aircraft
fly at various fly at various altitudes to cnable hin to record roadings
prior +o landing ond going ashore on Eniwetak Island, Tho readings on
his instruncnts indicated that the atoll had oxpericnecd cvents that had
not been anticipated.
He tricd to contact Mniwctok Atoll by aircraft
radio but was unable to do same, He then contacted Kwajalcin and ro~
questod that a mcssage relative to conditions at Rongerik be rclaycd to
Eniwetok, Aftor flying around the atoll for approximately 2 hours, we
landed in the lagoon at 1130 hours, C,ptain Christonsen stated he weuld
go ashore on Eniwctak Island to make a gercral survey of all areas, Upon