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i JOmT TASK FCRCE SEVEN SUBJECT: RadiologicalSurvey3of Several Marshall Island Atolla 1. Attachedherewithfor your informtim and rdenticn.are copies of radiologicalsurveysmade on certti Marshall Island Atolls. The surveys were conducteda3 a result of contaminationdepositedon the tifectedatoll3 half nautical miles southwestof Nmu, Bikini Atoll. BRAVO Shot time was 2. Qter and soil mmple3,were shipped to the Healthand Safety Iaborceport on Soil and &tar Sampling
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SAN PRANCISCO, CAIJFORNIA SUBJECT: Report on Soil and l%ter Sampling Mis~h~ I Joint Task Fotce SEVEN San Francisco, California 1. In compliance with your oral instructions, the undersigned visited LIIcl. and AIXJK Atolls, J730 Island and MEJIT Island in the Eastern Earshalls between the period M March 1954 for the purpose of collecting soil and water samples ant xasuring level of gamma radiation present at those pieces 3n connection with BRAVO. The mission,consisting of the undersigned and a &rshallese interpreter, Lan Mcapun, embarked on the USS REXRAW (DDJZ499)at Kwajalein, visited the four sites and returned to Bikini, where the remainder of the trip to Eniwetok was per formed by PEJM. There follows a detailed discussion of the findings at each localargest native population. Access to the lagoon was gained through South Pass. Poor l&ht at the end of the day and numerous coral heads necessitated anchoring about 4 miles from Likiep Island. Trip in was mde by whaleboat the following morning. A water sample was taken from a large cistern fed from the roof of the Catholic rectory, and earth samples were taken from random spots about the island xhich were unsheltered by trees or other growth at approtitely CBOO M 6, ldarch 1954. Radiation readings were t& with a arX_5 instrument between 0800 M and (290; M and showed a maximum of 3 mloentgens per hour. No variations from this received by Bishop Feeney, S.J., the population MS greatly excited by the light and blast wave, the latter which reportedly arrived about 30 minutes subsequent to the light flare, According to Bishop Feeney, cfiurchattendance olnegreatly St-ted on the day of the test. consists of n wll heavily wooded isL?nd, surrounded by (1 line coral reef with henry surf on three sides. There being no place for landing a haleboat, persanr,.-: nnd equipment were tr‘ansferredfrom the whaleboat to the reef by a one man rubber raft. The undersigncd.tr,ansferredhimself by s&rm3ng. The isLvld proved to be lulinhabited,and reportedly is a sen turtle preserve. Turtle hunters erected several houses, a rain brrcl of which provided a wntcr samples. Earth sanplos were gathered at random from open areas, including one of beach sand nbovc the high tide rmrk. The party was led strnight across the island and bnck to the LX-& ing arcs ti the beach, in order to verify its uninhabited statei Samples wc1‘8
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SUBJECT: Report on Soil and Qter SamplingMission showed n rmdmum of 3 mr , howeverthis was not consldcrcdretiblc, since a higher scale showeda lower reading. %rch 1954, ,zndslowlymoved to an nnchoragc off Ailuk Island, the most heavily providedconsiderablehazard to ship movcrruent,The landing mrty moved nshcc by I whaleboatwithoutdifficulty,,nndagain obtaineduater samples from the most pros& cnt cisterncandsoil sxnplcsfrom randomunshcltcredspots. Rondingswith the MX-5 i rxding of 7 m/h, hmvar, on a diffcrcntscolca reading of I2 or 15 m.r/hrwas d. EJIT Isknd. This single coralisl,andis also surroundedby a reef, :s is JEtIO,but landingwas possiblewith a whaleboat,due to an arca protectedfr;, the surf. The islandwas found to bc heavilypopulatedin tiem of its size, the Lotal number of people being 327, accordingto the island magistrate. Soil and uztcr sampleswcrc talocnas in the previouslydcscribcdamor, at approximrtely field instrumentsof t&c type used are highlyunsatisfactory.Qlc aM-5 and throc JG/PDI?27 E instrumentsall showedwidely variantreadings on diffcrcnt scales, 2nd varied among each other when cxposcd to the s?mo radiation. An ANmR Tl-B proved complctclyuselossnot holdingto zero cvcn aftcr an hours warm-up,and 2150 showingwidely variantrcndingson diffcrontscales. to pcrsonnzland cqui~cnt. This will permit landingdirectly on live coral rccfo with less dzngcrof the boat being stove in. should draw such oquQncnt prior to dcparturc. Ships assipcd to such missions 4. The successfulaccomplishmentof the missionws greatly facilitatedby to the mission,howcvcr,the many valuablesuggcsticnsand assistance in solutions of problemsproved invaluable.
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SUPJECT: Report on -Soiland Erikuh, Akloolap, Wotho,MxjuroAtollsin the MarshallIsknds 5 through 7 March '_ 1954 for the purpose of obtainingearth and drinkingwater samples,and of mzasuraRC%JUEon its arrival at &juro 7 Akrch 1954. 2. The first four atollswcrc visitedby L!arsMlcsc intcrprctorTAushi and the writer by mans of an UF-1 NnphibiousAircraft. Majuro was rcachcd by c-47. Erikub might hRvc been omittedsince it was not tibited, being property of the Wotjc tribe which goes thcro only occasionallyto gather copra. 3. At each atoll, only the principaltibitcd islandwas visited. At each visited islmd an effort was mdc to c’bqosc a rcproecntativcsoilavcrago by foot of arca and one inch depth. Water sampleswcro collcctcdfrom tho princip sources currentlyin use. Thz gamM dose rates arc avorcgosfor the inhabited 4. With xgard to certain&nor discrcpancicsbctwccnthe surveymethods us' by Major R. D. Crca and the writer; it WP.S originallypbnnod to perform tic surf jointly, pnd when it bccamo advisableto scpzratcand surveydiffcrcntatolls, no t.imzrcmaincd for discussionof dcteilsof tochniqucs, 5. Game-ray dose mtcs on Yotjc 2nd on Erikub arc each the avcragc of 1$x-5 inopcrativcwhen the rub&r lift raft was swamped by surf on.thc first attmpt to launch from the beach at Erikub. Following tho Yotho survey,the I'D%39 dcvolop2 a tcmpcraturc-dcpmdcntrcadingof 0.4 - 2 mr/'hr,SO that later rodings in this 6. The followingtabubtion surmarizcsthe atoll survey. S is Sail, Wis 1 well plus 4 catch bati. UNL RC ants, no water supply found.
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From catch basin. 0.5 m/b, 4 from near Admin Guam, left Eboyc 0840 M on 1 arch, cntcrcd channel to Utirik I&oon about 1200 ‘L on 2 arch, and anchorfzd in lngoan at lJZf+M on 2 arch; docked at &ju.ro (Uliga certainty abzut when decks last Washed. He wzs told that the activity ntulc?net hurt mpxo, but t&t i,t was undcsiz:ble to have it around longer than necessary. 8. FECOK?ElJD,~TIS: Future visits to Eri!b and hbloalap should not bo zxpcricncc in such operations is very Umitcd, but fron his own obscrvaticns plus the razarks nude by those bcttcr quaUficd to judge, it appears that a fair amour;5 of risk is involved. 9. Es~cially notable was thz v:ry coopcrativc attitude of the Navy pcrsonn: at Kwajalcin and the tdarshallDistrict iidninistrativcOfficials at &juro in sup porting this nission.
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At each island -&ted scvcral ~amplc3 wcro dug and put into the same zquarc foot to a depth of one inch. as WCIJ AS could bc +&cd, an average of the arcas usod by the inhabitants, after the zamplcs wcrc mixed in the carton, Arcas that wcr;! unusually zhadcd or unshaded by trees wcrc avoided. nc largo Rpcbblcsn in the.
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SJRJm: Radiological Survey of Domwind Atoll3 Contaminated by BRAVO . The ncmbcrs of the survey tcan wish to cxprcss tholr apprcciatian to tt.c I Captain, officers ;Uldmmbcrs of the crew of the USS NICHOLAS (DDE 449) for thck assistance and coopxation in conducting the survey hcrcin rcportcd, CApbin Elliot turned over all possible facilltics of his ship in order to assist in the survey. LT Frtik, tho ExccutivcOfficer, organized all the operations of the boat partics, and it was only through his pcrsarialdirection and participation that it was possible to carry out the slnallboat 3u.rvcy3 under cxtrcfrclydifficu' ccnditions, Since most of the lagoon mtcr3 wcrc not navigable by a DDE, it was ncccssary to make long boat trips in high seas and land m tricky corn1 reef% That it was possible to make, without mishap, a dctailcd survcg of f’iv~ widclg scparatcd atolls in the cour30 of three days with only two boats ma brgcly due The BRAVO Shot ccntaminatcd a number of atoll3 in gcnzrally castward direction from Bikini to such an cxixnt that it bccam: ncccssary to ov3cwtc tf* native populaticns from Rongclztp,,ilingirwcand Utirik Atolls and tho milltar subject dctailcd radiological survey of the atolls to the oastvnrd of Bikini a, TIE evaluation of the b. The cstination of the c. The cstimtim of tho radiation effects on cvacUIoc3. clapscd time bcforc rcoccupancye residual radiaticmcffcctaof largs flclds tith this survey, teams fra;lMrious Task Groups ad 23r. Rcprcscntativc, rcturncd to the atolls to sccurc the
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SUEKZT: Radiological Survey of Llorunmnd ~,CO.US Contaminntodby BR1VCI 1800 Ike partics in snnn boats aurvcycduving B~CIIE Utirikand Aon Islands,tho coin islands of tho Atoll, 1700 Cm prty in n small boat landed on tho outer -. reef of EXkar Islandand survcycdthe island,the onls brgc islznd of Bikar Atoll. l_loO Two particrrin scull boats proccodcdfram the Li: stationed)and tho other importantisSAnds of the Atcl 1980 Two px-tics in srr.ll&ts prococdcd from the IX tho inhabitedislands of the Atoll, l-400One party in A sxllboat survcycdtho northwcsl the living arcas on RongolapIsland and cstablishcdn rcfcrcncolocationfor future docag mcasur=nta. Surveytoam arrived EniwotokAtoll vin DDE. 4. Tho following personnelfrom test projects mznbcrsof the survey team: in TG 7.1, TU 13, scrvcdas Radix Bet kN/PDR-39was eclcctcdas the instnuJat to ‘& wed inthc conduct f the survey. 80 Five (5) each of AN/PDR-39wcr'ocnUbratcd with an 80 Curie Co source twenty-fourhours bcforo dcparturc. The crilibrationyicldcd e zero variationbctwscninstruncnts- any acalo. Upon cross checkingthree o.f ticns of daqncss (to the potit of sea mtcr splashingovcc them), s:?ltdcpoait and continual rough haxCing. With mo cxccpti~, an instrumcnta opcratcd cfficicntlyfor the durationof the operation. On the final day it was found
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that one surveym&or couldnot bo properly zero Adjuatcd. The four ro&ning :,N/PDR-39,still opcratcdofficiantlyand socmzdto bo in good nor&g order, &C (1) each BcclcnanKX-5, and ant (1) each AN/FDR-27,\WAS brought along 6. The nvcragcand mudmum gamma doso rates mcasurodon tho various ialanc!t of each atoll arc plottedin Figures 1 through 5. All mxsurcmcnta wcro nndc :rt Imist height unless othorwiaoindicstcd. The mximum readingsdo nut include msurcmcnts mdc with tho instmmcnt next to a contaminatedaurfaco. Dotailcdsurveys wcrd mado of all the inhabitedlocnlltica. Typical readingsarc given in Tnblcsland 2 for the native ago of RangclapI&d, appcarcdtc have slightlylowernvcrago doso rates thnn the rcmaindcrof tho island. This can perhapsbc ascribedto diffcrcntgconctryaf tho contamination and to slightlygrcatcr pxotration into the laoso gravel in tic.-native villagl:.s.. rate cutsidc. The dose rate in the middle of the miUtary barracks,tents, and effect. This reductionis probablylargelyA gcomct. The dose rntc fell off rapidly on tho beach below the high tido mrk. Thcro was no ctidcnccof rain washing off the conthtcd mtcrial. The foiL?g. on the windward sides of thisislandsappcarod to bc slightlyabove zvcrago conNear northcm cistern % LAN RC Mess hall Tent, cdgc of rraincq 270 175 '
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In order to estimate the rate of decay bctwcen 8 and ll Z&?rch,the following radiation messurements were taken on three days on RongoZap Islandr Central living area (VIuBgc) Southern most cistern Roof of cistern (Southern most) Ground (contact) cistern arca In area was sclcctcd 30 yards inland from tho Rongclap ccnctcry as a rm; ing point for future decay mcasurcmcnts, This arca is outlined with 2%~ pk.... on psils. The waist height reading Wa8 2lO mr/hr at uxx) hours, 11 March 1954, areas. tAbouttwo quarte of water were transfcrrcd to a polycthlcnc bottle at each site, Thcsc will bc turned over to the New York Opcrcticns Office, AEX f* Soil samples were collcctcd at all inhabited arcas and also at mm,-,? uninhabited islands. In collecting the soil samples a one foot by one foot sqsaro wag markedon the ground and soil to about one inch of depth was rcmovcd fron the square and transfcrrcd to a cardboard container. The primy samples will bc turned over to the New York Operation Office, AX, for analysis, and som smal&r samples will bo analyzed by Pmgr‘am 2 of v 13. IA&cd in Table 3 arc the samples token with the doso rata measured . - Sample No. Atoll Island Rongclap (Center of village) Rongelap (1 mile north of Rongebp (near South cistern *Small additional sample taken for analysis by Program 2 of IU 13. ,,
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Utirik Utirik (cistern near church) 9&m 40 utirik Utirik (cistern at south of Rnngerik Eniwetak (Distillation water) 10 Xar 240 In addition to the above, A sample of foibgc was tnkcn at the windat this point. a. The radiological survey proved that a large yield surface deton tion can produce extremely serious Mdiological contamination over a dist,anc(-. more than JZC miles downwind and inport,antc&&nation about 250 miles do;;; b. The center of the conta&aticn pattern from the BXVO Shot Iis:. sanewhat north of Rongelap and Rongerik Atolls candprobably not far fron a 1. between Bikiniand Bikar. c. Although the falLcut was serious an Rongelap Island located at the extreme southeast tip of the atoll, the canLamination was about ten tinas greater at the north side of the atoll, twenty miles away. d. The ccntamination decreased by a factor of about eight over the domwind distance of 50 milus between Rongclap and Rongcrik. e. Standard military field housing provides A si&ficant degree of protection to perscclnelinside. f. The AN/FDR-39 proved to be a very satisfactory instrumont for field survey work under rigorous environnsntal conditions. & A sin@ DDE with two (2) whale boats is not a completely satisfactory method of conducting a broad radiological survey of the typs Ju& completed. Future surveys should consider using vessels cnmble of enter% 1. Fad. Survey Rongelap 2. Rad. Survey Utirik 3. Rad. Survey Bikar 4. Rad. Survey Rongerik
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