Letter to H J Peyton, Subject: Trip Report: W K Streenan to Marshall Islands October 28, 1971 Through November 11, 1971 (Attachments)

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.S NEVADA OPERATIONS OFFICE Howard J. Peyton, Chief, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Engineering & Construction Division Nevada Operations Office TRIP REPORT: N, K. STREENAN TO MARSHALL ISLANDS; OCTOBER 28, 1971, The purpose of the trip was to accompany Dr. R. A. Conard of the Brookhaven National Laboratory to Hawaii and the Marshall Islands. My part was to assist him in making contractual and logistic arrangements with the various organizations in the Pacific to support his forthcoming AEC Bio-Med Survey of the exposed Rongelap people. Dr. Conard heads a group of doctors and medical specialists which conducts an annual medical examination of the Marshallese people who were accidentally exposed to fallout radiation in 1954. The 1972 survey is scheduled to be conducted during the month of March, 1972; with medical examinations of all the exposed people. These examinations will be performed on the islands of Rongelap, Utirik, Majuro, Ebeye and liawaiiwhere the Rongelaps people are now residing. The tenative schedule for the examination is: Dr. Conard arrived in Las Vegas on the afternoon of October 27, 1971. I inethim at the airport and we returned to the AEC Building. During the afternoon, Dr. Conard and I met with Robert Miller, wherein, Dr. Conard explained his survey program. Mr. Miller was very much aware of’the scope of Dr. Conardts program and indicated NVOOIS continued cooperation and support. Dr. Conard was introduced to Dick Moss, Don Bray, Charles Goris and Howard Peyton and they also were interested in the AEC medical program being conducted in the

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Dr. Conard and I departed Las Vegas, on October 28, 1971, and arrived in Honolulu early that afternoon. We were met at the airport by Bob McCurtin and taken to the AEC office in Honolulu. At the Honolulu office we met with Bill Hill, Joe Dryden, and various people with the Holmes & Narver organization. We outlined the requirements for support of the forthcoming AEC survey. On October 29, Dr. Conard and I met with various individuals at the U.S. Army Hospital at Tripler. The purpose of the meeting at Tripler was to make the necessary arrangements for four of the exposed Rovgelap people who had had previous thyroid surgery at Brookhaven to have a complete thyroid examination performed. The Tripler people, Lt. Col. Frank Luccie, Capt. Dicey, Mrs. Takemoto, and Maj. Van Hertum, were very cooperative and all arrangements for the admission of the four patients on or about March 1 were made. On Saturday, October 30, Dr. Conard and I went out to Waipahu, a little town on the island of Oahu, where Dr. Conard examined two of the Rongelap people who were staying at Waipahu and going to On Sunday, October 31, Dr. Conard and I left Honolulu for the Marshall Islands. We stopped at Midway, Kwajalein, and landed at Majuro on Monday, November 1. One day was lost because of crossing the International Date Line. That afternoon we met with various individuals of the Trust Territory including Jim Puloa, Public Works Officer, George Nakanishi Trust Territory Agriculturist, and Lou Glenn who is the Trust Territory representative who had just returned from Bikini. In discussing Bikini with Lou, we found out there were a few people now living on Bikini and Eneu. The next day, November 2, we met with Dr. Treigor Ishoda, the Acting Director of the Trust Territory Hospital on Majuro, wherein we discussed the forthcoming survey and the requirement of having certair. patients available at Majuro for examination. Dr. Conard requested that several of the Trust Territory medical people be allowed to participate in the survey trip. Treigor agreed to make the T.T. arrangements for the patient’s trip to Tripler Hospital in Honolulu. The T.T. will take care of the patient’s travel and per diem within the Marshall Islands and the AEC will reimburse the T.T. for those costs. The rates will be in accordance with the established T.T.

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We also met Dr. Weems, an American doctor who is on contract with the Trust Territory at the Majuro Hospital. On November 3, we met with Oscar DeBrum, the District Administrator, for the Marshall Island district. The survey requirements were discussed with Oscar and arrangements made for the charter of the Trust Territory ship, the Militobi, for use by the medical team to go to Rongelap and Utirik. The vessel will be at Kwajalein on March 9 to start load- . ing. Charges for the AEC use of the Militobi will be billed to the AEC by the T.T. In connection with the use of any air transportation, Oscar suggested that the AEC make their own arrangements with the Air Services, rather than going through the T.T. We agreed to this. The next item of discussion with Oscar was the payment to the Utirik people of the money that had been transferred from the AEC to the Trust Territory. We found out the $16,000 was still on Saipan, and we agreed with Oscar that arrangements should be made for the money to be transferred to Majuro. This would allow that immediate payment could then be made to the Utirik people when the distribution was agreed upon. Oscar called in a Mr. Charles Dominick who is Congressman for the Marshall Island northern district to the Congress of Micronesia. Mr. Dominick represents the Utirik people and he stated the distribution of money to the people had not been made because the method and amount of distribution was not settled. According to Dominick, the Utirik people were concerned about che total amount. He said that he had contacted two attorneys to review the Utirik case and before distribution could be made it would have to be in agreement with he and his attorneys and the Utirik people. It appears Dominick and the two attorneys will review the Utirik case to see if the amount is acceptable or if the case should be pursued further to attempt to get additional compensation. That afternoon we again met with Dr. Treigor Ishoda regarding the Senior Medical Aide, Joe Saul, who was hired for the purpose of being Dr. Conard’s representative for the exposed people and to assure that they were keeping to their thyroid medication schedule. Dr. Conard reiterated to Treigor and Joe Saul the importance of these people to regularly take the medicine. With respect to the four patients to go to Tripler, Treigor was given their names for the purpose of making travel arrangements, they are: female, now living on Ebeye; ——– —.—- “on–Utirik~ The patients will be accompanied by Nelson ~, as the interpreter. Dr. ‘Conardhas requested that I be in Honolulu to meet the patients and arrange their admittance into Tripler. Arrangements were also made with Treigor for use of an area at the hospital for Dr. Conard and his associates to conduct the Majuro

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1 visited the Peace Corps office that afternoon to obtain the names of the Peace Corps representatives on Rongelap and Utirik. Barnie Kraska is the Peace Corps man on Rongelap and Fred Spilsbury is on Utirik. The Director of the Peace Corps at Majuro for the Marshall Islands District is John McCormick and his assistant is We departed Majuro on the afternoon of November 3, and arrived Kwajalein on November 2. We were met by Frank Granich of Global Associate-swho is the support contact for the AEC Bio-Med Surveys on Kwajalein. On November 3, we went through with Frank the schedule of the survey and the requirements which would be needed from Global and those items which would be furnished from Honolulu. (See Attachment No. 1) Granich memo. Early the next morning, November 4, Conard and I went to Ebeye. Upon arriving at Ebeye we were met by Fred Hansen, T.T. Public Works Officer, who took us to the hospital where Dr. Conard discussed the March survey and obtained some plasma samples. I went with Fred to the AEC Medical Examination Facility consisting of two trailers which we had placed on the Island a year ago. The trailers required some maintenance repair. Fred and I discussed the works needed on the trailers to bring them up to a satisfactory condition for the examinations, In addition, it was agreed that a chain link fencing around the trailers and some minor maintenance would be very helpful in the protection of the property. (See Attachment No. 2 (Memo Streenan to Hansen)). Conard and I returned that afternoon to Kwajalein. Frank Granich introduced us to Bob Bryant, Manager for Global, where we again discussed the support provided by Global for the surveys. I examined the AEC small boat used by Conard and made arrangement for its repair. It appeared it would be more economical to replace the motor instead of trying to give it a complete overhaul. I also examined the air samplers for Bill Hills so that I could make a recommendation for their disposition. The air samplers were in very poor condition and it would be my recommendation to Bill Hills that the air samplers be disposed of on Kwajalein as uneconomical to return to Honolulu for repair. Dr. Conard, Frank Granich and I met the Executive Officer for the Army at Kwajalein, Lt. Col. Elhert who was Acting Commander in absence of Col. Fishback. Lt. Col. Elhert was very cooperative and indicated that the army would continue to support the AEC Survey program as they have in the On Friday, November 5, we left Kwajalein via Army plane to Eneu ’and Bikini. We arrived Eneu about 8:30 in the morning where we were met by A. A. Aesok, Trust Territory representative, via a small boat, 16-foot Boston h%aler, operated by Bob Ward, We departed Eneu and went across the lagoon to Bikini to collect samples. Upon arrival

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at Bikini we were met by a Marshallese who was foreman for the Acme Construction Co., who was constructing 40 houses for the Bikini people when they returned to the Island. While on Bikini, three drinking water samples and urine samples from the male workers on the Island were collected. We also gathered pandanus fronds, coconut fronds, pandanus fruit and coconuts for Dr. Held at the University of Washington for analysis relative to residual radioactivity. Dr. Conard also took nose swabs from the workers. After a short tour of the Island, where I took pictures of the construction and coconut plantings, we returned to Eneu and departed via the Army plane for The next day, Saturday, November 6 (Cannikin Day) we segregated and identified the samples we had collected on Bikini for shipment to Honolulu and transshipment on to Dr. Held at Washington, and Dr. Conard at Brookhaven. Also listened to the countdown on the Armed Forces radio braodcast. On November 8, we met with Col. Fishback, Island Commander, and explained the purpose of the survey. Col. Fishback was very receptive and advised that we could count on the Kwajalein cooperation. We departed Kwajalein at 11:30 a.m. via MAC for On November 9, I met with Bill Hills and Joe Dryden, Bob Woltz, Ray Lamb, Fred Bertrum and various other Holmes & Narver people relative to the survey and gave them the list of survey materials and supplies required to be at Kwajalein by March 1, 1972. In addition, made arrangements to purchase a new outboard motor for the AEC boat. On November 10, visited the U.S. Army Hospital at Tripler and the AEC Honolulu office finalizing the requirements for the survey and making arrangements for the reception of the patients at Tripler on }Iarch1. Departed Honolulu on November 11, and arrived in Las Vegas that Attachment No. 1 Granich Memo Attachment No. 2 Letter: Streenan to Hanson

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P61YACY ACT MATERIAL REMOVED following listed items were discussed for tentative action for farth comirg AEC Bio-Medical Survey to be held during N!!rch,19’72. Cn or about 1 March 1$Y(2move the following Patients frcm Kwajalein Action - Granich / T.T. Office, Travel Orders to be furnished by 2. Eave from Truk be on Ebeye prior to the ~th of March 1972 ‘ “3* Scott, Clareus, Makar arrive Kwajalein between March 1-3, 1972 to set up Ebeye. Action - Granich 4. Zrnie Libby fr’omSiapain and Sebio Shoneiber from l%juro to arrive 5. Uelson and 4 patients to arrive Ntiajaleinon Mar ~, 1972. Action 7. Do examinations on Ebeye lflar5-7-8-9,1972 9. ?essel Departs Xwajalein for Rongelap ?<arch11, 1972 arrive March 13, J972. Examination to be held at Rongelap thru 18 March, 1$)72.Load and D( Ro~elap March lgth, 197’2for Utirik, examinations at Utirik thru 23 10. Trust Territory at l,~ajuroto load Medical boxes and eo.uipr,ent send to Kwaja.leinfor air shipment to Brook Haven, Boxes will be APO San Frwcisco 96555 PRIVACY ACTMATERIAL REMOVED AZC Hcmolulu to .

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Chain Link Fence for Trailers at Ebey&. AEC Honolulu to procure material . Public Works Ebeye to install. Shortage ~of outlet in lab of Trailer at Ebeye. Action Fittings for Gas fired toilets.Action AXC Homo - U#nws- Granich Send MAC Scheduke to Conard and Streenan. Action-Granich / Wind break for entrance doo~s, Kwajalein will furnish material Public works Ebeye install Keys for Tractor at Rongelap. Action- AEC Air Mattresses. Action AEC Honolulu. Tape Recorder. Action AEC Hono. M ea. Artic Boys for”Fresh Water. Action. Granich Check with Scott Packing Material required to Pack Medical Kits. Action- Granich Boat and Outboard engine overhaul to be d~termined by AEC Honolulu. Disposal of Air Sampling Machine, Action Streenan. Jeep Bateries 2 ea . Action AEC-Hono. 3 ea. movie films 13 ea matress covers 13 ea. pillow cases 3 ea. 12 volt batteries (72 amp hr. ea.) 2 ea. 12 volt batteries (Auto type) 1 case Granich special (Toilet Paper)

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h. 1 case 100 watt bulbs i. 1 case 150 watt bulbs k. 4 ea. Roll Green Tape

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Public Works Officer l Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Ebeye, Marshall Islands to perform the discussion this date, please make the necessary arrangements following work on the AEC trailers: Install chain link fencing around the trailer complex per your sketch. (Fencing materials per your list will be furnished to you from Honolulu.) Install wire plug molding (electrical outlets) above work tables in large trailer. (Approximately 30’ of plug moulding will be furnished to you from Honolulu.) Fabricate and install wind breaks on doors 1 and 3 on large Fabricate and install plywood type shutters over windows on both trailers. (Protection from glass breakage by rocks) Remove loading brackets and wheels from small trailer and lower Repair the 4 door locks In addition, it.would be helpful and perform whatever maintenance useable condition for the annual should be charged to the current sent to Holmes and Narver, Inc., on large trailer. if you would continue to observe the trailers work necessary tq keep the trailers in a medical surveys. Work on the AEC trailers Holmes and Narver Purchase Order and billings AS arranged between Drs. Conard and Chandler, the Trust Territory Medical Department, Ebeye is authorized to use the small trailer when it is not being used by the AEC Medical Team. Your assistance and support of our AEC …