BIKINI OVERTURE 



going-over ever accorded one of these billion ton piles 

 of skeletal remains. 



The order to evacuate the natives came from the 

 Navy Military Government Officer in February, when 

 choice of Bikini as the test site became final. The 

 Bikinians, convinced that the Tests would be a contri- 

 bution to world peace, indicated their willingness to 

 evacuate.* Their decision was reached at a meeting of 

 the Atoll Council. Nine of the eleven alaps (family 

 heads) named Rongerik Atoll, 128 miles to the East, as 

 their first choice for resettlement. Lajrwe, Paramount 

 Chief of Rongerik, concurred in this proposal. The trip 

 was made on March 7, 1946, on LST 1108. Although 

 much effort was spent to establish the Bikinians com- 

 fortably on Rongerik, some dissatisfaction and nos- 

 talgia have been apparent. Whether they will remain 

 there is uncertain; radioactivity at Bikini renders 

 their return there unsafe at present. 



Japanese mines had to be cleared from Bikini 

 Lagoon before the support and target fleets arrived. 

 Thirty-five mines had been located and removed dur- 



* Juda, Magistrate of Bikini Atoll, commonly called King of 

 Bikini, witnessed one of the Tests, hut the other 161 inhabitants 

 obtained only second-hand accounts. He was flown back to Bikini 

 the day preceding B-Day, before final approval for such a visit 

 had been obtained from the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was received 

 aboard the flagship MT. McKINLEY amid much embarrassment. 

 The situation was saved by a quick interchange of radiograms with 

 the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff' in Washington, D. C. Word 

 came back to Bikini that the Task Force Commander might "use 

 his judgment" in the ^natter. 



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