La Jolla, California 92037 
12 April 1972 
LCDR Michael Fleming 
Office of the Special Assistant for Fisheries 
and Wildlife to the Undersecretary 
Department of State 
Washington, D.C. 20520 
Dear Commander; 
Beginning the latter part of July 1972, the Scripps Institution of 
Oceanograpy, Harvard University, and the National Institutes of Health are 
planning an anthropological-medical research project to the Solomon Islands and 
the New Hebrides. The expedition will be divided into two phases. Phase A, 
under the leadership of Dr. Albert Damon of Harvard, will be conducted entirely 
within the British Solomon Island Protectorate, and will span a time period of 
approximately 27 July, 1972 to 11 September, 1972. Research will commence at 
Honiara, Guadalcanal Island, and will include work on Ulawa Island, Auki Island, 
Malaita Island, and on the atoll of Ontong Java. Phase A will terminate at 
Luganville (Santo), Espiritu Santo Island in the New Hebrides. Please note that 
no Phase A research will be conducted within the New Hebrides. 
Phase B, Dr. D. Carleton Gajdusek of the National Institutes of Health, 
Scientist-in-charge, will commmence after a replenishment stop at Luganville on 
about 18 September, 1972. Expected island itinerary in the New Hebrides will be 
Ureparapara, Torres Group (Loh, Tegua, and Hiu) , Vanua Lava, Motalava, Merig, 
I Merelava, and perhaps a brief call in passing at Valua and Gaua Islands. In the 
B.S.I.P. Part of Phase B, calls at Bellona, Rennell, Vanikoro, Tikopia, and 
Cherry (Anuta) Islands are planned. Phase B research will terminate at Ponape 
Island in the Eastern Carolines about 18 November, 1972. 
The Scripps Institute's research vessel Alpha Helix will serve to support 
this expedition and I request that you arrange the necessary clearances for this 
vessel to operate in both B.S.I.P. waters and New Hebrides waters. It is my 
understanding that separate clearances and permits are being secured by Drs. 
Damon and Gajdusek to conduct their particular research. This letter is 
specifically a request for vessel clearance in support of these scientific 
programs. 
I can forsee one possible problem during Phase B. Alpha Helix will arrive 
at Luganville (Santo) at the end of Phase A and clear in to the New Hebrides. 
Phase B will then take over and conduct their research (in part) in the New 
Hebrides. When the New Hebrides part of Phase B is completed, will it be 
necessary for Alpha Helix to return to Luganville for final clearance before she 
heads for the Solomon Islands, or could special arrangements be made so that 
final clearance is granted at the beginning of Phase B. If this could be done, 
a significant savings in time would result. I am enclosing a copy of the 
proposals of Drs. Damon and Gajdusek which includes a detailed description of 
their programs. 
