AIRMAIL 
June 2$, 196^ 
ffr. Fred Sibley 
Smithsonian Party 
USS Takelsa (A <SW 113) 
FPO, San Francisco, California 
Dear Fred: 
How is ATF life these days? Gee, it's terribly hot here but the air- 
conditioned SI is rather pleasant for a change, I'm afraid I'll lose my 
tan quite fast, 
I talked to Peggy last weekend and she was quite excited over her 
trip to Hawaii. I'm sure you both will enjoy it. I am taking next week 
off myself. 
I am in charge of the Marshall trip (among other things). Chuck 
wanted me to check over the itinerary you made up. After talking to 
Dr. Fosberg who has visited most of the Marshalls and reading the liter¬ 
ature (what little there is) I changed the original schedule. We will be 
visiting more of the (inhibited or low populated atolls. Only one you 
listed Is now included. Since the Gilberts are British and we couldn't 
find out much about the large bird colonies in that group, we decided 
to cut out the Gilberts this trip ami stick only to the Marshalls. Still 
refueling saay be a problem, but I'm toping they can do it at Kwajale^*.. 
I don't know if the crew can take liberty there though. If not maybe 
they can go to one of the larger atolls where there are lots of people 
(Majuro possibly). There would be just too much time wasted is going to 
Pago Pago. The two party idea was very good and would have worked but 
Dr. Fosberg said that Majuro would be the last place in the Marshalls 
he would go to for birds. A supply problem exists, however, if we split 
up and stay o# uninhibited islands for 15 + - days. There is a possibility 
that the trip will not come through, We now can get into the grid in 
July, August, and September, so the ship may be tied up there. However, 
there is a chance that we can get a second ship during August and September. 
We will know by My 1, Anyway, if we don't go to the Marshalls row, we 
may later when the grid is closed. 
