Last Progress Report from ATF sick 6
Summary
The scientific party this trip consisted of five project personnel
from Washington,D.C., one project botanist (Mr. Long) from Honolulu, Bill
Foulkes from the Army Pictorial Center and one to 2 people from Preventive
Medicine Unit 6 in Honolulu.
In 63 days away from Pearl Harbor (34 ashore), surveys were made
on 12 islands in the Line and Phoenix groups. 55,738 birds were banded
with 4388 returns being recorded, 254 birds were collected and 953 blood
samples were taken. In addition fish, mammals, herps, insects and land
crabs were collected from various islands. Bird watches were maintained
during 15 of the days at sea.
Mr. Long carried out vegetation mapping projects and general botanical
collecting on all islands. Other S. I. party members assisted with the
botanical work on G.rdner and Sydney.
Mr. Foulkes took motion and still pictures of all phases of work
during the day. It was impossible as well as impractical to photograph
after dark and these phases of the work were"faked" during daylight hours.
Captain Holway and Chief Tillman accompanied the S.I. party during
the last half of the trip and First Class Corpsmen Lee accompanied the
party during the first month of the trip. This group from PMU 6 collected
insects on all islands and obtained one species of mosquito on Christmas,
Washington and Palmyra.
JARVIS ISLAND
The party landed here on the 15th and departed on the 20th. Cats are.
still present, although fewer than in March, and mice (Mus musculus) are
common. 103 blood samples were taken (23 from cats), 3261 birds were banded
and 22 were collected. A full moon made the catching of birds for banding
and blood sampling very difficult.
CHRISTMAS ISLAND
The party landed here on the 21st and departed on the 24th. The island
manager, Mr. Dudley Cook, was very courteous and cooperative despite the
ships rather typical behavior. Mr. Cook provided accommodations and transportation
at a very reasonable rate and always willing to assist us with any problems.
Mr. Hackman, Anderson, Merrill and Foulkes spent three nights on
Motu Upua, Cook Island, and Motu Tabu coming to the base camp at London
each day to resupply before going to the next island.
Mr. Sibley and Woodward established a rough camp at the airport,
15 miles from London, and worked the area south of there by bicycle. Twenty-
six islands in Manula Lagoon and Isles Lagoon were visited requiring 4 miles
of swimming and 40 miles of biking.
Captain Holway and Chief Tillman, in addition to going some 200
miles in the landrover looking for mosquitoes, made daily runs to the
airport area to resupply that the group there.
Mr. Long did botanical work in the area of the London camp.