▁a ▁long - term ▁study ▁of ▁atomic ▁bomb ▁cas ual ties . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁Lewis ▁We ed , ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Research ▁Council , ▁called ▁together ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁scient ists ▁who ▁agreed ▁that ▁a ▁" d etailed ▁and ▁long - range ▁study ▁of ▁the ▁bi ological ▁and ▁medical ▁effects ▁upon ▁the ▁human ▁being " ▁was ▁" of ▁the ▁ut most ▁importance ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁man kind ▁in ▁general ." ▁ ▁President ▁Harry ▁S . ▁Tr uman ▁ordered ▁the ▁AB CC ▁into ▁existence ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁The ▁key ▁members ▁in ▁the ▁AB CC ▁were ▁Lewis ▁We ed , ▁National ▁Research ▁Council ▁phys icians ▁Austin ▁M . ▁Bru es ▁and ▁Paul ▁H ens h aw , ▁and ▁Army ▁represent atives ▁Mel vin ▁A . ▁Block , ▁and ▁James ▁V . ▁Ne el ▁who ▁was ▁also ▁an ▁MD ▁with ▁a ▁Ph . D . ▁in ▁gen et ics . ▁The ▁fifth ▁person ▁on ▁the ▁team ▁was ▁US N V ▁Ltd . ▁J g ▁Fred rick ▁U ll rich ▁of ▁Naval ▁Medical ▁Research ▁Center ▁ ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Research ▁Council ▁at ▁the ▁suggestion ▁of ▁the ▁Sur geon ▁General ' s ▁Office . ▁ ▁The ▁At omic ▁Bomb ▁Cas ual ty ▁Commission ' s ▁Work ▁The ▁AB CC ▁arrived ▁in ▁Japan ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁and ▁familiar ized ▁themselves ▁with ▁the ▁procedures ▁of ▁the ▁Japanese ▁military . ▁ ▁They ▁visited