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Figure 32. Welder aboard USS Hughes (DD-410) during preparations for towing it after CROSSROADS.

Some test animals were recovered from target ships (USS Bracken (APA-64), USS Catron (APA-71), and USS Fillmore (APA-73)) on this date. Also, attempts to surface the submarines that had been submerged were begun. The next day more animals were removed from Catron, USS Briscoe (APA-65), and Gasconade.

By 29 July it was apparent that the target fleet was much more heavily contaminated than had been expected. The inspection and documentation of BAKER's effects — a major reason for CROSSROADS — could not proceed if target vessels were too contaminated for reboarding and thorough examination. The effort to develop and apply decontamination methods to the target fleet are described in Chapter 5.

During the fourth night after BAKER, the captured Japanese battleship Nagato sunk. The next day, resurfacing of submarines continued, as did the recovery of animals from target ships. The radiological situation improved slightly, allowing a few more target ships to be boarded. Pieces of highly radioactive steel believed to be from LSM-60, were found on the quarterdeck of USS Pensacola (CA-24) (Reference C.9.206, P. VI-C-45). Figure 33 shows a monitor amidship on Pensacola and illustrates the general level of damage on its weather decks.

On 30 July most target ships remained too radioactive for boarding: however, radioactivity of the lagoon waters continued to decrease. The Blue Line (0.1 R/24 hours) was eliminated at 1041 on 30 July (Reference C.9.206, p. VII-C-23), although a report from Burleson stated that between berths 113 and 115 a reading of 0.1/24 hours was obtained 3 feet (0.9 meter) above the water's surface on 30 July (Reference C.10.17).

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