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 each consisting of one or two officers and about 40 enlisted personnel. The duties of the initial boarding team were to board, make initial inspection for flooding and other hazardous conditions, obtain current radiological data with the assistance of radsafe monitors, and obtain information pertinent to ammunition inspection and removal as required. When conditions were satisfactory for working on a vessel, the initial boarding team proceeded with opening up, ventilating as necessary, and rigging hoists and other equipment required to proceed with ammunition removal. Then an assigned ammunition team or teams would remove and transfer the ammunition to the lighter YF-753 for disposal at sea or, in certain cases, would leave the ammunition topside and tow the vessel itself to sea and dump the ammunition directly into the sea (Reference C.11.5, p. 2).

Ammunition was removed from each target ship without using any of its own facilities or equipment. Sufficient equipment was obtained to undertake five ammunition-handling operations at one time, which might be on one to five ships. The basic plan was to use pneumatic hoists to lift the ammunition topside on the ship. Portable lighting was used in the magazines and handling rooms. Spaces containing concentrated ether fumes or other explosive gases were ventilated before commencing ammunition removal. Flooded spaces were pumped out sufficiently so that men wearing rubber boots could work in them. Wood chutes were used to transfer the ammunition from the ships' topside to YF-753. To minimize carrying the ammunition across the decks of the ship and barge, roller sections were used where practicable.

Personnel were transported to and from work in LCMs. Five of these were each equipped with a gasoline-engine-driven air compressor and generator. These were connected, respectively, to the portable hosts and the portable lights. A gasoline drum in each equipment boat held a reserve fuel supply.

Working party members entered the change ship, APL-27, from the clean side. Each was issued freshly laundered fatigues, canvas or rubber globes, rubber boots or field boots with removable canvas covers, and a rescue breathing apparatus, intended to prevent inhalation of radioactive particles. Members of the working party then boarded an LCM from the contaminated side of the change ship for their trop to the target vessel. Upon return to the change ship, each man showered twice, was checked with a Geiger counter to make sure he had removed all contamination, and then changed into his regular clothing. Used canvas gloves and canvas boot covers were thrown overboard. fatigues were laundered for reuse. The rescue breathing apparatus was checked for contamination and sterilized. Rubber boots and gloves probably were washed. (Reference A.2, pp. 143 and 144; Reference C.11.5, pp. 1 and 2).

Ammunition removal was exhausting and potentially dangerous work. Personnel suffered considerably from being required to work fully clothed and wearing the breathing apparatus in the hot, humid Kwajalein climate. Under these trying conditions a man could work only about 30 minutes below decks without a topside break for air. The breathing apparatus restricted their vision, and lighting inside of the ships was poor. The belief, however, at the command level apparently was that the rate of ammunition deterioration required immediate action if an even greater overall hazard was to be avoided (Reference C.11.4, p. 3).

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