Page:Operation Crossroads 1946.pdf/299

 USS Bracken (APA-64)

USCG Bramble (WAGL-392)

27 July 1004-1020

1022 1400 28 July 1340 1341 1352

A boarding team boarded Bracken to recover instruments aftermonitors declared Bracken Geiger sour (Reference 1. Conserver). Bracken reported Geiger sour (Reference 6. p. I-21-B). All Bracken personnel on Rockbridqe were transferred to Henrico.

Cargo nets on the deck on each side of the #2 hatch showed 2.0 and 2.5 R/24 hours. which may have been caused by soaking up water used to wash off the deck. Below deck there was an average radiation of 0.03 R/24 hours, except where water had entered the ship through the two main hatches partly opened by the explosion and through doors and ports leftopen by advance boarding parties. The highest reading was about 1.0 R/24 hours from water on the main deck near the U2 hold (Reference 2).

Monitor boarded Bracken. NMRS team boarded Bracken. All animals instruments. and t e a m were placed back on board USS Conserver (ARS39) (Reference 1. Conserver).

13 August 0900 1000

31 July 0930-1015 1604-1641 1 August

3 August

6 August 0731 0818-0933 1024-1056 7 August 1023-1056 1228 1304-1528 1545 1612 8 August 1555-1620 9 August 1500

10 August 0900-1130

Conserver washed down Bracken. Conserver sprayed foam on Bracken (Reference 1, Conserver). USS Current (ARS-22) washed down Bracken: a boarding team was aboard Bracken for 13 minutes (Reference 1. Current). After three hosings. Geiger sour. 2 to 4 R/24 hours.

Currentwasheddown Bracken for30 Current).

14 August

Topside average 0.7 R/24 hours (Reference 7).

15 August

Ship abandoned: crew on Rockbridqe. Geneva, and Gunston Hall. Party reboarded ship to take in the starboardanchorand close condenser sea valves; USS Etlah (AN-79) alongside to furnish p o w e r to the windlass. Ship abandoned with starboard anchor housed.

0900-1200

Bracken; boarded minutes (Reference 1, 17-18 August

ATR-87 underway, approaching Bracken. ATR-87 washed down Bracken (Reference 1. ATR-87) USS Chickasaw (ATF-83) washed down Bracken (Reference 1. Chickasaw).

19 August 0900

.

Sprayed with decontamination solution by Chickasaw. ATR-87 approached Bracken. ATR-87 washed Bracken down. ATR-87 moored portside to Bracken: radiological monitor boarded Bracken. Radiological monitor returned aboard (Reference 1, ATR-87).

DSR Four men reboarded ship to assist radiological monitor in collecting test equipment. Ship abandoned. All Bracken personnel on Henrico transferred to Rockbridqe.

Bracken crewmembers transferred to E Georqe Clymer (APA-27). Geneva. and Gunston Hall. Four Bracken crewmembers transferred to Chickasaw for temporary duty to anchor Bracken at Kwajalein.

1010

Port bow chain cut above waterline and taken into tow by Chickasaw. Anchor detail on board 25 minutes.

21 August

Anchored at Kwajalein. Anchor detail was aboard 1 hour and 5 minutes.

28 August

Bracken decommissioned.

30 September Topside average 0.20 R/24 hours (Reference 7). Dsn boarding team from USS Deliver (ARS23) on Bracken (Reference 1. Deliver).

Ten Bracken crewpembecs were transferred to remanned target ship USS Geneva (APA86). Party reboarded ship to open It and make inspection for DSM inspection party. No damage due to bomb explosion except radiological contamination and dlsplaceDent of about a quarter of the upper deck hatch boards. Party departed ship. leaving DSM instrument salvage team on board. Although the ship's log does not indicate when the DSU boarding team departed. it isbelievedthattheyleft later that day.

Crew S l z e : 49 B l k l n l Atoll Arrlval: 6 J u l y 1946 Btklnl Atoll Departure: 24 August 1946 Shot ABLE Locatlon: 630 nml (1,167 km) E Shot BAKER Locatlon: 21 nml (39 km) WSW Decontamlnatlon Locatlon: Pearl Harbor Flnal Clearance: By 22 November 1946

Task Unlt and Functlon Bramble served as a support ship in TU 1.8.5 (Survey Unit). Its function was to survey the effects of the nuclear tests on fish and wildlife and to conduct oceanographic surveys to determine the character of the Ocean currents around and inside the atoll. Shot ABLE (1 July, 0900)

The weather decks on 10 August showed considerable contamlnation after various washes by tugs. radiating 0.4 to 0.5 R/24 hours, except in the canvas and cordage where the value rose to as much as 1.0 R/24 hours.

24 June

294

Left PearlHarbor

for Kwajalein Atoll.