Page:Operation Crossroads 1946.pdf/369

 Naga t o

USS Nevada (88-36)

Shot ABLE (1 J u l y, 0900)

increasing. and the vessel continuing to settle. There was no change in tolerance (Reference 6. p. 7-1-8-46).

30 June

Crew evacuated to Rockinqham.

22 July 0958

30 July Clamp (ARS-33) reported a fire on 0200 Naqato sank in Bikini Lagoon. Naqato's forward No. 3 turret (Reference 6. p. 7-I-A-25). Naqato'screwwastransferredtootherCROSSROADS Clamp reported a fire on Naqato's portUSS Fall River ships. The majority was dispersed among (CA-131), USS Applinq (APA-58), and target ship U s side bow (Reference6. p. 7-I-A-31). Clamp reported Naqato's starboard quarter Salt Lake City (CA-25) on 4 August. radiologically safe. Clamp reported numerous small fires on Naqato. which it was instructed to exUSS NEVADA (66-36) tinguish. Crew Slze: 4 0 3 Clamp reported that the inspection of 6. p. 1-IBlklnl Atoll Arrlval: 28-29 May 1946 Naqato was complete (Reference Blklnl Atoll Departure: 19 August 1946 A-32). Crew Locatlon for Shot ABLE: USS Georqe Clymer (APA-27) Crew Locatlon for Shot BAKER: Clymer A fire was reported aboard Naqato. U X Preserver (ARS-8) was ordered to lnspect Shot ABLE Locatlon: 750 yards (686 meters)E and fight the fire i f i t could be loShot BAKER Locatlon: 1,030 yards (942 meters)ESE Decontamlnatlon Locatlons: Kwajaleln and Pearl Harbor cated.Preserverwasunable t o locate the fire and proceeded with its previous Sunk 31 July 1948, o f f Pearl Harbor assignments. Task Unlt and Functlon The battleship Nevada was a member of TU 1.2.1 Whi!eNaqatocrewmemberswereberthed (Battleship and Cruiser Unit). Battleship Division aboard Rockinqham, work parties boarded 9. It was the target ship for shotABLE. Its crew the target ship. was evacuated before each shot. It also housed several experiments including ammunition and poiNaqato's crew transferred from Rockinqham to USS Rockbridqe(APA-228).Awatch son gases for the Army ammunition experiment, representative items for the Army Signal Unit. team was placed aboard Naqato. foodandclothingfortheQuartermaster Unit, ball-crusher gauges. linear- and logarithmic-axis Seventy-five crewmembers were transferred recorders.andfouridentificationandsixteen to USS Chilton (APA-38) for transportadiaphragm peak-pressure gauges. tion to the United States west coat.

1352 1416 1508 1521

3 July 1325

4-7 July

1 July

12 July

16 July

USS

Remaining Naqato crewmembers returned to Rockinqham.

Shot ABLE f l July, 0900)

30 June 24

July

Shot BAKER (25 July, 0835) 21 July 1630

28 July 0945

1652

29 July 1015

1651

Crew evacuated to Clymer.

Watch team transferred to Rockinqham. 1 July 1018

Reclaimer (ARS-42) reported Naqato listing to starboard and settling by the stern. Naqato had a 1-hour tolerance from about 50 feet (15 meters) (Reference 6. p. 1-I-B-24). USS

1435 1133

2 July 1220 When Reclaimer passed Naqato to the starboard, it was down by the stern with an 80 starboard list. The steady increase 1256 in list and settling by the stern indlcated progressive flooding. Naqato was 1308 highly radioactive, precluding reboarding 1537 for pumping or towing (Reference 6. p. 7-I-B-28). 1541 ReclaimerreportedNaqato'smaindeck 1545 awash, listing to starboard. and down by 1605 the stern (Reference6. p. 7-I-B-34). ReclaimerpassedNaqatotostarboard. Naqato had taken on more list, was down 9 feet (8 meters) forward and6 feet (5.5 meters) aft, and had a toleranceof 1 to 1-1/2 hours (Reference6. p. 7-I-B-39). ReclaimerreportedNaqato'smaindeck awash on the starboard side. the list

1647 3 July 1335 1410-1430

364

PBM Charlie reported a fire on several ships, including Nevada (Reference 5, p . 6-8-91. Nevada was noted to be smoldering amidship (Reference 6, p. 1-I-A-10). USS Reclaimer (ARS-42) alongside Nevada fighting the fire (Reference 6, p. 7-IA-18). USS Preserver(ARS-8)putaboarding party on Nevada. Preserverreportedunderwaytofight fires on Nevada's portside. Fires extinguished. USS Clamp (ARS-33) reported a fire on Nevada's No. 4 turret. Clampmooredalongside,sentboarding team aboard. Fire party aboard. Clamp reported the fire on Nevada extlnguished and fire party returned to Clamp (Reference 6, p. 1-I-A-33). Boarding party returned from Nevada.

The captain with reboarding party A returned to ship to inspect damage. Member o € Bureau of Ordnance with inspection party of eight men came aboard.