Page:Operation Crossroads 1946.pdf/378

 USS Palmyra ( A R S [ T J - 3 )

USS Ottawa (AKA-101) USS OTTAWA (AKA-101) Crew Slze:

unit included selecting beaching areas, facilltating salvage of damaged ships, performing all underwater work involving divers both before and afterthetests.buoyplacement.flrefighting, and general salvage work. As a floating salvage base, Palmyra carried assorted salvage equipment and housed salvage personnel.

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Blklnl Atoll Arrlval: 20 March 1946 Blklnl Atoll Departure: 2 August 1946 Shot ABLE Locatton: 35 nmt (65 km) €NE Shot BAKER Locatlon: 25 nml (46 km) ESE Decontarntnatlon Locatlon: Pearl Harbor Operatlonal Clearance: 13 September 1946 Flnal Clearance: 13 September 1946

Shot ABLE (1 July, 0900) 30 June 1500

Task Unjt and Functlon

Ottawa, an attack cargo ship, was a member of TU USS Rolette 1.3.1 (Transport Unit). Ottawa and (AKA-99) were loaded with 200 seabees and construction material at Port Hueneme before sailing 1 July 0858 for Bikini. At Bikini, they served as barracks and material stores ships for the Seabees. Shot ABLE (1 July, 0900)

0905

30 June 1249UnderwayinaccordancewithCJTF1Op Plan 1-46 for operation area MdCmOn.

1207 1326

1 July 1807 Anchored in berth 336, Bikini.

2 July 1554 Anchored in berth

1327 1425

35, Bikini.

Shot BAKER (25 July, 0835) 24 July 1640

1435 Underway from Bikini Atoll in accordance with CJTF1 Op Plan 1-46.

1520

25 July 1749

Anchored in berth 32. Rongelap Atoll.

1540 1646

28 July 0952 1638 1837

Underway for Bikini Atoll. Anchored in berth359, Bikini. Underway from Bikini to Rongelap.

1800 2000

29 July 0631

2 July 1326 Anchored in berth32, Rongelap Atoll.

30 July 1753

Underway for Bikini.

31 July 0709

Anchored in berth35, Bikini.

1430 1600 1605 1650 1655

2 August 1600

Underway from Bikini to Port Hueneme, California. USS PALMYRA (ARS[T]-3)

Crew Slze: 299 8lklnl Atoll Arrlval: By 1 June 1946 Blklnl Atoll Departure: 5 September 1946 Shot ABLE Locatlon: 28 nml (52 km) ENE Shot BAKER Locatlon: 12 nml (22 km) SE Decontamtnatton Locatton: San Franctsco Operatlonal Clearance: By 22 November 1946 Flnal Clearance: By 4 January 1947

4 July 1045

Joined formation, took aboard personnel engaged in last-minute work off Ionchebi and Eneu. In preparation for the flash from atomic bomb ABLE. all hands covered their eyes t o prevent blindness. Explosions were observed in Bikini Lagoon, fires were evident i n target vessels. Received dispatch from CTU 1.2.7 to remain in reentry area Able. Ordered to send a boat to transfer boarding team from USS Achomawi (ATF-148) to USS Reclaimer ( W - 4 2 ) (Reference 6. p. VII-I-8-A). Anchored in berth Able. Bikini. One officer with a 2-man working party left the ship in boat #4 with two burning outfits [to cut anchor chains] for target vessel YO-160. Boat #6 sent t o ReClaiIWK €OK assignment to boarding team by order of CTU 1.2.7. ‘Boat #5 left the ship t o inspect boat pool moorings. Boat #5 returned. Was requested t o move KT-1420 100 yards (91 meters) offshore to prevent beaching (Reference 6,p . VII-I-16-A). Boat #4 returned. Boat #6 returned. L C M #1 left to assist in beaching target submarine USS Skate(SS-305)onEneu

Island. LCM #2 left to assist beachingSkate. Individual sent to Reclaimer for examination after being exposed to radiological contamination. LCM #2 returnedt o the ship. LCH #1 returned to the ship. Indivldual sent to Reclaimer for examination was returned to the ship and declared normal in all respects. Shifted to berth 141A.

Palmvra had no further contact with target vessels until BAKER. Shot BAKER (25 July,0835) 24 July 1245Radiologicalmonitor c a m aboard. 1249UnderwayfromBikiniinaccordancewith CTU 1.2 Op Order 1-46.

Task Unlt and Functlon Palmyra. a salvage craft tender. was the flagship 25 July of TU 1.2.7 (Salvage Unit). The duties of this 1130AnchoredinBikiniLagoon.

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