Page:Operation Crossroads 1946.pdf/410

 USS S a l t Lake C i t y ( C A - 2 5 )

USS S a l n t Crolx ( A P A - 2 3 1 )

30 July 2000

2 August 1755

7 August 1516

1033 1035

In compliance with CJTF1 dispatch. completed hoisting four drone boats (LCVPs) and mlscellaneous pyrotechnics and boat spares on board €or l i E t to San Diego. California.

1037 1038

1039 Underway from Bikini Atoll to San Fcancisco via Pearl Harbor and San Diego with 1 Marine officer, 2 25 Navy officers, 1043 Army officers, 473 Navy enlisted men. 33 Marine enlisted men. and 24 Army enlisted 1142 men with CROSSROADS drone boat unit and 1143 other equipment as cargo. Moored to berth K-3. Pearl Harbor.

List increased sharply. Main deck port awash to about the center of bridge. Sakawa's aft bridge disappeared. i n tow but siokAchomawi reported Sakawa ing. Sakawa sank stern €irst. Nearly 40 frames from bow stuck out of water. Keel out about 30. At 1043 about 20 frames showing forward starboard side. Sakawa sank vertically:i t did not slide under. Achomawi cut tow linet o Sakawa. Achomawi proceeded to berthC.

Sakawa's crew was dispersed to join the crews of various target vessels. USS SALT

SAKAWA

LAKE

C I T Y (CA-25)

Crew Slze: 143 Blklnl Atoll Arrlval: 28 A p r l l 1946 Crew Locatlon for Shot ABLE: U S S Rocklngham (APA-229) Crew Locatlon for Shot BAKER: Various shlps Shot ABLE Locatton: 420 yards (384 meters)E Date and Locatlon Sunk: 2 July 1946, Btklnl Lagoon

Crew S l z e : 335 Blklnl Atoll Arrlval: 29 Way 1946 Blklnl Atoll Departure: 23 August 1946 Crew Locatlon for Shot ABLE: USS Rockbrldge (APA-228) Crew Locatlon for Shot BAKfR: Rockbrtdqe Shot ABLE Locatlon: 895 yards (818 meters)SE Shot BAKER Locatlon: 1.120 yards (1.0 km)ENE

Task Unlt and Function

Decontamlnatlon Locatlon: Bremerton, Washington

Sunk The captured Japanese light cruiser Sakawa was a member of TU 1.2.1 (Battleship and Cruiser Unit), Cruiser Division2 3. It was a target ship and sank Task ABLE. Its CROSSROADS crew. as a result of shot comprised of U.S. personnel, was evacuated before ABLE.

25 May 1948. off the southern Callfornla coast

Unlt and Functlon The heavy cruiser Salt Lake City was a member of TU 1.2.1 (Battleship and Cruiser Unit). Cruiser Division 23. It was a target ship for CROSSROADS. Its crew was evacuated before each shot.

Shot ABLE (1 July, 0900) Shot ABLE (1 July, 0900)

1 July 1556

1615

2 July 0841 0842 0903 0905 0927 0930 0936 0941 1025

CJTF 1 directed Sakawa to be moved to a 30 June 1030-1318 berth for badly damaged ships assoon as safe and practical. Sakawa was burning aft and was still in a radioactive area. 1 that prospects 2 July CTG 1.2 reported to CJTF 1330 for getting Sakawa out of the array that day were very poor because reports on the radiologlcal situation were slow coming in. 1600 USS Achomawl (ATF-148) underway with sal1630 vage officer to board Sakawa. Sakawa was sinking by the stern and burn3 July ing aft: the aft section was not radio0810-1640 logically safe. Achomawi laying alongside Sakawa's portside; boarding party on Sakawa. BoardingpartyreturnedtoAchomawi: Sakawaradiologicallyunsafe.Achomawi moved away. Achomawi approached Sakawa on the starboard side. 4 July Boarding party from Achomawi on Sakawa. 0805-1630 Boarding party returned to Achomawi. Achomawi attempted to take Sakawa in tow. USS Reclaimer (ARS-42) noted Sakawa listing heavily to port and settling by its stern,lndicatinglongitudinalflooding of the ship. The 5 July of the aEter portion after part of the ship was not radiologi- 0800-1615 cally safe enough to place a salvage party aboard t o commence pumping operations. Achomawi cut chain attaching Sato mooring buoy.

m

405

Evacuated crew to Rockbridqe in preparation for ABLE. The commanding officer and 30 men reboarded the ship with a radsafe monitor fromUSSHaven(AH-12)andcommenced openingupandinspectingallspaces above the main deck. Commenced surveyO E second deck. The commanding officer and boarding team evacuated the ship for the night. The commanding officer and a boarding team of 50 men with radsafe monitor ceboarded the ship and continued clearing lower deck compartments. Completed radiological clearance of entire ship, set condition Zebra below the second deck. and evacuated the ship for the night. The commanding officer and a boarding team of 160 men reboarded the ship and contlnued clearing debris. All personnel returned to Rockbridqe €or the night. a boarding The commanding officer and team of 160 men boarded t o continue inspection of the ship and clear away debris. All personnelexceptasecurity