Page:Operation Crossroads 1946.pdf/411

 USS S a l tL a k e

USS S a l t L a k eC l t y( C A - 2 5 )

C i t y (CA-25)

5 July detail of 18 men and 2 of€icersdeparted for the night.

of each man to radioactivity to prevent any man from receiving more than the established daily tolerance. The boarding team was on board for approximately 4-1/2 hou .rs

6 July 0800

Teams A and A. consisting of 150 men. and the commanding officer boarded to continue inspection of the ship and clear away debris. 0835 Underway to anchorage, assisted by ATR-40 and USS Achomawi (ATF-148). berth 164. 0912 Anchored in vicinity of 1640Thecommandingofficerandboardingteam departed for Rockbridqe. except for the security patrol.

7 July 0930-1345

2 August 0815

All personnel transferred from Rockbridqe to Salt Lake City. 0845-

S h o t B A K E R ( 2 5 J u l y, 0835)

23 July 0930 24 July 0915-1100 21 July 0844

28 July 0940

29 July 1007

Transferred 55 ment o Rockbridqe in preparation €or test BAKER.

The commanding officer and d team of about 50 men boarded Conserver to continue pumping out flooded spaces anddecontaminating Salt Lake City. Conserver hosed down Salt Lake C i w for about 30 minutes. Average radiation was 3 to 4 R/24 hours on weather decks except the forecastle. which averaged 2 R/24 hours before work was begun. No readings were taken at the end of the day's work (Reference 4). 1600ConservermooredalongsideSaltLake City's portside to continue pumping out flooded spaces. Washed down forecastle with boiler compound and lye solution and cleared radioactive pieces of metal on the deck. A careful record was kept of each man's exposure to radiation. server cast off from alongside at the end of theday's operations.

con-

Evacuated remaining officers and enlisted men to Rockbridqe. 3 August 0900 USS Reclaimer (ARS-42) passed Salt Lake City abeam to starboard: reading indlcated 2-hour tolerance at about 30 feet (9.1 meters). Reclalmer passed Zalt Lake City, which was down by the stern and listing to starboard.

100

ReclalmerpassedalongsideSaltLake City. No change in list or trim. One-hour tolerance on ship, eiqht-hour tolerance in adjacent water.

300

The commanding officer and a boarding team of 50 men boarded Salt Lake City from LCVPs and began decontamination work No other with soap solution and sand. cleaning materials were available (Reference 4 ). Commenced radiological survey of the weather deck. The second team boarded the ship and continued scrubbing down with soap and sand. ThefirstteamreturnedtoRockbridqe where all men were checked €or radlologlcal contamination. The second team returned to Rockbridqe where all men were checked for radiologicalcontamination.Forecastlereadings reduced to 1 R/24 hours with steel deck about 0.5 R/24 hours (Reference4 ).

31 July

1036 1146 1450

1521 1652 1 August 0920

0930

4 August USS Clamp (ARS-33) directed to proceed 0905 to Salt Lake Clty and wash down with high-pressure hoses for3 hours. Clamp reported monitor advised that remaining in vicinity of Salt Lake City for more than 1 hour was unsafe. USS Conserver (ARS-39) directed to proceed to Salt Lake City, place monitor on board to make Geiger readings, replenish foam supply. and return to previous assignment. Conserver reported boarding of Salt Lake c_!ty completed. Conserver inspected Salt Lake City to check foam en route to anchorage. 0930 o € about 50 men Special boarding team reported on board Conserver for reboardIng Salt Lake C m. ConservermooredalongsideSaltLake City's portside. Special boarding parties went on board to rig equipment in flooded spaces for pumping them out. Other parties were sent onboard to wash down the main deck areas with high-pressure hoses. A careful record was kept of the exposure

1100

1300

Thecommandlngofficerandthe first boarding team of50 men boarded Salt Lake City and continued decontamination. Commenced radiological survey of the ship. Holystoned forecastle with soap and sand. Flushed highly radioactive coral and sand from open bridge. pilot house level, communicatlons deck, and entire main deck. Open bridge and pilot house reduced from 12 R/24 hours to 4 R/24 hours average. Water in some drains and puddles gave highreadings;thewaterwasremoved later (Reference 4). Freshwater on the ship was declared radiologically safe €or drinking. Second boarding team reported on board and continued decontamination. First boarding team returned to Rockbridqe where they were checked for radiological contamination. The third boarding team reported on board and continued decontamination. The second team returned to Rockbridqe where men all were checked €or radiological contamination.