Page:Operation Crossroads 1946.pdf/423

 USS Skate (SS-305)

USS S I O U X ( A T F - 7 5 ) 15 July 1329 1336

1650

cast off from Hughes and proceeded to anchorage. Anchored in berth 38. Bikini.

1800 22 August 0635 23 August 1250 1405

Underway with USS Quartz (IX-150) in tow for Kwajalein. Anchored Quartz in berth K-4, Kwajalein. Underway from Kwajalein to Bikini.

25 August 0538 26 August 1718

Skate.

5 July

0713 24 August 0826

Widqeon reported Skate beached and anchored fore and aft (Reference 6 . p. VIII-33-A). Skate officers made trip to Eneu Island Noted in small boat and circled sign on each side reading, "Danger: Keep Clear - Very Radioactive." The superstructurewasmangled,butinnerand be intact. outer hulls appeared to

Anchored in berth 37. Bikini Lagoon.

0746 0825 0850

Underway from Bikini to Kwajalein with ARD-29 in tow. Anchored in berth K-8, Kwajalein.

1320 1820

2 September 1030-1100 Target vessel LCI-329 moored alongside to deliver oil.

5-23 July

Small boat with reboarding team departed from Bottineau. Arrived Off Skate. Boarded S&. Entered Skate through the after engine room hatch. With the exception of explosive percentages of hydrogen in battery compartments,encounterednodangerous gases or radioactivity. Completed opening boat. Anchored in berth 231, Bikini.

W. Crew reboarded and lived aboard

Shot BAKER (25 July, 0835) 3 September Mparted Kwajalein for Pearl Harbor. 24 July 1030 USS SKATE ( S S - 3 0 5 )

1035 1500

Crew S i z e :

53 Blklnl Atol 1 Arrival: 30 Hay 1946 Blklnl Atol 1 DeDarture: 23 Auaust 1946 Crew Locatlon for ABLE: USS Bottlneau (APA-235) Crew Locatlon f o r BAKER: Bottlneau Shot ABLE Locatlon: 400 yards (366 meters) SSE Shot BAKER Locatlon: 886 yards (792 meters)SW Oecontamlnatton Locatlon: San Franclsco, Mare Island Naval Shlpyard Sunk 1948, o f f San Dlego coast

25 July 29 July 0008

Task Unlt and Functlon The submarineSkate was

1029

a member of TU 1.2.4 (Submarine Unit), Submarine Division 111. It was a target vessel for CROSSROAnS. Its crew wds evacuated for both shots.

1135

Shot ABLE (1 July, 0900) 1 July

1210 1730 2 July 0830 0903 0905 0915 0946 1159

Moored fore and aft to buoys astern of target ship USS Nevada (BB-36) in berth 161. Bikini. No personnel on board. skate was Received word by radio that heavily damaged. Bottineau. with Skate personnel aboard. anchored in Bikini Lagoon. Status of Skate uncertain. Officers and ccw onboardBottineauanchoredin Bikini Lagoon. USSWidqeon(ASR-1)reportedmonitor aboard proceeding toSkate. Widqeon alongsideSkate. Widgeon reprted Skate unsafe to board. & reported Target vessels Sakawa andS sour. Widgeon reported skate in tow. proceeding to beaching area on Eneu Island (Reference 6, p. VII-I-25-A). Widqeon reported anchored off beaching areawithSkate.awaitinghighwater (Reference 6. p. VII-I-30-A).

30 July 0916

31 July 0850-1220 1 August 0905

4 August 1000

5 August 1345-1445

418

Completed rigging boat €or atombomb and secured the watch. Crew evacuated to Bottineau. Bottineau underway and stood out of the 1agoon.

Skate moored fore and aft to buoy between berths 199 and 299 in Blkini Lagoon. OSH and CTU 1.2.7 Informed CJTF 1 and CTG

1.2 that they planned to moor target submarines % & a and USS Parche (38-384)t o buoys being planted on lee side of Ionchebi Island. USS Achomawi (ATF-148) underway Erom target array withSkate in tow. Achomawi directed to moor & S with salvage anchors and heavy wire using dan of anchor and to buoy to mark location buoy retrieving wire. Achomawi reported washing down Skate. It followed up on experimental sections with freshwater and lye and on another section with diesel fuel (Reference 6, p. VII-I50 -B). Achomawi decontaminated 6. p. VII-I-60-B).

Skate (Reference

Achomawicommencedwashingdown Skate (Reference 6, pp. VII-1-64-8 and VII-I56-B). Executive officer boarded for a few minutes with the DSM representative who was making his daily check on radioactivity. 19 men. Skate boarded by all officers, and a radiological monitor. Washed down