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 Army Ground Group

The exposure of Army equipment was a mission of Commander, Army Ground Group. Under his command were engineer, signal, ordnance, chemical warfare, quartermaster, and air units. Personnel from these units were berthed on USS Wharton (AP-7). They exposed a wide variety of equipment on both tests ranging from ammunition, radar, trucks, petroleum, and tanks; to field stoves, clothing, and medical equipment. Figure 14 shows armored vehicles and other equipment on board USS Saratoga (CV-3) before the test. While most equipment was positioned on board the target vessels, some was placed on nearby islands of Bikini Atoll to provide a better range of effects. Members of the Army Ground Group were evacuated from the Bikini Lagoon on Wharton the day before each test and planned to return the afternoon of each test day. Inspection of equipment after ABLE began on 2 July and was completed by 12 July. The heavy concentration of radioactivity in the lagoon after BAKER slowed inspection efforts. Inspections were not begun until 30 July and were not completed until 10 August. Items on USS Nevada (BB-36) and the concrete drydock, ARDC-13, remained too contaminated to be inspected. The drydock was finally scuttled with all equipment.

Engineer equipment was exposed on three attack transports (APAs). Signal equipment was exposed aboard ships and on nearby islands. Several different items of ordnance equipment were on the decks of four target battleships and on four tank landing ships and one oil barge. Chemical equipment was exposed

Figure 14. Armored vehicles and other Army equipment aboard USS Saratoga (CV-3), ready for exposure to atom bomb, CROSSROADS.

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