Bef
proceeding toward the formation at 15 knots.
eraft reported on atation,
The two project air
Ships took up their shot tine headings
as the final phase of the voice tine broadcast was piped out over
voice circuite.
Personnel assentled topside to view the shot,
There was still a« feeling of doubt: among thea a last minute delay
would not have come as @ surprise,
But at 0610 on 26 Apeil UNIOg
was detonsted. Shot nusber four wes finished, with only two te go.
7e
‘The chock wave passed without hareful effects the formation _
wes well clear of the radioactive elond, %STES left her chet station and heeded south, At 1000, with the cloud dispersed te the
northward, the ships moved {a toward Bikint ani BAIROKD prepered
to launch helicopters for the initial RadSafe survey.
The survey
wap completed is the early afternoon. Ry 1500 the lagoon was
declared safe for re-entry and the ships entered end anchored. fhe
airetrip wis debria-riddea to such om extent that flight operations
could not de resumed, so at 1800 ASTHS eailed for silwetck with
COTP SEVER and staff on board.
The other task group onites renained
behind te resums work noxt mornings to recover URION data end prepare for YANKEZ.
GS
With UNION fired, NECTAR was echedaled fcr detonatian two
days later, on 28 April. ESTES arrived at Eniwetok the morning of
27 Apel and disembarked the Tack Force Commander and headquarters
staffa,
The weather held, ani when the 27th. was confirmed as
KECTAR ainusone dey, CTG 7.3 with a emall operational ataff laft
Bikini by PHI sod flew to Eniwetok, moved aboard ESTES, estahlished
169
AFWU/HO
:
.