vere utilised as ferry craft, carrying pastengers and light cargo
Detweon Eniwetek and Bikini dvring tho several weeks the Bikinl
airatrip was closed or operating on a restricted basis after BRAVO,
FICGHOLAS was sent into the conteninationed atoll area east of Bikini
en a speaial eurvey mission.
After the BPAY effecta had leseensd,
surfses necurity operations wore returned to a nearly nornal basia,
except for the cecasional empleyment of a FUR to aasiet in the search
for Projet 2.50 fallout collector bucys,
As noted earlier, PO 19:6
spent considerable tine at Ailingnse and Bongerik on KOON, UNION and
YANKEE performing aties not eonacoted with escurity.
On ali five
WEOTAR sorties, EPPERSON was assigned the duty of standing by near
Ujelang Ateil to evacuate the natives there if severe radicastive
fallout wae received,
The effeatse of over-eamplaynent of the DDEs
‘@uring the period folloving BRAVO was felt througheat the renainéer
ef the Operation, ‘The tine lost frbm planned upkeep anf waintenanes
cohedules wae never made tp, and as eperations eontinued over a leager
period than had been planned originally the chips began to exffer
engineering derangements of a sericus nature.
All vere repaired, how-
ever, vithout outside ase{ctance, and Iittle eperationa’ time less
resulted,
Atreref§
7.
‘Six FU-5¥ day ani aight fighter efroreft were assigned to
the taek group for intercept duties,
‘The afroreft vith operating and
support personnel were a part of Componite fquadres Three and ten-
25