14 CHAPTER Vil, SECTION 2 One important item of work after Bravo was the salvaging of personal effects at all camps at Bikini. Due to the possibility of claims arising from loss of personal effects, this work was planned in detail and performed underclose surveillance of supervisors and Military Police. All personal effects were placed in lockers or packaged, properly identified, and then shipped to Elmer. At this site, personnel picked up their belongings after verification with a question- naire which they had previously submitted cov- ering the effects that were left at Bikini at the time of Bravo evacuation. The LSTs would beach or retract only at or near high tide. The working schedules of the men engaged in loading these vessels were based somewhat on tidal conditions so that the LST would remain on the beach a minimum of time. It was not unusual for men to work during the night hours. After the Koon event, the LSTs were not permitted to beach at any site in Bikini Atoll. Loading of these vessels thereafter was accomplished by ferrying cargo by light marine craft to the ship’s side where it was picked up by a crane which the Contractor had placed on the The roll-up of the Tare and Nan camp facilities proceeded as a parallel operation with ship’s top deck. Vehicles and rolling stock were offered to ship rolled-up equipment to Elmer. As an example, the LSD Belle Grove was loaded materials from the Ursula area took place as part of the preparation for the Echotest. (This departed Bikini to pick up Stations 30 and 40. equipment). However, on 14 April 1954, the the preparation for succeeding tests. The bottleneck was interatoll transportation, and advantage was taken of every opportunity that was with salvaged and recovered equipment when it Figure 7-2. loaded onto the tank deck of the LST by marrying the ramp of the vessel with the ramp of an LCM, as shown in Figures 7-2 and 7-3. A partial removal of camp equipment and does not include the removal of any scientific Marrying the Ramp of an LST with the Ramp of an LCM Page 7-5