CHAPTER IV, SECTION |
their meals in the troop

mess,

particularly

laundry personnel with six Holmes & Narver
men, On 9 March, seven of the Laundromat

because they could obtain the quantity they
desired with the first serving.

machines were placed in operation at Tare to

The main difficulty encountered in living
afloat was the vast difference in comfort be-

evacuation for the Koon event, after which Rad-

tween cabin and troop class accommodations.
Allotment to cabin spaces was made by assign-

ment of supervisory and administrative personnel down to and including the foremen level.
All remaining spaces were assigned by lottery.
The bunks in the troops’ spaces consisted primarily of an aluminum frame to which was
laced a piece of canvas. These were set up four
high with too little space between bunks. To

add to the comfort of those living in these

take care of personal and Rad-Safe laundry
service. These were kept in operation until the
Safe clothing was shipped to Elmer at Eniwetok for laundering.

Postal facilities were established immed-

iately on embarking on the USNS Ainsworth.

A daily mail courier service between Eniwetok
and Bikini Atolls by H&N courier provided the
quick delivery; postal service was entirely satisfactory.

At the commencement of the operations

spaces, Holmes & Narver provided mattress pads.
The cabin spaces were kept filled insofar as
was practicable, and prior to the Yankee event,
due to demobilization, all men were billeted in
these spaces.

afloat, the ship’s store carried a fairly complete
stock of essential items with the exception of
clothing, candy, cigars and laundry bags; these
were soon depleted. According to MSTS regu-

MSTSregulations required all passengers
to pay for laundry, and therefore it was not
possible at first to inaugurate free laundry service on board the USNS Ainsworth. This was
later cleared through the vessel’s chain of com-

plenishment items in short supply from a private contractor. It was therefore necessary for
Holmes & Narver later to establish a Post
Exchange to sell those items not carried by the

mand, and after the end of March, all personal
jJaundry was handled on board. To perform this
service it was necessary to augment the ship’s

DATE
10 March
15 March
20 March
25 March
30 March
10 April
15 April

20 April
25 April

TG 7.5
H&EN AEC
392
2
350
6
330
2
305
3
278
3
143
140

127
116

0
1

2
1

TG 7.4
4
3
2
2
1
0
3

3
5

As a result of blast effects and radioactive
contamination of the camp areas on Bikini
Atoll, which could not be anticipated and for
which, therefore, no preparation had been made,
the following losses in camp services occurred.
PR oi eeeececeeeeeeeeees $14,350.78
Bar stores .....000000000000... $ 3,082.48
Food 000... $71,918.47
Many PX items were damaged and had to

be sold at reduced cost. The loss in bar stores
can be attributed, to a minor degree, to pilfering.

The loss in food was due primarily to the fact
that at site Fox the camp was completely destroyed by the Bravo event, and at both Nan
and Tare the generator breakers were opened,
thus cutting off power to the reefers. Thawing
of food had taken place and spoilage had set in
before the generators could be placed back on
the line.

lations, the ship’s store could not purchase re-

ship’s store.

The following table indicates the personnel
housed and supported on the USNS Ainsworth.
TG 7.2
30
33
31
30
30
8
12
6
5

TG 7.1
197
210
153
134
176
42
79
65
67

TOTALS
625
602
518
474
488
193
235
203
194

All money from revenue producing facilities was deposited in the Contract Advance
Fund and thereby reverted to the Commission.

The total personnel supported by Holmes &

Narver at each camp and

atoll is shown in

Figures 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, 4-5, 4-6, 4-7 and 4-8.

MESSING
Messing facilities were operated at each
established camp. The structures for messing
at the temporary camps were made as simple
and inexpensive as possible since they were
considered to be expendable, and were to be
operated only until an advanced time prior to
a shot. Standard allowance of galley equipment
and utensils for a 250, 500, 1,000 and 1,500man camp were formulated. When a camp was
authorized, the equipment for it was segregated,
allocated and then shipped in time to permit
installation during the construction of the mess
Page 4-5

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