ae is . Lat 12° 41! (N), Long 162° 40 (5) at 0800, taking her new station after steaming for 4 hours at 11.5 Imots on Course O45°(T). She wad about 110 riles north-northeast of Ground Zoro when the fallout occurred.) The ship was closed up, the ventilating systors secured and the spray systom placed in operation. Within 20 minutes the level of contamination increased from 1 IRAIR to 5 ER/HR (gamma), This was reported to ComTaskGroup 132.3 at 1327. At 1400, ab the diroction of the Task’Uroup Cpumander, the ship changed course to 150° and made speod of 11.5 Imots. The contamination level gradually increased to an averago of 8 }R/HR and a maximm of 35 IR/MR, The spray systex: was loft on and the ship continued on it's course at full speed. At 1520 a report was made to the Task Group Commander that conditions were stabilising and at 1630 the ship stopped, clear of the fallout area in a position Lat 12° 41! (N), Long 163° 05° (£). The precipitation had ceased, thus giving a roliable indication that the ship was clear of the fallout area, ‘ir samples indicated the area clear. Washdown decontamination © measures were taken and completed by 1930 at which tie the ship was able to proceed toward it’s station at Seanount # 72 to romme operations. On 1. Day the initial survey and “recovery oper tions wero ¢ nducted by helicopter from the RENDOVA, The first survey helicopter flights ran into intense fallout and high radiation fiolds and personnel and equipment were ~~ grossly contardnated. Upon return to the REVDOVA all persennel were decontaminated below tolerance levels and the helicopters wore partially decontaminated and issued operational clearance so that they could be used on subsequent survey and recovery missions. The first of the series of BEST AVAILABLE COPY 222