anchorage areas of Nan and Tare (figure 2.1) until 26 March. At 1850 hours, 26 March, MOLALAdeparted Bikini in company with YAG-39 and YAG-40 enroute to their assigned operating area for Shot ROMEO. Between 0300 and 0400 hours, 27 March, while in an area approximately 25 nmi west of Enewetak Atoll, the skeleton crews from YAG-39 and YAG-40 transferred to MOLALA. When Shot ROMEO was detonated at 0630 hours, MOLALA was operating in an area approximately 40 nmi southwest of the ROMEOsurface zero. After the test, MOLALA steamed generally to the south and by 0835 hours, when MOLALAfirst sighted TAWAKONI, both ships were in an area approximately 25 nmi south of Bikini. MOLALA rendezvoused with TAWAKONIat approximately 0900 hours and the crew of YAG-39 was transferred from MOLALA to TAWAKONI at 1006 hours. The two ships remained in an area generally to the south of Bikini steaming on an east-west racetrack until approximately 1800 hours, when they steamed in a northwesterly direction to intercept the YAGs. MOLALAcontinued on a northwesterly course until approximately midnight, 27 March. At this time the ship was approximately 50 nmi northwest of Bikini and it began receiving relatively light fallout from the Shot ROMEOcloud. Topside intensities on the ship increased throughout the morning of 28 March and, by 0800 hours, when fallout ceased, average topside intensities of 13 mR/hr were reported. Meanwhile, TAWAKONI hadintercepted YAG-39 in an area due west of Bikini at 2200 hours, 27 March, at which time it apparently returned to Bikini; by doing so, it avoided the fallout encountered by MOLALAnorthwestofthe atoll--see section 3.7. Figure 3.10 depicts the average topside radiation environment on MOLALAresulting from Shot ROMEOfallout (Reference 7). According to MOLALA's log, the ship remained in an area northwest of Bikini during the remainder of the morning of 28 March while conducting a search for YAG-40. YAG-40 was first sighted by the crew at 1033 hours and, between 1120 and 1242 hours, 28 March, MOLALA maneuveredin the vicinity to determine the radiological hazards associated with towing this vessel to Enewetak; topside intensities on YAG-40 were approximately 6.5 R/hr at this time (Reference 13). At 1252 hours, MOLALA had YAG-40in tow with 1,500 feet of main tow wire and set a course to Enewetak Atoll. MOLALAentered Enewetak Lagoon at approximately 1030 hours, 29 March, and by 1330 hours, the ship moored in berth B-3, about 1 nmi west of Parry Island; YAG-40 was then moored in the same berth. At 1554 hours, MOLALA got underwayfor berth C-1, approximately 48