YAG-39. When Shot UNION was detonated at 0605 hours on 26 Apnl, MOLALA was approximately 35 nmi southeast of the UNIONsurface zero. MOLALAremained southeast of the atoll unnl approximately 1400 hours when it steamed on a north-northeasterly course to intercept YAG-39 and YAG-40. At 1725 hours, MOLALAapproached YAG-39 in an area approximately 40 nmi northeast of Bikini to transfer personnel to that ship; the transfer was completed at 1812 hours. Topside intensities on YAG-39 were approximately 160 mR/hratthis time, but the ship was equipped with a shielded control room whereall personnel remained while the ship returned to Enewetak Atoll under its own power. At 1911 hours, MOLALA began approaching YAG-40 to ascertain radiological conditions on that ship prior to hooking up the main tow wire. Topside intensities on YAG-40 were approximately 1 R/hr and no one boarded (Reference 13). At 2015 hours, MOLALA was enroute to Enewetak with YAG-40 in tow with 1,500 feet of main towline. While recovering the YAGs between 1700 and 2200 hours, MOLALAwassteaming in water recently contaminated by Shot UNIONfallout. Background levels onboard MOLALA due to shine from the water were 30 mR/hr when measured by Project 6.4 personnel (Reference 13). Crewmen remaining topside on MOLALAduring recovery operations on 26 April received an integrated exposure of approximately 150 mR dueto shine from the contaminated water. MOLALAarrived back at Enewetak at approximately noon on 28 April. For reasons not indicated in the ship's log, it was in the process of entering the lagoon whenit returnedto sea with YAG-40 still in tow. The ship steamed in open waterin the vicinity of Enewetak Atoll and did not reenter the lagoon until approximately 1000 hours, 29 April. After disconnecting the tow at 1130 hours, MOLALAproceeded to berth B-1 where it anchored at noon. On 1 May, MOLALA moored alongside YAG-40 from 0947 to 1203 hours; topside intensities on the YAG were 138 mR/nhr atthis time. Reference 13 indicates that significantefforts to decontaminate YAG-40 were not undertaken following the UNIONtest. During the afternoon of 3 May, MOLALAgot underway for Bikini Atoll. Apparently, YAG-39 and YAG-40 had departed earlier in the day and MOLALAdid not overtake them until approximately 2000 hours, 3 May (Reference 3). At 1045 hours on 4 May, the three ships entered Bikini Lagoon and anchored in the Nan anchorage area. At approximately 1400 hours, all three ships got underway for their assigned operating area for Shot YANKEE, scheduled for the following day. 51