2.2.7 USS EPPERSON (DDE-719)
During the late afternoon and evening of | March, the EPPERSON waspatrolling
the waters off Wide Passage and Deep Entrance, Enewetak Atoll. Fallout from
BRAVO hit the residence islands between 1745 and 2300 hours.
Shot
It is assumed the
EPPERSON received the same fallout (see Section 2.2.1 and Figure 2-3).
Following Shot ROMEO on 27 March, the EPPERSON reentered Bikini Lagoon at
1400 hours prior to returning to patrol duties that took it in a counter-clockwise
direction around Bikini Atoll.
The ship began receiving very light fallout as it
departed the lagoon at 1600 hours. By 1900 hours, when it was approximately 20 miles
north of Bikini, intensities suddenly rose to 25 mR/hr (Reference [0),
The ship's
washdown system was activated at 1933 hours (Reference 8) and, when it was turned
off 17 minutes later, topside intensities had been reduced to 10 mR/hr (see Figure 216).
Intensities continued to decrease until approximately 0400 hours on 28 March
when they began to increase once more, rising to 15 mR/hr at 0800 hours when the
ship was northwest of the atoll.
No mention is made of any efforts to decontaminate
the ship on 28 March. The ship continued around the atoll and reentered the lagoon at
approximately 2000 hours.
At 0650 hours, 29 March, the EPPERSON departed on
another patrol] assignment and immediately encountered more fallout. The washdown
system was activated from 0708 to 0735 hours.
Average topside intensities were 8
mR/hr at 0800 hours (H+50), and a steady decline was noted thereafter (see Figure 2-
16).
When Shot NECTAR was detonated on 14 May, the EPPERSON was in the
vicinity of
Ujelang Atoll to evacuate the natives if it became necessary.
approximately
At
1300 hours, when it became clear that evacuation would not be
necessary, the ship was directed to return to Enewetak, arriving there at approxi-
mately {820 hours. Fallout on the residence islands of Enewetak began at 1330 hours,
14 May; hence, the crew of the EPPERSON would have encountered the same fallout
{see Section 2.2.1 and Figure 2-5). No significant fallout was encountered by this ship
following Shots KOON, UNION, and YANKEE.
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