CHAPTER IV, SECTION 4 Figure 4-26. U.S. Navy LST Unloading at Site Tare for other purposes. For the operational phase at Bikini Atoll a total of 15 of these craft were made available. Several of these were fitted with A-frames and proved advantageous for work in contaminated areas. The turnover of DUKWoperators after Bravo due to radioactive » exposure was exceptionally heavy. It was necessary during the later stages of the Operation | to establish a training schoul in order to provide the number of operators required. The stevedoring on board sea-going vessel. Was the responsibilty of the Army Pust Comi- mander at Eniwetok Atoll and of the H&® Supply Superintendent at Bikini Atoll. At Eniwetck Atoll, the ship to shore marine carriers used were primarily barges, with LCUs and LCMsbeing used for rolling stock and reef‘er vessel cargoes. At Bikini Atoll, LCUs and LCMs ‘vere entirely used for this purpose. The volume of cargo and passengers car- ried by the variuus types of marine craft is in- dicated in Figure 4-27. Interatoll water transportation was principally furnished by the operation of the U.S. Navy LSTs. Figure 4-26 shows one of these vessels heing unloaded at site Tare. Some heavy equipment, such as cranes, could not be loaded through the ramp opening of these vessels. To eliminate the necessity of complete disassembly of this equipment when interatoll transfer was required, this type of equipment was loaded in LCUs which were then docked in an LSD for the overseas trip. Towing of LCUs hy LSTs was tricd on several occasions. The expenence vith thesa towed craft indicated that towing should be undertaken only in fairly calm seas, with wind velocities below 12 knots. On the last tow of this tvpe with wind velocities of approximately 17 knots, the LCU received some structural damage. Cargo vessels arriving in the area of operations were used ir ost cases for interat+il transportation. During the last stages of the operations at R‘kini, Commander, Te.k Croup 7.2 establicnea a daily interatoll schedule, utilizing every type of craft avaiable to him for this service. Considerabi. difficulties were experienced in maintaining proper beach conditions for LST landings. The continued and extended use of the beaches by landing craft of all types resulted in ever changing beaching conditions. The beach sand gradi'nt varied and hard coral heads and shelves were bared. Generally the beach had to be examined frequentiv by divers, and dredging or back filling had to be undertaken. The LSTs sustained some damage to forepeaks and bottoms. On Bravo minus 2, an LST a‘ Tare was unable to retract with its own power. It was necessary to salvage the vessel by using two AFTs and a number of LCMsafter the vessel we lightened by completely unloading its cargo. The vessel was retracted.after approximately 36 hours of anxious effort due to the, neainess of H-hour. | Page 4-35 free