ce. INTTIAL OPERATIONAL PERIOD 6. the Period ‘fron 24 January. until BX ‘aay, the Task Force shot day rehearsal, conducted on 24/23 February, was spent in shak= ding dow the task group organization, getting it into operation, and’. preparing it for the initial shot, scheduled for 1 Marche - Te 4s units. arrived theyunloaded any cargo or passengers they | had aboard and went to work. "BATRORO proceeded to Bilcint where her | Commanding Officer, Captain Emmet O'Beirne, USN, took charge of Navy operations until the arrival there of the Tasle Group. Commander. ‘The ow, Boat Pool andthe Marine helicopter squadron commenced operations, the. security DDEs and patrol squadron aircraft began their patrols of the | area eurrountingthe two atolls. IST 762 continued shuttling large .-amounts of cargo.te Bikini, GEST and the ATFs began ¢ their+ BMPpOE| “a? ” tasks.—ee te . - eee 2 id - ° at, Sy ~ Te, . . elie ~ . - . . coe Tat tas « . ot he eee 8. oaPainyalan conferences were @ dsiiy occurrence.BL najor headquarterswere within speaking distance of one another‘tor, ‘the first £4 tine, and there wes“much to be sccompLished, co As units arrived: ‘at Entnetoktheir En commending officers came ashore ani were» briefed|on os ‘ the Operation. There was considerable travel to Bilcind by staff per sonnel to confer with ships! personnel on the scene. The Task Group - Commander visited units at Bikini on several océasions and visited Pearl Harbor on one occasion for a conference at CinCPac headquarters. 3 Security badges were issued to authorized personnel to permit their +o emer me wegnee ween eer