most urgent ‘task then at hand, the recovery. ofsolentificdata fromstations on the ‘contentted islands. °‘Thiswas largely a helicopter. _ operation, with ‘the recovery parties! novenent into hot areas ‘controlled by the Task Thit 7 RadSafe Center, working out of BATROKO's forward! ready room. The ahi’was so jamed with personnel that it soon.be- yO "calms apparent that’ souething had to give.“To provide some relief, the Navy Task Group Commander and his staff, on 6 March, moved to. CURTISS, thereby freeinga portion of BATROKO's limited personnel and worlcing spaces for the use of other task groups. _| CURTISS! ‘oxcellent. | Living andoftioes facilities vere not‘beta’ used to capacityin her| °“ prinary support func'tton of tending the,‘shot‘ite,and with minim Anateaseinher. communications capability, she served successfully as & - the ‘pormnexttask group-flagship throughout‘the renainier ofthe opera - thea. After‘thereturn of ESTES andAnsiORTi ‘Bikdyaddtional | "persons noved fromBATROKO in nimbers sufftetent to perait¢ the ress”: 7“toration of at least. adequate if not entirely,confortable dying& a Ree te aw "working conditions torthose remainingonboard. “7 ea ee= he ” AINSWORTH, withtthe largest passenger‘ospacity,and the vast large scale living facilit es of any ship in the task group, ‘became the Bikini base for Task Group 7.5, the contractor's group who performed all necessary construction work in the area, and operated the civilian manned boat pool. She accommodated an average of 450 personnel ‘throughout the renainder of the period, a@ passen vessel, with facilities for 317 cabin class and 685 troop 136 act Gg ai ag Since she was fitted out as . -~