class passengers, she assumed her new function with a| minimum of © difficulty. Her working force of cooks and stewards|was:supplemented with a small sunber of contractos employees to assist with the ‘Jong term housekeeping task. The radiation levels on the islands dropped v from day to day due to naturel decay,2and soon were dow enough ‘to permit the gradual resumption of work ashore. As soon as ATNSWORTE’s passengers returned to work, a shortcoming in her eqitmént ‘decane obvious. She "" had no accomodation ladder, Since‘MSTS transports intheir customary. employment receive and discharge passengers alongsidea pier, AINSWORTH ordinarily, used|a brow, for the Purpose. Personnel ‘ould board. or leave - theship at sacher only by Jacobs: ladder.”.In the|normally chopey.and. often rough Jagoinwaters this was a‘Hime consuming and often,hazardous” | procedure, particularly when, 1s were the node of ‘rinsportation. ‘as Sas 1 TBee . apartial ‘temeay100s ‘were pressed into service for!AISVORIEpassenger |2 runs,‘since they’ provided asteadier plattomwhen alongside|“than aid the: . sualler ‘Toms and"the brow coulabe“used te.‘Sateadand offload petendeas: : “ee es : : wt a223. vo Lm Cel TAL oe Partially. to,solve this problen,aba. partiallyto‘providean off-ship” we at RadSafe ‘center oa change station for.the workmen returning to the ahs from the contaminated ‘slanis, Holmes ‘and Nerver provided a barge equipped g. with personnel decontemination facilities that was stationed permanently :a alongside AINSWORTH when she was anchored, - i 7. * . 56 . It had been planned to station ESTOS, the Task Force Commander's atEniwetok between shots. | * ) greatly simplified the movement of personnel on and off the transport but did cause some minor damage to AINSORTH's imi, .3 a. ‘The presence of the barge To accommodate all the personnel .