Ou
- 16 Due to contaminstdon of the (NIM‘AN Airstrip on 1 March, flignt servic: ras suspended.
Cn 9 and 10 March a small work crew rehabilitated the site to a reasonable oxtent.
On
1 Merch a small crash crew tnd a radio-equipped dispatcher assumed duties there, and
' .passenger service was resumed.
Because of the reduced population atBikini, requirements
were not heavy, and one or tio round trips each day were usually adequate.
3.
|
The Bikini heliccpter li*t experienced a similar history during this period.
During January and February & regular schedule was flown, plus a few special flights,
carrying an aver.ge of 251 pessengers per dayin January and 450 in February. During
Narch and April, flights were entirely upon request, and carried a daily average of
1215 in Larch and 65 in April.
It was observed that the latter type of operation
resulted in relatively greater strain on TG 7.3 facilities because it did not permit
the zost efficient use of avedleble aircraft,
4.
During the period when the Bilcind airstrip was not usable, overnight ©
Destroyer trips between the /.tolls were set up as required, and LST trips were used
to transport personnel as yell as cargo.
Limited air transportation via PEM was
available between Inivetok airstrip end Bikini Lagoon,minly on an exergency basis.
This service had a certain measure of usefulness, but wasnot a satisfactory substitute
for the C-47 lift.
HR.
Rad-Safety Operations:
oe
TU=7 personnel arrived in force by early January and immediately set up
laboratory, training, decontemination ani control establishments, and became oriented
with the sites and organizations. At pitied, three shore units and one shipboerd
‘laboratory were required, ami BRAVO resulted in loss of the shore stations entirely.
The high level of contamination created conditions that required major revision of
the original Hildni plan.
A barge alengside the USS AINS™-CRTH was used for a radesafe
center to handle rost of the personnel decortarination, with scaller centers on USS
iSTLS and USS CURTISS, and or.e for helicopters on USS i AINOKO.
successfully operated after ERA, REID, and XCCi:.
-_
i
-
These centers vere
The ROMLD device ;ielded an
|