the Marines afrerutt, operating of f BUN KS. “peroticas dere dire ected by the C¥S's iir Operations Sectica in close lisioun «lth oTG Vel oper tions representatives now based aboard EAlXkUSS to coordinate Te 7.1 and TO 7.5 Lift reyairenmts,. 53. ‘The helicopter airlift was conducted withoul a serlous per scnnel casualty. One major accident occurred oa 28 denuary when an eircraft crashed on deck upon take off from the B-IKOKO, due to a eechanical failure. Passengers sad arey escaped aith minor brulsea. The landin, signal officer was slightly injured wien he was struck by. @ fragment of the rotar blade. ne afiraratt made a forced lesiiny an @ sanispit at Gikini Island on a ROKED minus one day while svacustion for the shot was in progress. Mo one was injuredy the aireraft wes repaired and returned to BAIROKO without any significant delay. With rost Tlights concucted over water, ani many over extremely redicactive eréas, BAIRCK) exercised close control during all ighte, with hellcopters aaking frequent position reporta, iscort helicopters often acconpenied aircraft cn miscions over “*hot® aress, She Prior to arrivel of tae teak group in the forward area a navigelional buoyave eysten had oven installed at Bikini ani channels ani turning basine wiredragged and marked. A special limited edition of theHO Chart for Bikini atell hed besa prepared axi issued to task group ships, Arrangements had veen completed with CTG 7.5 for reten=- tion of otructures on islanie of the atoll for use ax navigational AW