activity resulting mainly from rediological decay. Intensity wes fairly even through the aree and dropped to zero fa less than a mile at the edges. I[t is suspected that, before this. discovery wes definite, in a few ceses ships enteredan srea of this type, nistook the rediaticn from the contamineted sea for fallout, and tumed on the washdown system. At any rate, in some cases the washdown systen did not reduce radiation reedings. Readings.did reduce sharply at a later time apparently when the ship left the area where radiation had veen encountered. After leaving : these areas ships reported radiation nad dropped to almost zero. | | The veahdown hose deteriorated somewhat during the operation; it rupturedoccasionally from the water pressure, end its porous surfece wee hard to deconteminate. . | The PC 1546 had only a low fire main pump capacitys so 8 P-500 pump was installed to supplement the ship's fire main pumos. This proved unsatisfactory Decause: a. Tt wae difficult to maintain water suction for the P~500 when undervay; bd. . Pump stoppages were frequent due to wat engine; c. “Pure stozpeges occured due to. fuel exhaustion; de | Personnel tending the ‘pump were exposed. to reiaticn. The problem was solved more cr less sati sfactozily by using the flre main pumos “only and decreasing the size of the weshdown systen nozzlas to a neint whate énough pressure could be neintaincd in tho systom to give & relatively small but fairly uniform sprey co~erage J mee | a