In order to carry out this long list of functions, TG 7.3
nized into task elements.
naval units
involved,
Ss orga-
The task elements with their functi
and numbers of persons are presented
Throughout Operation CASTLE,
s,
in T Able 5.
the vast majority of the 6,351 personnel
of TG 7.3 remained on board the ships to which they were assign Pd.
to BRAVO, getonated on 1 March at Bikini Atoll, only a few men
tioned on Eneman Island at Bikini.
Prior
ere sta-
These included the personne
and air-
craft of the Bikini Fighter Element, TE 7.3.2.2, the Bikini Boa
dispatcher
the
Pool
(who worked on board the boat pool houseboat YFN-934
approximately half of the personnel of HMR-362 with six HRS-2 h
ters.
Following shot BRAVO,
Eneman was abandoned,
TE 7.3.2.2 w Ss trans-
ferred to Enewetak Island, and the HMR-362 personnel moved thei
from the
island back on board
the carrier.
the Bairoko and continued to oper
The boat pool dispatcher continued to work on boa
in the interim periods between Bikini shots.
Since Navy activities were concentrated at Bikini, particul
shot BRAVO, the majority of the task grqup ships remained there
constantly.
Originally, the flagship, Estes, was to be based at Enewetak
between Bikini shots.
However, when all Bikini operations moved afloat
after 1 March, the Estes remained at Bikini for most of the oper tion.
Relatively few TG 7.3 personnel were stationed on shore at E
Atoll during the shot phase of Operation CASTLE.
A rough estima
number of people and their location is shown in Table 6.
The Surface Security Unit, 7.3.1, always had two destroyer e
Stationed at Enewetak.
Similarly, the Utility Unit, 7.3.5, had
two tugs
Ships assigned to the atoll rotated at r
(ATFs)
intervals.
YAG-39
there.
The LSTs of the Transport Unit, 7.3.9, were based at
(USS George Eastman)
and YAG-40
(USS Granville S. Hall)
wee also
based at Enewetak because the personnel of Project 6.4 were locatkd on
Parry Island.
On several occasions other task group ships came ofer from
63