TESTS AFTER BRAVO Test operations following BRAVO were seriously affected by the physical damage and radiological contamination from that burst and by the many Postponements and schedule changes due to unfavorable weather. Th Com- mander, TU 13 of TG 7.1 cited a number of BRAVO's effects on subsequent Operations (Reference 40, p. 16). Among the more important were the: (1) gradual loss of personnel as their total cumulative radiation bxposure exceeded the maximum limit because of radiological contamination oF Bikini Atoll land areas to which entry was mandatory for project purposes (2) loss of equipment by Projects 2.2 and 2.5 from a secondary fir by BRAVO on the Eneman Island support facility; (3) conversion froft caused land- based to ship-based operations at Bikini, with attendant difficultlles of personnel transport, communications, and equipment handling; (4) sBvere boating conditions at Bikini during delay periods because of unfavprable weather, which restricted maintenance of the experimental test stafions; (5) deterioration of test stations caused by salt spray, humidity, rain, and intense sun during the repeated shot-day postponements becausefof unfavorable weather; and (6) changes of shot sequence, sites, and prpdicted yields. SCHEDULE CHANGES The pre-CASTLE schedule called for seven shots as listed in Table 27. This schedule reflected a concept designed to preserve the use of [he Aerokojlol-Aerokoj airstrip and facilities on Eneman, and on thosef islands connected to it by causeways, until the last shot. about 2.5 miles (4 km) The airstrip from the burst point of this last shot, andj storage facility was even closer on Lele. an oil Since these would probably be- come useless following the Eneman shot, it was placed last. 246 s only eta ope aed REA reper oeneg Swe ee ees + AFe IgE IE EE ee CHAPTER 5