from zero point.
.t the time of the detonation all task force ships in the
Bikint area wero located southeast of the atoll at least thirty milcs from
zero point.
after the shot it became necessary to close the camps on Sikini
toll because of the radiological contamination 2nd blest damage,
operations et Bikind were conducted principally fron afloat.
Subsequent
Eeceusa of
unfavorable weather conditions dt Bikini, it wes not until 27 March that
ROMEO was detonated.
The concept of the shot schedule was reviewed -nd
revised to incorporate more flexibility,
at Eniwetok .toll.
NECT.R was rescheduled to be fired
On 7 ..pril, KOON was detonated at Bikini, on Enincan
Island. Becauso of the poor results of KOON, ECHO was cancelled. at about
the. same time, the original Y..NKEE was cancelled and a modified version of
ROMEO was added as YANKEE
|} On 22 april, the task force was capable
of detonating either NECTAR at Eniwetok ..toll or UNION at Biking .toll.
This
was the first instance of such flexibility in U. S. testing history, However,
weather conditions were unfavorable, and it was not until 26 .pril that UNION
was detonated,
Preparations for firing YNKEE at Bikini were completed while
awaiting favorable weather at Erdwetok to fire NECTAR.
By § ‘lay, Y.NKCE was
readied and detonated.
On1, May, the Eniwetok weather became favorable and
NECTAR was detonated.
Except for rollup and redeployment, tho on-site phase
was cseentially completed with the last shet,
@.
ns tasks were completod, units of the task force were redeployed
ert individuals were returned to parent orgenizations or were reassicned.
In
accordance with previously prepared plans, reduced planning staffs and certain
troop elements were reformed 2s components of tho task force in order to
provide for contimuity of operations, and for economical, expeditious support
of future operations,