CHAPTER IV, SECTION 4
There were encompassed in OPERATION
CASTLE a wide variety of marine requirements
included among which were:
(a) Water transportation
and cargo.
for
personnel
(b) Locating, improving and marking boat
channels.
‘c) Overhaul of existing and planting of
additional mooring buoys.
id) Movement, mooring and_ positioning
ot barges fitted as Zero Stations.
te) Support of Scientific groups in assembly and planting of waterborne Scientific Stations.
(f) Assistance to seagoing vessels in berthing.
(g) Assistance in installation and the matntenance of ali underwater piping.
(h) Deep sea diving.
(i) Operation of cable laving boats.
' WATER TRANSPORTATION.
During the
construction phase, intra-atoll water transportation requirements were met by the Holmes &
Narver boat pool. For the operational phase
the marine craft at the Jobsite were augmented
by 19 LCMs and 5 LCUs provided by Comfot omen reas
.
ere
mander Task Group 7.3. The volume of traffic
and the gencral over-all cargo carried was closely
watched and regular boat schedules were published so that the maximum use of available
operating craft was made. The responsibility
for the assignment of craft to meet the varying
dailv needs was delegated to the Marine Dispatcher. During the operational phase at Bikini
Atoll, the scheduling was assumed by a pane!
consisting of the H&N Assistant Marine Superintendent and the U.S. Navy Boat Pool Officer.
All operating cratt and dispatchers’ offices were
equipped with ship to shore radios. This assured
personnel safety and
rescue.
facilitated
the
control of the craft when out of sight of the
dispatcher, and permitted diversion of craft in
the lagoons as the need for this arose. All craft
operators were recuired to report their departure from a site and their estimated time
of arrival at their destination with information
as to their needs for assistance in loading or
unloading their cargos by riggers. heavy equipment operators or others. The dispatchers,
therefore, could make the necessary arrangements for this assistance in advance and thereby
reduce the time tnat the craft had to remain
on the beach or at the dock.
DUKWs were wiaely used in connection
with work on reef stations: on sites inaccessible
by boats: for manv scientific recovery jobs as
they are somewhat self-decontaminating; and
SESSSTLAT
EELATSARETE
.
2
ee Beye
:
7
a
Figure 4-25.
_
ok
DUKW on Site Bravo. Sites Alfa and Bravo were Restricted to DUKW’s Only
Page 4-34
ne