Evening star., 1946-07-26

bCiAAb, WAA1SAl AldS OWASS Pio'SA
conclusively it is sure death to
ships of all categories within a
half mile radius, probably would
have killed all men on decks had
crews manned the target vessels
in Bikini lagoon for yesterdays
underwater test.
That is the judgment of Vice
Admiral w. H. P. Blandy, COM
mander of Operation Crossroads
1T is probable that personnel
on deck would have been goners
If not Immediately, at least later
on" he said today in postblast
assessment of the weapon which
yesterday:
Sank the 26,lO0-ton battleshiI
Arkansas and the 33,000-ton carrier
Saratoga; so grievouSly wounded
the japanese battleship Nagato thai
she still is developing list; left
the destroyer Hughes in imminent
danger of sinking: sank some lighter
craft, and spread so much radio
activity that "a hours later, &c
square miles of water are con-
taminated.
Don Whitehead of the Associated
Press, after a flight over the lagoon
today, said yesterdays bomb proved
it as killer" of ships within a
half mile radius-the same radius
of sudden death" in the July
air burst test, as we'll as of the
death circle imprinted on the New
Mexico sands last year.
In the two Bikini tests, no Shir
within that radius has survived anc
the power of the bomb has extended
beyond it.
Radioactivity within the lagoon
bars a thorough check, but it il
definitely known that yesterdays ex'
plosion accounted for the Arkansas
the Saratoga, concrete yard oiler
a landing ship and the medium
landing ship from which the bomt
was suspended.
Aerial observers had said position!
of buoys indicated that five of the
submarines submerged for the test
were sunk but Admiral Blandy sale
today the evidence was inconclusive
Two or Three" Subs Sunk.
Charles McMurtry of the Associ.
ated Press flying over the lagoon
today in C-54. reported back thai
two or three submarines were
sunk
Mr.. McMurtry, whose plane few
as low as 400 feet, said he saw nc
sign of any animal life but added
it has not been disclosed whether
any of the $500 animals in the test
were placed above decks.
Admiral Blandy said that. had the
ships been manned yesterday, in
addition to loss of life on the decks
it is highly probable that many
of those below decks would have
been injured by "the physical shock
of the blast
The Admiral also observed:
Men doomed to die from the ef-
fects of an atom bomb might save
their ship from sinking.
Had there been men on the car
rier Saratoga, those not killed i'm
mediately by the blast likely could
have saved her from sinking since
seven and a half hours went by
before she plunged. But it was
quite possible that those men woulo
have died later.
Drone Damaged at 5000 Feet.
The unnamed drone airplane
5000 feet directly over the bomt
burst was damaged even though
this explosion had to travel through
cushion of water to reach the air
The bomb was about equal tt
others of the Nagasaki type. (T'hi'
refers to the atom bomb which
wrecked one third of that Japanese
city during the war;
Transports and other lightweight
ships failed to sink in any numbers
because they were farther away
from the center of the explosion
than the Arkansas and Saratoga.
The animals, now isolated by
radioactive waters from attention
have a 10 days supply of food ano
water on the target ships-if they
are alive.
Air Blast Exceeds Estimate.
Mai. Gen. William E. Kepner
commander of the Army's part in
the test, said the drone airplane
missed the blast 5000 feet below by
only six seconds. This was good
timing as the drone was allowed 1C
seconds margin. The blast broke
down the bomb bay doors and
dimpled the metallic sides of the
plane.
Rear Admiral w. S. Parsons
deputy commander of technical di-
rection, said that without doubt
the drone was injured by the all
blast from the underwater bomt
rather than by water shooting up.
ward. The water columns fina
height was 5000 feet under Ad
miral Parsons expectations.
After the water column had riser
to about 1000 feet, the blast from
the bomb caught up with and over
whelmed the rising water anc
spread it out" he explained.
There was more of blast in tn,
air than had been expected Tht
reason for this was unexplained. Il
probably means the depth of the
water over the hornh did not confipf
this nuclear giant as we'll as hac
been calculated.
Admiral Blandy. when asked, Il.
it true you arranged the target ship.
to permit the sinking of the Arkan.
sas and Saratoga?" answered;
apparently"
Then he quickly amplified. "Wt