Evening star., 1946-07-01
3 Ships Sunk, 8 Badly Damaged
In Bomb Test; Is Others Sustain
Less Serious Harm, B|ondy Says
All Capitol Vessels
AfIoot; independence
Gets Brunt of BIost
BY Don Whitehead
Associated Press Sioff Writer


ABOARD U. S. S. APPALA-
CHAN, off Bikini, July 1.-Three
of the 73 old target warships
we're sunk and eight others badly
damaged in today's spectacular
test of the fourth atomic bomb,
Vice Admiral w. H. P. Blandy
reported tonight as vessels of his
task force moved into Bikini la
COON to survey damage.
This was based on a cursory in
spection. Many ships are burning
The total could be higher by day
break.
1nconclusive surveys show these
results:
Sunk-Three ships out of 73 in the
guinea pig" target fleet. These are
the attack transports Gillian and
Carlisle and the destroyer Lamson.
Two May Sink.
Damaged-The destroyer Ander-
son and the japanese light cruiser
Sakawa SO severely hit they may
sink. The carrier Independence set
fercely atiame and listing badly.
The battleship Arkansas, the Japa-
nese battleship Nagato, the subma-
rine Skate, the heavy cruiser Pensa-
cola and one tank landing ship badly
damaged. About 25 other ships, in
Guiding the battleShip Pennsylvania
slightly damaged. The Pennsylva-
MIA had only a small fire, which was
eXtinguished.
No lives were lost.
Whether the atomic bomb will
force navies of the world into new
construction and battle tactics re-
manned the days big question.
Capital Ships Afioat.
The bomb wrought a great deal
of damage to ships anchored in the
lagoon, but the blast did not sink
a capital ship. even though they
were directly under the explosion.
Admiral Blandy declined at a
press conference to draw any con-
clusions from the test.
That's not our job he said.
I'VE put facts before the Evalua-
ton Board of the joint Chiefs OF
Staff and the Evaluation Commits
sion of the President and they draw
conclusions.
Scientists aboard the admlrals
flagship said they thought today,s|
bomb was about equal in nuclearl
efficiency to the one used at Naga-
saki.
Goats Appear All Right.
On the deck of the Pennsylvania,
contentedly chewing hay, were a
number of goats which had been
placed aboard to determine the
effect OF atomic energy on animals.
Rear Admiral Thorvald Solberg
said the goats had a gleam in
their eye and seemed perfectly
happy
There have been no reports on
what happened to animals on other
ships, particularly those near the
center of the lagoon.
An underwater test of the bomb
will be held in the next three or
four weeks, Admiral Blandy, de-
pending on how soon he will be
able to make preparations and get
the feet into position.
Today's bomb burst in a huge
flash. sending up great multl-col-
ored balls and tremendous column
of lethal cloud.
There was no tidal wave or earth
quake as a result. In fact observers
reported that palm tree on the atou
appeared intact.
Nonetheless, Admiral Blandy de-
scribed the experiment sa success
full and congratulated all hands IN
volyed. Navy Secretary Forrestal
likewise termed the test a we'll
planned and well-eXecuted opera
ton"
The bomb burst with binding
flash at am. Is pm, Sunday,
ESTD.
Howard Blakeslee, Associated Press
science writer, reported the heart
of the resultant cloud was pink,
turning to gold as 1t shot up at
about one quarter of mile a min
ute.
The bomb first began to lose
its ball shape and mushroomed,
he wrote. AS it pierced one cloud
layer above another there seemed
to be several balls, one above
another.
Above $4,000 Feet.
After one hour the top of the
cloud was well above 10000 feet.
This top was a mushroom which
had shot out and up from the orig
inal mushroom, put after on hour
this top was a huge, hazy cloud,
distinguished from other natural
clouds around it only by its slightly
brown color.
Its shape was that of an ice
cream cone that had melted quite
fat. It was probably 20 miles
wide"
The first craft entered the lagoon
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