Evening star., 1946-07-02
ForrestaI Risks
Atomic RaYsin
Tour Of Bikiini
Secretary and BIondy
Inspect Damages
From A-Bomb
BY The ksxocioted Press

ABOARD Z. S. S. MOUNT
MCKINLEY, July 2.-Secretary of
the Navy Forrestal and Vice Ad-
miral w. H. P. Blandy today
risked exposure to radioactivity
to inspect atomic devastation in
Bikini Lagoon on A-day-plus-
one and witness the final agony
of the Japanese light cruiser
SakaWa, the fifth test ship to
sink.
Meanwhile. firefghting crews
worked on into the second Gay in
atom blasted Bikini lagoon today,
dousing lingering pockets of flame
through the target fleet.
Greater Toll Seen.
That the second test. tentatively
scheduled within three or four
weeks, may take far greater toll
was indicated in an interview with
Mr. Forrestal radioed from the
flagship Mount Mckinley. He ex-
pressed surprise at the relatively
unimportant" damage inflicted upon
the heavier ships by yesterdays air
drop, but noted that such ships are
difficult to sink unless they sustain
underwater damage"
The second atomic blast is to be
set off under water, with the sea
transmitting terrific blow to the
hulls of the test fleet.
Tho 1ou0nrN of mid fl fnGo,,
still was "reacting" from blast and
lethal radiation of yesterday morn
ing's aerial burst, Brig. Gen. Roger
M Ramey, air force commander,
reported from KWajalein. He termed
the operation "a complete and un-
qualified success"
Still Need Navies.
Mr.. Forrestal warned against pre-
mature conclusions, but voiced one
generally as result of his own OBJ
servations: There still will be
navies in the future"
Whether crewmen could have
lived through the blast remained an
unanswered question, but scientists
expect to learn much by observing
the effects of the rays upon surviv-
ing test animals, tethered at bat
tie stations aboard the target feet.
First listed as missing the de-
stoyer Anderson later was an
nounced definitely sunk
Nevertheless. it was "by no means
test of airpoWer against the Navy
Gen. Ramey announced. The pri-
mary task of the air forces was Ito
demonstrate the flexibility of air
power and atomic power" he ex-l
plained-and 'the feasibility of such
intricate timing has been demon
strated, even to those of us who
planned it while doubling its posssi-
bilities."
Should We have to fight again, I |
believe that Bikini demonstrated
our capability to enter the fight with
precision team of air and atomic
power"
Starts Slipping Under.
The SakaWa, her superstructure
fattened and her stern open to the
sea, started slipping under while Mr.
Forrestal and the commander of
Joint Task Force No. were look
ing over the blasted light carrier
Independence from the deck of a
picket boat.
Disregarding the radioactivity still
lingering aboard ships in the target
arrays bullseye circle, Admiral
Blandy order the picket boat full
Spnnd ohno6D WI
the information shouted from a
salvage tub that the Ss<.awa was
going down.
For dozen minutes, Mr. Forrestal,
Admiral Blandy and others of their
party watched fascinatingly from SO
yards away while the Japanese 5000
tonner gradually gave up the ghost.
Her stern resting on the bottom
and listing to the left, the Sakawa
finally disappeared in greenish foam
at 10:40 am.
Earlier, Mr.. Forrestal and Admiral
Blandy had braved gamma radia-
ton for closeup view of the heavy
hulled submarine Skate-hardest hit
Of the 73 craft subjected to atomic
violence III yesterday test burSt.
Skate Closest to Bomb.
Admiral Blandy-s deputy for tech-
nical direction, Rear Admiral w. S.
Parsons, expressed the belief that
the Skate was the closest of all tar
gets to the bomb burst. He said she
was subjected to more than 500
pounds pressure per square inch.
The Skate was about so yards
astern of the Nevada, aiming point
Of the array, when the bomb burst.
Because of her wrecked condition,
she was towed out of the array to-
day and may be beached if inspec-
ton shows she is taking water.
James Nolan of st. Louis. radio-
logist of the Los Alamos, N. Mex,
tSee BOMB, Page A-3D