Evening star., 1946-07-24
Bikini A-bomb
SET for Test at
4::35P.M'. Today
IS Ships Ready for
First Underwater j,
Atom Explosion
by the Ax.ccjoted Press

ABOARD THE U. S. S. MT. Nc
KINLEY, July Is (Thursday).-A
small group of scientists and
Rear Admiral w. s. Parsons
boarded a barge in Bikini Lagoon
shortly before last midnight to
cock the trigger for today's
underwater atom bomb test
against rs target ships.
The boarding followed mid-eve-
ming meeting at which Vice Admiral
w. H. P. Blandy decided, in view
of improving weather conditions, to
go ahead with the test on schedule.
This calls for detonation at 8::35 am
abs pm. EST, Wednesday, United
States date or as soon thereafter as
weather permits.
DR.. Marshall Holloway, Cornell
physicist, who will push the last
button on the remote-controlled fir
ing mechanism, was among those
who went aboard the barge in the
midst of ships making up a feet
stronger than most navies of the
world.
The group travelled from their
laboratory ship to the weapon ves-
sci in a small picket boat. The men
climbed on the barge to join a small
crew and sentries guarding the craft.
Weather Improves.
Weathermen told Admiral Blandy
that conditions, which were not good
yesterday morning, had improved
steadily through yesterday.
The admiral in command of "Op-
GRAFTON Crossroads" then said he
would continue with plans for the
test, making postponements every
30 minutes If need be up to about
II am. q pm. today, EST.
If weather conditions by that hour
are against the test, it will be post
poned until at least July 27.
BY last nightfall, all but nine
shlps-excluSive of target ships
had left the lagoon. These were as
signed to pick up skeleton crews at
dawn today on the target vessels,
also the men who remained on the
islands during the night to prepare
recording equipment and make last
preparations.
Lights showed on only a few of
the rs target ships last night. They
were mere pin pricks of illumina-
tion in the sprawling black shadows
OF the bomb-menaced fleet.
Despite the weatherman's hopeful
outlook. the sky last night was
Starless and overcast. The usually
steady trade wind had died down
to virtual calm. That wind is
necessary to carry away radioactive
spray and clouds. Without 1t,
Admiral Blandy would not order
the bomb blown up.
Elaborate Secrecy Maintained.
Early yesterday a small craft
believed to be the one from which
the earth's first subsurface A-bomb
is suspended was towed into Bikini
Lagoon past the 20 combat ships
and 46 other vessels.
The semifinal act of this second
atomic drama in Bikini lagoon
within a month was performed with
all the elaborate secrecy of war
time.
The mysterious small craft en-
tered the lagoon in tow of a tug
early in the day, and passed the
line of target ships, many scared
and blasted by the aerial A-bomb
of July /.
1t moved on to the central loca-
ton from which lines of target
ships radiated outward as much as
2 miles like the spokes of a giant
wheel.
A canvas cover concealed the
bomb from the eyes of the crew
that submerged it.
No one is sure how many, if anv,
OF the rs ships and IL small craft
anchored in the lagoon will survive
the enormous underwater shock and
sea turbulance generated by the
bomb.
Oceanographers expect waves to
be so feet high at distance half
a mile from the explosion. The
IL small boats and seven landing
(See BIKINI, Page A-2)