The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-07-02
Damage Assayed Guinea Fleet Found Highly Radio-actiue

Of Bikini AtoI, July = CUP)- Operations Crossroads scientists have determined that the atomic bomb exploded in Bikini lagoon was somewhat less powerful" than the bomb exploded over Nagasaki last year, Vice Adm. w. H. P. Blandy announced today.
 The bomb used at Bikini to de- ternline the effect of an atomic weapon against navy ships-an ef- feet thus far gauged in terms of five ships sunk, six wrecked and half the entire feet Of 7S ships danlaged-was of the same type as the Nagasaki missile. That bomb devastated 10 square miles of the Japanese city.
 Although less powerful than it's prototype, the Bikini bomb, accord ing to Blandy, was said by task force scientists to be perfectly normal Nagasaki type bomb"
 Second to Nagasaki
 "It was more powerful than the bomb exploded over New Mexico and more powerful than the Hiro- shima bomb which killed 80O00 per- sons," Blandy said. ->
 Evidence of the catacylsmic fury of the atom bomb swelled as board ing parties for the first time got close enough to the target ships in Bikini Lagoon to see the damage wrought in Mondays cosmic blast.
 Crews with scientific equipment moved cautiously among the stricken ships today to measure the damage
 Secretary of Navy James For restal in radio broadcast from shipboard said it was too early to draw specific conclusions but that he held broad and general opin- ion that there will still be navies in the world. "=
 More Destruction Found
 Like a man bleeding internally, the guinea pig fleet appeared in much better shape from a distance than from close up. Every passing hour brought new evidence of the magnitude of the destruction. ..
 In addition, much more damage than was apparent to the naked eye was believed locked in sturdy plates of the big ships by the tremendous stress put upon them in the blast.
 Besides sheared masts and buck led superstructures, fires were start ed on many of the ships more dis tant from the center of the concus- sion.
 Discovery of live goats munching their hay aboard the battleship Pennsylvania created a brief bit of optimism about the possibility of humans surviving the atomic blast Radiologists said they probably will die later of blood disorders induced by the radio-activity.
 Moving Fleet Could Escape
 Naval opinion was almost unani- nous that maneuvering fleet the ships, at least-could escape serious damage from an atomic bomb Most admitted, however, that casualties among crew members would be high.
 Radio-activity aboard nearly all ships in the heart of the target area was still too high for humans tc approach. Geiger Counters, which record of output of the deadly rays buzzed like hornets as observers ap- preached the ships.
 Elandy and Secretary of Navy James c. Forrestal toured the la goon with a party of radiologists to- day and appeared impressed.
 Rear Adm. Thorwald A. Solberg in command of the target ship sal wage operation, said he was doing his utmost to get the ships ready fol the second half of the epic test oi the most destructive force ever ere ated by man.
 Set for July 22
 It is scheduled for July 9, tenta. lively, and Solberg said he thought he could have the ships ready with. in at least three or four weeks. At that time, an atomic bomb vii be exploded for the first time unde, water-24 feet beneath the surface Blandy and other navy men fee that this blow will be the one tx sink ships