The Archeology of the Atomic Bomb
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THE ARCHEOLOGY OF THE ATOMIC BOMB: A Submerged Cultural Resources Assessment of the Sunken Fleet of Operation Crossroads at Bikini and Kwajalein Atoll Lagoons U.S. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE SUBMERGED CULTURAL RESOURCES UNIT NATIONAL MARITIME INITIATIVE THE ARCHEOLOGY OF THE ATOMIC BOMB: A SUBMERGED CULTURAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT OF THE SUNKEN FLEET OF OPERATION CROSSROADS AT BIKINI AND KWAJALEIN ATOLL LAGOONS REPUBLIC OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS Prepared for: The Kili/Bikini/Ejit Local Government Councii By: James P. Delgado Daniel J. Lenihan (Principal Investigator) Larry E. Murphy Illustrations by: Larry V. Nordby Jerry L. Livingston Submerged Cultural Resources Unit National Maritime Initiative United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Southwest Cultural Resources Center Professional Papers Number 37 Santa Fe, New Mexico 1991 TABLE OF CONTENTS ... LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS . 111 FOREWORD . vii Secretary of the Interior, Manuel Lujan, Jr. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . ix CHAPTER ONE: Introduction . 1 Daniel J. Lenihan —.. .—. Yroject Mandate and Background . 1 Methodology . 4 Activities . 7 CHAPTER TWO: Operation Crossroads . 11 James P. Delgado The Concept ofa Naval Test Evolves, . 14 Preparing for the Tests . 18 The Able Test . ., . ...,,, . 23 The Baker Test . 27 Decontamination Efforts . 29 The Legacy of Crossroads . 31 The 1947 Scientific Resurvey . 34 CHAPTER THREE: Ship’s Histories for the Sunken Vessels . 43 James P. Delgado USS Saratoga . 43 USS Arkansas . 52 HIJMSNagato . 55 HIJMSSakawa . 59 USSPrinzEugen . 60 USS Anderson . 64 USS Larson . 66 USSApogon . 70 USS Pilotfish . 72 USSGilliam . 73 USS Carlisle . 74 ARDC-13 . 76 YO-160 . 76 LCT-414, 812, 1114, 1175, and1237 . 77 CHAPTER FOUR: Site Descriptions . 85 James P. Delgado and LarryE. Murphy Introduction . 85 Reconstructing the Nuclear Detonations . 86 i Site Descriptions: Vessels Lost During the Able Test . 90 USSGilliam . 90 USS Carlisle....,..,.,., . 92 Site Descriptions: Vessels Lost During the Baker Test . 93 I.JSS Arkansas . 93 USSSaratoga . ..e... 100 USS Pilotfish . 124 USSApogon . 125 YO-160 .,.....,.,...,.. 127 HIJMSNagato . 128 LCT-1175 . 132 Site Descriptions: Vessels Lost After the Test . , . 134 USSPrinz Eugen . 134 Final Observations,.,,,.. , ., .,, , .,, ,,, ,,,,.,, . 136 CHAPTER FIVE: The Significance of the Sunken Vessels of Operation Crossroads James P. Delgado ..,...... ...143 Monuments and Memorials to the Dawn of the Atomic Age . , . , , . 144 Insuring the Navy’s Survival in the Age of the Bomb , . , . , , . , . 145 ADemonstration ofWealth and Power .,, .,, .,.....,, .,, ., ..,.,..,, 148 Crossroads as a Spectacle and Demonstration . , . 150 Learning to Live with the Bomb . 153 The Reality of the Bomb: Radioactive Fears . 154 Crossroads at the Bottom of the Sea, . 157 Confronting the Atomic Age., . 158 CHAPTER SIX: Nuclear Park Potential . 163 Daniel J. Lenihan Precedent . 163 Park Appeal ., ..,.,,.,. ., .,.,,,...,,,.,.,.. 163 Park Protection .,.,,,... 165 Interpretive/EducationalDevices . 166 DivingSafety/Liability . 168 Special Diving Hazards: Explosives, Radiation , . , . 169 Environmental Hazards Posedby Ships . 170 Mooring Systems . .,, 170 Conclusions and Recommendations , .,, ,,, ,, ., .,,,...,. 170 APPENDIX I: Target Vessels at Bikini and Their Disposition , , . , . , . , . 173 APPENDIX II: Relics of Operation Crossroads , . , . , . , . , 177 APPENDIX III: Estimates of Radiological Dose at Bikini (W. L, Robison, 1990) . , . , 179 APPENDIX IV: Archeological Site Record Forms for the Documented Shipwrecks . 189 BIBLIOGRAPHY . ,, ...,....,,,..,...,..197 SUBMERGED CULTURAL RESOURCES UNIT REPORT AND PUBLICATION SERIES... 205 ii Site Descriptions: Vessels Lost During the Able Test . 90 USSGilliam . ..” ’”s”sss ““.””.””””” 90 USS Carlisle . ..”” .””” ”s””” ““”””””,’ 92 Site Descriptions: Vessels Lost During the Baker Test , . 93 USS Arkansas . ..s””. s”.” ..”.”””””’. 93 I 100 I USS Saratoga . .. s”.””””.. .“”.””.”.’” USSPiloifish . .....”””’”””.”””.””.” 124 USSApogon . ..”s”” s”’ .“””””””.” 125 YO-160 . ..’.”.s ““”c””””” 127 HIJMSNagato . ......c.’””oo””s””os ““ 128 LCT-1175 . ! . .$ ., $$. .$ . ..$. ..”” $””” ““”o””””” 132 Site Descriptions: Vessels Lost After the Test . , . , , . 134 USSPrinz Eugen . ...”””” s“.”””.””’”” 134 Final Observations . ..s ...”.”””””.”””” 136 CHAPTER FIVE: The Significance of the Sunken Vessels of Operation Crossroads James P. Delgado . ..s s.”””” C..”0..0”””0.14343 Monuments and Memorials to the Dawn of the Atomic Age . 144 Insuring the Navy’s Survival in the Age of the Bomb . , . 145 ADemonstration ofWealth and Power . 148 Crossroads as a Spectacle and Demonstration . 150 Learning to Live with the Bomb . ..