OBSERVERS DESCRIBE TERRIFIC EXPLOSION

Chronicle (Levin), 2 July 1946, Page 5

OBSERVERS DESCRIBE TERRIFIC EXPLOSION

Press Assn.

By Telegraph

-Copyright

Received Tuesday, 9 a.jn. BIKINI, July 2. "We saw a terrifie blast, followed by a second blast, which made a great dome of fire over the lagoon— peaches and cream coloured, boiling inside in a sort of inferno," said one observer, describing the explosion which followed the dropping of the atomic bomb over Bikini yesterdayy "Nothing has been observed contrary to the original plans and estimates," commented Vice-Admiral W. H. Blandy, commander of the task force, broadcasting from his flagship, the U.S.S. Mount McKinley. "It is safe to say at this time that this demonstration has been highly successful from the viewpoint of the operations and test." Observers aboard the Press ship Appalachian said the shock and noise of the explosion were not great. It was about \ '* seconds before the shock reached the ship. \j The broadcaster on the Appalachian, said that no casualties had been reported. The bomb appeared to fall a little off the target, because the Nevada could be seen clearly when the dust and smoke cleared. A nearby aircraft-carrier, presumably the Independence, seemed to have lost part of her superstructure. Observers on the Panamint, the ship reserved for the seientisfs, said they saw an "initial bounce" of low-lying red flame. The smoke seemed slow in rising. A broadcaster on another ship said he saw a great flash and a huge cloud of low-lying flames, the dominant colours of which were red and white. Then a column of low-rising smoke, typical of the bombs dropped on Japan, was seen passing up throngh the flames, finally bursting through them at about 10,000 feet. A wave of heat was felt on the observer ships. An instant later eame the heaVy concussion of the blast. The United States Secretary of the Navy (Mr. Forrestal), who watched the bombing, said it was tremendous.

A Task Kot'ce spokosiinm ajinounml lliat Ihe 1oll was: — Sunk : The lcahisport William Carlisle. Ileaviiy dainaged : The cai'rier Iiide])e]i(leiiee and stil)iiiarine Skate. ( .'a])sized : The de.slroyer faunpton. Set on fire: The carrier Saratog.a, the liatlleshi]) Xevada, ihe destroyer Wilsoii, th' transport Briseoe. Sliglil ly daiiiaLo (1 : The Oapanese eruiser Sakawa, the ei'uiser Pensaeola, the fhipanr.se linttlesliip Xagato, a small oil lender. Seen from Ihe Appalachian. Ihe Independence seemed Ihe mos1 sevei-ely damaged. The ship's supersl ruclure was praol ieally toru awav, de.'k plates gonged u]) and a piece of Ihe stern hlown off. She a])])ea red listing as the ve.su 11 of Ihe lerrilie hlow. One oflicei- has announeed that tlie dennan heavy eniiser Prinz Kugen and also Ihe dapanese Nagato weve heavily damaged. He added: "This was a eomjdete siu prise 1o most of us hui it is the ofiieial repoi't." The lirst two waves of the task force entered Bikini lagoon within thi'ee hours of Ihe homh being dropped. The tirst to retiu-n were the men ehecking the radio activity of the water, shi])s and islands, and also to establish sai'etv eondilions before the remainder of the tleet re-entered. A bi'ief announeement. stated that ]*adiologieal aetivity was about as expected. The Appalaehian's doctors exposed two X-i-ay plates as the bomb burst ls milcs away. Sliglit radio aetivity was veeorded equal to one-t wentieth of a second under ordinary X-rav which is harndess to humans.