Atomic Bomb Test-USS SLC Log Book

Log Book for the USS SLC CA25
at the
Able-Baker Atomic Bomb Test

Crew size: 335
Bikini Atoll Arrival: 29 May, 1946... Departure 23 August, 1946
Crew Location for shot Able USS Rockbridge (APA-228)
Crew Location for shot Baker USS Rockbridge
Shot ABLE location; 895 yards (818 meters)SE
Shot BAKER location; 1,120 yards (1.0 km) ENE
Decontamination location; Bremerton, Washington
Sunk 25 May, 1948 off the southern California Coast
Task Unit and Function: The heavy Cruiser SALT LAKE CITY was a member of TU1.2.1 (Battleship and Cruiser Unit) Cruiser Division 23. It was a target ship for CROSSROADS. It's crew was evacuated before each shot.
SHOT ABLE...1 July, 1946, 0900
1030-1318 Evacuated crew to Rockbridge in preparation for Able.

2 July 1330. The commanding officer and 30 men re-boarded the ship with a rad-safe monitor from USS HAVEN (AH-12) and commenced opening up and inspecting all spaces above the main deck.
1600 Commenced survey of second deck.
1630 The commanding officer and boarding team evacuated the ship for the night.
3 July 0810-1640 the commanding officer and a boarding team of 50 men with rad-safe monitor re-boarded the ship and continued clearing lower deck compartments. Completed radio-logical clearance of entire ship, set condition zebra below the second deck, and evacuated the ship for the night.
4 July 0805-1630 the commanding officer and a boarding team of 160 men re-boarded the ship and continued clearing debris. All personnel returned to Rockbridge for the night.
5 July 0800-1615 the commanding officer and a boarding team of 160 men boarded to continue inspection of the ship and clear away debris. All personnel except a security detain of 18 men and 2 officers departed for the night.
6 July 0800 Team A and B, consisting of 150 men and the commanding officer boarded to continue inspection of the ship and clear away debris.
0835 Underway to Anchorage, assisted by ATR-40 and USS Achomaw(ATF148)
0912 Anchored in vicinity of berth 164
1640 The commanding officer and boarding team departed for ROCKBRIDGE; except for the security patrol
7 July 0930-1345 All personnel transferred from Rockbridge to SALT LAKE CITY
Shot BAKER..25 July 0835
23 July 0930 Transferred 55 men to Rockbridge in preparation for test BAKER
24 July 0915-1100 Evacuated remaining officers and enlisted men to Rockbridge
27 July 0844 USS Reclaimer (ARS-42) passed SALT LAKE CITY abeam to starboard; reading indicated 2 hour tolerance at about 30 feet (9.1 meters)
28 July 0940 Reclaimer passed SALT LAKE CITY which was down by the stern and listing to starboard.
29 July 1007 Reclaimer passed alongside SALT LAKE CITY. No change in list or trim. One-hour tolerance on ship, eight-hour tolerance in adjacent water.
31 July 1036 USS Clamp (ARS-33) directed to proceed to SALT LAKE CITY, placed monitor on board to make Geiger readings, replenish foam supply, and return to previous assignment.
1146 Clamp reported monitor advised that remaining in vicinity of Salt Lake City for more than 1 hour was unsafe.
1150 USS Conserver (aArs-39) directed to proceed to SALT LAKE CITY, place monitor on board to make Geiger readings, replenish foam supply and return to previous assignment.
1521 Conserver reported boarding of SALT LAKE CITY, Completed.
1652 Conserver inspected SALT LAKE CITY to check foam en route to Anchorage
1 August 0920 Special boarding team of about 50 men reported on board Conserver for re-boarding SALT LAKE CITY
0930 Conserver moored alongside SALT LAKE CITY'S portside. Special boarding parties went on board to rig equipment in flooded spaces for pumping them out. Other parties were sent onboard to wash down the main deck areas with high pressure hoses. A careful record was kept of the exposure of each man to radioactivity to prevent any man from receiving more than the established daily tolerance. The boarding time was on board for approximately 4-1/2 hours.
2 August 0815 The commanding officer and a team of about 50 men boarded Conserver to continue pumping out flooded spaces and decontaminating SALT LAKE CITY Conserver hosed down SALT LAKE CITY'S for about 30 minutes. Average radiation was 3 -4 R/24 hours on weather decks except the forecastle, which averaged 2 R/24 hours before work was begun. No readings were taken at the end of the day's work (Reference 4)
0845-1600 Conserver moored alongside SALT LAKE CITY'S's portside to continue pumping out flooded spaces. Washed down forecastle with boiler compound and lye solution and cleared radioactive pieces of metal on the deck. A careful record was kept of each man's exposure to radiation. Conserver cast off from alongside at the end of the day's operation.
3 August 0900 The commanding officer and a boarding team of 50 men boarded SALT LAKE CITY'S from LCVPs and began decontamination work with soap solution and sand. No other cleaning materials were available (Reference 4) Commenced radiological survey of the weather deck.
1100 The second team boarded the ship and continued scrubbing down with soap and sand. The first team returned to Rockbridge where all men were checked for radiological contamination.
1300 The second team returned to Rockbridge where all men were checked for radiological contamination. Forecastle readings reduced to 1 R/24 hours with steel deck about 0.5 R' 14 hours (Reference 4)
4 August 0905 The commanding officer and the first boarding team of 50 men boarded SALT LAKE CITY'S and continued decontamination. Commenced radiological survey of the ship. Holystoned forecastle with soap and sand from open bridge, pilot house level, communications deck, and entire main deck. Open bridge and pilot house reduced from 12 R/24 to 4 R/24 hours average. Water in some drains and puddles gave high readings; the water was removed later (Reference 4)
0930 Freshwater on the ship was declared radiological safe for drinking.
1100 Second boarding team reported on board and continued decontamination. First boarding team returned to Rockbridge where they were checked for radiological contamination.
1300 The third boarding team reported on board and continued decontamination. The second team returned to Rockbridge where all men were checked for radiological contamination.
1500 The third boarding party evacuated SALT LAKE CITY'S and returned to Rockbridge where all men were checked for radiological contamination.
5 August 0800 Special party on board to start diesel generators
0910 The commanding officer and a special boarding team of 50 men boarded and commenced cleaning machinery spaces and topside radiological contamination, commenced daily radiological survey of the ship.
1055 Second boarding team reported aboard to relieve the first team
1110 First boarding team returned to Rockbridge where all men were checked for radiological contamination.
1300 Third boarding team reported on board to relieve the second team.
1315 Second boarding team returned to Rockbridge where all men were checked for radiological contamination.
1500 third team returned to Rockbridge where all men were checked for radiological contamination.
A complete survey was begun and readings of representative areas were recorded. Each day the same routine was followed and readings recorded to determine changes. Each day new "hot spots" were discovered that were not previously known to exist. Every effort was made to prevent anyone from receiving more than the established radiation tolerance. It was found necessary to caution men continually about precautions to be taken around radioactive areas. Some men were still found handling debris with bare hands, although rubber gloves were available. Men were worked in groups with one petty officer for every five or six men (Reference 4).

The work parties cleared away wood gratings, bunting, and other debris from open bridge, scrubbed the deck, and washed it down. Flushed down well deck, after superstructure deck, and main deck aft. No caustic cleaning materials were available. Average readings on bridge and pilot house were reduced to 2.5 to 3 R/24 hours and communication deck to about 3 R/24 hours.
6 August 0910-1510 Three parties of 50 men each in 2 hour relays boards (Reference 4). At the end of each period aboard SALT LAKE CITY men returned to Rockbridge and were checked for radiological contamination. A strong solution of hydrochloric acid was applied to a steel plate and scrubbed for several minutes, then flushed off. No control area was used but the results were very nearly the same as the acetic acid. Sprayed lye solution on bulkheads and deck of open bridge, pilot house level, turret No. 1, communication deck and forecastle deck. Flushed off lye solution after scrubbing with deck scrubbers, removing several coats of paint from painted surfaces, readings generally reduced 10 to 15 percent on wooden deck; painted surfaces reduced 25 to 35 percent. Removed vent cover portside, frame 100 main deck, reading outside was 60 R/24; reading inside was 100 R/24 hours. Flushed out vent with hose, reading reduced to 9 R/24 hours. (Reference 4)
7 August 0915-1500 Three parties of 50 men in 2 hour relays boarded. When the parties returned to Rockbridge all men were checked for radiological contamination.

Holystoned main deck from forecastle to well deck. Sprayed lye solution on bulkheads from turret 1 to well deck. Lost electric poser at 1400. Unable to wash down scrubbed decks. Cleaned out contaminated newspapers and canvas from wing storage frame 60. Readings reduced from 48 R/24 hours to 4 R/24 hours. Cleaned out debris from spud locker and flushed it out. Readings reduced from 32 R/24 to 10 R/24 hours, maximum, with about 5 R/24 hours average. A piece of wood deck was removed from the well deck after measuring the radiation of the area. The section was then brought to Rockbridge and planed down with a joiner machine by 1/16=inch cuts: 5/16 inch was removed to bring the wood to tolerance.(Reference 4)
8 August Began boarding with two parties of 80 men each in 3 hour relays to reduce time lost in changing work parties. All men were checked for radiological contamination when they returned to Rockbridge.

Complete flushing loose paint from areas where solution was applied the previous day. The solution had to be reapplied to remove the paint. All bulkheads and turrets in the forward half of the ship had the solution applied that day. Commenced spraying and flushing of bulkheads on after superstructure deck. Considerable paint was removed, although reduction in general radiation as about 10 percent. Where paint collected in puddles around drains on communication deck, reading increased from 1/5 to 5 R/24 hours. Puddles were removed. (References 4)
9 August Two parties of 80 men each in 3 hour relays boarded. All men were checked for radiological contamination when they returned to Rockbridge.

Removed radioactive debris from after searchlight platform. Removed pockets of radioactive sand and debris in airplane crane structure and around structure behind the after stack. Removed paint with lye solution from turret Nos. 3 and 7 secondary con structure and gun shield on after superstructure deck. Slight reduction in radiation apparent, although a complete survey was not made after completion of work.

SALT LAKE CITY was not boarded again for the regular daily survey conducted each morning (Reference 4) until further orders.
12 August 0830 Several members of the Red Safe section reported on board and checked all clothing that had been worn by men working on SALT LAKE CITY. All pieces of clothing and shoes above tolerance were collected and later disposed of by dumping at sea in weighted bundles. Eleven men sent urine samples to Haven for Radiological analysis.
13 August 0830 Four men sent to Haven to recheck urine samples.
17 August 0830 Executive officer and 18 officers and enlisted men boarded to heave in port anchor.
1200 All personnel evacuated the ship.
23 August 1100 SALT LAKE CITY underway for Kwajalein in tow by USS Chickasaw (ATF-83)
24 August 0830 Anchored in Berth Love 31, Kwajalein.
28 August Decommissioned
SALT LAKE CITY was towed by USS Takeima (ATF-113) and USS Hitchiti (ATF-103) to Puget sound Naval Shipyard, arriving there 28 July, 1947. It was used for decontamination experiments and research.

History of the USS SLC during "Operation Crossroads" 1946
Cruiser's Brave Stand
Great Ship, by Dan Valentine, SLC, UT.
Valiant "Swayback" Nears Final Rest
Amazing Pictures of the Atomic Testing at Operation Crossroads
Meeting the Bomb at Close Quarters by Matin Zuberi, JNU
Navy to Sink Proud Old Cruiser
Bikini 'Guinea Pig' Comes to Sound
Boy Spy: Private Photos of the SLC after Bikini

02-24-11
Famed Cruiser's Last Day at Sea...May 25th, 1948
SLC Goes to her Watery Grave
SLC Veterans that went to Operation Crossroads
Elegy for "Old Swayback" by Donald C. Trenary, Lt.
Radioactivity Lingers Longer in Water Blast, 1948
Where is the SLC now?
"My Sweetheart Cries in the Night"
"Message in a Barnacle Coated Bottle"

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