BOMBS AT BIKINI 



nated the final scientific preparations. Principal assist- 

 ants were Dr. E. W. Thatcher, Captain F. L. Riddle 

 (Navy), Commander E. S. Grilfillan, Jr., Commander 

 A. W. McReynolds, Lieutenant Commander J. K. 

 Debenham, and Ensign H. M. Archer. 



These men had little time for sunning on the upper 

 deck, or watching the evening movies. Dressed in short- 

 sleeved khaki shirts, abbreviated khaki trousers, -and 

 sneakers, they worked in their small, hot, humid quar- 

 ters from early morning until late at night. They had 

 to study final plans, iron out the few minor inconsis- 

 tencies, locate men to help out on lagging projects. They 

 had to inspect installations, prepare progress reports, 

 attend staff meetings on the MT. McKINLEY. 



The Venice-like transportation system was an ob- 

 stacle. Each trip to inspect apparatus or attend a meet- 

 ing meant traveling to another ship. Such trips usually 

 took 10 or 20 minutes — if a launch was available. 

 There were, of course, hundreds of small boats in the 

 area, and all day they dotted the clear blue expanse of 

 the Lagoon, their wakes crossing and interlacing. But 

 the supply could not keep up with the demand. To make 

 optimum use of these boats, scientists and others 

 worked out boat pools, planned their work so that the 

 minimum number of trips would be required. But 

 throughout the Operation they were careful to culti- 

 vate the friendship of the boat dispatchers. 



Dr. Sawyer had, of course, set up the necessary ad- 

 ministrative organization long before he left Wash- 



58 



