BOMBS AT BIKINI 



drinking beer and soft drinks. In the evenings they 

 attended motion picture shows on deck.* Recreation 

 was made as pleasant as possible. 



Rehearsals and weather dominated discussions dur- 

 ing the last few days before A-Day. Many informal re- 

 hearsals were carried out by the various groups sep- 

 arately, and there was one full-dress rehearsal. This 

 was held on Queen Day, June 24, and was completed 

 with success. 



The importance of weather was far greater than 

 might be expected. Naturally, clear skies were desired 

 by observers and photographers. Good visibility even 

 from an altitude of five or six miles was needed by the 

 bombing plane; no mistake could be tolerated in its 

 identifying of the brightl.y-painted Zeropoint ship, 

 NEVADA. High winds might have interfered with 

 bombing accuracy and drone plane operation ; unsteady 

 winds might have permitted the radioactive materials 

 in the air to be swept back over the support ships. Even 

 though the winds might be steady at low altitudes, a 

 counter current at high altitudes might have been dis- 

 astrous to the support ships. But perhaps the most 

 stringent requirement was that good weather be pre- 

 dictable 24 hours in advance. Only on the basis of firm 

 advance prediction could the great A-Day program be 

 gotten underway. 



* For the 42,000 men of the Task Force, daily requirements in- 

 cluded 70,000 candy bars, 40,000 ^founds of meat, 89,000 pounds of 

 vegetables, 4,000 pounds of coffee, 38,000 pounds of fruit. 



02 



