BIKINI OVERTURE 



Early in the morning of June 30 the weather ex- 

 perts made a prediction of fair weather and favorable 

 winds for the following day, which was to be A-Day. 

 The word was flashed to all ships and land stations, 

 and to the entire world. Scientists gave their instru- 

 ments a final tuning up, test animals were placed at 

 their proper locations, target vessels were closed and 

 the crews were taiken off. 



By dusk the evacuation of the lagoon was well 

 underway. For hours the support ships had been filing 

 silently southward, out into the open sea. No longer 

 was the lagoon fiUed with twinkling lights and sputter- 

 ing small boats. The target vessels la}^ deserted, a dark 

 cluster in front of the thin dark line of abandoned 

 beaches. For several of the ships, the sun had set for 

 the last time. 



03 



