BOMBS AT BIKINI 



conning tower. Nearl}^ half of the superstructure for- 

 ward was wrecked. The side lights were shattered and 

 the stern light was missing. The after windlass was in- 

 operable. Inside the pressure hull, however, damage 

 was not severe ; within three days she made a success- 

 ful surface run under her own power. Submerging 

 would have been unsafe, and was not attempted. 



The ARKANSAS, oldest battleship of the United 

 States Fleet, was one of the three major combatant 

 ships within one-half mile of the Zeropoint. She suf- 

 fered heavy damage. When the lagoon was first re- 

 entered, she was still sending up clouds of smoke from 

 smouldering fires on her decks. But the shock wave 

 did the most damage. Stacks, masts, and mast support- 

 ing structures suffered, as well as pipe rails, bulwarks, 

 stowage spaces. Much dishing occurred. Mam" doors, 

 stanchions, and bulkheads were ])adly damaged. AR- 

 KANSAS was defuiitely put out of action and would 

 have required extensive repairs at a principal naval 

 base. 



The NEVADA, bull's-eye battleship, escaped with 

 moderate damage. The bomb, instead of detonating di- 

 rectly above her, detonated 1500 to 2000 feet away. 

 Both topmasts failed, and the starboard yardarm 

 also. The weather deck was dished moderately. Some 

 stanchions and bulkheads were distorted. Painted sur- 

 faces on exposed parts of the superstructure were 

 blackened. However, her hull was practically undam- 

 aged, and her interior was little disturbed. 



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