BOMBS AT BIKINI 



ship caught broadside might be capsized where a bow- 

 on ship might remain upright. 



Almost endless complications arise when a definition 

 of damage is sought. In the midst of a battle, the im- 

 portant damage is that which prevents the ship from 

 fighting with full effectiveness. Here damage means 

 loss of fighting efficiency. Mere loss of a rudder or 

 failure of the radar sets may be regarded by combat 

 crews as disastrous damage. 



When the crippled ship limps into port, damage 

 means something quite different. It is expressed in 

 weeks to get the ship hack into action. Thus shipyard 

 engineers classify any damage as light if repairs can 

 be completed in a few days. 



Foremen rate damage in terms of man-hours to re- 

 pair the ship ; accountants express damage in terms of 

 dollars. 



From the scientific point of view, damage is a meas- 

 ure of how many parts are injured, and how elaborate 

 the injuries are. Of no concern here is the matter of 

 importance of the parts, or the time needed to repair 

 them. Some persons may be interested principally in 

 damage to ship's machinery or electronic equipment; 

 other persons may regard damage to guns and hull as 

 especially vital. 



A nice question is whether radioactivity on the 

 target ships represents damage to the ships or injury 

 to the crews. The ships are contaminated, but it is the 

 crews which suffer. 



36 



