Local operations along the coast of southern California occupied her time throughout 1957 and the first few months of 1958 . On 1 April , '' Belle Grove '' departed Long Beach for the central Pacific . She spent the next five months participating in Operation Hardtack I , a 35-detonation series of nuclear tests held at Eniwetok , Bikini , and Johnston Island . After she arrived at Eniwetok on 20 April , her activities involved shuttling LCUs and other cargo among the atolls and Johnston Island in support of boat pool activities . On 10 June , following the first 14 nuclear tests , the ship steamed to Pearl Harbor for upkeep before returning for a second tour of duty in mid-July . She assisted in six more surface tests and in two high-altitude Redstone rocket detonations off Johnston Island , before assisting in roll-up activities at Eniwetok into early September . The ship returned to Long Beach on the 23rd and then limited her activities to local operations for the balance of the year
Operation Hardtack I
Operation Hardtack I
USS Belle Grove