D cFc L ET ED VERSION ON,’
"73404
GENERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
to the
U. S, ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION
Washington 25, D. C.
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Mr, Lewis L, Strauss, Chairman
U.S. Atomic enerey Commission
Washington 25,2 C,
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Herewith is the summary reportthe Meeting of the Generel
Advisory Committee held in Los Alamos and at the Sandia Corporation in
Albuquerque on July 12, 13, 14, and 15, 1954.
exception of Dr. Wigner were in attendance.
All members with the
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BY AUTHORITY
WITH DELFETIONS
CLASSIFICATION CANCELLED
The first three days were devoted to briefings by the Sandia
Corporation, the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, and the Livermore
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Laboratory in connection with a simultaneous visit by the Military
Liaison Committee to the AEC, the Defense Department's Coordinating
Committee on Atomic Energy and its Technical Advisory Panel, The 15th
was devoted to a meeting of the GAC with Commission and Los Alamos
staff, At this time, we had the benefit of the presence of the
Commission Chairman for an important discussion of the U-233 program
with the Director of the Division of Military Application, the Director
of the Los Alamos Laboratory, and AEC and LASL staff.
Our comments and recommendations follow.
1, U-233 Program. After a lengthy and lively discussion, it became
clear that Program "B", providing for the production of U-233 and the
suitable adjustment of other production schedules, as outlined by Gen.
Fields would furnish, omens to the best eveslablean2 ee
complete answer to the
ESpons ‘or in money; that this program was not an irretrievable commit
ment but could easily be reversed; that the availability of U-233 would
most likely be of importance in other weapon programs; that the use of
thorium would lessen our dependence on foreign supplies of raw materials;
Wrifor two-stage weapons.
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For these reasons we unanimously reccommend the immediate initiation
of Program "BY with such modifications as may appear desirable after
further discussion and after consultation with the duPont Company.
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