large part of the outbound cargo was expended.
areatest extent practicable.
Surface lift was utilized to the
MSTS vessels lifted a considerable amount of re-
placement and buildup military personnel to the forward area.
Surface lift
accounted for a large volume of general cargo, construction materials, general
supplies and vehicles.
co
The phasing of men and materials to the forward area began during
April of 1953 and was not completed until the end of January, 1954.
The greatest
problem encountered in connection with surface transportation was that of lifting
more than two-hundred heavy-lift items including nearly one-hundred large van type
trailers,
Many of these trailers contained electronics equipment which required
very careful handling.
All vessels used had to be self-supporting insofar as
heavy-lift gear was concerned since no floating cranes are available at the
Pacific Proving Grounds.
d.
To expedite the processing and movement of personnel and equipment
through transshipment points, liaison officers were continued at the U.S. Naval
Supply Center, Oakland, California; Travis Air Force Base, California; Hickam Air
Force Base, Oahu, T.H., and the U.S. Naval Station, Kwajalein, M.I.
These agencies
are essential.
e.
During the operation, 88 vessels were utilized to transport 1,314
passengers and 156,930.6 measurement tons of west and eastbound cargo.
not include cargo and personnel transported in Navy Task Group ships.
This does
A total of
17,499 passengers and 2,257 short tons of freight were airlifted east and westbound.
Appendix I presents logistics data concerning air and surface transporta-
tion to and from the Pacific Proving Grounds.
f.
Forward area transportation was both interatoll and interisland (with-
in an atoll) and required both air and surface movements.
Interatoll air traffic
was handled primarily by four C-47 aircraft and two specially configured PSM aircraft,
Surface traffic was serviced by two LST vessels augmented by one LSD.
Interisland traffic at both atolls was handled by H-13, H-19 and L-13 aircraft and
by surface craft of the LCPL, LCM, water taxi, LCU, small tug and barge types. For
the most part, traffic was serviced on established schedules which were revised
frequently to conform with existing movement requirements.
Appendix J indicates
surface logistics for interatoll and interisland activity.
The amount of inter-
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