~’
for oonveraion to a oable-laylngor@’t at the Terminal Isl-d Naval
Shipyard. The Bureau of Ships (lead Bureau for the projeot had set
up a apeoial offioe for Operation Sandetone (oode 108) under Capt.
W. S. lfa~ll, USN, and this offioe a06~d

responsibilityfor ~the

conversion of the LSMO It also supervised or spear-headedall other
matters pertainingto the oable-projeot. The design seotion of’the
Bureau of Shipiametewith UDR Rouand and general design drawings
wre

completed and sent to the Temlnal Island Naval Shipyard early

in November. They are available for referenoe in the files of the Bureau
of Shipe. Conversion of the LSM began shortly thereafter. LOIJR
Rouandmade two journeye to the Terminal Island Naval Shipyard to
l!uperviseand inepeot the oonveraionwork In the latter part of
November. During the first week of %oember tb

oonvereionwas “

oompleted and operating tests were auooesafullyeonduated, laying
and reoo~ering one S000 foot length of type 115-P oable off-shore
in the Long Beaoh area.
At the request of har Admiral Eanebrhk, USll,who was to oomtand
the Naval Task Group of the task foroe, one additional LSM (U.S.S.
NM-378) was designated for conversion identioal”uiththat of the
1.SU-250so that no engineering or otkr oaaualty oould stop or defeat
the oable program. This oonveraionwas undertakenat the Pearl Earbor
Naval Shipyard. All features incorporatedin the LSM-2S0 were duplloated
in the ISM-S78 exoept in oefiain iteme of supply.
Late in Ootober an inspectionwas ~de

of the site for the opera-

tion by LieutenantGeneral Hull and Captain Engleaan. During this
inspection it bdoam evident that Eniwetok Island itself would be
27
Seotiom XI

Select target paragraph3