104
CHAPTER Il, SECTION 4
SECTION 4
EXPENDABLE CONSTRUCTION
NAN CAMP.
Construction of the first increment of the
NAN camp was authorized on 24 September
1954 and was completed on 7 March 1955; the
second increment was started on 7 April 1955
and completed on 15 June 1955; and the third
increment was started on 20 June 1955 and
completed on 17 December 1955. The camp, as
designed and built, is illustrated in the site
plans, Figure 2-137, which also lists all the
structures and facilities provided. This camp
served as the port-of-entry and as the forward
base camp for all activities in Bikini Atoll. It
was provided with temporary shops and warehouses, an LST pier and ramp, POL facilities,
a personnel decontamination facility, chapel,
infirmary, recreation facilities, in addition to the
usual messing, housing and other camp and
utility services. The buildings, except for the
Figure 2-130.
—
.
Figure 2-131.
chapel and housing tents were basically of the
standard design prepared for all expendable
buildings, viz, wooden frames, plywood siding,
corrugated aluminum roofing, shutter windows
and a concrete slab floor. Eight-man tents, con-
sisting of canvas over a wooden frame on a
concrete floor, were provided for housing and
related uses. The chapel was a specially designed
structure with a coral base floor, the frame,
siding and roofing of which were wooden. All
buildings except the interiors of the mess hall
and infirmary and the entire chapel were left
unpainted during the Operation. Upon completion of the Operation and as part of the rollup, the buildings were covered with one coat
of aluminum paint. The construction of this
camp progressed gradually and without un-
usual incident all the way from the beachhead
to the final stages.
Movie Theater - Nan
as ae
Typical 100-Man Latrine -
Figure 2-133. - Interior Chapel - Nan
Page 2-151