160 CHAPTER IV, SECTION 1 CHAPTER IV SERVICE OPERATIONS SECTION | CAMP OPERATIONS GENERAL. cause of congestion at several of the camps during the period of peak activity, these standards could not always be maintained. This congestion engendered many operating problems, all of which, were eventually overcome without any threat to the health and safety of personnel. All personnel of Joint Task Force SEVEN were housed, fed, and furnished with the usual camp services at the Contractor-operated facili- ties (except those men quartered in Naval vessels, at David and Fred, and on the weather station islands where thefacilities were operated by the military services). The peak number of After the completion of CASTLE, only the base camp at Elmer was operated. In Decem- personnel supported by the Contractor was 4,643; this total was reached on 23 April 1956. ber 1954, construction was started for the portof-entry and base camp for Bikini Atoll (Nan). Operating from these two bases, shot-island camps were established at sites Ursula, Yvonne, Life on the atolls was subject to many restrictions due to the geography and security regulations. Housing and messing facilities were and Gene in Eniwetok Atoll, and at Tare and Fox in Bikini Atoll; limited camp facilities were established at Wotho, Ujelang and Uterik. Charts 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, 4-5, 4-6, and 4-7 show total H&N employees and personnel sup- crowded, and the men were under the tension of a tight construction schedule affording a minimum of opportunity for normal relaxation. In maintaining a high level of morale under such conditions, the quality of food and the comfort of housing facilities becomes especially important to the individual; consequently, every reasonable effort was made to provide the highest practicable camp standards. However, be- ported by H&N at each camp for the period of the REDWING Operation. The dates of activation and deactivation of each camp with their respective peak populations are tabulated below: DATE OF PEAK POPULATION PERSONNEL AT PEAK POPULATION CAMP DATE ACTIVATED Elmer Base Camp *5 May 1956 *2,751 Yvonne 17 May 1955 20 Mar. 1956 393 300 30 May 1956 3 May 1955 24 April 1955 288 350 29 April 1956 Gene 23 Aug. 1955 6 April 1956 189 125 29 April 1956 Nan 11 Dec. 1954 24 May 1956 891 1,000 15 Aug. 1956 Fox 8 June 1955 20 April 1956 285 200 9 May 1956 Tare 19 July 1955 21 April 1956 277 200 26 May 1956 15 Feb. 1956 May 1956 12 6 Aug. 1956 3 April 1956 May 1956 15 31 July 1956 12 April 1956 May 1956 10 5 Aug. 1956 Ursula Wotho Ujelang Uterik * DESIGNED CAPACITY DATE EVACUATED **2 208 During evacution of Ursula, Yvonne and Gene ** Without double bunks. Page 4-1