CHAPTER |, SECTION 1 wt Figure 1-8. | ~ ~~S Tanker Approaching Deep Water Pier - Elmer tion worsened. As MATScapabilities for breaking the jam in cargo could not be clearly de- termined, an investigation was madeas to availability of commercial charter planes, with the thought that these might be used as an emergency means of reducing the backlog. This was found feasible, but as the military facilities were thereafter augmented rapidly, the charter planes were not needed. The allocation of space for emergency airlift of heavy tonnages of Contractor’s cargo (318 tons during February, materials were transshipped to construction sites in small marine craft operated by the Contractor. For construction at miscellaneous sites away from established camps, boat schedules often had to be arranged in accordance with prevailing tidal conditions. This movement of material from its original point of receipt at Elmer to its final location was always critical due to the tight construction schedule. construction program required a considerable On 7 March 1955, the Atomic Energy Commission, in response to requests from the High Commissioner of the U.S. Trust Territories for aid to the ex-Bikini people, authorized the construction of a small camp at Jaluit Atoll and radio stations for Jaluit, Majuro and Kili. Because of inclement weather and resulting un- possible and to avoid duplication of facilities, materials for the Kili project, it was deleted from the program. For the support of REDWING, weather stations were authorized in March and April 1956) was an important fac- tor in meeting construction schedules and suc- cessfully completing Operation REDWING. Organizing the scientific test structures amount of on-site logistic planning because of the large area over which construction activities were conducted. In order to use as few men as all materials and equipment were first received in the Elmer central warehousing and accounting facilities and then transshipped to the more limited facilities set up in Bikini Atoll. The full-time assignment of one LST and the parttime assignment of a second permitted estab- lishing a shuttle service between Bikini and Eniwetok Atolls for the primary means of transporting equipment and materials. In each atoll, favorable conditions for landing construction September 1955 for construction on Kapingamarangi, Kusaie, Rongerik, and Tarawa. This construction was scheduled in two phases: the structures and facilities were provided in the first phase, and the equipment was installed in the second phase. Construction of the first phase of these projects was nearing completion in December 1955 when requirements for offatoll scientific projects became firm. These pro- Page 1-19