did the volunteer officer observer program.

For the latter, trained staff

officers calculated the effects of a nuclear detonation to determine a minimum
safe distance for observing the blast; they later watched the detonation from

the calculated position.

Among the other activities, the operational

helicopter tests performed by the Marine Corps were designed to investigate
the capability of helicopters and their crews to withstand a nuclear burst and
its effects (11: 1).
4.9.3

Dose Summary for Operation UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE.
The maximum permissible dose for participants in the Joint Test

Organization, which coordinated UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE, and AFSWC was 3.9 rem of
gamma radiation for the series.

The limits were higher for Desert Rock V

participants, according to the requirements of their missions.

Desert Rock V

troops were restricted to a maximum of 6.0 rem of gamma radiation for the
series, with no more than 3.0 rem of prompt radiation.

The volunteer officer

observers were limited to 10.0 rem of gamma radiation, with no more than 5.0

rem of prompt radiation per test, and a total of no more than 25.0 rem for the
exercise (11: 11).
Dosimetry information is available for the volunteer officer observers,
who participated at Shots NANCY, BADGER, and SIMON.

The exposures of seven of

the eight SIMON observers exceeded the 10.0 rem shot limit, with a high of
17.5 rem.

The one volunteer observer who witnessed all three shots had an

exposure of 26.6 rem (11: 12).
The calculated mean neutron doses for the volunteer observers have been
reconstructed as 0.63 rem for Shot NANCY; 2.4 rem for Shot BADGER; and 28 rem
for Shot SIMON (11: 12,15).

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