The Weapons Inspection Activity
Inspection personnel utilized in the field office inspection program initiated April 1,

1950, were military officers and enlisted men assigned by AFSWP.

Prior to the AEC in--

spection activity, they served as AFSWP inspectors to assure that military requirements

were met in products processed and delivered by Sandia Corporation. Subsequent to July
1950, civilian personnel were hired and trained to replace military inspectors; replace-

ment being completed in June 1951.

Concurrently, a liaison section was formed by Field

Command to assist in inspection problems.

A site reacceptance inspection program was activated in September 1950. AFSWP
with field office approval designated military officers at Sites Able, Baker, and Charlie to
serve as AEC Chief and Alternate Chief Inspectors in ZI site reacceptance of bombs which
had been temporarily released from AEC custody for the purpose of functional surveillance
inspection by Sandia Corporation. In September 1951, AEC reacceptance inspection was
similarly initiated at Site Dog.
In the period July-September 1952, AEC inspection at Sites Easy, Fox, and George

was instituted subsequent to agreements between AEC-SFOO and AMC.

Similarly, inspec-

tion at Site How was initiated in April 1953. Inspection at Site Jig was initiated in July 1953,
after agreements were reached between AEC-SFO and Navy-BuOrd.
Each site AEC inspection office has a chief and an alternate chief inspector responsible

to Sandia Field Office on all matters pertaining to AEC reacceptance activities. AEC-SFOO
formulates policy and issues appropriate directives setting forth broad responsibilities of the
inspectors. AEC site inspectors are drawn from the local military command for periods
wherein plant operations are performed on AEC materiel.
Site inspection groups vary in size depending upon capacity of facilities and equipment
and extent of plant operations; ranging from approximately 15 inspectors at Sites Able and

Baker to approximately 8 at Site Easy.

The AEC inspection programs, within the field office and at the ZI sites, have been
directed toward a final product acceptance concept. In addition to 100 per cent acceptance
inspection of delivered materiel, monitoring of receiving and process inspection performed

by the contractor is achieved by means of "sampling checks" of material and review of contractor methods, facilities and equipment.

In 1952, a resident AEC inspector was established at Douglas Aircraft in El Segundo,
California, to accomplish AEC acceptance inspection on mechanical components processed
for Inyokern and Sandia. This joint AEC-Sandia Corporation inspection activity at vendor
eliminated need for shipment to Sandia prior to delivery to Inyokern and improved delivery

dates for stockpile. Expiration of Douglas contracts with Sandia will allow recall of this
inspector in December 1953.

It was felt that considerable savings might be realized by performing AEC inspection
at Motorola in Chicago with subsequent direct delivery of radars to stockpile. Consequently
a resident AEC inspector was established on a trial basis in May 1952. Technical analysis
of radars produced during the period May-August 1952 indicated, however, that reinspection
utilizing Sandia facilities was still required; the resident inspector was therefore recalled.

Appreciable savings were realized in accomplishing AEC inspection at Picatinny.

An AEC-Sandia inspector made frequent trips to Picatinny to inspect the Mark 9 shells

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