CHAPTER |, SECTION 1 activity. The base facilities considered to be permanent for the Pacific Proving Ground are located on sites Elmer and Fred at Eniwetok Atoll. In order to provide accommodations for the anticipated population, including a new peak high of 3,000 men on Fred, it was determined that certain changes would have to be made to existing facilities. On Elmer these changes consisted of: additions to the laundry and mess hall, an engineering wing on the administration building, a personnel wing for the administration building, new barracks, an additional 1000 KW generator in the power house, additional distill- ation equipment, and a general revision to the power supply and distribution systems of both sites, including a submarine power cable be- tween Elmer and Fred. On site Fred, Eniwetok Island, the amount of actual additional facilities required was not agreed upon until rather late in the program, and during the summer and fall of 1953 this phase of the work assumed larger proportions. An important element affecting the work load was the decision to move the base of air operations from Kwajalein, where it had been in previous tests, to site Fred at Eniwetok. Because of this decision, it was necessary to expand the facil- ities; to improve the airstrip paving from the standpoint of both impact load and area; to furnish additional parking area, a decontamination pad, additional warehouse buildings; and to augment the electrical distribution system to that area. Task Group 7.2 required addit- ional recreational facilities, administrative buildings, and general improvement in many of the was designed, requiring a minimum cost for installation, to provide maximum_ protection against wave action resulting from storms. This wall was extended only in the areas which were observed to be most vulnerable and where existing facilities had suffered the most damage during “Typhoon Hester.” The engineering design of airport facilities was coordinated with the Air Force in order that their needs for handling many types of aircraft during the Operation would be met. Approximately two-thirds of the airstrip was paved, including the taxiways which were provided, and improvements to the existing facilities were made, such as providing a concrete floor for the B-50 hangar. A new con- crete pad was designed to provide an area for washing down contaminated planes. Construction of the additional facilities on Elmer, at Eniwetok, was accomplished in the summerand fall of 1953 as time could be spared from the scientific program. Construction work proceeded without unusual incident. Site Fred construction was coordinated with the priorities established by the Using Agencies, and in many cases construction schedules were made contingent upon help supplied by TG 7.2 in the erection of buildings and other work requiring un- skilled labor. Many prefabricated structures that had formerly been at Kwajalein were re-erected, using a large percentage of TG 7.2 labor. The paving of the airstrip and related items of work were correlated with air operations and were accomplished with a minimum of interruption to air traffic. camp areas. In addition, it became necessary Construction work in this period progressed without abnormal incident, though the rather Also affecting the Eniwetok work load was tion of work orders, especially those involving occurred in December 1953; these storms made burden on the scheduled construction at a time when the scientific program was at its peak, with the result that many items of work were to increase the water supply. “Typhoon Hester” which occurred on 29 December, 1952, and “Typhoon Doris’ which necessary the rehabilitation of many structures and areas, and pointed up the need for additional shore protection from storms, particularly on site Fred. This action was taken. Buildings in general, appeared adequate for storm wind pressures. To engineer the added facilities on both Elmer and Fred, maximum use was made of prefabricated buildings for such structures as the laundry, administration buildings, barracks, and mess hall. Existing prefabricated buildings had proven their adaptability to this type of use and had a fine record for withstanding the climatic conditions, including the high winds encountered during typhoons. The new warehouses at both sites were of steel frame with aluminum siding. This was considered to be the most economical type of building suitable for warehouse structures in that climate. To resolve the problem of beach erosion on the ocean side of Fred, a seawall of poured concrete heavy work load, resulting from an accumula- preliminary electrical work requests, placed a not accomplished as promptly as would have been the case under normal conditions. The in- stallation of a submarine power cable between the two sites solved a power problem and made it possible to supply site Fred with approximately 1000 KW from the Elmer power plant. The Fred power plant was then used as a source of standby power and, primarily, for furnishing power to the distillation plant during peak loads. The site plans for all camps are shown in Figures 1-3 through 1-9 at the end of this chapter. The scientific structures program, intimately identified with the primary mission of the proving ground development and always crucial to the logistics and completion schedule of the Contractor, had been gradually emerging con- currently with the design and construction of base facilities to support the test operation and Page 1-5