befng conducted.
The mission of the 926th is that of collecting parti-
-o™N
culate and gaseous samples by flying specially equipped J-57 aircraft
through nuclear clouds.
This squadron becomes the nucleus of the Test
Aircraft Unit that is formed at each site.
The remaining squadron,
the 4952nd Support Squadron, is made up of military specialists and
technicians who are sent TDY to either Nevada or “niwetok to augment
these support activities during test operations.
The 4952nd has a
normal strength of about 250 airmen and 12 officers.
Its strength and
composition has to be changed after each test; however, because the
augmentation required at Eniwetok where some items of base support are
the responsibility of the Army (Task Group 7.2) is much different than
that required at Indian Springs Air Force Base where the entire base
support is a 950th responsibility.
During the Summer and Fall of 1957 when the 950th and its subordinate organizations were participating in Operation PLUMBOB in Nevada,
the Directorate of Personnel and Administration was additionally engaged
in revising the Unit Manning Document of the )952nd Support Squadron
and requisitioning personnel necessary to augment and support the Test
Base Unit (951st Support Squadron) in the Eniwetok Proving Grounds
during Operation HARDTACK.
It was necessary to compute the overall
strength of the Task Group and to predict the personnel support requirements that were not at the time firmly established.
Conferences and
meetings were held with individuals who were later to form the Test
Services Unit, Test Aircraft Unit and the Test Base Unit.
Strength and
billeting figures of their respective organizations were discussed.
Emphasis was placed on attempting to get the job done with a minimum
of personnel.
Estimates were obtained as to length of time that various
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