4 9 The Air Transpoti Command provided the bulk of airlift for the Task Force, augmented by the Naval Air Transport Service. Operation Sandstone placed a considerable burden on the Air Transport Command, both in numbers of personnel and tons of cargo air-shipped from the Unite dStates to the forward area. The .Naval Air Transport Service from the United States was used to a great extent for shipments of special AEC material requiring expedited handling, although a considerable number of personnel were transported by this service. In both cases the Task Force was served in superior fashion. Every effort was made to hold air shipments to the minimum. Requests for air transport were carefully screened and where possible these requests were diverted to surface shipping in order to ease the burden on the air transport services. All requests for air movement, personnel or cargo, were processed through the Joint Task Force Headquarters. An exception to this procedure permitted the Los Alamos Scientific .bboratory of the AEC to move a limited amount of cargo by direct contact with the ATC at the Fairfield-Suisun, California, Port of Aerial Embarkation. This permitted urgent shipments of equipment to be made without loss of time. Normally, priority numbers were assigned by the Task Force for air shipment. A daily status report was received from the Fairfield-Suisun ATC base listing the amount of personnel and cargo lifted together with a listing of the backlog. In this manner, the Task Force was enabled to check items moved and those delayed. Opportunity was thus afforded to expedite movement of items delayed, either in reaching the air terminal or after their arrival at the terminal. A special Task Force shipping Channel was established by the ATC, designated 19X. The priority suffix “CPX” was assigned this channel. NATS provided no special channel but high priority was given Task Force shipments. Estimates were submitted to the Air Force for tonnage requiring air lift by the ATC from 30 to 60 days prior to the month in which the lift would be generated. A portion of the allocation was reassigned to the Task Force Forward Headquarters at Oahu to cover shipments from that point forward. Experience developed that a schedule of 5 round trip flights per week from the 21 to Kwajalein would meet the Task Force requirements, Since a C-54 type aircraft has a normal payload of approximately 7,500 pounds from San Francisco to Oahu and 12,000 from Oahu forward, the increased payload from Oahu forward normally was sufficient to handle Oahu generated traffic. During the six-month period, November, 1947, through 4,151 persons and 530 tons of cargo from the TJnited States Kwajalein to Eniwetok and from the forward area back. The moved 83 tons of cargo and personnel in excess of 100 during during this period numbered 360. April, 1948, the ATC lifted and Oahu to Kwajalein and Naval Air Transport Service this period. Total ATC trips Discharge of cargo from surface vessels at Eniwetok presented the difficulties inherent in any unloading project where no dock facilities are available. LCMS, LCm’S, LCT’S and DUKWS were employed. During peak periods about 1,500 long tons per week were handled at Eniwetok. At Kwajalein some docking facilities existed. This, plus the fact that Kwajalein WaS an established port, eased the discharge problem there. About 1,000 long tons per week were handled there during peak periods, 85 .. .&-. .