SECTION 10 CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROVING GROUND Construction of the atomic proving ground at Eniwetok Atoll with the attendant problems of procurement of personnel, materials and supply and their delivery to the test site occupied a major proportion of the Joint Task Force’s attention from the outset. In the main, the Task Force’s effort was directed toward this objectiv+-the fist part of its assigned dual mission. During the early formative conferences between General Hull and the Atomic Energy Commission representatives, April 15 had been set as the target date for the first test. Consequently, a rigid deadline was imposed on the construction job. The Engineer Section of the Staff of Joint Task Force Seven was organized for the. express purpose of directing and co-ordinating the construction of the proving ground in conjunction with the AEC’S scientific and engineering representatives.ls Colonel David H. Tulley, USA, reported to General Hull as the Staff Engineer on 3 October 1947. After an initial briefl.ng on that day, Colonel Tulley set about organizing the section and the procurement of personnel. Lt. Col. Wilber A. Stevens, USA, who had pioneered with the Manhattan Engineer District, joined the Task Force on the same day as Colonel Tulley. On 7 October, Lt. Col. Arthur H. Frye joined. Around this nucleus the Engineer Section was built. By the end of October a working staff was assembled. It is not the purpose of this report to discuss the technical and scientific aspects of the tests. However, it is pertinent to touch upon the part played by Task Group 7.1 in the con.@uction of the proving ground. Task Group 7.1 was the Task Force organization of the AEC’S scientific and technical personnel. The principal role played by the scientific group in the construction phase of Operation Sandstone was to present to the Staff Engineer complete technical requirements for the proving ground. These technical requirements consisted of requirements for preparation of terrain and normal field engineering projects such as docks, roads and prepared beaches and also the construction of specially engineered structures such as towers, blast footings, blast shelters and gamma stations. The design engineering of the special facilities such as gamma stations, timing stations and blast shelters was the responsibility of the Los Alamos Laboratory, and was performed by the Jackson and Moreland Company of Cambridge, Mass., under a subcontract to Edgerton, Germeshausen and Grier, one of the principal contractors to the AEC for certain installations and experiments for Operation Sandstone. Design drawings were reviewed by the Scientific Director’s staff before submission to the Staff Engineer as a requirement for construction. Limitations of island real estate and the tropical climate resulted in many problems which could only be solved after discussions between the Scientific Director and the Staff Engineer. To facilitate co-ordination at both the staff level and the field level either Dr. Froman or one of his immediate assistants, Dr. A. C. Graves or Mr. R. W. Henderson, was present in Washinton from the initiation of planning until the date of sailing of the scientific group. Dr. J. C. Clark represented the scientific group in the field. Through these contacts it was possible to make available LOSA]amos specialists and consulting engineers to assist the Staff Engineer in the solution of many construction problems. An example was lasec. xvI of hnex 1 to this report contains the detailed Engineer rePorL 91