Property of “ U.S. DEPARTMENT OF kNFFIGY prefa~/NV TECI+N!C.4L lNFG+!,!;,-i~ RESOURCE CENTER Las Vm:s, NV 89193 HEADQUARTERS JOINT APO SAN 958,’/. TASK FRANCISCO, SEVEN- CALIFORNIA 16 June 1948 370.2 SLTBJECT: Report of the Commander, Atomic Weapons TO FORCE POSTMASTER Joint Task Force Seven, on the 1948 Tests of : The Joint Chiefs of Staff Submitted herewith is the Operational Report of Joint Task Force Seven on the 1948 tests of atomic weapons, Operation Sandstone. This report covers the operations of Joint Task Force Seven necessary to the accomplishment of its assigned mission: the construction of an atomic weapons proving ground and the conduct of tests of atomic weapons early in 1948 at the Eniwetok proving ground. The tests consisted of statically detonating by remote control three atomic bombs of new design, located on the top of 200-foot steel towers. The scientific and technical aspects of the tests, which involved measurement of the explosions and their effect by instrumentation, are not covered in detail in this report. A full report of these scientific and technical aspects, prepared by the Test Director, Captain James S. Russel, USN, for presentation to the Atomic Energy Commission, will be made available to the Joint Chiefs of Staff through the .Military Liaison Committee. In the fall of 1947, when the plans for Operation Sandstone were being developed, it was estimated that the total cost would be $27,500,000. Of this amount $20,000,000 was estimated to be the cost of participation by the Armed Forces above their normal operating expenses. The remainder of this sum, $7,500,000, was the estimated requirement of the AEC to cover obligations directly contracted for by the Atomic Energy Commission. There were of course additional costs carried by the Services as a result of this operation. The estimate of the cost to be met by the AEC for military support of the operation proved to be more than ample. As the tests neared completion, these estimates were revised downward to $10,000,000 (Army: $2,740,000; Navy: $5,100!OOO;Air Forces: $2,160,000) for the Fiscal Year 1948. Accordingly, $8,000,000 was returned to the AEC by 1 May along with a statement that the Departments should be prepared to return an additional $2,000,000 at a later date. At the same time it was requested that $4,000,000 be made available to the Services by the AEC for use during the Fiscal Year 1949 (ArmY: $1,422,000; Navy: $703,000; Air Forces: $1,875,000). It is estimated that this amount will cover the expenses of the Armed Forces in closing out details of the operation so far as Joint Task Force Seven is concerned. In mounting this operation the following fundamental considerations were of primary influence in the formulation of plans and organization: .,. 111 9 !!HH#BPT