opened coincidentally with the movement of the Main Headquarters aboard the Task Force
Command Ship, USS Mount McKinley. The Rear Headquarters continued in Washington in
charge of Lt. Co]. Curtis J. Herrick.
Seven subordinate commands were organized within the Task Force:
Task Group 7.1 was the unit designed to direct the technical and scientific tests. Captain James S. Russell, USN, Head of the Weapons Branch, Division of Military Application,
l-!. S. Atomic Energy Commission, commanded this unit. On 17 October Captain Russell
had been designated by the AliX as Test Director. Dr. Darol K. Froman was placed in
charge of Task Unit 7.1.1, which was the Scientific Unit of Task Group 7.1. Dr. Froman
was also “J” (or Proof-Test) Division Leader of the Los Alamos Laboratory. He was designated by the AEC on 18 September 1947 as Scientific Director for Operation Sandstone.
Task Group 7.1’s channel to the Commander, Joint Task Force Seven, was direct. Task
Group 7.1 was charged with the classification of documents and photographs in accordance
with the Atomic Energy Act of 1946 (Public Law 858).
Task Group 7.2 was commanded by Brigadier General David A. D. Ogden. This command was designated on 15 October and carried with it command of Eniwetok Atoll. Task
Group 7.2 was charged with responsibility for construction at the Eniwetok test site and
with the military security of the atoll. The unit also was charged with responsibility for
billeting, sanitation, hospitalization, transportaton and generaI housekeeping for all units
ashore at Eniwetok Atoll.
Task Group 7.3 was the Naval Task Group. Rear Admiral Francis C. Denebrink, USN,
was designated Commander of this unit on 23 October 1947. This command was responsible for the security of the atoll against surface, submarine or air attack and the operation
of all Naval forces of the Task Force, including water transportation for the logistical support of the operation. Task Group 7.3 provided off-shore patrol, communications afloat,
submarine cable-laying and boat-pool transportation service within the lagoon.
Task Group 7.4, the Air Task Group, was commanded by Major General Roger M.
Ramey, USAF, who was designated to this command on 16 October 1947. This unit was
responsible for collection of air samples through the operation of drone aircraft passing
through the atomic cloud on test days and also to measure shock wave.0 In addition, this
unit operated photographic aircraft to obtain photographic documentation (both still and
motion picture). Operation of aircraft on long-range weather reconnaissance and of aircraft used in tracking the radioactive cloud was charged to Task Group 7.4 as was the prb
vision of air-sea rescue; inter-island air transportation; emergency aerial evacuation from
Eniwetok and the operation of aircraft to transport radiological safety monitors and samples of radioactive material.
Task Group 7.5 was the Joint Security Group with responsibility for safeguarding
documents and material on shore which were classified as “Restricted Data” within the
meaning of the Atomic Energy Act of 1946. Lt. Col. Philip Cibotti, USA, was designated
to command this group on 18 October 1947.
Task Group 7.6 was the Joint Radiological Safety Group, commanded by Commander
Frank I. Winant, USN, who was so designated on 18 October 1947. This unit was responsible for the operational detection and determination of types and intensities of radioactiv‘ Oneshockwavemeasurementwasan AlrForcetest.
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