f This doct No. --4-- 2nt ¢ nsists of AL oe - -“#- Copies, Series -“Z-., ~ TOP SECRET” an ity of U.S. swaleEon ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSI a ve CS -+~t | ~ 1X4 ~ Document We x POST SANDSTONE REQUIREMENTS AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ENIWETOK PROVING GROUND Report by Commander, Joint Task Force 7 THE PROBLEM 1. To determine the post SANDSTONE military requirements and responsibilities for the Eniwetok proving ground. BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION 2. In a memorandum of 24 December 1947 the Joint Chiefs of Staff, thal) the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (Mr, Liliensuggested that AEC and JTF 7 work out the details relative to the establishment of Eniwetok as a permanent proving ground. By memorandum of 20 February 1948 the Joint Chiefs of Staff directed the Commander JTF 7 to implement the suggestion of the Chairman, AEC. 3. Inasmuch as the nature of any future test is undetermined, other than Mr, Lilienthal's statement that a two year interval between tests may meet urgent requirements, limited preparations are justified. it appears that only It is believed that construc- tion or other tasks performed in preparation for future tests should be only those which presently can be foreseen as meeting reasonably firm requirements. 4, It is assumed that the Eniwetok Atoll will remain closed and that the United States must appropriately secure the area in the interests of safeguarding restricted data. 5. After the SANDSTONE tests have been completed, all islands on which bombs have been detonated will present a radiological hazard for a period of time which can be determined only by periodic surveys following the tests, -l- Since these contaminated