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made available to that Command in relation to the predicted scope of Test
Services Unit participation in HARDTACK.
Inasmuch as the elements consti~
tuting the Test Services Unit were drawn from Military Air Transport Service
resources, that Command assumed the responsibility for the mmning of these
elements.
Those Test Alroraft Unit and Test Base Unit elements composed
of personnel from other than Afr Force Special Weapons Center resources
were manned by appropriate Major Air Commands.
Because of this manning
ty other Air Force agencies, the principal manning responsibility of Task
Group 7.4, therefore, was the skills manning for the Test Base Unit aug
mentation force, the Sampling Element of the Test Adreraft Unit, and tbe
Beadquarters itself,
Some peculiarities of the Test Base Unit were particularly apparent
when its manning problems were approached.
During Operation REDWING in
1956, the Eniweatok Air Base unit was a large organization having a perma
nent strength of over 400 men.
After its placement woder the 4950th Test
Group as a squadron, it became a much smaller organization and necessitated
a sizeable augmentation by temporary duty personnel of the 4952nd Support
Squadron in order to meet its increased requirements for the HARDTACK
operation.
Requisitions for the manning of necessary Task Group 7.4 officer spaces
had been submitted to Air Research and Development Command in March 1957.
Then, during the
WG»
« yo
Airmen panning requisitions were submitted in May 1957.