late in Farch 1958, and the problem vas considered resolved soon afterian.
Airlift and Jeland Re-Supply. Aircraft requirenents for airlift and
weather island re-supply were set forth in the Air Force book message of
11 October.
Five C-54 aircraft, plus the three photography C~54's of Test
Services Unit to provide back-up, would be available for inter-atoll and
weather island re-supply eirlift;
and seven SA-16's serving a primary
fimotion as search and resove aircraft, would also be available for resupply services,
Eight 1-20's and fifteen helicopters were to furnish
inter~laland airlift at the two atolls.
The helioopter aircraft began airlift support operations in the groving ground in mid~1957.
By 1 October 1957, three H-19's were in use at
Bikini, and one H-19 and seven H-2] efrereft were operating at Eniwetok.
The helicopter force vas augnented begiming in January 1958 so that, by
14 March, six H-19's and nine H-2l's vere available.
The three B-19 air~
craft at Bikini were replace late in January 1958 by a Marine helicopter
squadron, and the H-19's were transferred to support the Fniwetok Atoll
airlift requirements.
Early in October 1957, Task Group 7.4 learned thet the airstrip at
Nauru (a newly-added veather island) might be unsuitable for C-54 opera~
tionbecause of a lack of rehabilitation. This possibility caused the
group to consider the retention of a C-47 at Eniwetok far re~supply pur-
poses.
Because Holmes and Narver (Task Group 7.5) had experienced