STATSMSN?T OF a GSNERAL JOHN E. HULL, COMVANDER, JOINT Task
At PRESS CONFEATNCE, Qe,“USA RFC, FORT SHAPTSR, T
FORCE SEVEN,
He, 1 8 NAY ioaa.
coint Task Force Scven has successfully campleted its
on as assigned by the Joint Chicfs of Staff.
ucl in charactcre First,
This mission
2% was the mission of the Task Farcc
pstruct an atomic onergy proving sround for the Atomic
ergy Cormission at Eniiwetckte
Sceordly,
it was required that we
t the ANC in the conduct of the first scrics of tests of
ic weapons during the months of april snd May.
The
Task Fores had
completed
the
construction
of
the
proving
eroune by April, in timc vo permit ths conduct of the tests as
sehcdulede
In xscncral, this Involved the construction and rchabilitation of housing and living facilitics fornee scicntific
group and Tor traons.e “Installation of utilitics,,
tor, power,
end communications was require4
Sortunatcly,we were avis to
use existing structures, eft Sver from the war, mostly cuonsete-
type buildings, at the proving sround Tor housing personnel and
for storage and work shops; aftcr repairs,
of course.
Some
equipment was ropsirablo, for instance refrigerating coaulpment.
Considerable savinss resulted from thece crforts. It was neccssary
to repair air strips t. permit the landing of heavy planes
Including C-34's, 2-c9's
end Bel7's. Lancing facilitics for small
watcr craft hag to be provided, although cargos hed to be offloaded on lighters from the transport ships.
Construction af the eetusal testins ground involved special
construction for tne nlacement
end
t
4.
Fou
~
-
}.
art
of vericus
scientific instruments
oc a ua Pricrt
These
tests had no kinship to th. Sikini tests,
the purpose
of which was to tess the effect an maval ceculpment and other
materials as well as animrl and marine
life.
In
the words of
she directive giver ta the Comeancer of Joint Task Foree Onc,
the purpose of the Eikini test was to determine "the effects of
atomic cxplosives against naval vessels in srdcr to. appraise the
stratcsi
implications of atemic bombs Including the rcsults on
naval design and tactics.”
underwatcr test
The
Charlic.
we Gid not conduct the postponed
tests of Oncraticon Sancstone were
Literally and truly
ficld laboratory tests, designed ta determinc how the hombs now
under Gevelopmrent by the United Statcs would work and to detcrmine
their efficiency.
we did Just that.
We g>t our answers.
We
likcd the answers.
These wnswers belong to the United States
Government and, natursliy, arc nat for puplicatione
It can be
said, however, that the bomos worked. “We Lave proved the weapondevelopment work dune by the Los Alamos Seientifie Laboratory
during the pest two yoarse
This job which we nave just compictcd was begun on 3 april
1947 when the Generel Adviscry Committcc of the Atomic Encreg
Commission concurred in
the recommencation of the Los “lamos