o/
Here is a 14 November TWX from REeves to Betts with info. copies to
Foster
Fr
LRL, LASL,-H&N, EG&G, Field Command DASA, AFSWC, Headquarters
DASA (Brig. Gen. Polhamus and Maj. Gen. Starbird), and Sandia. The
message [s addraft summary of the meeting held in ABQ on 13 November
1961 of the principal personne! involved in overseas testing.
The
meeting had opened with a briefing by Gen. Betts on the necessity to
establish a reasonable shot schedule, sufficiently justified to support
funding negotiations and political objections.
following should be taken into consideration:
He emphasized that the
(1) a possibility that
approval for atmospheric testing might not be forthcoming, (2) provided
approval was obtained a readiness date of
| March was desired and that
the testing period might be as short as 60-90 days, (3) provided approval]
was obtained and a series in 1962 was executed planning should also
envision the possibility of a subsequent series
in 1963, and (4)
location
of the series at Christmas Island seems the most feasible under present
political conditions.
The meeting itself covered a myriad of thoughts
and possibilites for an overseas test series and I'll try to hit some of
the highlights here.
The list of LASL events included 15 different
possible tests which could be done variously by airdrop, balloon, barge
or ship and LASL mentioned that all
events may require a sea vessel of
some type including the Christmas Island shots but that especially that
would be required for. the Johnston Istand or off Hilo type series and
therefore a joint air-sea operation is required.
LRL's shot list
Included 26 different possible tests and they stated a desire to have
only one overseas site rather than two.
Support requirements were
discussed at length under 3 possibilities:
operating complete from.
Christmas, operating in part from Christmas, and operating from Oahu
or Johnston over open water. The requirements for diagnostics such as
ey