3.18.2 Phase-out of Personnel Phase-out planning for units as well as individuals was dependent on several variables, such as recovery programs,roll-up requirements, and the availability of transportation. Actual planning of the disposition of the Task Group forces was a week-by-week and day-by-day process. As individuals became available for departure, arrangements were made for their transportation to the ZI. All processing of departing personnel was handled by the Headquarters Commandant, TG 132.1. This included (1) endorsing of the individual’s orders, (2) obtaining an air priority from the Transportation Section of TG 132.2, (3) completion of the MATS information card, and (4) obtaining MATS reservations for the departee to Hickam Air Force Base. The majority of the personnel of the Task Group were transported via MATS to Hickam Air Force Base. The remainderof the individuals traveled by MSTS or Navy ship. Most non- government employees and a small number of government employees traveled via commercial air transportation from Honolulu to the ZI. The majority of the government employees and all military personnel traveled from Hickam Air Force Base to Travis Air Force Base via MATS, and thence to their homestation via MATS or commercial air transportation. The decrease in population is shown graphically in Fig. 3.3. As of 24 November 1952 all but approximately 50 of our personnel had been returned to the ZI. 3.18.3 Property Roll-up The roll-up of equipment began prior to Mike Shot. When equipment was no longer needed, it was prepared for shipment and loaded aboard cargo ships and planes bound for the ZI. All personnel were requested early in September by the J-4 Section to retain all crates, packages, and boxes in which items were shipped to the Forward Area in order that they might be utilized for shipments being returned to the United States. In order to assist project per- sonnel in carrying out this plan, a “users’ reusable-container yard” was set up on Parry. Care was taken in the storing of containers so that maximum protection was afforded to the salvageable packing materials for use in the roll-up operation. Early in Septemberthe attention of all Task Group property representatives was called to the necessity of a continuing review of their property requirements in the overseas area. Property in excess of anticipated requirements was to be shipped to the United States without delay, thus cutting down the future workload at the time of roll-up operations. In establishing a guide as to the amount of supplies to be retained in the Forward Area, the J-4 Section determined that all material which would likely be used within an 18- to 24- _ month period and which could be stored easily without deterioration would be retained. This policy is reasonable when the cost of packing and returning supplies to the ZI is considered. As an example of such long-term storage, the large-diameter coaxial cable may be cited. This cable can be utilized in future test programs, and there is no need toreturn this item to the ZI. As this cable became excess to the needs of Operation Ivy, it was prepared for storage by shielding it from the direct sunlight by means of canvas and tarpaulins. The roll-up of highly critical items such as the Camco Dewar units required that they be returned to the United States. Several of these Dewars were evacuated permanently to the ZI just prior to the Mike Shot detonation aboard the USNS Pendleton. The remaining Dewars were shipped aboard the USNS Leo after King Shot. These units were returned to Camco in Boulder, where they are being prepared for storage in a mannerthat will protect government equipment and will allow later use of the units with only reasonable effort. It is presently planned that these units will be modified somewhat and will be stored at Boulder until required for future use. Another important phaseof the roll-up was the disposal of the extensive Naval Research Laboratory — Krause (NRLK) equipment in the Forward Area. Since most of the work performed by Ernst Krause will be accomplished in future tests by a group at Los Alamos, under the direction of Bob Watt, most of this equipment was turned over to the J-4 Section while in 49