RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWELAK AILOLL
172
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Mobilization
Plans for brush clearing, soil and debris cleanup, and crater containment
were reviewed, and equipment requirements were adjusted based on
recent operations experience. Requirements were cancelled for 49 items,
some of which had already arrived on atoll and had to be shipped back to
the United States, and 14 new items were added by the engineers.
It appeared that manpower would have to be adjusted also. The
construction engineers were due to be replaced by combat engineer
cleanup forces on 15 November 1977. The construction engineers could be
retained until their 179-day TDY limitation expired in December 1977,
however, if the combat engineers’ arrival was delayed an equal time, that
would have delayed the start of cleanup. It was decided to retain some
individuals in the construction forces having critical skills and to change
the mix of the replacement forces arriving IS November !977. In addition
to the four combat platoons scheduled to begin soil and debris cleanup and
the two platoons scheduled for Runit site construction and operations, one
extra construction platoon would be deployed. Some of the combat
platoons would be used to assist in completing construction, while the
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others would begin cleanup operations. The engineers predicted that, if the
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additional construction platoons were not provided, beneficial occupancy
would be delayed until mid-February 1978.85
FIGURE 3-18. ARMED FORCES RADIO & TELEVISION STATION.
Based on arrangements made at the logistics conference,
COMNAVSURFPAC ships picked up cargo from the Military Ocean
Terminal, Bay Area and delivered it to San Diego for later shipment by
Navy amphibious ships to Enewetak Atoll. Two LARCs, which had been
towed down the Sacramento River from Rough and Ready Depot, and
several thousand measurement tons of other cargo were moved by the
On 12 August 1977, representatives to the logistics-comptroller conference
from the JTG and the 84th Engineer Battalion arrived early to brief BG
Tate and the Field Command staff on the currentstatus of mobilization,
critical problem areas, and conceptual! plans for cleanup operations. After
these briefings, BG Tate and COL Treat attended a 2-day conference in
Las Vegas, Nevada, on radiological cleanup criteria. They returned to
Albuquerque in time to participate in most of the Logistics-Comptroller
USS OGDEN on 18 August 1977.86 Two weeks later, two more LARCs
and additional cargo were delivered to San Diego by the USS MOUNT
VERNON (Figure 3-19).
November 1977—the date scheduled for transition from the Mobilization
ecentanbies
Sonn Dhace of
the
Enowetak
Proie
A
similar
problem
was developing in the construction of the south Runit site. The engineer
predicted that, if the critical supplies were airlifted and if additional
construction troops were provided, beneficial occupancy could be achieved
by I-15 January 1978. DNA initiated action during the conference to airlift
almost 50,000 poundsof critical material from Travis AFB, California.
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engineer battalion representative estimated that, due to shortages of
material to complete life-support systems, the Lojwa Camp construction
was 60 days behind schedule for the planned beneficial occupancy on 15
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mobilization and to support the beginning of cleanup operations. The
+
The August 1977 conference at Field Command was called to review
mobilization progress to date, and to coordinate actions to complete
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conference on 17-18 August 1977.84
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173
On Enewetak Island, the first fatality of the cleanup project occurred on
19 August 1977. Hull Technician Victor J. Priest, USN, was welding on the
bowramp of a landing craft when preservative in the void area inside the
ramp exploded, ripping a 6-foot hole in the ramp and killing htm. The
accident was investigated by Commander, Amphibtous Group Eastern
Pacific. Memorial services at the base chapel the following Sunday were
attended by over 200 military and civilian personnel, including Iroij
Johannes Peter and manyofthe dri-Enewetak.87.88
On 29 August 1977, the USS BOLSTER delivered a YC barge and two
MMUS
JTG Logistics Officer took advantage of the ocean transport by having the
YC barge loaded with over 100 measurement tons of cargo from Kwajalein
Missile Range.89