154 RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLL FIRST LOGISTICS CONFERENCE:18-19 APRIL 1977 Field Commandwas responsible for coordinating mobilization efforts by the Defense Agencies, the Military Services, and other government agencies and contractors. On 18-19 April 1977, their representatives met at Headquarters, Military Traffic Management Command, Western Area FRaree ‘ — : ar eeate ne ee miei so Se ~ on cere RRR = arenea pO (MTMCWA) in Oakland, California, to coordinate supply and — transportation actions. The conference was called and chaired by Field Command’s chief logistician and was hosted by the Commander, MTMCWA. Thegoal of the conference was to identify what cargo was available, when it was needed, and the most effective, economical means of getting it to Enewetak. Primary concerns were acquisition and delivery of equipment and supplies for the U.S. Army Element (USAE) to begin Lojwa Camp site preparation on 17 May 1977 and Lojwa Camp construction on [5 June 1977. The Military Sealift Command (MSC) ship American Racer, which was due to call at Enewetak on 3! May 1977, could deliver most of the material. Almost 5,000 measurement tons of cargo were identified which would be available to ship on the American Racer. This ship was one of the deepdraft vessels which MSC used to deliver cargo between ports in the Pacific. It could not be offloaded directly at the Enewetak cargo pier, where the water was only 8 feet deep, but would have to be anchored in the lagoon and offloaded into lighters which could, in turn, be offloaded on the piers or beaches. The COMNAVSURFPACrepresentative agreed to expedite deployment of crews for the landing craft which were scheduledto arrive at Enewetak on 8 May 1977 so that they could be used to offload the American Racer. Field Command, U.S. Army Forces Command, and H&N-PTD representatives began developing plans for stevedores to offload the ship and for shallow-draft barge service for future resupply of the atoll.39 It was determined that items required prior to the ship’s arrival could be provided by loan of some base support contractor equipment and byairlift of other critical items via scheduled MAC flights. Field Command also agreed to finance a special C-5 airlift to deliver four helicopters and other critical items from Hickam AFB in time to meet 17 May 1977 materiel requirements. The confereesalso identified four landing craft, three Army Mobilization 155 The Logistics Working Group used the 29 April 1977 OPLAN Resolution Conference to further refine plans for offload of the American Racer and implementation of shallow-draft barge service to Eneweta k Atoll. It was agreed that H&N-PTD would offload Navy-operated landing craft at the beach, that the Racer’s crew would operate its winches, and that the Army would provide one officer and 19 enlisted men from Fort Eustis, Virginia, to offload the ship.49 The conferees also formally requested the Commander, MSC to provide shallow-draft barge service between Pear! Harbor, Johnston Atoll, and Enewetak Atoll.4! TRANSPORTATION UNITS ARRIVE: 3-16 MAY 1977 On 3 May 1977, six enlisted personnel from US. Navy Assault Craft Unit ONE (ACU-ONE) arrived at Enewetak Atoll to receive and put in service the first increment of landing craft which were to be delivered on 7 May 1977 by a Navytask group returning to the U.S. from Naha, Okinawa. The convoy consisted of the USS MONTICELLO, the USS VANCOUVER, and the USS SAN BERNARDINO. They delivere d one landingcraft, utility (LCU), three LCM-8s, one warping tug, three 90-foot causeway sections, and other equipment?2 totaling 4,493 measurement tons. The craft were promptly inspected and serviced by the ACU-ONE team. Sea trials of the LCM-8s were conducted during the next week, and they. were put into service for lightering and support of Lojwa Camp. construction. Another early arrival was the Air Force airfield team, which landed on [0 May 1977. It was operational by [5 May 1977 when the next C-5 aircraft arrived at Enewetak and offloaded four UH-I helicopters and other critical Army equipment. Maintenance and flight crew members accompanied the helicopters to prepare them for use. The Air Force communications installation team and their equipment redeployed to Yokota, Japan, on the same aircraft.43 On the same day, the petroleum supply ship, USNS RINCON, delivered fuel to top off the diesel, gasoline, and aviation fuel (JP-4) storage tanks.44 LARCstwoexplosives anda variety ADVANCE PARTY ARRIVES: 17 MAY 1977 1977. The conference not only solved many mobilization problems but reinforced the momentum and positive working relationships generated in On 17 May 1977, an advance party consisting of the Commander, JTG (CJTG), the base camp construction forces, and the support teams arrived. By the original CONPLAN, their arrival was to be the event signalling D-Day—the first deployment of camp construction forces. Under the OPLAN, D-Day was established as 15 June 1977. of general cargo which wouldbe available for a special Navy sealift in June developing the OPLAN, and extended them to the supply and transportation agencies which would be supporting the project from the West Coast.