i OES;ae wen + Sa: SOUTH RUNIT MOBILIZATION: JUNE-JULY 1977 ' 4. soe oe 169 Mobiltzation RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLL | ogeeBE r- 168 aot q wet 7 vacua TA aS en ad ee ' Since containment of contaminated soil and debris was to be accomplished on northern Runit, certain basic facilities were to be established on the uncontaminated southern end of the island to support that operation. Preliminary design concepts for construction of crater containment support facilities at the Runit work site were developed by personnel of an Army Engineer Brigade at the Second Enewetak Planning Conference. The equipment specifications assumed that new commercial equipment would be procured with MILCON funds, despite net ee, oe me Congressional and DOD direction to make use of existing DOD i equipment. Identification and location of suitable substitutes in DOD equipment pools required an exhaustive effort by Field Command engineers and logisticians and by Headquarters DNA supply personnel. Much of the needed equipment was found in Navy inventories. Not all of the substitutes were fully satisfactory when put into operation; however, most of the Runit crater containment operation was performed with existing DOD equipment, despite significant maintenance and operational problems, described in Chapter 8. Construction offacilities on south Runit was severely constrained until it could be determined if there was a contaminated burial site near the Erie ground zero, and until the south end of the island could be declared radiologically clean. Until this was accomplished, troops erecting the administrative building were required to wear full-face masks, suits, ee ee gloves, and rubber boots. Despite the 90-degree heat and the discomfort . os | 1 decontamination building, latrine, and concrete slabs for a boat ramp had been prefabricated at Enewetak Camp for installation on south Runit.79 MOBILIZATION CONTINUES: JULY-NOVEMBER 1977 : ' : . roofed the structure before the area was declared safe and the restrictions were lifted on 15 July 1977 (Figure 3-16).77.78 Meanwhile, a Muchof the aggregate for Runit site construction was hauled from the stockpile at Enjebi. As in the case of Lojwa, Runit construction was significantly slowed by lack of certain critical building materials. m ' of wearing anticontamination gear, the crew had completely framed and . aie | , FIGURE 3-15. INSITU VAN (IMP), ~ ; ° ; B i F e i } . | . i } f } | . f L American Racer sailed were delivered by a special COMNAVSURFPAC sealift consisting of the USS POINT DEFIANCE and USS FREDERICK. The ships called at Oakland, California, for that cargo, after loading landing craft and other Navy cargo at San Diego and demolition materialat Sea! Beach, California. More equipment and supplies were loaded at Pearl