CHAPTER II, SECTION 4 (Neg. No. W-882-11) Figure No. 2-121. George camp was started on 17 February 1958 as a 30-man beachhead serviced from a marine craft, was occupied on 8 March 1958, and wasclosed on 18 April 1958. Johnston Island, the revised location for the ABMA program, was selected when work was halted on Site How on 10 April 1958. It was initially occupied by H&N forces on 17 April 1958 and existing facilities were rehabilitated and modified to accommodate an anticipated peak population of 1200. OFF-ATOLL PROJECTS. As funds were provided, work was started on the structure to be furnished the natives being repatriated to Rongelap Atoll. The work was planned to be accomplished in two phases. Whenever possible, the precasting of concrete and the prefabrication of structures was done Site Janet Camp. 30 skilled men, depending upon the amount of work to be accomplished. Construction parties were augmented by Surveyors, an Inspector, marine operations personnel, Camp Utility Workers, and a First Aid Man. Native labor was used at some sites. Equipment sent with each party was standardized, usually consisting of a bulldozer, an end-loader, a crawler-crane, forklifts, an air compressor, a welding machine, a concrete mixer, dump, fuel, and pick-up trucks, and, in some instances, a concrete-finishing ma- chine. Both equipment and building materials were loaded onto flat-bed trailers for quick offloading from LSD- and LST-type vessels. LCU craft were used for off-loading from LSD’ vessels. The materials sent to each site varied with the amount of work to be done, with building prefabrication being done at Elmer or Nan, whenever practicable. at Site Elmer. Living quarters, a Dispensary, Building materials for the new Utirik Weather Station included 28,660 square feet main facilities provided. On 20 June 1957 the construction crew returned to Elmer; everything was in readiness for the repatriation of the wood, 26,800 lineal feet of lumber, three 90-foot antenna poles, and heavy lumber for the construction of a new water tower. Thirty construc- a Council House, and water cisterns were the of roofing and siding, 2200 square feet of ply- Rongelapese. tion workers and collateral personnel made up Planning for Operation HARDTACK in- the work party. Work was started on 16 October 1957 and was completed on 4 November WING plus the construction of new Weather party and turned over to the Air Force on 22 March 1958. cluded the rehabilitation of the Weather and Rad-safety Stations used in Operation RED- Stations at Nauru, Truk, Utirik, and Ponape. Preliminary surveys were made at each site, ‘ch provided “punch-lists” for the construction aning. Construction at most sites was planned » ve done in two phases, with most of the work ing accomplished during the first phase. Sec- ad phase work included minor clean-up and ine activation of the stations. Work parties were planned to consist of an Assistant Superintendent and from 12 to Page 228 1957; the station was activated by another work A work party of 12 men departed Elmer by LST for Ponape on 25 October 1957 to con- struct a new Weather Station which consisted of a single building utilizing local power. Twenty- nine cubic yards of concrete were poured for the building’s slab; the building itself was constructed of plywood and was given three coats of paint, inside and out. Trust Territory officials furnished a truck, sand, and gravel for the concrete slab and native laborers from the Trust