CHAPTER VI, SECTION 1 CHAPTER VI TEST OPERATIONS AND ROLL-UP SECTION | TEST OPERATIONS At the time TG 7.5 staff appointments were made, H&N was assigned the responsibility of furnishing the following staff positions: E-3, Plans and Operations; E-4, Transportation and Supply; and E-5, Communications (Alternate). The start of the operational phase of Operation HARDTACK was 15 March 1958, with the first event assigned a target date of 21 April 1958. Because of various considerations, FIR was rescheduled and YUCCA was scheduled as the first event to take place on 26 April 1958. The final event of the series was scheduled for 13 August 1958; this event was executed on 18 August 1958. Prior to 15 March, E-3 of TG 7.5 had appointed specific individuals to assist in the operations and planning functions for the Operation. These consisted of Evacuation Officers for personnel and camp facilities, Muster Officers, Beach Masters, and Transportation Control Agents and were drawn from H&N supervisory personnel. In addition, Airlift Priority Agents were provided at Sites Fred and Nan to assist in the assignment of passenger and cargo space scope of responsibilities was outlined to provide for emergency evacuations, safe operations, and the protection of life and property during the events scheduled at Johnston Island. A natural disaster plan was established detailing activities of key personnel and areas of responsibility to ensure immediate and effective evacuation, if required. A hostile alert plan was also published specifying the support H&N would furnish to all units of the Task Group in a hostile alert situation. This plan supplemented TG 7.2 Emergency Operation Plan 1-58. A “Schedule of Camp Operations in Support of the HARDTACK Events” was published for both atolls. This schedule served as a check list for Evacuation Officers and also as a guide to Using personnel; it was prepared by event and outlined all camp activities at existing locations from D minus 2 through D-Day. In addition, a “Preliminary Evacuation Plan — Camps and Events’”’ for both atolls was published; it was prepared by event, station number, and site and outlined evacuation policy and pro- cedure for all existing camp sites. The specific plans concerning TG 7.5 support requirements for individual events was coordinated with J-3 allocations to all elements of the Task Force. Detailed plans were issued to these personnel which covered all aspects of muster and evacuation procedures both before and after each of TG 7.1 and incorporated into the “Check elements of the Task Force. At the same time, siderations were uppermost in mind in all planning and in the implementation of all plans. event, and Embarkation Points and Assembly Areas were established at both atolls for all a detailed plan was initiated for the protection of food and water against contamination from fall-out. Well in advance of the Operation, a bulletin was issued to all TG 7.5 personnel which explained the danger of not evacuating personal effects from forward areas during test events and which instituted a plan to be followed to protect personal gearin all cases. A parallel organizational plan was institut- ed for Johnston Island upon relocation of the TEAK and ORANGEevents to that site. Because of the relatively small number of person- nel affected, the control assignments were limited to an Evacuation Officer, a Muster Officer, a Ship Muster Officer, and a Beach Master. The Page 440 List” published by that office for each event. Whenthis list seemed inadequate, special letters and bulletins were initiated outlining detailed instructions to ensure maximum safety to personnel and Government property. These two con- In the early stages of the operational period, a plan was initiated for the shut-down of air-conditioning and dehumidification units in the event of radioactive fall-out. This plan listed all buildings affected and detailed instructions for complete shut-down or partial shut-down, as re- quired in each case. Where essential and highly technical equipment was affected, the intake vents were closed and the units operated by recirculation of air within the structure, This plan also included instructions to ensure that two or more individuals at each building were familiar with the location of switches and controls to shut down the units upon evacuation.