to record and transmit the additional data which Was required from these
locations for such an operation as SANDSTONE.
Therefore, these existing
stations were augmented and additional island weather stations were added
at Eniwetok, Rongerik and Majuro for the duration of the operation.
Action
was taken to send Air Force weather personnel and equipment to Wake to
assist the United States Weather Bureau personnel stationed there.
These
island weather stations provided complete weather observations, including
a minimun of four rawinsondes (radio and/or radar wind, temperature, and
humidity soundings) per twenty-four (24) hour period.
The island stations
formed the basic part of a weather network, and Kwajalein and Eniwetok
provided a forecast and briefing service for local commanders and transient
airoraft as well as aircraft of Joint Task Force SEVEN.
These island
stations also provided a relaying service whereby all weather information,
inoluding flight reports and flight summaries, were gathered and forwarded
for use by the staff.
|
The need for comprehensive weather data was so great that the
original request for three (3) B29. aircraft was increased to eight (8).
These aircraft, furnished by the 514th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron,
were based at Kwajalein.
The Base Weather Officer of Task Group 7.4
furnished weather forecasts for operations and collected all data made
available by reconnaissance and forwarded that data to the USS MT. McKINLEY.
we Neen
tas,
The major ships of the Task Foroe were each equipped with complete
aerological offices, but the servi¢es offered aboard the USS MT. MoKINERY
were such that a major communications problem developed.
Because it was
neeessary to collect and analyse several times the usual emount of data
available to a ship's aerological office, 8 teletype intercept was installed in the aerological office, so that the continuous radio-teletype
Section
VIII. - .
30