caused by the abnormal ionospheric characteristics prevalent during the
period of the vernal equinox, and it was not until after 1 April 1948
that satisfactory communications were maintained by the use of predicted
frequencies.
g-
Air Transportation.
The Air Force and the Navy were given the responsibility for air
transportation of personnel, supplies and equipment in the operatione
The
Air Transport Command (ATC) and the Naval Air Transport Service (NATS) were
in turn designated by the above mentioned services to perform this mission.
Both the Air Transport Command and Naval Air Transport Service had participated in Operation CROSSROADS and were in a position to make recommendations
eoncerning the problem involved.
After considerable discussion, it was
agreed that no special unit should be established to handle the operation, but
bath of the services would absorb the additional load by augmenting their
regular schedule.
Naval Air Transport Service would move naval personnel
and equipment involved in the operation and assist Air Transport Comnand
should backlogs develop.
The Air Transport Command, using its subcomnand,
the Air Transport Service (ATS), was to transport all other persomel and
equipment.
Under this policy, the Naval Air Transport Service then operated
on a normal space available basis.
Requests for monthly allocations of Air
Transport Command airlift for the remainder of the operation were submitted
each month to Headquarters, United States Air Force.
Airlift allocations requested up to and including the month of
January were considerably under-subsoribed because of excellent water
shipping facilities available.
However, during February, March, and April,
the allocations were slightly over-shipped as a result of a large number of
SectiongmEIT_
34