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AEA Restricted Data
Tank-LCh. Operations — Hadsafe Party No. 6
The purpose of the Tank-LCk operation was to procure a s0il
sample from the crater at the point of detonation of the atomic
weepon.
A tank revetment was built on each of the test islands
locatea as far as possible from the zero point.
In this revetment the
chassis of a light tank, brilliantly painted for easy visibility,
was concealed at the time of the test.
It was equipped with remote
controls which permitted the vehicle to move either right, left, or
forward.
It was also fitted with a scoop in front for the purpose
of lifting up a sample of the soil.
‘then obtained this sample was
divided into two parts, the smaller part was taken to the laboratory
on board the USS BAIROKO, and the other to Eniwetok where it was
loaded on aircraft and flown to the Los Alamos laboratories in the
United States.
The tank was operated by remote control from a helicopter, after
its operation had been checked by a ground operator, and it was
guided by this means to the crater and return.
If, for any reason,
the helicopter and its standby lost control, the tank operation
could be taken over by an auxiliary set of control equipment in the
LCM which brought the party to the island.
The LCM also carried an
additional tank for use if the first tank failed.
SECTION IX
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