the additional aircraft mentioned above were turned over to Commander,
Task Group 7+7 for eperational control to augment the existing Air Rescue
Service except on actual test dayse
Special training for the project was
confined almost entirely to cruise control and instrument calibrations
During the course ef the operation, there were fortunately no occasions
for use of this unit, although its mere presence gave confidence to
personnel flying in the arese
Communication services and navigational aids for Operation SANDSTONE
were furnished by detachments of Task Unit 7.4.6.
The Kwajalein detachment
was heavily staffed and equipped to act as a central station for the
purpose of tranamitting weather information and communications service.
This unit had been in place prior to the requirement for this operation,
but additional persomel were assigned because of the heavier lead.
Other
personnel were furnished by the Air Transport Command as needed.
The Air Transport Command had agreed in October to furnish four (4)
C=47 type airoraft for a shuttle service between Kwajalein and other points
in the test areas
Two (2) of these aircraft were already in the area and
were put into use immediately.
In February, difficulty was encountered in
obtaining spare parts for the C-47 aircraft and a C=-54 was added to the
inter-island shuttle service on 7 Maroh 1948.
The regular schedule was
augnented by the use of this Co54, and as a result facilities for transshipment of personne] and material fron Kwajalein to Eniwetok were entirely
satisfactory throughout the operation.
The requirement for inter-island transportation within Eniwetok Atoll
was satisfied by the establishment of Task Unit 7.4.9.
Scientific and
military personnel traveling from one island to the other were handicapped
Seotien VIII
_
60
i
.