it to Kwajalein, plus the fact that Air-Sea Rescue planes stationed
enroute were alerted.
.
A secondary explosion to the right of Ingebi Island a rew minutes
after H-hour was the first intimation the Commander, Air Forces had of the
possible loss of an aircraft.
Commander, Task Group 7.), was immediately
directed to chéck’all of his aircraft and report whether any were missing
from the pattern.
Possibly through misunderstanding of the request,
General Ramey reported a half hour later thatall aircraft were accounted
for on a communications check.
informed of the loss of the
However, the Commander, Air Forces was
drone at 11,000 feet when it was confirmed
by the mother plane's report.
Commander, Task Unit 7.4.2, stated that
he did not wish to cause undue speculation and disturbance on the part
of other air crew pérsonnel at a time se close to H-hour.
sidered good judgment on his part.
This was con=
The transmitting facility which
ordinarily would have been used would not function properly, and the |
only other communication between aircraft with Task Unit 7.4.2 and its
use for other purposes was not contemplated.
As a result, no detailed
report of the loss of the drone was made until after the Commander,
Task Unit 7.h.2, landed at Eniwetok.
However, this did not interfere
with the balance of the operation which proceeded smoothly.
The third exception to this plan, the failure to make the third
penetration of the cloud at 18,000 and 20,000 feet, was authorized by
the Commander, Air Forces, when it was realized that it was doubtful
whether the second penetration has been successful.
Section VIII
There had been
67
.
a