Memoranda beginning in Dec. of 1958, shortly after the moratorium began, indicate that, JTF-7 personnel are investigating with the Navy support personnel, the possibility of utilizing LSD ships containing LCU barge type ships for conducting an open sca test operation. Apparently the LCU's would contain the devices or at least the targets and would be carried to open sea using the LSD. Further correspondence indicates that the Navy was planning to . CS / | transfer six Leu's to the Commander of Task Group 7.3 per correspondence in Also correspondence in Apr. 59 indicates the feasibility studies GEE re oeernment being done which would allow the gun mounts on the LSD type ships to be used Zn conjunction with the Mark 56 radar on the LSD to aim various types of diagnostic instrumentation equipment at the LCU at the time of detonation for open seas testing and diagnostic coverage. . ; - Apr. 29 correspondence indicates meetings and planning going on to put nee AEC High Altitude objectives together with DoD and do coordinated FQ technical planning. Meeting #63, 9-11 April 1959: ad At this meeting, AFSWP, and Frank Shelton in particular, gave a briefing on the project HsSP. Asa matter of background, the vcoasam AN H had originated in the fall following the LUCKY DRAGON incident in fallout 1954. The request then that AFSWP srziv anc evaluate the/problem resulted in the research program to define and delineate the stratospheric reservoir of fission debris (HASP) early in 1956. program and the technical results, agreed to by various agencies, minutes. Details of this although the conclusions are not are contained in the discussion in these a wee eee peewee Feb. 59. |

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