VOL, Il BOOK 6 CHAPTER Ill EVACUATION Planning for the evacuation of the Proving Grounds for the MIKE Shot contemplated first the reduction of Holmes & Narver man power as early as possible. The Holmes & Narver man power requirement after the MIKE Shot would be influenced by the number of Task Force personnel who would re-enter the Atoll and thus require support. Conferences were held with the AEC management and Headquarters personnel of the Joint Task Force, at which a man power strength for Holmes & Narver, as of 1 November, was established at 800 for Eniwetok Atoll and 200 for Bikini Atoll, A corollary to this decision was that the maximum land-based personnel to be supported by Holmes & Narver would not exceed 11098 for Eniwetok Atoll, Arrangements for transfers to Bikini and the release of personnel who would be surplus to the Eniwetok Jobsite needs were programed to comply with this decision. The criteria used in the determination of Holmes & Narver personnel who were to be released were as follows, Those on extended contracts and those whose contracts expired between 1 Novernber and 15 November, were considered as having completed their contracts, A general policy was established for surplussing men in order of priority commencing with those with the shortest time remaining on their current contract, with some exceptions in the cases of men holding key positions, Schedules for departure of these men from the Atoll were meshed with those of the Task Force and were so arranged as to take advantage of the available sea and air transport, On 30 October, this first phase of evacuation was realized, for on that date there were on Eniwetok Atoll 800 and on Bikini Atoll 200 of the Holmes & Narver personnel, Evacuation of the 800 remaining personnel was accomplished by vessels of Task Group 132.3. The muster and final accounting of all personnel on board the evacuation ships was the responsibility of the Director of Indus- trial Relations for Holmes & Narver personnel and the Headquarters Com- mandants of the Joint Task Force and Task Group 132.1 for their respective organizations, The Task Group Commanders of all other Task Groups were responsible for the embarkation of the personnel of their organizations, One week prior to the final embarkation for the evacuation, conferences were held on board the MSTS COLLINS and MSTS SHANKS to discuss messing, berthing, facilities available on board, and additional help required by the vessels. Holmes & Narver was assigned 99 cabin spaces and 373 troop spaces on the COLLINS and 60 cabin spaces and 408 troop spaces on the SHANKS. Assignments of cabin spaces were made to those designated as "officer class" 6-49