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RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOL
L
CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS: SEPTEMBER 1976
It was planned that the Enewetak Atoll Cleanup Project would be
accomplished by a JTG consisting of a Commander (CJTG) whoreporteg
to Field Command, a Headquarters Element (HQ JTG), elements from
the three Military Services, and ERDA (Figure 2-6).243 Most of the
changes that the Joint Staff made to the final CONPLAN were minor.
however, one ted to serious command and control problems during the
project. DNA had recommendedthat the CJTG be in commandofthe
Military Service Elements on the Atoll. At the insistence of the Navy JCs
representative, the CJTG was given ‘‘supervisory authority’’ rather than
commandover the Military Service Elements of the JTG. ‘Supervisory
authority’ was uniquely defined by the Joint Staff for this one project as “*,
. the detailed and local direction and control of movements or maneuvers
necessary to accomplish missions or tasks assigned.’’244 This ambiguous
and limiting phrase caused considerable confusion and resulted in many
management problems and other adverse effects on cleanup operations
(described in later chapters).
D-Day was designated as the day base camp construction and
radiological field surveys would begin. According to the CONPLAN
schedule (Figure 2-7), construction materials and supplies for base camp
construction were scheduled to be ordered at D-3 months. After D-Day, 2
months were scheduled for rehabilitation of the base camp at. Enewetak
Island and erection of a temporary campat Lojwa Island (Ursula). Actual
cleanup operations were to begin at D+2 monthsandlast approximately 2
years, including cleanup of the base camps and worksites at Runit, Lojwa,
and Enewetak. One month was scheduled for demobilization of personnel
and materiel.245
The schedule was based on simultaneous efforts by a Navy Harbor.
Clearance Team to remove debris below the high-tide line and three Army
engineer teams to remove and dispose of other debris and contaminated
soil. Team A would be based at Enewetak Campand accomplish cleanup of
the noncontaminated southern islands. Team B would be based at Lojwa
Camp and accomplish cleanup of the northern islands, including
noncontaminated hazards and contaminated soil and hazards. Team also
would be based at Lojwa Camp and would accomplish the containment of
radioactive debris and soil in the crater on Runit (Figure 2-8).246 Before
containment operations began, Team C would complete prerequisite
preparations, including quarrying and crushing aggregate, constructing a
dike or mole to minimize the effect of tides and seas, and setting up the
batch plant and other facilities. It was anticipated that before these
preparations were finished, Team B would havecompleted soil cleanup on
all islands except Runit, thereby providing a stockpile of about 30,000
cubic yards—sufficient to begin containmentoperations. 247
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