Py
v
Mobilization
145
($10K); replacement of an elevated water storage tank with a hydroneumatic system ($40K); replacement of several 5-ton air conditioning
units (SISK); replacement of a dormitory water supply system ($40K),
interim repair of piers ($20K); and repair of fuel fill lines and buoys
2K).2
echabilitation of the mooring buoys and navigational aids in the lagoon
was accomplished by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard cutter
VY
BASSWOOD called at Enewetak on 30 July 1975 for the initial
rehabilitation effort and returned periodically throughout the project.3
Until December 1977, there was a Coast Guard LORAN(long-range aid
to navigation) station at Enewetak which rendered invaluableassistance in
several emergencies and which was a valued member of the Enewetak
community.
The runway repair work accomplished by Air Force Systems Command
_~
in May 1974 was limited to patching potholes and applying a fog seal coat to
the central 75 feet. These repairs begantofail in less than a month.4 Field
Commandarranged to have an Air Force engineer inspect the runway on 4
September 19745 and to have POD inspectit on 18-25 September 1974 and
recommendcorrective action. There were potholes, loose asphalt, cracks,
and severe raveling in thefirst 3,000 feet of the runway, plus depressions,
cracks, and potholes over the entire airfield complex. These conditions
caused Saturn Airways, the Military Airlift Command (MAC)contract
carrier which served Enewetak, to refuse to land at Enewetak after 9
October 1974 until the runway was repaired.? Emergency répairs were
“
made by the base support contractor,® and air service was resumed on 6
November 1974;9 however, the urgency of need for extensive runway
repair had been made obvious. The POD report estimated repair costs at
$500,000 for temporary repairs and $2,961,000 for major rehabilitation. !°
DNAcould justify only temporary repairs since it was not certain then that
the Enewetak Atoll Cleanup Project would be authorized by Congress.
In transferring the atoll to DNA, the Air Force had agreed to finance
runway repairs necessary to give a full year of service. As the year ended,
DNA was faced with a $500,000 minimum repair cost. The Air Force
agreed to furnish $60,000. DNA obtained $300,000 in O&M funds from
DODand $140,000 by deferring an approved Johnston Atoll project to pay
VY
for Enewetak runway repairs.!! Arrangements were made with POD to
have the runway repaired by oneof their contractors, Martin Zachary, who
were then working at Kwajalein Missile Range. POD also prepared the
necessary environmental assessment and permit to use the old quarry at
Medren (Elmer) Island as a source of aggregate for the project.!2 When
L
the project was delayed several months by paperwork and nonavailability
of ships to move paving equipment to Enewetak, the runway was kept
open by removing loose asphalt and patching potholes. In August 1975,