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RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLL
MOBILIZATION BEGINS: 15 MARCH 1977
Mobilization of military forces and material for the radiological cleanup
of Enewetak Atoll began on 15 March 1977 with the requisitioning of
personne! and supplies identified in the draft operations plan (Fielg
Command’s OPLAN600-77), which had been developedin the preceding
2 weeks at the second Enewetak Planning Conference. However, U‘S.
Army Support Command, Hawaii (USASCH) did not receive supply
requisitioning authority until 28 March 1977. The logisticians haq
concurredin establishing D-Day as 15 June 1977 only if they could begin
requisitioning materiel immediately, in order to provide a minimum of 90
days’ order and delivery time. To make matters worse, in the closing
minutes of the second planning conference, the start of Lojwa Campsite
preparation was advanced from D-Day to D minus 28 days. Thisleft less
than 9 weeks to mobilize men and materiel for that work.
First priority in ordering materiel went to building supplies for camp
construction andto life support equipment to be installed in the camps. To
minimize lead time, most of the items were to be ordered by H&N from
commercial sources rather than through DOD supply channels. H&NPTD established a logistics center at its offices on Hickam AFB, Hawaii.
H&N-PTD movedin two office trailers to provide additional office space
for the engineers, supply, and procurementpersonnel who wereinvolved
in designing facilities and ordering construction material. These personnel
came from USASCH, from PTD’sstaff, and from H&N headquarters.It
was found that so muchtime had elapsed since the Armybills of material
for base camps were drawn up that they were outdated. Considerable
research and interpretation were required before they could be used for
requisitioning supplies.
Meanwhile, on 3! March 1977, 2 weeks into the mobilization effort, Field _
Command changed its office of primary responsibility for Enewetak
matters from the Director of Logistics to the Director of Plans and
Operations.32 With this shift, the Enewetak Planning Group, which had
been established under the chairmanship of the Director of Logistics to
provide staff management continuity and coordination for the project,
ceased to meet.
AIR FORCE COMMUNICATIONS ARRIVE: 16 MARCH 1977
To coordinate mobilization efforts, reliable radio communications were
urgently needed atthe atoll. The Air Force responded promptly and, on16
March [977,an installation team with replacement equipmentarrived on a
C-5 aircraft, the first of these giants to land at the atoll (Figure 3-4). The