158
RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLL
the powerplant, and identify requirements for water distillation, laundry,
and food service. H&N-PTD would design, procure and install the
distillation, laundry, food service, and cold storage equipment.°°
Design efforts in Hawaii were well coordinated until the battation
deployed to Enewetak, and the H&N design effort was transferred to their
Anaheim, California, office. After that separation, coordination was
somewhat impaired and some supply and construction problemsarose.5!
On 19 May 1977, the USAE beganclearing brush and surveyingsites for
construction of Lojwa Camp. ERDA-NV had declared the island
radiologically safe for construction operations, including earth moving.Air
samplers were placed downwind of all earthmoving activities as
recommended by ERDA-NV.°2 On 23 May 1977, personnel from
Company B movedto Lojwa, established a temporary camp using tents,
and began constructing slabs. Until the American Racer arrived, they
made the mostof available assets, borrowing a bulldozer, concrete mixer,
and other equipment from Field Command. H&Nset up a temporary mess
hall using the only building on the island, refrigerator vans on loan from
MSC, portable distillation units on loan from the Marine Corps, and water
storage bladders on loan from an Army depot. Company B built field
shower system and established field latrines. The troopsslept in tents and
on beds obtained as excess from Kwajalein Missile Range. These facilities
were expanded from time to timeto satisfy an ever-growing population at
Lojwa Camp. Use of the Lojwa Camp duringits construction saved 4 hours
a day which would have been used commuting by boat from Enewetak
Camp(Figures 3-7, 3-8, 3-9).53
Construction of Lojwa Camp was hampered by unforeseen supply and
construction problems. There were no Armysupply personnel ontheatoll
when thefirst loads of building materials arrived, and the Army supply
officer did not arrive until after construction had started. Numerousdelays
and work stoppages occurred, caused bya lackof critically needed items.
In some cases, these were on the atoll, but no record of their arrival or
location existed. Sometimes a search of Lojwa, Runit, and Enewetak
Islands permitted identification and location ofcritical items. Sometimes a
method was found to continue without them. For example, the troops
fabricated window hinges from beer cans until the real articles could be
found. Most hardware and lumber wereplentiful, but plumbing and some
electrical items were in extremely short supply due to demandsin the
Eastern United States following an unusually cold winter. The pipe
shortage delayed placing of some concrete slabs which were to contain
sewer pipes, until the troops devised a means of working around the
problem. These shortages also delayed completion of water, sewage, and
electrical systems to service critical facilities, such as the mess hall and
latrines.