Standardization of equipment was found desirable for several other reasons as well, Survey personnel work more surely when not required to change makes of tools; mainentance is made easier by familiarity; and unrepairable equipment can be cannibalized for use in repair of other equipment. The humidity and the deteriorating effect of salt water made constant care of equipment vital. All survey tools were kept in venti- lated lockers, heated constantly with electric lights. Conditions were particularly severe on steel tapes. It was found that nightly immersion of tapes and reels in engine oil kept them in fair condition. "Wyteface" tapes proved more resistant to corrosion than ordinary steel tapes. Some surveys were delayed awaiting arrival of special equipment. Because of limited funds available for purchasing at the start of the project, limited transportation allowances, and late delivery dates of vendors, it was not possible to procure all required items in time to meet schedules. An instance of this is the measuring equipment for the Runit Base Line, The full equipment required did not arrive at the Jobsite until September 1949, and therefore this survey had to be made at a time when the personnel were needed for other work and under adverse weather conditions which added to expemse and detracted from efficiency. TRANSPORTATION Throughout the job, transportation was of prime importance to survey operations. Early in the Project an LCT wartime landing craft, capable of carrying 250-ton load, was used as a mobile living base from which the triangulation party worked. This arrangement proved far more economical than transporting men from Eniwetok to the outer islands each day. The LCM, with loading ramp, capable of carrying a truck or DUKW, was used extensively. The DUKW proved invaluable for use in soundings and shoal water, particularly where reefs made impossible operations with conventional craft. The powered whale boat was of only limited usefulness, because of its unsuitability in shoal water. It could not be beach~ ed; its water circulating system sucked up sand in shoal water; and it was not as sturdy as other craft. Some use was made of an L-5 two-—place plane, and of an L-13 fourplace plane, but their utility was limited to islands where landing strips were available. Late in the Project, a four—place helicopter was used several times, Automotive transportation used included pickups, personnel carriers, jeeps, and trailers. The ideal vehicle was found to be the Army weapons carrier with four-wheel drive and canvas top. 5-75