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WEATHER REPORTING ELEMENT, PROVISIONAL
APO 187, c/o Pos tmaster
San Francisco, California
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13 March 1954
SUBJECT:
Weather Balloons
TO:
Comnander
Test Services Unit, Provisional
APO 187, c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, California
1.
This element has a requirement in its mission to provide rawin-
sonde observations to an average of 90,000 feet.
2. Despite the fact that personnel assigned to this unit have<pio-~
duced most exceptional results in the zone of interior, averaging approximately 20,000 feet higher than personnel of Other organizations, they
have been unable to obtain the required 90,000 foot average here,
Careful
monitoring of their methods and spirit has shown that under the circun~
stances, the best possible heights are being obtained. A typical example
of spirit instilled in the men is shown by the Iniwetok rawinsonde section
over which I have operational control.
For several months this particular
station has held top honors in the 2143d Air Weather Wing which 1s comprised of all stations in the Asiatic-Pacifie areca, Their heights averaged
62,000 feet but with improved methods and infusion of spirit for higher
observations, they increased their average hoight to over 80,000 feet in/
about one month. The Weather Reporting Element overall height averages
for January are 74,797 feet and for February (incomplete totals) 83,039
feet.
With camplete results, the February average can be expected to
change only slightly.
3. The primary reason for failure to obtain the desired heights is
that specific balloons ordered were not obtained as requested. ML-391 C
balloons were substituted for ML-391 B balloons requested for daytime
soundings, A 500 gram neoprene balloon was substituted for a 500 gram
neoprene night flight Kaysam 5SN balloon requested for night time soundings.
It is not known at this headquarters who authorized the substitutions.
Recent specifications received indicate that heights of 80,000 feet may be
expected sixty per cent of the time, with the ML-443 A, which is a backup
balloon.
GYa-