Os ite wee PRIVACY ACT MATERIAL Petre eee 13. Letter to ny 24 March 1954 Operationally, the m.zsion has procecded very smoothly, In our build-up for BRAVO shot we conducted a total of six (5) rehearsals. These began as partial rehearsals to work out iencies, Later, the individual missions wore on 16 February a complete Air Fareo rehearsal scale dress rehearsal was held on 23 February showing up. Thc results of the air operation individual mission deficgradually combined so that was accomplished, The full with only minor dcficienoics of the BRAVO event were extrencly gratifying. All aircraft perfornod thcir assigned mission. The sampling operation, according to J-1l1 people from LASL, was the best that has ever been run out here, The Task Group Headquarters and those of the subordinate Units have labored conscicntiously and cffectively. Operations Division, Task Group Headquarters, broke down considerably just prior to and during BRAVO. Re- alignment of this Division has resultcd in improved work, A11 other Staff Sections have turned in a great performance, The Headquarters 4930th has been consistently weak but you are aware of the reason for this. The headquarters of the othcr two Units have been superb. The Effects mission on BRAVO event can be considered as more succcss= ful thon past attempts. Following scycral conferences which included the Effects B-36 and B-47 were nositioned on the thermal curve for an anticipated yield of 12 mt, and the remaining aircraft the st curve for 20 mt. Tho best indications we have at present is naa =: about 15mt. we did git There was no damage to the B-47, but superficial demage on the B-36, by TWX at the time, Dctails were forwarded to you It looks as though we finally got rclatively decent data at about 60% design limit load for the 3-36, The C-47 Inter-Atoll airlift performed by the 4930th during the build-un and pre-mission phasc was oxcellent. There was only one (1) abort during this period, The BRAVO event and the resultant contamination of the airstrip at Bikini almost put us out of the airlift business, The two (2) PEM aircraft which wore to arrive under our operational control on er about the 15th of January did not reach here until 27 and 28 Februav~y respectively, Their in-com-ission capability is not high duc to lazk cof spare parts, maintenance personnel, cts, With the ciose out of the Bixinl. airstrip duc to contamination, it was readily apnarent that our amnnibicus lift was totally inadcauatc, It was at this time that your aid was re- quested in obtaining Air Force amphibious help. Two (2) Shilo atrerafs arrived 9 March, At the prescnt, the Fikini strin was cooled sutficiontiy to pormit us to fly two (2) C-47 mis:icas per day, aithouga 22 wiil mob- ably be cYosed again to us after ROMEO and certainly ofter KOON, 2. gues... ...; acwsss Le — qo . >