; ae ~; HEADQUARTERS WEATHER REPORTING ELE:ENT, PROVISIONAL APO 187, c/o Postmaster San Francisco, California ene 13 March 1954 SUBJECT: Weather Balloons TO: Commander Test Services Unit, Provisional APO 187, c/o Postmaster San Francisco, California 1. This element has a requirement in its mission to provide rawinsonde observations to an average height or 90,000 feet. 2. Despite the fact that personnel assigned to this unit have produced 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 feet avorage here. Caruful monitoring of their methods and spirit has shown that under the cir- cumstances, the best possible heights are beings obtained, A typical example of spirit instilled in the men is shown by the Eniwetok rawinsonde section over which I have operational control, For several mentrs this particular station has held top honors in the 2143rd Air Weather ving which is comprised of all stations in the asiatic-Pacific acca, Their heights averaged 62,000 feet but with improved methods and iovucton ef spirit for higher observations, they increased their average hoilts to over 80,000 feet in about one month, The weather R2porting Element overall height averages for January mie 74,797 foot and for fobruary (incomplete totals) 83,039 feet. With complete results, the Pooruary average can be cxpected to change only slightly. 3. The primary reason for failure to obtain the desired heivhts is that specific balloons ordered were not cotained as reausested, 133910 balloons were substituted for ifL-3913 balloons raqu:stid for day“iime Soundings. & 500 gram neoprene balloon was substituted for a 500 fran neoprene night flight Kaysam 5ON balloon requested ror night tine coundints. It is not known at this headquarters who authocizcd the subst li. uations. Recent specifications recvived indicrte thit h:iistnts of 80,599 fut ray be expected sixty per cont of the tine, with tne ib-sé3a, hich ls 2 bickup balloon, , ~, “ys