rain, the approach to the runways at Eniwetok were always difficult.

One

F-8), sampler got down on the runway then hit a heavy puddle of water,
veered off the runway and rammed into a sand bank,

The nose wheel of

the aircraft collapsed, but the sampler pilot escaped uninjured,
Damage was not really severe as the sand bank was about the height of
the landing gear so that the nose gear was folded and the aircraft

stopped in a level position with the main gear still extended and nose
resting on the sand tank, The main problem was radiological control for
when help arrived there were already two army privates sitting on the wing

of the "hot" airplane.

For this Treason, an emergency landing on a

strange airstrip was always of concern to the sampling people,
All six of the devices for Operation CASTLE were to produce yields

in the megaton range,

With the exception of KOON, with

WRRREMRexpected, all the shots were larger,

-

Perhaps, the most signifi-

cant result of the operation was proof that
This eliminated the highly

ee
-: under way, The
test series proved WE«<2pons were practical and could

.

be handled by operating units,"

-

Colonel Houghton returned to the Air Force Special Weapons Center
before the operation ended where he reported that samples had been from
adequate to excellent, with some of them being the best ever taken,

The F-8LG samplers, operated to some 360 miles from Eniwetok, and returned
to base within their fuel capabilities.

112

AFwL/Ho

The F-8hG used wing tanks which

SWEH-2-003),

\

iw,

Select target paragraph3