XTII existence at that time, The unit was designed to probe and determine limits, character, and magnitude of ionospheric changes resulting from nuclear detonations. The Drop and Canister Element, provided by the h928th Test Squadron of the 925th Test Group (Atomic), consisted of two B-52 and one B-36 aircraft for drops. The B-52 aircraft, for example, were concerned with dropping the CHEROKEE device, one B-52 maintained for use as a back-up aircraft, The B-36, after dropping the canisters during the CHEROKEE test, was used to drop the OSAGS weapon. The eighth group of the Test Aircraft Unit was the AFOAT-l Element, manned, trained, and equipped by the Office of the Assistant for Atomic Energy, utilizing aircraft of the Sampling and Decontamination Element, In general, the activities of the 926th were recorded within the histories of each of the major nuclear tests included in this work, However, the daily activities of the squadron, its minor accomplishments, personalities, and problems revealed a story which was all too often missing from Air Force organizations, The story of the 926th was one of cohesion, cooperation, enthusiasm, and leadership, of pride of accomplishment, of all members working together with a common goal. Proving that the age- old principles ofleadership still work were the records which contained tno AWOLS," "No Courts Martial," "No Article 15s," or other incidents associated with the records of all too many Air Force units, Such con- tinuity of command responsibility was mich more difficult to achieve with the squadron for the simple reason that immediately any member absorbed 270 AFWL/HO SWEH -2-003h, + wt