Chapter 3 - Organization Headquarters Task Group 7.4 was organized into three directorates (Personnel and Administration, Operations, and Materiel) and a small special staff reporting directly to the Commander and consisting of the Flying Safety Officer and the Flight Surgeon. The operating personnel were organized into three unitss the Test Aircraft Unit, Test Services Unit, and Test Base Unit. The organization structure and the general functional areas of responsibility of each of the three operating units are indicated in Figure 1. The Commander of the Task Group was formerly assigned as Deputy Commander of the Air Force Special Weapons Center and, thus, has been associated for some time with the atomic weapons research and development program. On 15 July 1957 he was reassigned to the post of Deputy Commander for Overseas Tests in pre-*paration for his subsequent assumption of command of the Task Group. This - arrangement made it possible for him to participate in the field phase of Operation PLUMELOB, the 1957 atomic test series conducted in Nevada. He as- sumed comrand of the 4950th Test Group and Task Group 7.4 on 1 October 1957. The former commander of the 950th Test Group became his deputy, a move which served to insure the continuity of that unit's operations. With the activation of Task Group 7.4 on 1 October 1957, the varicus staff officers of the 950th Test Group assumed like staff positions within Task Group 7.4, ah arrangement Which proved particularly effective. In the case of two officers making up the Commander's special staff it was necessary to request manning from resources other than that of the Air Force Special Weapons Center. The services of a Flight Surgeon with experience in the bio-~ logical effects of radiation was obtained by arrangement with Feadquarters Joint Force SEVEN and Headquarters United States Air Force. Porteo/coe 17 [%