Ps
where they were showered and scrubbed until relatively radiation free,
and then given clean clothing.
*
These men were not released until their
skin readings were down to seven milliroentgens and clothing readings
down to twenty milliroentgens,.
A highly experienced control team composed of a scientist from Los
Alamos, Dr. Hal Plank; Colonel Paul Fackler, Director of Operations;
Colonel Karl Houghton, Medical Adviser; Major Billy Burke, Deputy for
Military Matters; and Major Finis Mitchell, Deputy for Scientific Matters, directed the nuclear cloud sampling operations.
This team had ob-
served and directed sampling on more than thirty-five nuclear detona-
tions prior to CASTLE,
On CASTLE, eboard the B-36 control aircraft,
they observed the detonation and growth of the nuclear cloud and the
areas from which representative samples should be obtained.
Following
the decrease of cloud intensities, the F~84, B-36 and B-29 samplerd were
then directed by the control team to enter the cloud at a specific point
and altitude for a certain length of time.
Prior to the operation these
pilots were thoroughly schooled in methods of sample collection and ra-
diation safety matters.
This tended to minimize the anotint of direction
the sampling aircraft received from the control team,
Upon landing, the samples were removed by trained personnel using
long-handled tools and placed in an especially designed lead container.
These samples were then carried back to the Zone of the Interior by special long-range transport planes.
H.
EFFECTS AIRCRAFT CONTROL AND POSITIONING
The B-36 controller aircraft's job was to place each aircraft at an
AFWLUHO
OG