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EONEHDENTAIA
PART Ill, CHAPTERS 8 and 9
inspected, airshipped to Johnston Island, and
placed in operation 10 days prior to the User's
deadline.
MOTION PICTURE SERVICES
8.24
Coincident with camp activation, TG 7.5
operated six open-air theaters during the
build-up and operational phases of HARDTACK. Theaters at Sites Elmer and Nan were
equipped with are projectors, and those at the
smaller camps and aboard scientific houseboats
were equipped with lamp-type projectors. Films
were rented from the Armed Forces Motion Picture Service to provide a free showing of regular
or Cinemascope feature movies seven nights a
week. The theater at Site Elmer was extremely
overcrowded and interfered with night softball,
tennis, and handhall activities. Plans have been
made to relocate the present theater and to con-
struct an additional theater before another
operation. Also, are-type projection equipment
has been cbtained to replace all lamp-type projection equipment.
TELEVISION STATION
8.25
WXLE-TV operates as an Armed Forces
Television Station and is operated and
maintained by TG 7.5. The facility consists of
a combincd studio and transmitter station in
Building 488, Site Elmer. The station operates
from 1730 to 2255 hours daily and from 1330 to
2255 hours on Sundays and holidays. Coverage
of the Sites Fred-Elmer-David area is excellent.
This station, as presently located, interferes with
official communications services, and plans are
being made to construct new studios at the south
end of Site Elmer to accommodate the television
as well as the amateur radio station.
CHAPTER 9
TRANSPORTATION
-
9.1
All water transportation within the EPG
was provided hy TG 7.5, with the support
of TG 7.3. LSD’s under the control of CTG 7.3
were used extensively during the Operation.
Two LST’s and MV ALOTO provided shuttle
service between Bikini and Eniwetok Atolls,
while intra-atoll water transportation was accom-
plished by
DUKW’s.
9.2
means
of
LCU’s,
LCM’s,
and
The addition of Johnston Island required
ed the scientific program at Eniwetok and Bikini
Atolls had the ALOTO not been available.
9.3
In an attempt to solve the complicated
requirements for air support of all Task
Groups, an Air Priorities Agent, based at Site
Fred, was established under a JTF-Seven Operations
order,
to
control
and
coordinate with
TG 7.4 all aircraft dispatching within the EPG.
Each Task Group provided a Transportation
Control Agent for coordination with the APA.
All aircraft were scheduled from Site Fred, with
a major effort from both Eniwetok and
Honolulu for the movement of construction
the exception of liaison aircraft on D-—1 and on
plished by barge. Ships Jarger than an LST
of traffic from Site Elmer on these davs, it was
agreed that traffic control would be handled
from that site.
equipment and materials. The major part of the
freight movement from Honolulu was accom-
could not enter Johnston Harbor; therefore, all
shot days. Due to the greatly increased volume
direct-lift cargo from the Mainland was steve-
9.4
harge. It was possible to beach LST’s after the
removal of coral heads in the channel and the
lems in the maintenance of ships at the EPG. It
dored outside the lagoon and brought in by
construction of an LST landing ramp. A major
increase in the support provided other Task
Groups was-made possible by the addition of
the MV ALOTO to the permanent craft at
Eniwetok. Its presence in the EPG allowed continuous construction support by both LST’s at
-idely separated areas, such as Wotho and
Nauru Atolls. If it were not for the support
provided between Eniwetok and Bikini Atolls
by the MV ALOTO. construction at such distant
locations as Nauru Atoll might well have fallen
behind schedule because of a lack of surface
craft. Inclement weather and other factors frequently
deiaved construction at
the off-atoll
sites, and this delay might have adverselyaffect-
The unanticipated extension of the
HARDTACK program posed major prob-
was necessaryto release one of the LST's to Pearl
Harbor for repairs during the most critical part
of the move to Johnston Island. Repairs re-
quired 10 days and resulted in the absence of
the LST from the EPG for more than 30 days.
An LSD wasalso absent for an extended period
for repairs at Pearl Harbor.
9.5
Inter- and intra-atol] shipping was under
the control of CTG 7.5. Jobsite pro-
cedures to prevent duplication of shipment
and to account for all materials shipped from
one island to another were revised to include
the experience gained during Operation REDWING. CTG 7.5 and CTG 7.1 observed the
methods provided by H&N Jobsite Procedure
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