COA Chapter 5 - Support Aircraft Task Grovp 7.4 was charged with many support responsibilities in connection with Operation HARDTACK. Among these responsibilities were logistic support of the weather and rad-safe sites at Tarawa, Nauru, Kusaie, Kapingamarangi, Uterik, Rongelap, Wotho, Ujelang, Wake, Midway, Kwajalein, Majuro, Truk, and Guam. Airlift service had to be supplied between the principal Eniwetok Proving Ground sites of Eniwetok and Bikini and among the islands of each atoll. The logistic support fur- nished by MATS required the services of an air terminal organization. Responsibility for Search and Rescue operstions in the Eniwetok Control Area was delegated to Commander, Task Group 7.4 by Joint Task Force SEVEN Operation Order 1-58. These support activities will be discussed 4 in the following paragraphs. In planning for Operation HARDTACK, it was recognized that air transportation requirenents in support of the test series would be varied’, and would require several different types of aircraft to carry them out. It was established that re-supply of the weather island and rad-safe sites would have to be accomplished by both four enginedland based aircraft and amphibious aircraft. It was decided that the transport requirements between Eniwetok and Bikini would also be met by using four engined land based transports. Personnel transport and light cargo transportation requirements between the islands of Enivgtok Atoll and certain scientific support requirements such as rad-safe surveys and recovery of scientific instruments could best be met, it was decided, by liaison and helicopter aircraft. As a result of this planning, the book message which directed 104 COPIED/r 2: fee "gS