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COPAA~317
April 19, 1957
MEMORAND!M
TO:
G. W. Johnson
FROM:
Walter D. Gibbins
UCRL has a requirement for a suitable ship to be used in the firing
and diagnosis of high yield nuclear devices at Taongi Atoll in Operation
Hardtack, 1958, and in future operations. Considerable work has been
done toward accumulating the necessary requirements to be fulfilled in
the choice of such a ship. Several specific ships have been underconsideration in obtaining the information necessary for us to arrive at a
preference. The ships considered were:
1.
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Medium troop transport (Liberty
Hospital shi
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3.
Light cruiser
5.
AV~-4 (USS Curtiss)
4.
CVE or CW (i.e., Cape Esperan
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The above ships were considered in an attempt to fill two basic
major requirements: ”
1.
2.
Sufficient cabin class quarters
Radar tracked armament’ mounts or stabilized platforms suitable
for mounting the diagnostic equipment
The first two ships above were rejected because of insufficient
clear elevated deck space in which to mount the radar positioned acientific
equipment. Number three was rejected because of excessive size and
future operating expense. The two remaining ships, a CVE or CVU type
and an AV, the USS Curtiss specifically, were brought under closer
scrutiny. The CVE type represents one extreme and the "Curtiss" the
other, since the CVE’s as presently fitted out, meet practically none
of the requirements, while the USS "Curtiss" materially meets all of the
needs.
It seems pertinent, therefore, to present our concepts of the
operation of the diagnostics ship and those facilities and functions
which she mst house aboard. Since, from our viewpoint the field has
narrowed down to a choice between items four and five above, it also
seems pertinent to draw a comparison between the two to aid you in your
decision on the basis of suitability and econony.
Concept Of Operation
It is our concept that the ship arrive off Taongi at the same time
an LSD would arrive from Bikini, prior to the first shot. Aboard the
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