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would be within the established wage scales at the respective islands,
The Weather Reporting Element's Unit Manning Document had been pre-
pared on the assumption that native labor would be utilized at the vea~
ther camps.
Therefore, the Element Commander pointed out that if broken
lot food stocks and POL could not be used for payment, a sum of &,800
would be required to pay for indigenous labor.
Task Group 7.4 favored
payment in food and POL items, and made this proposal to Joint Task Force
SEVEN,
Colonel Paul R, Wignall, Deputy Commander of Task Group 7.4, with
another representative, conferred with the High Commissioner of the United
States Trust Territory at Agana, Guan, in early February. A principal
portion of the discussion was devoted to the reimbursement problem.
Colo~
nel Wigneall proposed that food and other items be used for payment, as had
bean done on Operation REDWING,
The Commissiomer, exploring other possi-
bilities also, ultimately agreed to this proposal.
In accordance with
this proposal, the local Governor would provide the labor force need by
the camp concerned and would also pay the laborers.
Broken lots of food
would be furnished to the Commissioer to distribute to local stares for
sale, the proceeds of which would be returned to the Covernor.
Fhe Trust Territory authorities, however, stated that direct payment
to the natives should be made in case of property damare ct the sites,
AFWL/ HO