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STATEMENT OF DR. DAPOL K. FROLAN, SCIENTIFIC DIRSCICN, JOINT TASK FORCE
SEVEN, AT PRESS CONFERUNCE, RESDAUARTENS, USAEP4C, FORT SHAFTER, T.H,
General Hull and Captain Russel have outiined the historical
background leading up to the 1948 program of atomic weapon tests and the
organization of the Task Force which was formed to carry out the program.
Although the tests were conducted by a combined military and civilian’ tean,
Joint Task Force Seven is a military organization with a great majority of
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its personnel from the Arswed Forces. However, the spirit of cooperation
which existed between the military and civilian personnel resulted in the
smoothest" nossible operation. Throughout the whole life of the Joint Task
Force, there has not been a single ineident which impeded eny test or
measurerent end which arose from the rather great differences betwee
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military and civilian philosophies and methods of cpervtion,
The nixing
was really very intinate; for example, most of the technical sections
were staffed with both civiliens and members of the Armed Forces Szccial
Neepons Project.
A year ago, I would not have believed sucn a pleasant and successful
working relationship could be achieved, end I wileve now that it resulted in
this case from the broad understanding and wisdom of Generel Hull. He has
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wy
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ezrrying out technical operations and
rents was vart of the Task Group co;mmanded by
ssell eiso represented the Atomic Energy Commis-—
is wide ond irtimate knowledge of the organd technical work of the Conmission, and of military
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set a standard for ail future inteerst:d projects involving the Armed Forces
and civilion groups, To havo: been 9 ramber of his organizetion has been a
most pieasant experience for xe personalir, and I believe for ell the
civiliens of the T:sk Force,
ly neval end cir onsrations - made it possible for
usto do the job recuired. Since the beginnin= of this project, Captain
Russell and I heve worked very closely tozether, We have even shared the
same room for the nast three months, We are now nearing the end of one of
those rare exneriences which someone as lucky as I sometimes finds and which
marks a highlight in one's life,
Ths Deputy Commanders of the Tus
Tusk Force, Major Guneral W. E. Kepner,
USAF, and Rear Austral W. S, P.rsens,
Cn
USN, were of grest
assistance
throughout the opsrations. Generel
Kepner's intimate knowledge of so many
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phases of sir operetions contributed directly to th: success of our more
important experiments, and Adsiral Parsons! wide experienee and understanding
in the field of military arplicztions of steric enerey were of the greatest
value.
The te
ogram just completed st the Eniw-tok Proving Groun
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involved a
s+
gs of nuclesr explosions, c2arricd
out under conditions
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as close to laboratory control as we could ineke them, and with very
extensive instrumenteticn.
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