RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWEIAK ALULL
the powerplant, and identify requirements for water distillation, laundry,
BbLV dete ier
.
158
and food service. H&N-PTD would design, procure and install the
distillation, laundry, food service, and cold storage equipment.°°
Design efforts in Hawaii were well coordinated until the battalion
deployed to Enewetak, and the H&N design effort was transferred to their
Anaheim, California, office. After that separation, coordination was
On 19 May 1977, the USAE beganclearing brush and surveying sites for
construction of Lojwa Camp. ERDA-NV_ had declared the island
radiologically safe for construction operations, including earth moving. Air
samplers were placed downwind of all earthmoving activities as
recommended by ERDA-NV.52 On 23 May 1977, personnel from
Company B moved to Lojwa, established a temporary camp using tents,
and began constructing slabs. Until the American Racer arrived, they
made the mostofavailable assets, borrowing a bulldozer, concrete mixer,
and other equipment from Field Command. H&N set up a temporary mess
hall using the only building on the island, refrigerator vans on loan from
MSC, portable distillation units on loan from the Marine Corps, and water
storage bladders on loan-from an Army depot. Company B built a field
shower system and establishedfield latrines. The troops slept in tents and
on beds obtained as excess from Kwajalein Missile Range. These facilities
were expandedfrom time to time tosatisfy an ever-growing population at
Lojwa Camp. Useof the Lojwa Camp duringits construction saved 4 hours
a day which would have been used commuting by boat from Enewetak
ee ee ee
somewhatimpaired and somesupply and construction problems arose.>!
Camp (Figures 3-7, 3-8, 3-9).53
Construction of Lojwa Camp was hampered by unforeseen supply and
In some cases, these were on the atoll, but no record of their arrival or
location existed. Sometimes a search of Lojwa, Runit, and Enewetak
Islands permitted identification and location of critical items. Sometimes a
method was found to continue without them. For example, the troops
fabricated window hinges from beer cans until the real articles could be
found. Most hardware and lumber wereplentiful, but plumbing and some
electrical items were in extremely short supply due to demands in the
Eastern United States following an unusually cold winter. The pipe
TO conta
shortage delayed placing of some concre
sewer pipes, until the troops devised a means of working around the
problem. These shortages also delayed completion of water, sewage, and
electrical systems to service critical facilities, such as the mess hall and
latrines.
eR —. — — ee eee
and work stoppages occurred, caused by lackofcritically needed items.
~
Satie.
whenthe first loads of building materials arrived, and the Army supply
officer did not arrive until after construction had started. Numerous delays
eee
construction problems. There were no Army supply personnel on the atoll
FIGURE 3-8. LOJWA BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.