160
RADIOLOGICAL CLEANUP OF ENEWETAK ATOLL
Mobilization
161
1,578 measurement tons of Army rolling stock (vehicles, vans, and
construction equipment).
There was concern that expertise was not available on Enewetak to
offload the American Racer; therefore, an Army stevedore team from
Fort Eustis was provided to assist offloading the ship into landing craft.
However, since the team’s previous experience was limited to offloading
ships alongside cargo piers, its value to the Enewetak operation was
limited. Fortunately, H&N-PTD’s riggers and stevedores were well
experienced. They operated the ship’s winches when it developed that the
ship’s crews could not, and they took charge of the more hazardous and
complex tasks. Because of this experience, the Fort Eustis team was not
requested for subsequent offloading operations.
Lightering was accomplished with landing craft operated by the U.S.
Navy Element (USNE), whose Officer-in-Charge, Lieutenant
CommanderJ. E. Hopkins, USN, arrived on 7 June 1977 with 18 additional
maintenance and operations personnel.56 Everyone on atoll who could be
spared from other duties, including 40 men of the USAE, was employed in
offloading and storing the cargo. It still required 8 days to complete
offloading the ship.5’ It took even Jonger to put some of the cargo into
operation. Most of the new vehicles arrived in mothballed condition.
Although many critical items still had not arrived, enough equipment and
supplies had been received that the USAE could increase its camp
FIGURE 3-9. LOJWA INDUSTRIAL AREA.
The coral rock, high humidity, and heat at Enewetak caused
construction problems which had to be overcome. For example, the first
concrete placed at Lojwa set up so quickly that the crew could not work it
out to a smooth surface. They learned that a vapor barrier was required to
reduce the loss of water into the crushed coral surface which, when
construction force on Lojwa from two to four platoons. 58
D-DAY, 15 JUNE 1977
combined with the temperature of the mix (80° F), caused it to set too
quickly.
To expedite Lojwa Camp construction, all common framing and trusses
were prefabricated at Enewetak Camp. Despite difficulties in transporting
the larger sections to Lojwa, the procedure was generally successful. As
construction continued toward completion, the troops gained valuable on-
MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND SUPPORT BEGINS: 31 MAY 1977
MSC support of the Enewetak Radiological Cleanup Project began with
+
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Area, Oakland, California, on i4 May 1977. The ship was delayed for
repairs at Pearl Harbor and arrived at Enewetak on 4 June 1977.55 It
carried 7,423 measurement tons of supplies and equipment, including
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the-job training and experience.*4
The day prior to D-Day was marked by the arrival of the USAE
Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Lee W. Tucker, USA; the interim U.S.
Air Force Element Commander, Major H. Rumzrek, USAF; 50 more
construction troops; and nine more Air Force support personnel. They
were welcomed by Director, DNA, Vice Admiral Robert R. Monroe,
USN, and Commander, Field Command, BG Lacy, who had arrived the
previous day accompanied by Mr. Roger Ray, of ERDA-NV, and Mr. Earl
Gilmore and Mr. Frank Drake, of H&N, (Figure 3-10).
D-Dayarrivals increased the atoll population from 336 to 394. Following
the D-Day ceremony, the Director and his party departed for Johnston
Atoll for an inspection visit. The following day, seven members of the
news media airived
tO cover
mODilizalon aclivities, AGGIUOl a!
arrivals by 17 June 1977 increased the atoll population to 536.59
Troop
Among the D-Day arrivals were Staff Sergeant Charles H. Freeman,
USA, and his laundry team from the 613th Field Service Company at Fort
McClellan, Alabama. They used the washers and dryers ordered for self-