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CHAPTER V, SECTION 1
Maintenance of marine equipment on loan
from the U.S. Navy was also a prime responsibility of the Contractor. In addition, work was
accomplished on Army, Navy, and Air Force
small craft on specific Maintenance Work
Orders. LCM craft and Water Taxis were given
a thorough inspection and oil change every 100
hours of operation and were beached only when
it was necessary for on-shore repair work. LCU
craft were maintained by the crew assigned to
the craft, except for major repairs. Operators
allowing eight fuel pumps or fuel injectors to
be tested at one time. In addition to the marine
repair facilities on Elmer, a Marine Repair Shop
was established at Nan to serve the small craft
assigned to Bikini Atoll.
Plans
were
formulated
for beaching
all
small craft at Site Elmer not required during
the interim period. LCM’s were thoroughly reconditioned, with engines being removed and
overhauled before being placed in storage.
of all small craft were charged with keeping an
accurate record of engine hours of operation.
The anticipated operating time of marine engines
between overhauls was set at 3500 hours, based
ROADS AND AIRSTRIPS.
were
Road maintenance was continuous at all
sites. On Elmer, roads were frequenty graded
Maintenance repairs were largely confined
to engines, bottom and hull plating, replacement
were constantly cut up by the movement of
track-type equipment and required continual
recompaction as well as grading. On Fred the
on
Navy
standards;
however,
engines
usually removed and overhauled after every 3000
hours of operation.
of stringers and stiffeners, and replacement or
repair of propellers and shafts. To accomplish
these repairs, small craft were beached by use
and watered to reduce dust nuisance. Roads
along the water front and in the warehouse area
surfaced roads required spot repairs as a result
of damage caused by heavy vehicular traffic,
particularly following a dearth of rain. Road
of a “Gilhoist” rig or placed in a floating drydock. Ramp winches and winch clutches required
frequent maintenance due to continual usage,
work on Nan andthe off-island camps was constant, requiring much grading and recompaction
winches were standardized to utilize like parts.
Following the rehabilitation of the airfields,
maintenance work at these installations was
sweeping, re-marking, and clearing brush and
and a supply problem arose because of the fact
that the LCM craft in use were of three different
tvpes; however, through modification, all LCM
Some bottom plating was required on barges
used for lighter service. Chipping, painting, and
plating were performed continuously on all
craft. One of the most modern pieces of test
equipment—-for the testing and adjustment of
fuel pumps and fuel injectors—was available
in the Marine Equipment Repair Shop on Elmer,
because of the damage inflicted by the movement of heavy construction equipment.
other obstacles from the strips. Some electrical
maintenance was necessary at those airfields
which were equipped with night-lighting facili-
ties. Both airfields and helicopter pads required
infrequent replacement of the wind socks. Most
of the maintenance on the Fred Airfield was
(Neg. No. W-610-10)
Figure No. 5-4.
Page 438
Repainted Jeeps and Crane — Elmer.