aa
1. QUESTION: I understand Gencral, that one of the M.jor Commands
participating in Castle is the Military Air Transport Service, What
does that organization provide?
ANSWER: The Military Air Transport Service, commonly kmown as MATS,
has Weather, rescuo and communications responsibilitics in addition to
that of Air Transportation, All of theso services are vital to this
operation. MATS functions, excopt Air Transport, are provided by the
Tost Services Unit. This unit has 15 aircraft and approximately 750
people. Tho Pacific Division of MATS, with headquarters in Hawaii,
provides airlift for the movement of high priority cargo and personnel
between the U.S., Hawaii and the Pacific Proving Ground.
QUESTION: I understand that accurate weather information is very
important in tests of this type. How do you obtain this data in an
isolated location such as the Pacific Proving Ground?
ANSWER: The Test Services Unit has six (6) subordinate elements,
Three of these elements are concerned directly with the collection and
evaluation of weather information.
We have established weather reporting
stations on several islands within a 400 mile radius of Eniwetok, Daily”
weather reconnaissance missions are performed by WB-29 aircraft. Weather
data collected by the aircraft, the weather islands and permanently =n
established stations is funneled into a weather central, The Weather
~
Central then evaluates the information received and provides the weather
forecasts,
QUESTION:
You have Weather Reporting, Weather Reconnaissance, and
Weather Central Elements in the Tost Services Unit,
three cloments?
ANSWER:
What are the other
There is the Commmications Element which provides aids to air
navigation such as the control tower, radio and radar beacons, the radar
approach control system, etc., and Air Force circuits for the transmission
ard reception of radio mossagos, The Air Rescuc function is performed
by an element oquipped with amphibious aircraft. We have a Documentary
Photographic Element with transport type aircraft which are utilized to
obtain necossary pictorial covcrage of our operations,
The actual
photography is accomplished by personnel of the Scientific Task Group.
QUESTION: Are there any unusual airlift rcquircments on MATS in this
Operation?=~
ANSWER: Yes there aro.
the samples to the U.S.
One of the most important is that of returning
This, MATS dees as expeditiously ag possible.
Special flights arc set up to depart the proving ground after cach shot
and spare aircraft and crows aro stationcd at the enroute stops to
preclude delays,
We are able to move the samples from Eniwetok to
Albuquerque, New Mexico, for excample, in about 23 hours.
gl
4193