a
tat
red
cn
oH
oP
10.
Tt has been proposed by UCRL and ALOO that Taongi Atoll
be set up as a third firing site at EPG for HARDTACK and future
test operations.
Taongi is an uninhabited atoll located approxi-
mately at 168° 50! E longitude and 14° 40'N latitude, 285 miles
northeast of Bikini and 324 miles south-southeast of Wake Island.
It is erescent-shaped, approximately 10 miles. long and X miles
wide at its
greatest width.
A chord joining the tips of the
crescent lies along a NNW-SSEE direction and is approximately
normal to the wind.
The lagoon is totally landlocked except for
a very narrow channel in the
leeward reef.
The land areas of
the atoll, consisting of long narrow sand islands
the
lying along
southeastern side of the atoll from northeast to southwest,
span a distance of some 8 miles.
to using Taongi.
There are two major advantages
First, due to its unique location with respect
to inhabited lands of the Marshall Islands, the southern
boundary of the danger area and the permanent facilities of EPG,
Taongi has always been recognized as having distinct advantages
as regards safety.
From the standpoint of fallout, Taongi is a
safer place to fire high yield shots than either Bikini or
Eniwetok.
It may be necessary to extend the danger areito the
east since the distance from Taongl to the eastern boundary of the
danger area used on REDWING is
only about 200 miles.
But this
does not necessarily imply that the HARDTACK danger area would
be larger than that for REDWING; the danger area to be used will
be based upon an evaluation of all pertinent factors such as
yield, shot site, position of device, and so forth.
- 12 -
Also, the
Appendix "a"