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aperchlorie acid fume hood building
e
a bunker (remaining from the nuclear test era) used for storing radioactive check sources
and hazardous chemicals
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an open shed--originally built for IMP maintenance but later converted to archiving soil
samples
Approximately two miles away at the southwest end of the island, other chemicals, supplies and
materials were stored in an old sheet metal building.
The ERSP Project Manager also had an office in the JTG Operations Section in the JTG office
building.
On Ursula ERSP had two structures—an enclosed steel shed for IMP maintenance and a living trailer
occupied by IMP technicians.
ERSP had a unique, essential requirement for liquid nitrogen (LN), utilized in the operation of the
intrinsic germanium radiation detectors in the RADLAB and on the IMPs. Shipping this "hazardous"
eryogenic material from Honolulu via MAC aircraft was impractical on a continuing basis, so an old
USAF transportable liquid oxygen plant was obtained and placed in operation at Enewetak. The LN
needed by ERSP wasproduced in this plant which was operated by H&N.
H&N, as the overall Enewetak Support contractor, provided general craft support as needed. Their
Supply Department handled many of the routine procurements of materials and supplies that were
needed during the course of the project. H&N also coordinated the shipping of articles to and from
Enewetak. This was a very important service as shipments often went astray or were delayed in the
complicated shipping channels. The assistance of H&N expediters was frequently needed to ensure
shipments met project schedules. In addition to a terminal at Enewetak, H&N had staging areas at
Honolulu, Hawaii, and Oakland, California, to receive, process, and forward cargo to or from
Enewetak.
Camps
There were two camps on Enewetak Atoll during the cleanup operations.
The main camp was on
Enewetak Island (the largest island) at the southeast side of the atoll. Here were located the
headquarters of the Joint Task Group (JTG): the U.S. Army element; the U.S. Navy element; the U.S.
Air Foree element; Holmes & Narver, Inc.; the Mid-Pacific Research Laboratory; and ERSP.
Population of this camp was usually 500 or more. The Radiation Laboratory and most ERSP
personnel were based here.
Twenty miles NNE on the island of Ursula was the other camp, with an average population of about
400. The majority of military personnel] actually doing the cleanup work were based here. The two
ERSP IMP teams, consisting of two EG&G technicians and two USAF driver/mechanies, were also
based at Ursula.
Housing. Project personnel were quartered in a variety of accommodations ranging from private
rooms to open barracks. Cooling for comfort against the tropical heat was either by refrigerated air
conditioning or by wide open windows allowing the (almost) continual trade winds to blow through.
These accommodations ranged from very comfortable to not very comfortable.
Many of the ERSP civilian personnel were lodged in house trailers which were very satisfactory.
Some of the military personnel, especially those on Ursula, were in more primitive quarters, e.g., the
trade wind ventilated barracks.
All fresh water used for drinking, cooking and bathing was produced by distilling seawater. An
adequate supply was usually available to meet all needs. A positive water conservation program
helped achieve this.
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