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Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.
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H AT THULE AIR BASE, GREENLAND This is the eighth in a series of status reports to advise the Commission of the current situation with respect to the Thule USNS TOWLE is scheduled to arrive at Thule on August 21 with the remainder of the converted jet engine containers required to contain the liquid debris. TOWLE and two other MSTS cargo ships will then return the packaged liquid and solid debris to the U. S. Army port facility at Charleston, South Carolina. Headquarters, USAF, has advised that the retrograde surface cargo movement of debris is estimated to begin about the end of August and be completed by the end of September 1968. STAR III underwater search vessel arrived at Thule Air Base on August 12. Logistic support for the underwater search phase has been completed and the search was scheduled to begin on August IS. However, by teletype of August 13, Headquarters, U. S. Navy Ship Systems Command, has advised that, despite repeated DoD assurances that no nuclear hazard exists, the underwater search contractor has refused to dive STAR III in this effort without nuclear indemnification on the part of the Government. The contractor (Ocean.Services, Inc., prime con tractor; Electric Boat Company, subsidiary of General Dynamics, subcontractor) is considered in breach of contract since time of refusal. Granting of nuclear indemnification requires approval of the Secretary of the Navy, must be based on the prerequisite that a nuclear hazard exists and would require about four days to process. Assuming an alternate, nonindemnified, CONUS contractor could be found, a further delay of Baaoiny of tho
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three to four weeks would be introduced. Other alternatives being explored are persuasion of Electric Boat Company to operate in search-only mode and acquisition of the non-indemnified services of the Canadian International fydrodynamics Coup any, LTD., sub mersible "PISCES" reportedly operating in the vicinity of Thule in employ of the Arctic Institute. Headquarters, U. S, Navy Ship Systems Command, has requested Headquarters, USAF, to advise if the search task warrants the granting of nuclear indemnification. Major General, USAF for Military Application