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Declassified record · U.S. Department of Energy

Broken Arrow - Memo to Capt Moyer, Subject: Project Crested Ice Task Group (Attach: Project Ice Task Group Report) (Accident 30, B-52 Thule Greenland)

Dated
Jun 24, 1968
Document type
Correspondence
Length
27 pages
Open the original scanArchive record OSTI ID 1085077 · public domain

Document text

Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.

Page 1

Subject: Project Crested lee Task Group TO: CAPT. Moyer Vfelccoe to the San Antonio Air Materiel Area Project Crested Ice Task Group! The flan Antonio Air Materiel Area Directorate of Special Weapons was designated to manage and direct the disposal of radio* actively contaminated waste the recent B~52 crash at Thule ABt You In tun were selected as a member of the task group to accomplish the job because of your demonstrated ability and skill and other personal characteristics. Before tackling the job at hand we will orient you to the size of the task, the conditions under which you will be working and have a dry run of your task at Thule. We will have an orientation session all day Tuesday, 25 July 196ft* at 0900 in the Directorate of Special Weapons, Bldg 1420, Main Conference Room. Transportation (Bus) will leave the quarters at 0830; be sure you bring the etteched pocket and your orders. Project Crested Ice Task Group Officer

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SAAMA CHECK LIST 1. How saich in advance can they forecast the weather. Accuracy_________ 2. Can work he accomplished during 3. How much advance notice can be 4. Can a Wind Sock be provided in the Tank Farm area? Erected to a height that can be seen from anywhere in the Tank Farm. (All work is to be accomplished up-wind from open POL Ports & open Trans portable Containers during Pump/Transfer 5. Is full issue of Winter Gear advised for Mid July-Mid Sept, operations These phases can but do not generally ocurr during the months of July & August. If they do, they are less severe and of shorter duration than during winter monthr . \ Can go from Phase I to Phase III within 10 minutes. See Thule AB PIO publication, Welcome to Thule, The Air Forces Northernmost Base. Also refer to Thule ) Port Operations, after Action Report SUNEC67 pgs 44-47 inclusive for Climatological This will be provided by Thule AB. Major Harris will arrange for its erection during his stay. Not advised - Available at Thule if

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SAAMA CHECK. LIST between assigned office apace/quarters 2. Is such equipment available at ^ Thule for use of: a. Task Group Officer 1 ea c. Progranmer Scheduler 1 ea d. 3 Pump Transfer Crews 1 ea e. Health Physics Crew 1 ea f. Melting Crew 1 ea 4. Availability of Bull Horns (5) for on POL Tank Farm Site Consnimication. 5. When is best time of day for transmission of Project Officers Progress 6. When are normal mail run(s) made To & From Thule AB? 7 7. Hew should mail be addressed? OK - But SAAMA should furnish own equip ment, extra batteries 4/or battery Thule already furnished 2 phones 4 will have 2 extensions installed for Task Group Phone Nos. 3239 or 2783. Only 1 on base. Once each week - possible 3 week backlog 7 a 4 b same as follows: a. To Task Group Office Name, Rank S/N b. To Task Group Members APO 09023 New York, NY 8. Crested Ice Task Group Office Phone Nos are 3239 and 2783 at Thule AB.

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1. Detennine extent of contamination in Farm area. 2. Can a wind sock be erected in from open POL Ports). 3. Is there a decontamination facility in or near tank farm? 4. Load bearing surface of tank 5. Load bearing surface of roadbeds 6. Load bearing capacity of dock? 7. What will be the most direct route to dock for trucks/flatbed/lowboy: b. Lowboy with empty POL Tanks. c. Lowboy with debris filled 8. Will all the necessary equipment, i/e 60 Ton Crane, Large POL Tanks on Lowboys fit under and wires 9. Get exact numbering of tanks on to enlarged drwg of tank farm (230) be sure of dimensions of equipment. (’Ncsae for all intent & purposes; however, S Kovacs picked up 300 + reading on right | shoe on 1st visit to farm area. A reading Will be done by Thule, (See Remarks A-4 /Directly opposite tank farm across Danner Rol ] However, 2 additional decontamination /'Presently very soft due to thaw, later opera1 tions will create andjijr road (pema-frost tches and contours, see map of base. All clear & no problems from Tank to Dock, May be one low area from Igloo area to Dock road from pole to hanger. See map. See enlarged Tank Farm Area Pla^t.

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SAAMA CHECK LIST D. HEAVY MOVING EQUIPMENT AT THULE REMARKS I. Get Size of Lowboy (place dimen Tires Front & Rear (Draw la) (2) Heaviest POL Tank with e. Cradle for moving big POL SAAMA most bring strain guage for use in Crane Weighing of the Debris filled POL Sketches furnished to Frank Loiz (Civil Engr) for computations & working drawings. 60 Ton at Bemevs Site on crawler, boom with two hooks, 1" dimeter cables last tested August 1967, with 4000 lbs, previous cable 35 Ton Lima Crane on crawler, book with (2) Date of last test two hooks, 3/4" diameter cables. Hill be tested prior to actual operations at Tank ! (3) Weight used during Fran. ■.a (4) Date of last Cable Tj* Who operates, experience. Danish Construction Corporation employee 10 years experience.

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Radiological & Supply Crew (1) Vehicles are scarce due to high number in repair or VOP status. Maximum support will however be given Task Group. Task Group will probably be equipt with a Staff Gar with radio/telephone patch capa bility and a Metro-Bus for the transporta tion of cm duty group members. 5. Should a "saddle or clan shell" be required for lifting both debris filled & empty POL Tanks will Thule AB manufacture? 6. Sling (as suggested in D4 above) Compute Ho Filled R-436G Containers that can be loaded per info on roads. C-3. per flat bed. 8. Is there a recommended action for disposal of hot Belt Loader. a. Ship as is. Palletize - with loader tied to pallet cover with tourpoulin - Lift by pallet wings.

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c. Can any of the equip be 9. Availability of gasoline driven air compressor 6s tank to air Not advisable per health physicist. Air Compressor (High Capacity) normally nsec to operate Jack Haiaaers will be available from the base Civil Engineers - L/C Evans (Engine is Diesel driven)

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SAAMA CHECK LIST NOTE: Personnel will probably 7 days per week. 1. What type of quarters are E. TASK GBOUP PERSONNEL SUPPORT REMARKS 2. %at recreation facilities are 3. Office Space & Equipraent Gysnaslixi - Steam Baths - Bowling Alley (No fishing or hunting permitted) Chair Phone Type Friedas or a. Office Space more than adequate & Desk writer Monroe and already assigned. Project Officer II Calc. b. Chairs & desks okey. c. Two phones already installed Health Ifeysicist ft with 2 extensions to be furnished, d. One typewriter available with NOOIC M another to be furnished by SAAMA. e. Calculator nice to have but wi 4. Photographic Services to document operations (various procedures related to the removal of waste) for Project Officers Final Report, Lessons Learned, etc. Ehotographer will be available as required to docuaent operations for the record & reports to be submitted upon completion of 5. Is there sufficient amount of foul weather gear at Thule to outfit Sufficient gear availableat Thule if require this includes protective (Yellow suits, boot

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F. RADIOLOGICAL TEAM SUPPORT SAAMA CHECK LIST 2. Check type, condition and cali bration of available radiac 3. Check type, quantity, condition of protective clothing and 4. Determine extent of contamination existing in tank form. 5. Survey facilities which can be used for equipment and personnel. 25 RAC - is to shiplhold for Available at sits. 6. Sat up procedures for biological sampling. 7. Survey contaminated loading machine which must be returned to CONUS. So Set up procedures for swipe sampling. 9. Does Thule have a supply of booties for those entering the radioactively contaminated tank farm area? (26 X 45 days = Est 1170 pair required if discarded daily) \ Ship back - all radiation fixed. No radiation on tires. Possibility to process for reuse. Sufficient booties on hand.

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SAAMA CHECK LIST 1. Review terrain for operational capabilities, or Unit at Iona 2. Visit shop to deteraine what support can be provided by 3. Fuel support for F-6 115/145 4. Determine availability of 5. Determine availability of spare 6. See Diagram Of suggested layout for No limitation to F-6 as far as terrain is An experienced POL equipment expert is available Mr Svend Jorgen Ext 2296 or 2743. SAAMA will provide an Account No & Credit I Card (LOG-C) for Created Ice Operations . Fuel will be delivered to site in 55 gallon dnaas & hand pmped from druss into F-6 Prime Movers will be made available by Ifcule Parts Kits for repair a£ F-6 will be taken i to Thule by Task Group. An additional F-6 is available in Thule a P0L| yard uhich can be canaabilized for its pump Engine cans) transportable containers placed around perimeter of tank Farm.

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1. Cbeck the w Id lag, nechleB a. Held Bed avallahility. 2. Check the availability of vtufe 3. Beteraiee nethod for iaetallaticn asd aateriale for froei tank farm to caa—and poet. 4. Deteraiae apthod and materials for installing Beergeacy Alexei at tank fare. 5. Check availability of 4* pipe die and thread dope. 4. Check availability of: ftmh rad for one logging suction ptmp pick up nozzle, 36” pipe wrench, air and other head tools. 7 7. Pipe Stand to keep Suction end of Transfer Operations free of debris. WeId/Machine shops okay - lota of capabilj Woodnill okay for pallet & box coaetructic 50# of 3/32 Lincoln Rod for Are Welding required & should be furaiebed when Task Gg 14 on hand & 7 due in. However a "Reflex Walkietalkie & Bull Horne will be SAAMA furnished. Maj Harris will attenpt to get Take this itea ss pert of Task Group Pipe/Conduit available at Thule. 8. Pipe Wrenches are “ located in Vehicle Shop

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SAAMA CHICK LIST 1. Aaaistlsg Thule Air Base Safety Office to Ascertain: (a) The general aachaaical condition (safety related) of USAF vehicles and special purpose equipaKst to be used la the operation. hoists, cables, etc) to be used axe la serviceable (c) That USAF vehicle operators are qualified and experienced in their specialities. 2. Pete raining the explosive potential of the POL taaks both during sad after the ice melting phase of the While vehicle operators are qualified they have had accidents of which Involved heavy equipment. Most accidents were

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OBSERVATIONS MADE AND TESTS CONDUCTED BY CRESTED ICE ORIENTATION CROUP I. OBSERVATIONS: (Temperature on base was 20 degrees) Mushy Snow all the wav through. Mushy Snow all Smell the way; last watery or slush. (3) 3d Tanks 33/40% Heavy POL Snow 6 Ice with Odor Meter either debris indicated a or ice prevent 25% reading ing easy rodding of flammable to tank bottom. vapors, Snow was mushy when rodded. No debris or chunks of ice were encountered during redding. Minor chunks of nothing was floating in the fluid. End viewed was watery. Ditto snow condition. Minor debris apparent on surface of snow and two pieces of what seemed to be a broken 1X2 stake with one piece about 8"; the other about 12" long. End viewed contained water. Contained a snow 6 ice corribinaticn. Ice was in chunks about 1C" long and at most, 6" in diameter as viewed from too side. Rodding indicated- either debris or more ice under surface. When rod was moved about 6-4" from where first stopped, tank bottom was NOTE: Some parts are sealed/closed with 3/8 - 1/2" horler plate and will reouire (2) Nearlv all POL Tanks were eouioped with venting tune anc valve. These must be cut off flush and plugged (wodden plug) for shipping. (3) During melting operations, using tents and heaters, the POL tanks should be vented outside the tent using the valves in Note (2) above. Care must be exercised to assure Herman--Nelson Heaters are placed unwind of tanks being vented. II. TESTS MADE: a. About 11 POL tanks were tapped with a rock' in an effort to determine extent of contents. In all but one case, the sides (at approximate center) sounded as if filled about 50%; the ends however seemed to be about 1/3 (35%) filled. The excepted tank was well over 50% at the sides and about 50% on the ends. pacted it to the estimated contents of the tanks and then allowed it to' melt.

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Upon melting, the ratio was two snow to one gallon of water (almost an exact ratio, since there was less than an 1/8” of water left in the second can), assistance of three airmen. It was erected in one hours time. He stated that this time should not exceed 30 minutes per tent once the airmen become more proficient in the operation. d. Mr, Bryant placed a Thenno-graph under the tent prior to firing up the two Herman-Nelson Heaters. The temperature at the time (under the tent at ground level) was 20 degrees; in 1 1/2 hrs, the temperature was at 50 degrees and still climbing when one of the Heaters ran out of gas. The curve indicated that it probably would have peaked at about 54 or 55 degrees had the second Heater remained in operation. a. Col Dresser, Thule AB Commander, indicated that an insufficient number of vehicles are on hand to equip each crew with its own pick-up but that vehicles would be made available upon request for a specific job. 1. This will slow down the operation to some degree and can be overcome by proper planning of each team chief. 2. Each team chief could call for the vehicle required just prior to actual ,eed. Some lost motion could occur if not properly monitored. 3. Task Group personnel must be checked out in operating/driving the F-6 Pump b. The Health Physicist (Capt Winant) desires that none of the Danes enter the POL tank farm area or handle any of the drums containing aircraft debris prior to being placed in polyetehelene envelopes. This necessitates: 1. Re-orientation of (R-4360 Engine Cans) transportable containers around the perimeter of the tank farm 2, A team or group of the present crested ice task group to manhandle the drums into envelopes and to be trained in use of Polyethelene sealing tools. (a) Procedures must be developed for these operations. (b) Personnel licensed to handle forklift will be working in rather close quarters in the igloos. personnel would'be reauired for the health Physics Crew. This is due to the necessity to monitor contents of POL tanks and containers at the Tank Farm and drum contents at the igloos. He stated the operation would require disaster control types in the farm area and that since they were subject to contamination, they could not properly do ' personnel moniPoring in decontamination facility outside the contaminated areas.

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PROJECT CRESTED ICE 1. GENERAL: Project Crested Ice objective is to dispose of the radioactively contaminated waste of the B-S2 …

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