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Declassified record · U.S. Department of Energy

Top Secret Appendix to Supplement to Manhattan District History; Book I - General; Volume 14 - Intelligence & Security

Dated
Dec 31, 1946
Declassified
Oct 18, 2005
Document type
Book
Length
6 pages
Open the original scanArchive record OSTI ID 1127215 · public domain

Archive description

None

Document text

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

Page 2

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY DE CLASS IF IC A T IO NREV IE W S. CONTAINS NO DOE CLASSIFIED IN FO 6. CLASSIFIED IN FO BRACKETED BY AUTHORITY OF. meaning of the laws, Title 18, U.S.C., Secs. 793 and Tpv^fle/transmission or revelation o f which in anj^i^Jnrier to an unauthorized person,

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S5,7, Shipments ■» Transmission ofc la s s ifie d documents fend (shipment o f final products and other bulk c la s s ifie d materials continued under the pro cedures previou sly established u n til 25 August 1946, However, the in fe a s ib le - ness o f continuing shipments o f the end produot from Oak Ridge t o Los Alamos by s ix O ffice r Couriers per week and o f the end product from Hanford t o Los Alamos by tri-m onthly convoys was c le a r ly indicated when dem obilisation ■drastically reduced o ff ic e r and enlisted G u ardpools; fa rth er,it was evident that secu rity had been compromised t o a considerable extent through the neoess i t y o f O fficer Couriers using regu la rly assigned closed space on certa in tra in s from Oak Ridge t o Los Alamos and by the motor convoy from Hanford to Los Alamos ' traveling ever s ta tic routes, and receivin g emergency maintenance, repair and se rv icin g from the Ninth Service Command, I t was decided that shipment by rail would provide a higher degree o f se cu rity , Siipment by r a il had proved to be the sa fe st o f a l l methods at a co st somewhat but not p r o h ib itiv e ly , higher than other methods. A Eospital Unit type car was secured from the Medioal Corps and the in te r io r o f the car was re constructed at S ite W t o meet requirements fo r actu al shipment and operation* A s te e l vault with sp ecia l type racks to hold product boxes was fabricated and in sta lled * The ear was equipped with weapons, ammunition, kitohen u te n s ils , fire fig h tin g equipment and other nec ess itie s , Cosamissioned o ffic e r s and enlisted men were socured and given sp ecia l tra in in g in car defense, health and safety measures, maintenance^^nd general operating procedures, meanitt^ Wlthin the

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Sites for storage and maintenance o f the oar were selected and a ir , heati water, steam, and telephone facilities were in sta lled at these lo ca tio n s. S pecial attention was given to the seclu sion aspects o f the Bitee t o prevent any undue eur io s ity on the part ofpro je c t employees and the general pub lic, A ll con trol and authorisation fo r functioning and movements o f the u nit were directed by the P is t r ie t Security O ffic er.A ll movements were made on regularly scheduled passenger trains and set schedules were used. Routings varied in order that proper eeou rity could be maintained. I h ile the oar was in movement, i t was aself sustaining u n it. A ll liv in g facilities were maintain- •d and necessary food and other supplies, with the exception o f water and i c e . were secured at terminal p o in ts, Train crews or unauthorised persons were not allowed on the oar, Guard rosters were set up and e u ffio ie n t personnel were on duty at a l l tim es, Windows and doors were securely locked and were only opened upon orders o f the Car Commander who accompanied the shipment. A ll car personnel were briefed previous t o each movement and were thoroughly fa m iliar fh e Car Comaander checked and signed fo r the shipment at loading Worice, Washington, on 24 August 1946, with a crew o f 2 O fficers and 10 Enlisted Men t o Los Alamos, Uew Mexico, and return. A period o f 10 days were required t o complete the trip. On 16 September 1946, the first round t r ip from HES# t o Los Alamos to Oak Ridge and return was sta rted , The t o ta l elapsed time fo r the t r ip was 21 days. Subsequent revision s o f routes and schedules 21 days

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a large volume o f fils), and other m aterials and tech n ical equipment in con- ■nection v/ith the Bikini test which were c la s s ifie d Secret or fop Secret* In all such cases, the processing o f the film and the shipment in the custody o f officer couriers furnished e ith e r by Joint faek Force I or by the Santa Fc