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Declassified record · U.S. Department of Energy

Correspondence File, Memo to Distribution, Subject: Plans for Grable, 20 May - 24 May 1953

Dated
Dec 31, 1953
Document type
Correspondence
Length
12 pages
Open the original scanArchive record OSTI ID 16059424 · public domain

Document text

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

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BEVADA PROVING GROUNDS AND RAD--SAFE PROCEDURES FOR 22 May 1963, 23 May 1953, 10 Personnel Control Procedures a* During Grable (noc? scheduled for 25 May) i D«»l Day at 0900 Paoiflc Daylight Timo,..<.Tho Pipe Line road (see attached map) will be closed miles south of the water tanka to Security Point F«4„ Admittance to this road will be limited t>y this access list only if absolutely necersary work must bo performed along this road„ The Security Point F-l will begin logging all. persons passing their station^ Other roads into the PVonohman Lake area will be dosedo Soourity patrols will sweep test areac All persons except those at approved manned stations will be out of the Fyerohsnan Flat areas north of F-4 and east of F-l. Security will report to Test Manager that the above areas are clear of personnel except those at approved manned stations. Mercury Highway will be closed to traffic at Gate #2 Security will report to Test Manager that ontiro frenchman Flat area is clear of all persons except those at approved manned stations, observation area, troop positions, and artillery positions.. There will be artillery firing in Frenchman Flat., All persons will stay clear of Danger Area 5 (seo , Attached map) between the hours of 0430 end 0845 PJHL Security patrols will be at points outs3 The Mercury Highway will L&<>»&3.*t2r4i^tipordimteiy of Danger Area 5 aroi mation affectirVtHIMtD UlMCLASSINtU

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There will be artillery firing in Fbendhman Flat between 0500 and 0930 FDT. All persons will stay out of the Danger Areas 1, 2, 3, 4 , and 5 at times CORNER AREA 1 AREA 2 AREA S ■ AREA 4 Plotting and Briefing station at junction of Mercury Highway-Pleach b* A temporary Bad-Safe prooessing station will be located at Gate #2 to Issue film badges, dosimeters, and emergency issues of protective clothing to recovery parties entering from Camp Mercury. Shortly after H Hour this station will move to location adjacent to Plotting o. Reoovary parties entering from CP will process through the Rad-Safe Building jus usual. d. Recovery parties will make advance arrangements through their program monitors or the Bad-Safe On-Site Operations Office. the processing point at Gate #2, to be countersigned at the Plotting A Briefing station for admittance to the test area. Personnel and vehicle decontamination will be performed (when necessary) at Rad-Safe Bldg. Portable decontamination equipment will be located near Plotting A Briefing Station for highly^) Rad-Safe will not participate in dry run for Ggj^e^^ Attachmenti Map BEST AVAILABLE KWY Operations

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Gael on Felt fialph Carllale Smith John Ter no BEST AVAILABLE COPY

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OFFICE OF OHE TEST DIHECTOftle NEVADA PROVING GROUNDS u^ns hich in anj . FROM; Tsat Director 1* This plan la a guide for emergenoy action to be taten if one of the follovlng otrcMoetansos ahould occur when the 230na gun Is fired at the "Zero* signal on the (RUBLE shot; a. 9be gun falls to fire at the •Zero* signal. b. Dm projectile falls to detonate after being fired from the gun. o. 3%s projectile detonates with a 1cm order nuclear detonation. 2. In tbs event that any of the circumstances referred to above should occur * no further attempt will be made to fire the gun until at least 24 hours from the originally scheduled H-Bour have elapsed. 3. If the gun fells to fire at the scheduled time on the *Zero" signal 1 tt» All persons in the vicinity of the gun position will stay behind or under protective cover for 10 minutes. This includes all members of the Artillery fret Unit who will also remain under cover and take no action to approach the gum or unload the gun for this period of time. in approved manned stations, those at observation positions, those In the Des ert Rook entreaeboent eras, sad those in the vicinity of the CP) will continue wearing density goggles or remain faced away from the target area until further Instructions ere passed over tbs Public Address system. Any personnel out of hearing range of tbs Public Address System will wait until 1JJ minutes after H-Bour before facing toward the gm or removing their density goggles. o. the Artillery Teat Obit, with the assistance of the Timing and Firing Qhit, Will attempt to detaralne the cause of failure to fire and take sonrectlve action before any eabaeqnent firing is attempted. A* If e failure to detomate occurs after tbs projectile is fired from . a* the Chief of the ASC Security Branch will immediately close the satire Frennhaes Flat Area North of an Kaet-tmat line through the gun position and Seat of tbs Mercury Highway* No one will be permitted to enter this area until authorleed to do eo by the That Director. /) /I /

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b. An Rnorgency Croup will assemble at H/l hour (093c) in the Test Director's office to discuss possible reasons for the failure to detonate and to formulate a detailed plan for the retrieval and disposal of the projectile. e. Colonel D. P. Armstrong, Artillery Test Unit, will report to the Aaergency droop on the probable location of the projectile. d. The Bnergsncy Group referred to in paragraph 3b above will consist of the following individuals) 0. The following persons will he on a standby basis at the CP at 'l/l hour (0930), subject to being called by the Teat Director for the purpose of augmenting and supporting the meeting of the ftoergenoy Group and to furnish in formation or assistance pertinent to the problem: Capt Oaas. Drier Artillery Test Unit Artillery Teat Unit Artillery Test unit Artillery Teat Unit Timing and Firing Unit f• After the Baergency Group has agreed upon epeeific details of action, it will establish a Schedule of Oaergency Operations for the approval of the That Manager. This Sohmdule of Emergency Operations, once approved, will he carried out exactly ar planned and in specific detail. The Test Di metor will have the prerogative of an emergency change in the approved Schedule (1) A Disarming Party to be composed of not moire than three of the following persons will be appointed by the Emergency Group: Artillery Tset Unit Artillery Tact Unit Assistant Test Director

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(2) Tb* Plsomlof; Party vlll ba inatmatad by bbo Teat Director OQ the approfd SotedaU of ftaerflencor Opontioaa. (3) A Mff iaimt ting will be dctemioed and allowed to pase to ttterwW •smraiiee eootnst a delayed detouatloc before tbe Diaermlng (4) The DlMnolas Party will carry Rad*Dafe nonitoring inatrunients to neaeore alpha and other type* of radiation asd will monitor the insediat* aHVOUBdinga and the peojeotlle before attenptiag ony other action. (5) The Hiaaralad Zbrty will report all operations to the Vsfct Director ty radio or other effective canmualoatloo* ohannelo. will be fvraiabad fey the That Direotor’a Hans A Operations Section (J-3). The Air Partleipatlon Halt will furnish a helicopter on a standby basis at the CP, to be need as needed. 5. If a low order nnolear detonation of the projectile oeeurai a. The Chief of the ABC Security Branch will immediately close the entire Frenchman Flat Area North of an Bast-weet line through the gun position and Boat of the Mercury Highway. No one will be pecnitted to enter this area antll authorised to do so fey the Tfest Director, b. A low order nuclear detonation will be primarily a Rad-Safe prob lem due to anticipate* high radioactivity in the burst area. The Rad-Safe staff Offleer immediately becomes responsible for providing sufficient data and advice to the Test Director so that necessary precautions and recovery actions may he e. . The Rad-Safe Staff Officer will be prepared to furnish an Alpha Them who will, at the Test Director's direction, enter the burst area, locate, and mec.jure all radiological contamination. This information will be plotted ty the Rad-flafe Jtaff Officer before further action Is taken to recover any Unexpended parte of the projectile. 4. In the event a malfunction should occur prior to H-Hour which obviously the Thst Director. This notification will include a brief resume of the diffi culties encountered and an estimate of the time delay anticipated. All person nel will remain at their approved locations until epeclfloally Instructed other wise. Notification will be made through the Public Address System and other established eoanunlcatlon channels as to the situation. This Information may indicate that a new H-Hour has been established or that a 24-hour delay Is to FOR THF. TEST DIRECTOR 1 DISTRIBUTION 1 Colonel, USAF

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OFFICE OF THE TEST DIRECTOR Nevada Proving Grounds SUBJECT: CHANGE IN TIME OF MOVEVENT OF LIVE HOUND FOR GtW SHOT No* 15* Is changed to read as follows: 2* The entire schedule for movement of tile live round on D-Doy is Convoy scheduled to arrive at Gun 3* Change in the time of movement was made to avoid other convoys Scheduled to be on the Mercury Highway on the morning of 13-Lay„ b« All persons on distribution list will please acknowledge receipt of this memorandum by calling Flans & Operations, Phone No, 8331« THE TEST HIRECTOR: Col, fi* Ei Spivey Me hoi as Armenia

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OFFICE OF THE TEST DIflrDTOR NEVADA PROVING GROUNDS This material contains information affecting EMERGENCY ACTION FOR ORABLEwithi t. In eoneldaratlon of the fact that the ORABLF ehot has a large number of observers at May different locations In the Frenchman Flat Area, It la be lieved wise that pertain precautions be taken la the remote event the device does sot detonate ee scheduled. 2. These instructions, therefore, are issued for the sole purpose of preventing any possible Injury to personnel who may be at approved manned Stations, observation positions, the Desert Rock entrenchment area. In the vlelnity of the |pant or at the CP. 3. JSheuld any personnel in a position to observe the firing of the gun and/or the detonation at H-Hour receive an indication that the test la not going aa scheduled, these personnel will either continue wearing density goggles or remain faced away from the gun position and target area until fur ther instructions axo leaned through the Public Address System. Personnel out of jthe hearing range of the ftiblle Address System will wait at least 15 mlnut! after the scheduled H-Hour before facing toward the gun or before removing their density goggles. &» In the event that any malfunction should occur prior to R-Hour, which precludes the gun's being fired at "'Zero* time, every attempt will be made to notify mil personnel. In any event, all personnel will remain at their locations onHI specifically instructed otherwise. Notifications will be made through the Public Address Gystem or other established canmunications channels a may be necessary. 5* for technical reasons the scheduled shot will most likely be delayed for at least 24 hours should any malfunction occur. 6, It la imperative that all observer personnel are controlled and properly briefed as to tbslr responsibilities while observing any nuclear Teat Director 0) Plana & Operations ^ lootou, MtLato 5 ) Vieitora aireau (5) VERIFIED UNCLASSIFIED

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OFFICE OF THE TEST DIREX3T0R NEVADA PROVING GROUNDS EARLY ENTRY AND RECOVERY OF FILMS FROM STATION F-373 AND TRANSPORT OF THESE FIIMS TO CP Station F*3T5 is on the pipe line road 6 sdlee south of Ground Zero and £ olio north of the Artillery Tost Unit* It is very important to the Test Direotor that films be recovered from this station and taken to the Control Point at the earliest possible time after the The persons who will recover these films arei These persons will be at the employee-observer position at F.2 at It is requested that they be immediately released after the blast wave has passed to proceed south of Mercury highway, to the old Ranger CP, along the pipe line road to Station F-373, thence back along the pipe line road. Ranger CP, Mercury Highway to CP without FOR THE TEST DIRECTOR: BEST AVAILABLE COPY

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