Archive description
The objective of task unit 9 was to record on film, both still and mot ion picture, the activities connected with certain events and programs of operation ivy; this documentation was to serve as a basis for: 1. A photographic record for historical purposes. 2. A motion-picture re port by the commander, joint task force 132 to the joint chiefs of sta ff and to the atomic energy commission, depicting the scope and conduc t of operation ivy. 3. Still and motion-picture photography for speci al scientific reports. 4. Photography for future training and techni cal services. 5. Special photography as assigned by commander, task group 132.1, and commander, joint task force 132. In order to obtain the foregoing objective, a photographic unit, known as task unit 9, wa s to operate directly under the scientific task group, 132.1. This un it accomplished the necessary field photography and, at the time this report was written, was still in the process of editing this footage a t lookout mountain laboratory to form a completed motion-picture recor d.
Document text
Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.
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Report to the Scientific Director Lookout Mountain Laboratory Los Angeles, CA This is an extract of WT-612, Operation IVY, Documentary Photography. Approved for public r&~1s43; distribution is unlimiteul. Extracted version prepared for DEFENSE NUCLEAR AGENCY
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Destroy this report when it is no longer needed. Do not return PLEASE NOTIFY THE DEFENSE NUCLEAR AGENCY, ATTN: SlTI, WASHINGTON, DC 20305-1000, IF YOUR ADDRESS IS INCORRECT, IF YOU WISH IT DELETED FROM THE DISTRIBUTION LIST, OR IF THE ADDRESSEE IS NO LONGER EMPLOYED BY YOUR ORGANIZATION.
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REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE a REPORT SECURITY CLASSIFICATION a SECURITY CLASSIFICATION AUTHORITY Approved ?or public release; dfstrfbutfon Is unlfmfted. t ?ERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER(S) 5. IMONITORING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER(S) Defense Atomfc Support Agency a.NAME OF FUNOING I SPONSORING 6b. OFFICE SYMBOL 9. PROCUREMENT INSTRUMENT IOENTIFICATION NUMBER PROGRAM PROJECT TASK WORK UNIT ELEMENT NO. NO. NO. ACCESSION NO !eport to the Scientific Director, Documentary Photography, Extracted Version 6 S~~PPCE~WNIARY NOTATION This report has had sensftfve mflitary fnformatfon removed in ordtr to rovide an unclassfffed version for unlfmfted df strfbution. The work was performed by the efense Nuclear Agency In support of the DOD Nuclear Test Personnel Review Program. 7 COSATI COOES 18. SUIJECT TERMS (Contmuo on revem If mc,ssuy and ~W~trfy by block numbd FIELD 1 GROUP SUB-GROUP IVY Mike Shot The objectfve of Task Unft 9 was to record on film, both still and motion picture, the actlvftles connected wfth certafn events and programs of OPERATION IVY. Thfs documentation will serve as a basfs for (1) a photographic record for hfstorfcal purposes; (2) a motfonpicture report by the Commander, JTF 132 to the JCS and to the Atomic Energy Commission, depfctfng the scope and conduct of OPERATION IVY; (3) still and motfon-picture photography for special scfentlffc reports; (4) photography for future tralnfng and technical servfces; and (5) specfal photography as assigned by Commander, Task Group 132.1, and Commander, JTF Task Unit 9 accomplfshed all the necessary field photography and was still in the process of edftfng this footage at Lookout Mountafn Laboratory to form a completed motfon pfcture recorc at the tlme thfs report was wrftten. !0 3&5:31dUrlON I AVAILABILITY OF ABSTRACT 21 ABSTRACT %CURITY CLASSIFICATION ~~:ICLASSIFIE~/UNCIMI~E~ 0 SAME AS RPT 0 OTIC USERS UNCLASSIFIED All other edltlonc are obsolete.
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Classified material has been removed in order to make the information available on an unclassified, open publication basis, to any interested par ties. The effort to declassify this report has been accomplished specifically to support the Department of Defense Nuclear Test Personnel Review (NTPR) Program. The objective is to facilitate studies of the low levels of radiation received by some individuals during the atmospheric nuclear test program by making as much information as possible available to all interested parties. The material which has been deleted is either currently classified as Restricted Data or Formerly Restricted Data under the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (as amended) , or is National Security Information, or has been determined to be critical military information which’could reveal system or equipment vulnerabilities and is , therefore, not appropriate for open * b The Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) believes that though all classified material has been deleted, the report accurately portrays the contents of the or iginal. DNA also believes that the deleted material is of little or no significance to studies into the amounts, or types , of radiation received by any individuals during the atmospheric nuclear test program.
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: .:‘--Theobjective ofTask Unit 9 wu to record aa film, both atill aad mottaa p&hare, the -- octivitior connected with certain eventa aad program8 of Opemtioa x0y; thb documentation me. to serve m a basis for: 1, A p&togre.phlc record for hiatortcal plrpowr. 2 A motion-picture report by the Commaader, Jotat Task Force 132 to tbo Joint Chlefir of Staff and to the Atomlc Eaergy Commla8loa, depicting the scope and conduct of Gperation Ivy. 5. Special photography aa aaatgned by Cornmauler, Task Group 122.1, ad Commander, In ordor.to obtah the foregolag objective, a photogra&ic unit, known aa Task Unit 9. wu orwised to operate directly under the Scientifli Tut Groap, 132.1. ThU unit accomplished the neceeaary field phobv@v aad, at the tlmo this report was~ittee, was dill in the process al edttiag thi8 foot8ge at Laokout bfumtab Laboratory to form a completed miiloa-picture record.
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It ls latendod to replrca the prelIm&~ report of Task Unit 9 aubmlttod to tha Commaadu,_ T-k Grow 13t.L on 3 December 1959:
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Activation of Unit 1.6.2 Zone of Interior Photography .... CHAPTER 2. REPORT OF OPERATIONS-OVERSEAS PHASE 2.25 Remote Camera Lnstailatioaand Recovery .
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4.2.3 Control of Aircraft 5.1 Activation of the Unit. . 5.2.3 Control of Aircraft * SCENES OF MIKE AND KINGDETONATIONS CHAPTER 1 REPORT O? OPERATION8-ZONE OF INTERIOR PHASE Flextble Racks for Motion-picture Cameras Installed in Flexibla Racks for Aerial Still Cameras Installed lo Electrical Power-distribution, Signal, and Intervalometer
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_ l.lf Photographic Crer at National Bureau of Standards Liquid-- Obtaining Sound Effects Alongside Runway at Eniwetok . . Still Photographer Covering King Detonation from Tower on Parry Island . Still Photographer Covering Inspection by General Clarkson, _ Camera Sound Crew During Lociion ‘shooting on Beach at En&ok * Autd-remote Camera Installed Ln Special Casing on Engebi Island . RB-50 Photographic Atrcraft on Fire at Eniwetok. 23 Octokr 1952 . by Fire, Eniwetok, 23 October 1952 ...... CRAPTER 1 REPORT OF OPERATIONS-ZONE OF INTERIOR PHASE 1.1 Air- and Water-tlft Moremont of Equipment to and from 1.2 Air- and Water-lift Movement of Personnel to and from CHAPTER 2 REPORT OF OPERATION-OVERSEA PHASE 2.1 Evacuations of TV 9 Personnol from Eniwetok for Mlka Day . 2.2 Photography O&atioru Schedule for Mike Day, TU 9 . . 2.3 Photography Operatloaa Schedule for King Day, TU 9 . . 3.1 Ipper and Amounts of Film Exposed for Operation Ivy . .
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OF INTERIOR: PHASE Following prellmlnvp conferences between members of Joint Task Force (JTF) 132, Headquarters U. S. Air Force, Task Group (TG) 132.1, and Lookout Mountain Laboratory, Task Unit 9 (TU 9) vms activated by General Orders No. 3, Headqusrters Task Group (HTG) 132.1, LOS Alamo8, N. hf., on 22 January 1952 pursuant to authority of Section 1, General Orders No. Complete documentPry motion-picture and still coverage of Operstion Ivy was required and obtained to produce a scientific historical documentary motion picture of Operation Ivy that would summsrize the record of the operation and would not be limited by security clsssifica- .. tion. This film will not be required to contain Top Secret Restricted Data. Such data will be included, however, if deemed necessary to portray the history of the operation. In the event thst this film is Top Secret, only three prints will be made, with distribution as follows:- In the event that the film being produced is given a final security classification of Top’ Secret, it will be reedited to produce a film with a lower security classification so that it. msy be shown to lsrger audiences. To produce this version, all Top Secret sequences wtll be. removed to mske the classificstlon no higher than Secret. Seven copies of this reedited version Chief of Stsff, Army: Chief, Naval Operations; Chief of Staff, USAF; Chief, AFSWP, Washington, Complete still coverage of Operation Ivy, including photographs for historical purposes, was required of the various Task Units and Task Groups. All film exposed on Operation Ivy is to be catalogued and indexcd Cataloguing will be accompllshed utilizing the microfilm process, with one copy of the find catalog to be distributed to AEC, Los Alamoe, N. I&, and one copy to AFSWP, Washington, D. C. AFSWP is to be the coordinating authority for additional prints of any stock footage shown in the catalog thst are required by DeInrtment of Defense agencies No restrictions hsve been imposed on the length of the documentary film; however, approximstely 60 min running time is desirable. The film is to document OperaUoa Ivy, the problema encountered and the solutions to these problems. (a) Procurement. Personnel for TU 9 wss for the mod pPrt drawn from the U. 9. Air Force, Lookout Mountsin Laboratory. This group consisted of 8 officers, 6 airmen, and 13
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cia permanently ~dgned to Lookout Mountnin Laboratory but detatled to TU Q for the in ords_b qplembnt tht4 group, TV 2 rwedad TG 132.1 to initiate b request to JTI : complement of 18 perrau; this group wu to po88eere appropriate ed, 10 were lortto TU 0 for ?a following reasons: ; - A -. Innrtiident time remaining io current 1 _ . enlirtment to allow overreu urignment 2 fulfillment of other project8 previously committed by Lookout MountainL8borator); (b) Radiation Physical Examinations. Lookout Mountain Uboratory haa no medical facilitier; therefore the required radiation phydcal examination8were obt8ined for all personnel, militzuy and civilian, through the COOPOratiOnof the directord the Atomic Energy Project at the University of Californi3 Lo8 Angeler, uring the medical facilitiw of that organization. loin 8nd Eniwetok, it wa8 organized a8 illustrated in the organizatioaal chart (Fig. 1.1). for u8e during the operation. ment wa8 obtained following the destruction by fire on Eniwetok of the original aircraft (Sec. No modification was needed on the RB-SO aircraft. It wa8 nece888ry to modify the C-S4 un Air Force Bow, Rawaii. In8taUatlon808 the C-54’8 which were done at Hickam Air Force 2. A 8lip-rtrealU 8poilar wa8 fabricatti rad btalled at the leading cdg8 of the cargo door. TM8 _w nece88ary to reduce wind buffeting d cameras in fli@t when the cargo door volved the in8taUationd special generator equipmentand wa8 done by the lSOOtbMaint8n8nce Group, MATS, at Hickam.
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fiw jukboxa and earphonea aad om aUcrophoao outlet This equipmeatwas mtaud b tar;: experience and rkllla of each pets Appropriati groud m +u’glveu at Laokmt Mouuother aircraft where poeitioar could be made avatlabk_ _ i The neceuity for requeeting flight status for Idditioaai crew -membk over andabove that lmmedlate need wu amply juetlfled during Operation Ivy. During the aeri8l phatogra@y at _ Mike Day, the crew members of the crater-eurvey aircraft received 1eveL d radi&iop erposure which precluded their flying on King Day,of ?t any locatjoa wheie additional rldlatlap ’ ’ important aepect of the preoperational phaee. _ 1. Caelagr for six remotely operated camerw were derigned by Lookout Mountnfn W ratory aad frbricated by local commercial facilitldr Proof twtlng of there coring6 1111) carried out h the Nevada experimeate lo M8y and Juae 1912, and hued upoa maul& of the88 teats cert8tn modtficatioru al the c88iag8 were lncorpor8ted for uw oa Operatlou Kvy. Thr: derign aad coafiguratioa d thew casiags were u illwtrated in Fig. 1.7. ‘. 2. Special camera boomr were desimed by Lookout Mountain Laborataey for hetalhtlat on weapon6 curler8 in order to facilitate operatioru in the field. Theu were fabricated by local commercial facilittee. Thq were Invaluable equipment for case d rapid portability aad for obtaining cerWa photqraphii dfectr The design was as Illustrated ia Fig. 1.8, Plcturm of the camen boom la use are &own La Flge. 1.9 and 1.10. communicatioa ru requedsd euly la the operation, After clearance by the JT? commuaiatioae oUcer, dx Mstorole redioe plea oae tue rtatioa were procured from fun& alIottti to TU 9 for epeci8Eud equipme* The bulr for gratlqg approval for uw d thie equipmeat by usodbyLookoutMounWa Laborrto~ In future operatloas and oa any Nevada testa. ’ 4. Four weqoae curlerr were procured from the Departmeat of the Army and coaterted to epecial-purpow camera vehicler by lnetalll~ the camera boom dercrlbed earlier. 5. One adminietrative-office trailer was reauvated aad air-conditioned by the 821ad Air
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Air- and alift amvsment d equipmentaad personnel to and from the operation8 rite Movement Pounda; Toru Cube25 November to 1 December Return from operation rib to Lookout Mt. Lab.: The approved bu&et, broken down in the following tabulation, amounted to a totllal 03 Freight and exprerr l,ooO 08 Arterial and supplies 46,060
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TO AND FROM FORWARDAREA’ ‘All movementa were by air. Rigid security controle were erhblirhed for the handling of-all film and cladfled moterfali All film, both rtill aad motion-picture, wae claeeifled and handled ae secret Restricted Data prior to cxpoeure. Followkq expoeure, film was classified as either Secret Restricted Data or Top Secret Reetricted Data, depending upon the subject matter, and wae then held for review by the cksrifhdion dflcer d TG 132.1 for any downgrading. In thir way the film accountability wau assured and maIntained. Special couriers were des@naM for the transport of all eaposed and unexposed film between the Zone of Interior and overseas sites. Courier orders for each indtvldualded6nated that the primary duty would be to tmasport this film, thereby ensuring prompt and secure delivery of the material 1.6 OPERATIONSDURINGTHI ZONE OF INTERIOR PHASE The complete firrt draft of the documentary motion-picture script was prepued dur!ng the period 1 February 1952 to 31 July 1952. The script wae coordinated with all appropriate to ensure technical accuracy and treatment euitabiky.
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wJul~l952 additional cryogenics scenee were photographed at the Nat&l Bureau & ; &ad=+?m enicr plant at Boulder. Colo. (MU Fig, 1.11). Oi 7 M8r lQ5t Project 3.7 a08 assigned to TU 9 by AFSWP through Uii~Afr Force Reseucll aad Development Co mmand. The purporee ad this project were (1) to locate ground zero of Mike Detonatioa through back triangulation (data to be obtained through aeria1, vertical, still photography) and (2) to determine the depth and width of the crater, the height of crater lipr, and the depth af debrir fallback in the crater. The requirement for the mcoad phase of the project w8e later caaceled In coajumtlon with the aerial photography of project 3.7, TU 9 wae wigned to obtain aerial photographs of Eniwetok and Bikini atollr for the engineering staff ab TG 132.1. There photographr were for the purpore of prepPrfng photomoeaics from which accurate, up-to-date charu of theee atollr could be prepared. A fund d $35,000 was allotted to TU 9 for the accomplirhment ai this project, of which all hut $10,000 w88 mabrequently refund This projkct is the subject of a separate report now in prepuatioa
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REPORT. OF OPERATION~--~VER~EAS PHASE The organization was a8 outlined in the TU 9 erganizationai chart shown in Fig. 1.1. In the early php1e of operation the Eniwetokunit comprised a total of 30 pereons: 8 offlcem, 11 airmen, and 11 civilians. Of thir total, one crew, conaiuUngof one officer, one civilian, and throw airmen, waadiepatched to the Mike Shot area for full-tlmo duty to document the Mike amembly Administrative, operational, and living space at Eniretok were provided lzy TG 132.1. The Ewajalein uni! qomprired a total of six permu: two officer& three airmen, and one and adminietrative epace was provided by TU 9 through the utilization of epecial-purpore By Y-3 day all personnel of TU 9 on Eniwetokwere evacuated and dietrlbuted Y rbown tn Table 2.1-EVACUATXON OF TU 9 PERSON?G’L FROM ENWETOK FOR WlcE DAY No. persons Date Bue Amignment InetaUaUon-recorerp team for remote camerar; recovery to be made Y soon a8 cleared by the Radiological Safety Group Return to Eniwetok for airlift to Zone of Pmceed to Kwajalein Air crew members to pattlcipate in M-3 drerr reheumal, then to proceed …
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