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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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Copy No. JBt of ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION STATUS REPORT ON THULE CRASH Note by the Secretary The Assistant General Manager for Military Applicatio requested that his attached memorandum of April 5# 1968, circulated for the information of the Commission.tfA^^tfc-T^-i , Exec. Asst, to GM Asst. GM for Admn. Asst. GM for IA Asst. GM for Operations COPY NO. DISTRIBUTION Biology and Medicine fricted data as US DOE ARCHIVES
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ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION MEMORANDUM FOR CHAIRMAN SEABORG SUBJECT: B-52 CRASH AT THUIE AIR BASE, GREENIAND This Is the ninth in a series of status reports to the Commission on the Thule B-52 accident situation. This report summarizes information available as of noon, April 2, 1968. With regard to the evaluation and identification of weapons para chute debris at Richland, the Manager, ALO, advised that the Pu contamination was estimated to be less than fifteen (15) grams based on accuracy of 50 percent on individual measurements. Recovery of Pu is not considered feasible and, based on his request for further guidance, the Manager, ALO, was requested to take necessary action to have the parachute residue buried at Richland. The burial site is to be recorded in such a manner as to facilitate retrieval of the residue if such an unforeseen requirement should become necessary. The final of a long series of supplemental reports Was dispatched by the Air Force on March 22, 1968. This report reflected that the black area of the ice crust has been removed completely and the on-scene commander had estimated that at least 93 percent of all available material had been recovered. Only small isolated amounts of contamination still , remain on the crash scene and the area will be monitored and worked continually to further reduce these insignificant amounts until the ice becomes unsafe for further operations. The contaminated ice and snow have been placed in sixty-four (64) 25,000 gallon tanks and, after the tank lids are welded shut, .they will be stored in a remote section of the air base until the final decision is made as to disposal.
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In conjunction with considerations now being given to filtering the melted ice and enow at Thule, the Air Force has given its Logistics Command the task of coordinating the development of an effective filtration system' to remove radioactive waste and fuels from the 25,000 gallon storage tanks. The system developed is to be approved by both the U. S. and the Danish Government before implementation. 1ASL has been working with the Air Force at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, to evaluate various filtering concepts and a report of progress is due shortly. 1ASL has examined the last shipments of weapon debris and reports . finding two pieces of interest. { DELETED DELETED All of this debris is being sent to Rocky Flats for f 1 further inspection and. analysis of pit parts and for trial fit of the secondary pieces to other pieces of secondaries now at Rocky Flats. Concurrent with General Hunziker's return for the March 18-19 meeting in Nashlngton with the Danes, Brigadier General Albert J. Bowley, USAF, assumed the duties of on-scene commander at Thule. The Air Force - staff has advised us that General Bowley and the bulk of his staff have returned to their home stations and that the Air Defense Command has been given responsibility for continued monitoring and for coordinating the logistic efforts relative to the return of contami nated ^aircraft .debris and melted ice and snow to a location yet to Brigadier General, USAF Assistant General Manager for Military Application