Part III - General Activities of TG 132.1 (Final Report, Operation Ivy) (Partial)

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Gr~anization and Comnnd Relationships ijovemnt to the Forwcrd Area md hsseldiy of Subordinate Units Shot Phase Swcwtion hppcndix A - Crgznizational Charts

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The mission of TG 132.1 was comprisedof the following 1. To preparefor shipment,assembleand place the devicesto be tested. 2. To arm and detonatethe devicesto be tested. 6. To assume responsibilityfor the successfulcompletion 7. To maintaindetailedrecords of TG 132.1 activities during all phases of OperationIW, and keep JTF 132 informed as to the TG 132.1 statusof operations,providingspecific informationregardingunforeseenobstaclesto the successful completionof this mission. all points and in transit

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II. ORGANIZATIONAND COMMANDRELATIONSHIPS Alamos, New Mexico is a permanenttest unit within the Laboratoryestablishedto superviseexperimentaltests for the AEC and to assure continuityof plans for atomic testing became the nucleusof an organizationwhich was expandedby the addition of civilianpersonnelfrom the AEC and AEC contractorsand militarypersonnelof JTF 132. In addition two military supportunits, RadiologicalSafety and Documentary _ Photography,were appendedto the test group which was formally activatedas Ta& Group 132.1 of JointTask Force 132 on The organizationand commandrelationshipsof TG 132.1 are depicted on the charts attachedas Ap_endixA to this The relationshipsbetween TG 132.1 and JTF 132 were as be expectedbetweena subordinateand a higher Group 132.1, having the immediateresponsibility the experimentalprogramstiich were the heart of OperationIVY, receivedmuch supportfrom the Headquarters, JTF 132 and the other Task Groups comprisingthe Task Force.

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In general the requirementssubmittedduring the planning phase were approvedby JTF I32 and during the operationsphase this Task Group receivedexcellentcooperationand supportfrom the Army, Navy, and Air Force Task Groups in providingthese III. PLANNING AND TRAINING One of the major purposesof OperationGREEIHOUSEwas to ans-tierkey questionsrelatingto the possibilityof developing thermonuclearexplosions. George and Item Shots were 3nporta:nt steps in the investigationof basic problemsin the developme:nt of the thermonucleardevice. By August 1951, the Chairmanof the United States Atomic Energy Commissionhad stated in a letter that a thermonuclear devicewould probablynot be ready for testingprior to the Winter of 1952-53. However,in late October1951, he reported that progress in researchand developent activitieshadbeen such_thata more realisticdate for planningpurposes appeared to be-the Fall of 1952, possibly1 October. In additionto the thermonucleardevice to be testedon OperationIVY, the Director of the Los Alamos ScientificIaboratoryinstructedJ-Division (TestDivision) to plan for an air drop of a high-yield(500 KT) fissionweapon as a secondIVY event.

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Due to the frequentnunber of fli&ts requiredby Project 5.3, this project was inconveniencedconsiderablybjr the above to make direct arrangement6for air transportationfrom Hickam. fbom CJTF 132 and CINCPAC to US8 housing and subsistencewith the to arrangefor MATS or commercial Preparationfor Mike Zhot was made more difficult by the necessityof evacuatingall personnelfrom EniwetokAtoll, the latter course of actionbeing dictated,in the interestsof safety, by the large expectedenergyrelease of the Mike device. Although early planning for the evacuationof EniwetokAtoll dates back prior to the evacuationconferencesheld at Los Alamos on 10 June 1952, there were many detailswhich of necessitywere not completed until just a few days prior to the shot, On 29 Septembera peliminary meeting on evacuationwas held by Headquarters, JTF 132 with representativesof all Task Groups present. The purpose of this meting was to establisha working committeeto study and prepareevacuationplans for the orderly

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evacuationof personnel.and materialfrom biwetok Atoll prior to Mike Shot. At this meeting some of the problemsinvolved _. in the evacuationof personneland materialwere discussed. This grouprecommendedthat an EvacuationCommitteebe established with membershipcomposedof one or more membersfrom each Task JTF 132 was named Chairmanof the Evacuatibn The first meeting of this committeewas held at 0900 on 25 was nominatedat this meeting. Such problemsas mail while afloat, hold baggage,preparationof plans and loading schedulesfor passengersandcargo were discussedby the committee, were held on 30 September,1 and 3 October,to discussfurther evacuationplans. Allocationof perscnnelby Task Groups to the evacuation vessels was completed,subjectto late changes. At 132.3reported that thz Navy Task Group was concernedabout the schedulesfor both materialand personnel. Task Group 132.3 had

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Knickerbockerexplainedthat during the meetingsheld during t?& previoustwo weeks by the EvacuationComnittee,difficultywab experiencedin firmingup evacuation.plans due to the inability of some committeemembersto obtaindetaileddata from their The assignmentof personnelto the various ships was dependent upon the operationalrequirementsof the individual, The operational functionsof the principalevacuationships of TG 132.3 were as i Weapon Assembly and Cryogenics Majorityof personnelnot assigmd to other In additionto the above ships,representingthe major evacuation of the Task Group, sane personnelwre aboard ships of the Scripps Instituteexpedition,the USS UO, the USS OAKHILL,and other 5sofa.r as was feasible,every man was evacuatedto assigned space on an appropriateship as soon as his contributionto Mike Shot preparationwas completed. Naturally,ho-dever,the bulk of

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the evacuationhad to be accomplished&ring the last few days, A detailedchronologicalcheck list which scheduledall intra-atoll transportationof personneland equipment,was preparedto cover the five-dayperiod prior to shot time. (Reference: Operational task unit and experiment& projectwas consultedprior to the issuanceof the list, to insure that it containedappropiate entriesto allow: (1) the completionof all experimentalreadiness work, (2) evacuationof equipnentandsuppliesfrom the northernislands,and finally (3) availabilityof a boat or helicopterfor evacuationof personnelto the appropriateship. It was also adjustedto the frameworkof the Task Force check list, in order to conformwith ship movementsand generalpolicies The project personnelof TU 1 posed the greatestproblems, becauseof the requirementthat each piece of experimentalequipent be left unattendedthe shortestfeasibletime beforeit is utilized on a shot. As a result a member of the J-3 Section,TG 132.1 was given the mission of assuringthat the

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by name, after that individual!8work was done. Personalliaison with the appropriateprojectofficerwas utilizedto accomplis:h this mission, rather than t& issuanceof directivesand lists, because of the changeablenatureof experimentaldutiesprior As space aboard the USS ESTFSj CURTISS,and RENDGVA was critical,these ships presentedtha greatestproblem in working out assignmentsand passengerlists. Up u.ntilM-3days major changesin the assignmentsto these ships were taking place due ; to changesin the operational requirements of the technicalgroups. ' For thisreasonit was impracticalto work up h inal pissengerlists of TG 132.1 personnelprior to M-3 days. Those 14sts which were preparedon 11-11~days requiredmany correctionsaridthefinal and accuratelists on each ship were made as the ship got underway, Insofar as possibleship andquartersassignmentshere worked by the J-1 Section in close liaisonwith the Chief of Staff the J-3 Section. Cards statingship and quartersassignments issued to all personnel. Last-minuteassignmentsto quarters In order :toassurethat all personneluere actuallyevacuated the Atoll a muster was conductedof all TG 132.1 personneIL& Tho-.TaskGroup was dividedinto 15 muster @oupS, each with an

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appointedmuster officer and sub-musterofficers. Four days prior to the shot, a list of each muster group was distributedto the respectivemuster officers. Additionsand correctionswere sent to the HeadquartersCom&ndant by M-2 days. OnM-1 day each muster ofticer turned in a Signedcopy of themusterlist indicating those personnel_who wzre accountedfor. Muster for M-l day was conductedat 1230 hours. Each mu&r officerreported to the J-l representativeat his location,whether ashoreor afloat,who in turn reportedvia radio to the Headquarters Commandantaboard the USNS SHANKS, Upon completionof the muster ; the HeadquartersCommandantreportedto J-I aboard the USS ESTES.. Personsreported ashore on the 1230 muster were checkedby a J-l _ representativeas they arrivedaboard their evacuationvessel. The J-l representativereportedperiodicallyto the Task Group muster officeruntil all personnelwere shown on board. The Firing Party and a few technicalpersonnelwere mustered aboard the USS ESTES just prior to that ship's departurefrom the lagoon,at which islands of the Atoll other than Eniwetokax-dParry Island xere evacuatedfor King Shot. Comparedto the Mike Shot evacuation thisposeda dmple problem,but the method of solutionwas somewhat similar. Again a chronologicalcheck list was preparedto

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equipment- this time for the three and one-halfday period -. prior to the shot. The list was not issuedhowever,but rather used as a work sheet for the constructionof OperationalDirective K-3 which was issued in itsstead - a combinedairlift ad boat Evacuationof all northernislandsother'than Runit was i completedthe after-noonof M-l day, and a partial safety sheep made by klicopter. Runit was evacuatedthe evening of K-l day, : exceptfor two 'Holmesand Narver power house personnelwho remained I on duty all night. A muster was conductedthe evening of K-l day. On the morning of K-day the power house was llbuttoned-up",a final check of selectedinstrumentationwas made, and the final safety .N sweepwas conducted. Evacuationwas completedby 0830 hours, at which time the drop aircraftenteredthe area. Although the Atoll was not completelyevacuatedfor King Stit, the potentialfor such an evacuationwas maintained- as insurance againstthe eventualityof hazardouspost-shotfall-out on Parry and Eniwetok Islands. No such fall-outoccurred,hence the potential The postponmentof K-day did not alter the Headquarters,TG 132.1 establisheda Comand Post afloat on

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the USS ESTES at 1700 M-l Day. Onboard this ship was installed firingcontrolequipmentfor detonationof the Hike deviceby _- remote control and communicationfacilitiesfor adequatecontrol .of other elementsof the Task Group aboard other vessels. By 2230 M-l Day evacuationof EniwetokAtoll was completed exceptfor the Firing Party on the shot island and a small'detail onParry. The Firing Party after completingtheir instrumentation and Firing Party check-outlists departedthe shot island at 01.00 via AVR and returnedto the USS ESTFS, which was moored.offParry ~ Island. The ESTES then proceededto sea and maneuveredso as to ’L be at a position30 miles, bearing 135 degrees true from the shot islandat zero hour. The firing controlroom on board the USS ESTES consistedof two televisionmonitor scopesfor observingthe positions of timing signals,no-go indicatorsand the monitor dials of various importantsystemsof the device itself,and a controlpanel located between the two monitor scopes to permit the use of three radio links for controlof the timing signals,sequencetimer, and ths emergencystop. In the appropriatesequencethe controlswere The Gunnery and LandingForce Officewas used as the Command Post by CTG 132,J afloat. This spacewas equippedwith the necessarycommunicationand monitoringfacilitiesto provide for

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the controlof other elementsof the The Command Post returned The return of radioactive within the 21 ws accomplished Aircraft. These aircraftwere to Parry Island at 0800Mf2 days. samplesto various laboratories designatedby the word Easy preceded by the flightnurber. Numbers one throughfour were for Mike Shot, and numbersfive througheight were for King Shot. For each pair of such flights an efira plane was assignedfor emergencybackup purposes. Althoughno emergenciesarose,two of the backup planesware utilizedfor additionalsamplereturn, one for Mike Shot which bore the designationFour Easy Extra andxnc for King Shot which bore the designationEight Easy Extra. More complete detailsof the planningfor this phase of the operationare included in JTF 132 SOP No. 76-k dated 4 September1952 as amendedby SOP No. 76-&i,.dated 18 October 1952, and need not be repeatedhere,, The outlinebelow indicatesin part the results of that planning, to includemodiXicationsmade necessaryby unforeseenconditions in the field. Flight Number Comments Yx As planned

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Program4 samplesnot on board because of unavoidable delay in samplerecovery, Otherwiseas planned, samplesnot aboardbecause of insufficientrecovery and held for &E. Flight terminated,and Program DepartedEniwetok,with bulk of Program 5 samples, containersfrom Kwajaleinto Kirtland. Picked up Servedeffectivelyto clean up the.buZcof Mike Remainderof Mike Shot samplesreturned to 21 via ’ with first availablesamplesfor Program4 and with samplesfor Programs4 and 5. Picked up AFOP_T-1samplesat Kwajalein. Program b samples and flight terminatedat Logan.

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kith final noup of Program& samples. This flightwas also utilizedto return Prograrr1 instruments,the high priorityof such a return being dictatedby 21 testplanning. Flight transportto Los Alamos, at Travis, ?% thus see that the samplereturnmission was accomplished, The chain of events first indicatedby the lack of Program!.4.samples on Flight 3E directedattentionto severalweaknessesin the plan outlinedin the above mentionedSOP's that one hopes to avoid for future operat!ions;A suggestedsolutionto these weaknessesis The recoveryof experimentaldata, samples,and equipment after Mike and King Shots of OperationIVY involvedextensivecoordination the radiologicalsafetyorganization(TaskUnit 7). Each recovey team was accompaniedby a TU 7 representativeresponsiblefor mo& itoring the radiationlevelsencounteredand advisingthe senior member of the party as to potentialhazard. Each recoveryteam member was suppliedwith a pocket-sizeintegratingdosimeter,a film badge, and appropriateprotecti!Peclothingby TU 7. Recovey party size was dictatedboth by the type of work to be done and

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by the principleof keeping each party as small as possible- in -_ order that personnelwould not be subjectedto radiationexposures The type of transportationutilizedby a particularrecovery party was.dictatedby the locationof the materialto be recovered, the radiologicalsafety situationat that location,and the priority of the experiment. The major portionof the required airlift was. The order in &ich recoveryoperationshere accomplished was fixed by a.combinationof radiologicalsafety conditions and experimentpriorities,the latter being designatedby the For Kike Shot recovery,the responsibilityfor scheduling of required intra-atolltransportationwas delegatedto TU 7.. Such an arrangement,was seen to be faulty after the re-establishcontin_tigrecoveryrequirementsand the necessityfor King Shot

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This situationwas rectifiedfor King Shot, and Operational DirectiveK-4 was used as a guide by the air and boat dispatchers,,--r.C*>- The detai:Ledrecoveryplans of the two shotswere prepared the appropriatepriorityclassificationof experimental and ware conductedas planned. The extensivecontamination and destructionresfitingfromMike Shot causeddelays; schedulingmentionedabove was not posed by recoveryitself.

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XI. POST SHUT BE-ENTRY Shortly after the detonationof the Mike device the Task Force vesselsmoved to an area south of miwetok Atoll and awaited the resultsof the radiologicalsurveysupon which the re-entryplan was to be based. The radiologicalsafety surveyswere accomplishedby personnelof TU-7 with ths supoortof the Navy Helicoptersfrom the At approximatelyH+lO minutes an aerial survey helicoptertook ; off from the USS RF,NDOVAto go directly to Parry Island. This heli- L copterthen flew over the centerof each island in the chain in the directionof the shot island at an altitudeof 25 ft and at a ground speed of about 10 mph. While flying over each island,read-Lngswere takenwith a TIB SurveyHeter. It was planned to make a survey of the entire atoll, but this helicopterbecame contaminatedwhile going through a rain squall and the survey had to be completedlater. iologicalsafety monitorswent ashore to re-open the airstripfacilities on %iwetok Island. At H+bS minutes the Holmes and Narver utilitiescrew and a radiologicalmonitorwere taken ti Parry Island. Commencingat approximatelyH+2 hours the TG 132.1 Scientific Deputy and a radiologicalsafetymonitor accomplisheda damage md