Completion Report - Operation Redwing

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Brig. General Alfred D. Starbird, Director, DMA, AEC, Washington, D. C. 1/36 thru 5/36 & Test Oper., ALOO 10/36 R. G. Elliott, Dir. Info Div., ALOO 11/36 Stor. Opers., ALOO 12/36 W. Lee Hancock, Dir., Office of Security, ALOO 15/36 L. W. Otoski, Dir., Budget Div., ALOO 16/36 F·. D. Peel, Dir., Finance Div., ALOO 17/36 . George Udell, Dir., Supply Div., ALOO 18/36 J. E. Reeves, Dir., Test Div., ALOO 19/36 Test Div., ALOO 20/36 M. E. Smith, Chief, Las Vegas Br., Las Vegas, Nev. 22/36 D. C. Van Dine, Holmes & Narver, Inc. LosA 30/36 thru 34/36 Test Division Files, ALOO 36j36 Copies Issued by Test Division, ALOQ _____________ _.__________ TOTAL No. of Copies

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The following report of Operation REDWING by Holmes & Narver, Inc. under contract to the United States Atomic Energy Commission, summarizes the planning, engineering, design, construction, maintenance, imd management of the Pacific Proving Ground facilities for the peqod of 1 July 1954 through 10 August 1956. It has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of Contract AT-(29-2)-20 as set forth in Article III, General Requirements, Paragraph 1, Page 8. ·· Purely a documentary report, it has been abbreviated to features relevant to the activities of Holni.es & Narver as the Architect-Engineer-Construction-Management Contractor. It records performance, and contains conclusions and recommendations based on the assumption that the Pacific Proving Ground will be used for future tests. It is designed to serve as a reference for the U. S. Ato:mic Energy Commission or other participants fu projects of a similar nature. REDWING was considerably more complex and of greater magnitude than any previous Operation held at the Pacific Proving Ground. Complexity was magnified by a few unusual design and construction requirements, a compressed schedule, and an ex~anded sphere of operations. Much of the success of REDWING must be attributed to the effective liaison maintained with the . AEC and the participating and supporting agencies. That the pre-operational phases proceeded without serious delay and generally on schedule, and that the test operations were successfully concluded, is clearly a tribute to the outstanding cooperation of the diverse components of Joint Task Force Seven.

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RESOURCE CENTER · TABLE OF CONTENTS Conclusions and Recommendations ---------------------------- 1-31 CHAPTER III - ADMINISTRATION CHAPTER IV SERVICE OPERATIONS Electric Power Generation and Distribution -------------- 4-31 Fresh Water Distillation and Distribution .................. 4-38

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Section 1. Test Operations and Roll-Up -------------------------------------- 6-1 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Largest Concrete Structure - Station 1310 Under Construction -------------------------------------------- 1-14 Aggregate and Batch Plant- Elmer -------------------------------------------- 1-17 Man-Made Island Under Construction at High Tide ---------------- 1-18 Tanker Approaching Deep Water Pier- Elmer-------------------------- 1,19 Unloading LST During Beachhead Phase,. Nan ------------------------ 1-20 Deep Water Pier Under Construction- Elmer---------------------------- 1-23 Southern Half of Fred ------------------------------------------------------------------ 1-26 Northern Half of Fred -------------------------------------------------------------'---- 1-27 Structural Frame for Warehouse _:______________________________________________ 1-30 Causeways at Yvonne for Stations 24, 1524 and Program 18 Pipe Array ------------------------------------------------------------ 1-34 2-2 Home Office Engineering Man-Hours ---------------------------------------- 2-3 2-3 POL Farm and Deep Water Pier- Elmer------------------------------------ 2-5 2-5 California Bearing Ratio Test ----~--~---------------:·----------------------------- 2-6 2-9 Early Construction Staking- Nan --------------------------·~------------------- 2-10 2-.10 Windbreak Used in Chaining Base Line Station 1310 to . 2.:;11 1955 Expansion of Second Order Horizontal Control

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS (Continued) 1955 Expansion of Serond Order Horizontal Control. 2-17 Placing Planking for Bulkhead --------------------'------------------------------- 2-18 2-18 Trailer Mounted Drills ----------------------------------------------------------------·- 2-19 2-19 Batch Plant - Nan -----------------------------·------------------------------------------ 2-19 2-21 Grading and Rolling- Airfield --···········--····················----------------- 2-19 2-22 Clearing for Airstrip- Nan ········--·-··········------------------'··--------------- 2-20 2-23 Deep Water Pier- Elmer ---------··························-------------------------- 2-21 2-24 Typical Warehouse Construction- Fred ---------·············-············· 2-21 2-25 Concrete Poured - Both Atolls ...................................................... 2-22 2-26 Station 4 Complete Except for Final Tensioning of Pre-Assembly of Tower Components -------------------······----············- 2-4 7 Station 1- Note Guy Anchor Blocks on Reef---------------------------- 2-47 Station 2 with Station 3 in Background ·······--······--·------------------ 2-48 Barges at Outfitting Slip ····"·····--------····-·········--······-····················· 2-49 Station 24, and Terminal Supports for Station 1524 Pipes ...... 2-56 Pipe Arrays Leading to Station 24 --~-,--------------------------~-------------- 2-57 Stations 121.01, 160,01 and 115.01 (Right to Left) ---·····-······· 2-63 Stations 151.02 and 152.04- 65% Complete .............................. 2-64 Stations 311.02, 310.03 and 312.03 Under ConstructionStations 311.01 and 310.02 50% Complete - Man-Made Stations 311.03 with 313.06 in Foreground ................................ 2-72 Station 312.04 - Form for Precasting ...................................•.~---· 2-72

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS (Contmued) Station 1311.01- Reinforcing Cage Cut and Moved Out of Line of Stations 1524 and 1520 ------------------------------------------------ 2-84 Station 1524 Mirror Shed and Pump House -----·------------------------ 2~95 Station 1524 Pipe Support Bases ------------------------------------------------ 2-97 Station 1524 - Under Construction ---------------------------------------------- 2-98 Station 1524 - First Row of Steel Pipe Supports Erected -----·---- 2-98 Prefabricating Footings for Stations 1811 and 1812 ---------------- 2-103 Stations 1811 and 1812 Pipe Connections to Station 1841 ------ 2-104 Station 1815 Mirror Towers -------------------------------------------------·------ 2-105 Station 2210 Retaining Wall and Concrete Shield-------------------- 2-110 Station 2211 - Generator Installation ~----------------------------------------- 2-111 Station 2300 Before Modification ------------------------------------------------ 2-114 Station 2301- Equipment Room -------------------------------------------------- 2-117 Scientific Plot Plan - Gene, Helen, Irene --------------------·--------------- 2-123

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS (Continued) Scientific Plot Plan- Ursula Complex ---------------------------------------- 2-129 Scientific Plot Plan- Yvonne -Sheet 1 of 2 ------------------------------ 2-131 Scientific Plot Plan 7 Dog-Easy ..........,....................................... 2-139 2-132 Typical Expendable Building ···························'··············'··········· 2-151 2-134 Second Increment Nan Camp----··········-···-----·-----·············------------ 2-152 2-136 Site Nan- Sheet 1 of 2 --------------------·······--·--~--------························· 2-153 2-138 Operations Building- Nan Airport ···········-··------·--------------------······ 2-158 2-141 Interior Mess Hall- Nan .............................................................. 2-160 2-142 Typical Power and Water Plant- Shot-Island Camp ................ 2-160 2-143 Typical Shot~Island Mess Hall ·····················--------~---··················· 2-160 2-149 Man-Made Island No. 1 - 10% Complete .................................. 2-) 71 2-150 Placing Planking for Bulkhead Man-Made Island No. 3 .......... 2-172 2-151 Recovering Fill Around Man-Made Island No. 3 ----------····-~---··· 2-172 2-152 Drilling at Station Site- Man-Made Island No. 2 .................... 2-173 2-153 Constructing Station 1524 Causeway ........................................ 2-174 2-154 Waves Breaking Over Station 1524 Causeway .......................... 2-174 2-159 Extending Yvonne Airstrip ----------------------·---------------··········-----·---- 2-178 2-162 Equipment for VHF System ......................................................... 2-179 2-163 Antennas Used in VHF Propagation Tests ................................ 2-180 2-164 Interatoll Radio Circuits ................................................................ 2-181 2-165 Submarine Cable- Temporarily Anchored .................................. 2-183 2-167 Laying Submarine Cable ...................... :....................................... 2-183 2-168 Submarine Cable Block Diagram- Eniwetok Atoll 2-169 Submarine Cable Block Diagram- Bikini Atoll .......................... 2-187 2-170 Submarine Cable Layout - Eniwetok Atoll ................................ 2-189 2-171 Submarine Cable Layout- Bikini Atoll ··························-~---······· 2-191

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Typical Telephone Circuits for Island Complexes ____________________ 2-195 Generator for Buildings 633, 634, and 635- Fred ---------------------· 2-199 Pier Facilities- Betio Island, Tarawa ------------------------------------------ 2-200 Aerial View of Tarawa ------------------------------------------------------------------ 2-201 Clearing Beach for LCU Landing -----------------------------------------------· 2-202 LCU at Kapingamarangi -------------------------------------------------------------- 2-202 LCU at Utirik during Low Tide ~------------------------------------------------- 2-202 2-188 Jobsite Fabricated Roller ----------------------'-------------------------------------- 2-204 2-189 Fred Airfield- Looking West -------------------------------------------------------- 2-205 2-190 Southwest Apron- Fred Airfield ------------------------------------------------ 2-205 2-191 Excavating for Conduit from Runway-------------------'-------------------- 2-205 2-194 Camp Issue Building- Elmer ----------'------------------------------------------- 2-206 2-196 Jet Fuel Stand- Fred ------------------------------------------------------------------ 2-207 2-197 Joint Receiver Station- David ---------------------------------------------------- 2-208 2-199 Elmer- Eniwetok Atoll- Sheet 1 of 2 --------------------------------'--------- 2-211 2-200 Fred- Eniwetok Atoll- Sheet 1 of 2 -------------------------------------------- 2-215 2-201 David - Eniwetok Atoll ---------------------------------------------------------------- 2-219 3-2 Coral Bowl Theater- Elmer -------------------------------------------------------- 3-17 3-9 Decontamination Area - Elmer ---------------------------------------------------- 3-23 3-10 Cargo Vessel at Pier- Elmer -------------------------------------------------------- 3-31 3-11 Tents Used for Hatch Covers _;: ___________________________________________________ 3-32 3-12 All Off-Loading Berths Occupied ------------------------------------------------ 3-35 3-13 Interior of Warehouses ------------------------------------------------------------------ 3-36 3-14 Outside Storage Area- Elmer -----------------------------------------------------· 3-41 3-15 Antennas of VHF- Interatoll Communications-------------------------- 3-47 4-3 Typical Room in Barrack -----------------·---··--'----------------------------------- 4;.7

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS (Continued) LCU Used for Aggregate Haul - Elmer to Fred -------------------------- 4-22 Trig Approaching Tanker ----------------------------------------------·--------------- 4-24 New Sea Mule Nearing Completion -------------------------------------------- 4-26 LCM and Sea Mule Used in Salvage of Helicopter -------------------- 4-26 Fresh and Salt Water Pipe- Being Installed------------------------------ 4-39 Beachhead Distillation Plant -------------------------------------------------------- 4-39 Redwood Stave Fresh Water Storage Tanks------------------------------ 4-43 Vehicles Awaiting Interatoll Shipment---------------------------------------- 4-44 LST Mole at End of Operation ---------------------------------------------------- 4-46 5-1 Typical Shot-Island Vehicle Repair Shop ---------------------------------- 5-2 5-4 Berm Used for Protecting Equipment From Inundation- Nan .. 5-4 6-1 Use of Sandbags For Blast Protection --------------------------------------~- 6-2 Location of Second Order Horizontal Control Stations ------------ 2-11 Frequency & Severity of Accidents -------------------------------------------- 3-22 General Cargo Shipped to Jobsite Via Surface Vessels-------------- 3-33 Reefer Cargo Shipped to Jobsite Via Surface Vessel---------------- 3-34 Frequency of Vessel Arrivals -------------------------------------------------------- 3-35 Warehouse and Outside Storage Areas'--------------------------------------- 3-40 Direct Food and Labor Cost-----------------------------~---·---------------------- 4-16

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Daily Average of KW Hours Produced at F~ed Installations .. 4-37 Distribution of Distillation Units ................................................ 4-40 Daily Fresh Water Consumption per Capita················-~---········· 4-41 Distribution of Light Rolling Stock ............................................ 4-44 Evacuation and Re-entry Schedule - Bikini Atoll...................... 6-5 Expenditures and Committments ................................................ 1-10 and FY 1956 Funds ·········'························································ 2-23- ' Total Budgeted Construction Program Expendable Test · · Facilities FY 1955 and FY 1956 ............................................ 2'-25 Construction Progress, Expendable Test Facilities FY 1956 ... .' 2"27 Funds FY 1955 - Project 5026 ................................................ 2-29 Construction Progress of Project 5026 - Plant and Equipment Funds FY 1955 .................................................... 2-31 Total Budgeted Construction Program - Plant and · Equipment Funds FY 1956 - Project 6001 ............................ 2-33 Construction Progress of Project 6001 Plant and Total Budgeted Construction Program - Plant and Construction Progress of Project 6011- Plant and .. Equipment Funds FY 1956- Sheet 1 of 2 ................ ,............. 2-41 Approach to Deep Water Pier ...................................................... 4-29

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OperatiQn REDWING marks the fourth consecutive test series in which Holmes & Narver, Inc. has participat;ed as the Architect-Engithe Pacific Proving Ground under contract with the past eight years. The origiilal criteria established for the guidance of the Contractor in the fall of 1948 covered the development of certain facilities at Eniwetok Atoll, limited in scope and degree of permaJ1ence to two Test Op~ra tions. From this beginning, subsequent assignments advanced to extensive programS involving the engiileering, design, construction, maintenance, and operation of a semi-permanent base; and the engineering and construction of scientific test facilities required to serve four Test Operations - GREENHOUSE, IVY, CASTLE, The recognition of Eniwetok Atoll as a semi-permanent base in 1952 focused attention on the desirability of a Master Plan for· long range improvement of the Proving Ground. Accordingly, the Manager, Eniwetok Field Office, SFOO, later designated Deputy Director, Test Division, Albuquerque Operations Office, requested the Contractor 't? prepare engineering design studies and cost estliD:ates for a p~ogram to meet the then known reqmrements. This plan was first submitted in October 1952. With each succeeding Test Operation, other requirements ·developed, and the plan was revised after CASTLE, and now again upon completion of REDWING. Many of the facilities that were proposed have been. provided, thus enabling longterm operation of the Proving Ground. · HOUSE IVY, and CASTLE Operations were furnished the Atomic Energy Commission following each Test Operation. This report continues the account of Holmes & Narver's participation in the Pacific Proving Grou~d activities and covers the REDWING: Operation. Prior to the first detonation of the CASTLE Operation, the Deputy Director, Test DiContract Administrator) requested that ~t~dies be made for the establishment of a temporary · camp at Nan to serve as an advance base of operations for the next Test Operation in the same manner as the camp on Tare was then serving for CASTLE. Holmes & Narver was requested to consider two alternatives; a complete new camp in a location best suited to future ·development of the island site, or a camp which utilized existing facilities. Surveys were.. conducted, camp layouts prepared and, in anticipation of future construction, structural designs of modular expendable frame buildings that . could be used as standard designs were made. ·The camp layouts and the standard plans ~or the mess hall and utilities provided for expansion from a 250-man to a 500-man camp arid then to a 1000-man camp. As the end of Fiscal Year 1954 approached, the Contractor was furnished a list of basic assumptions for a scientific program for Operation MILLRACE/REDWING, which was to be used in preparing a budget forecast for Fiscal Year 1955. This provided budget criteria for and two barge shots and three ground shots for REDWING. MILLRACE was later deleted from the program and REDWING underwent many changes. The budget forecast included additional major base camp facilities consisting of eleven barracks for Fred, a deep water pier at Elmer, and a second submarine power cable. between Elmer and Fre,d. The last detonation of CASTLE took place on 14 May 1954, after which the Contractor continued, until September 1954, a planned program for placing the Proving Ground in a standby condition. During that period particular emphasis was placed on decontamination activities, and on the rehabilitation of equipment. By September 1954, manpower for CASTLE had been reduced from the peak of 2300 men to approximately 700 men. This was the minimum practicable number in view of the existing, work load and the anticipated early release of construction for the Nan camp. This force was engaged in completing, the Fred airfield improvein J:I$cellaneous construction and upkeep.

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Approval was received on 26 August 1954, for the preparation of working drawings and original estimates for the temporary camp facilities contemplated for construction at Nan. In September 1954, approval was also received for the plant and equipment projects for Fiscal Year 1955, amounting to approximately $1,500,- 000.00, the major items of which included the deep water pier at Elmer, and the eleven barracks at Fred. The release of this work permitted a fairly constant level of employment during this transitional period. Planning for the construction on Nan contemplated advance stockpiling of material and equipment at the site, prefabrication of building assemblies at Elmer, the reactivation of equipment in Station 70 for the early establishment of interatoll communications; the reduction of the ~xisting radioactive hazards at the camp site, rehabilitation of the Peter-Oboe air· strip for limited service, the establishment of a beachhead camp from which the construction program could expand, and priority . construction of an airstrip suitable for landing C-47 type planes. To provide the logistic support, arrangements were made through AEC channels for utilizing an LSD type ship for the initial landings and the continued .use. of an LST thereafter. The LSD was selected for the initial landings inasmuch as heavy equipment, such as cranes, could be transported without being dismantled, and because the tranfer of LCU and LCM craft could be more easily effected. Dismantling of cranes is necessary when an LST or conventional type vessel are used. The continued use of the LST was essential for the vice, since construction at Bikini was predicated on the fact that the main supply and repair . base would remain on Elmer. · On 24 September 1954, construction of Increment No. 1 of the Nan camp (250-man capacity) was authorized with instructions that the housing tents and latrines were to be erected only on an as-needed basis to meet population requirements. The first task group, consisting of 29 H&N employees and two AEC representatives; departed Elmer on 9 · October 1954 in the USS Belle Grove (LSD). This task group. was supported at Nan by an LCU outfit;. ted as a houseboat during the period when the LSD made three round trips for the …