Completion Report - Operation Castle

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PACIFIC PROVING GROUND l 1953 - 1954 DECLASSIFIED BY WASHINGTON DECLASSIFICATION TEAM, WEEKSOF

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PACIFIC PROVING GROUND l 1953 - 1954 information atfectlng the DECLASSIFIED BY WASHINGTON DECLASSIFICATION TEAM, WEEKSOF

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The following report, by Holmes & Narver, Inc., under contract to th! United States Atomic Energy Commission, summarizes the planning, engineering, design, construction, maintenance and operation of Pacific Proving Ground facilities over the eighteen month span of OPERATION CASTLE. Purely a documentary report, it has been consciously abbreviated to features relevant from the Contractor’s point of view as administratively significant to ultimate cause and effect. In this manner, much of the vital drama and import of this venture is not apparent in the report, although it was an important ingredient in the tireless enthusiasm of the men, and the generally high morale which characterized both the prolonged periods of tension and the brief emergencies. As was to be expected, OPERATION CASTLE went more smoothly for us than did previous operations. Problems originally encountered, once unique to the engineer and the constructor, were now ordinary. Procedures originally exploratory were now adjusted, revised, and proven. Past forecasts, facing unknowns, contained uncertainties; present experience factors enabled most crises to be reliably provided for. Increased organizational efficiency resulted to our management. However, the success of an operation of the magnitude and complexity of CASTLE demands more of any unit management than intrinsic efficiency; deeply involved are the broader aspects of effective liaison with other participating and supporting agencies. This requirement, arising, in part, from the large number and diversity of such other agencies, the experimental nature of the total mission, and the geographical isolation of the operational sites, was recognized at the outset as an important management considerSensitivity was encouraged in our supervisory people to the manner in which all components of the test operation must be integrated during the planning and construction period, so as to all focus at the proper times on an inflexible end date-shot time. The mechanics of doing this were not always simple and did not always yield readily to predictable procedures, since some of the elements of OPERATION CASTLE were, as an engineering, construction and management job, without precedent. The perspective possible from serving two previous operations enables us to observe that the fact that OPERATION CASTLE, in spite of its complexities, proceeded through all of the pre-operational phases without serious delays and generally on schedule; and that the operational phase was successfully concluded in spite of unprecedented adversity, is a clear tribute to the outstanding cooperation between all of the diverse components of the JOINT TASK FORCE SEVEN, in a unit of which we

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 3. Permanent Construction ..___..._.._._.___..._..._____.____..__._..__.2-58 Section 4. Expendable Construction ..__....____.._...._._....__._.____...__..2-58 Section 5. Scientific Structures ___...___...__._..____.___..._._________.__________.__2-86 Section 7. Interisland Cables __.._____..___.____._.___......._..____..__._......____.2-224 CHAPTER III - MANAGEMENT AND CONSTRUCTION Procurement and Supplies ..___..______..__..._..___.____________.____3-20 CHAPTER IV - SERVICE OPERATIONS Electric Power Generation and Distribution ___......_..._4-24 Fresh Water Distillation and Distribution ._____.___._____4-31 Marine Operations and Maintenance ._____...___.____._..____.4-33 Salt Water Systems and Sewage Disposals _._____._._____.4-52

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CHAPTER VI - SUPPORT SERVICES CHAPTER VII - TEST OPERATION AND ROLL-UP LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Typical Island Vegetation - Bikini Atoll .__._....__..._._.___._______.__l-l Typical Island Vegetation - Bikini Atoll ___..__..__....._.___......__.. 1-2 Site Fred, Eniwetok Atoll - Northeastern Section ..___...._......1-15 Site Fred, Eniwetok Atoll - Western Section ______......___..._.......1-17 Site Elmer, Eniwetok Atoll - Northern Section _____.___.___..__..___1-19 Site Elmer, Eniwetok Atoll - Middle and Southern Sections .... l-21 Tare Campsite and POL Area - Bikini Atoll _..._____._.___.______...__.l-23 Typical Island Vegetation - Bikini Atoll ..__.._._..___.___._.__.___.___.l-32 Typical Island Vegetation - Bikini Atoll ____..___..__...._..__._________l-32 Home Office Engineering Manpower and Progress Chart .._.____2-3 1954 Survey Expansion of Horizontal Control - Coca Head Triangulation Station _..__..._..___...._..___...___.___.____..__.2-22 Orientation Traverses - Able to Charlie _.____.___._________._____._.____.2-26 Orientation Traverses - Dog to George .________.______________.______2-27 Plane Coordinates - Bikini Atoll CASTLE Grid _..__.___..____.._._2-28 Location - Stations 30, 40, 1210 and 1342 __........__...._.___..___....._2-29 Location - Stations 50 and 1201 _.___.___...__.____...._..___..__..___.___...._.2-30 Location - Stations 20, 1201 and 1341 .._________._._.__.__._.____________2-31 Survey Layout of Scientific Stations ..__..____.._.__._.__________.___.___..2-43

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precise Measurement Survey Party ............................... 2-43...... .._ Measuring Chain Bucks ........................................................ 2-44 Vertical Alignment of Pipe Arrays ........................................... 2-44 Precise Horkmntal Alignment 2-45............... __.................................. Target Sight Assembly ......................... 2-45..................................... Coral Rock from Site Nan ...................... .._.............................. 2-46 Coral Rock from Site Charlie 2-46................. .._............................... Twenty-Eight Day Concrete Test Cylinder Crusher Plant at Site Charlie .......................................................................2-48 Broken Limonite Test Cylinder ............................................... 2-49 Limonite Blast Wall for Station 1342 ....................................... 2-50 Radioactive Crater - Site Ruby 2-52................... ._......................... Aerial View of Sites Dog and Easy .................. ._....................... 2-53 Aerial View of Site Able .............................................................. 2-53 Typical Island Undergrowth Beachhead Camp - Site Charlie Drilling Reef for Coral Rock ................................................................... Crusher and Hopper Plant - Site Easy ................................... 2-55 Batch Plant - Site Oboe .......................................................... 2-56 Tare Camp, February 1953 Tare Pier Under Construction ................................................................. Tare Camp on 7 April, 1953 2-67 Tare Mess Hall 2-68........... ......................................................................................................................... Tare Camp on 11 June, 1953 ._.................._ 2-68 Chapel on Site Tare _.___._.__..................................................................................................................................... Aerial View of the Tare Campsite 2-69 Peter-Oboe Airstrip Under Construction Peter-Oboe Airstrip Surface Grading 2-70 Helicopter Hangar - Site Peter 2-72. Map of Peter-Oboe Airport and Facilities _..............._ Charlie Camp on 11 June, 1953 ._.........._..._......................._ Aerial View of the Completed Charlie Camp 2-76 Fred Airfield - New Parking and Taxi Strips .... .._................._. 2-77 Water Tank for Decontamination Pad - Site Fred ___._______.__._2-78 Aerial View of the Fred POL Farm ................... .._.................... 2-78 POL Pump House View of the Nan Camp .._ 2-80.._ Pouring Slab for the Mess Hall - Fox Camp .................. .._....... 2-80 Fox Camp on 14 September, 1953 ...._........................._.........._.. 2-81 Aerial View of the Completed Fox Camp ___._.____.________.________.___2-81 View of the Janet Airstrip ................................................... 2-82...._ Helicopter Clearing and Mat on Site How _...................... .._.... 2-82 Air Force Warehouse - Site Fred ................................................ 2-83 Aerial View of Building 638 - Site Fred .. .._.........................._.... 2-83 Stations 10 and 40 at Barge Slip - Site Elmer ........................ 2-86 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS (Continued)

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS (Continued) Station 40 Under Construction ................................................ 2-90 Station 50 and the Security Area Completed....................................................................2-92 Station 50 with Canvas Siding ................................................ 2-92 Clearing on Site Uncle, Looking Towards Station 50 ............ 2-92 Aerial View of Station 60 Completed . 2-94 Station 60 with Air Receivers Installed .................................... 2-94 Entrance to Station 70 2-95 Station 70 Completed with Earth Covering 2-95 Station 70 - Interior of Room Four ........................................................................2-96 Station 101 - Typical Interior of Recorder Station Series 2-98 Station 102 Completed. Typical of This Series ........................ 2-99 Station 120.13 80% Completed. Typical of this Series ............ 2-100 Stations 130.07 and 131 - 90% Completed ................................ 2-101 Stations 210.23 and 220.08 Completed and Typical of Stations 251.02 and 251.04 - Typical of Series ........................ 2-104 Interior View of Station 712 ........................................................ 2-106 Station 1200 - Interior of Utility Room .................................... 2-109 Stations 1200, 1201, 1203 and 1204.03 Completed ................ 2-110 Entrance to Station 1201 ........................................................... 2-111 Station 1203 - Hardware Installed 2-113 Aerial View of Station 1203 Completed .................................... 2-114 Station 1210 - Placing Foundation Forms ................................ 2-115 Stations 1210, 1211, 1212 and 1213 Completed ........................ 2-116 Station 1210 with Earth Fill and Sand Bags ............................ 2-117 Station 1220.04 - Typical of Series ............................................ 2-118 Station 1302.03 - Typical of Series ............................................ 2-120 Station 1341 - Completing Bulkhead and Fill Station 1341 - Pourin Side Walls ............................................ 2-123 Station 1341 - South and West Walls ........................................ 2-124 Station 1342 Showing the Reinforcement Required ................ 2-126 Station 1343 Showing Camera Ports ........................................ 2-126 Station 1350 Series - Typical Foundation ................................ 2-126 Station 1350 Series - 65% Completed ...................................... 2-127 Station 1350 Series - Completed ................................................ 2-127

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS (Continued) Aerial View of Station 1353 ...._......._._...._._.___..._._.__..._...............2-129 Station 1354 - Typical Optical Baffle ...._.._._.........._.._._..............2-129 Construction of Wall Forms for Station 1550 ..._._._.__._..._..... Aerial View of Staton 1550 ..................................................... Station 1550 - Second Floor Interior ....................................... Aerial View of Station 1810.04 ............. .._................................ Station 1812.07 - Typical of Series ........................................... Station 1820.05 - Typical of Series ....................................... Corner Reinforcement for Station 2200 .. .._.............................. Aerial View of Station 2200 ...................................................... Station 2201 - Bonding to Old Structure ............................... Aerial View of Station 2201 Completed .................................. Interior of Station 2211 ........................................................... Station 2220 Completed with Earth Fill ................................ of Station 2230 with Earth Covering ........................ Aerial View of Station 2400.02 Completed ................................ Scientific Station Sites - Able and Delta ................................ Scientific Station Sites - Bikini Lagoon and Reefs ................ Scientific Stations Sites - Able to Delta Details ...................... Scientific Stations Sites - Dog to Easy .................................... Scientific Stations Sites - Fox to George .................................. Scientific Stations Sites - Oboe to Roger ................................ Scientific Stations Sites - Roger to Tare ................................ Scientific Stations Sites - William to Victor ............................ Scientific Stations Sites - Zebra, Bravo and Alfa .................... Scientific Stations Sites - Alice and Belle ................................ Scientific Stations Sites - Clara to Edna ................................ Scientific Stations Sites - Gene to Irene ..................................

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS (Continued) 2-191 Scientific Stations Sites - Ursula ._..__.....__.._____....___._..._.________..2-189 2-192 Scientific Stations Sites - Yvonne ..__.._._..__...._____.._____..._.___.......2-191 2-194 Scientific Stations Sites - Sally ____.._____...________.___..____..__._.._.._....2-195 2-194A Scientific Stations Sites - Eniwetok Lagoon, Reefs Scientific Power Plants - Typical Foundations ....__.___..__....._....2-202 Scientific Power Plants, Installed Generator ______.__._____.__..__.____.2-203 Scientific Power Plants, Typical Control Panels _.____.____..._.....2-204 Scientific Power Plants - Typical Interior _________.___.____...___________2-204 Scientific Power Plants - NA 500 - 31% Completed ___.__...._.....2-205 Scientific Power Plants - Interior Completed ____.__._..._.__________..2-206 Causeway Plan - Tare to Roger ._..__.__.._..._____..____..___..__.__.________.2-207 Charlie Causeway - Construction of Bulkhead .____.___.___...____..2-210 Causeway Location - Charlie to Station 20 __.____._.____..__.____.___.2-211 Charlie Causeway - Erosion from Wave Action .__...___..__._._____.2-213 Causeway Location - Fox to Dog _..............._.,__._.._....___...__..__..2-215 Aerial View - Fox to Easy Causeway ..____..__._..____...___.____.___..2-217 Able to Delta Causeway ._____.._..._...__......_..______.._.._.._._.._.__.________2-218 Temporary Camp at Able .__.._._..___.___.._...._____....__.__.__.___.._....__.2-218 Causeway Location - Ruby to Ursula ....._.____...___.__._..__..____.._2-221 Ruby to Sally - Primary Grading _._._.._.....___._________...___.____..___.2-223 Aerial View - Ruby to Sally Causeway ._..___..____._____...__._________..2-224 Causeway Location - Gene to Irene ...._.____._.____..___...._..____.____..2-225 Bikini Signal Block System Diagram _.______..___.._._..._____________..Z-229 Eniwetok Telephone Block System Diagram .._.__..__.._________.____2-231 2-229 Men Laying Submarine Cables on Reefs ..___.._.___...___..._...____.____..2-233 2-232 Engineering Field Office - Site Elmer _......._.._____.________._____.___.2-234

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Jobsite Organization Chart _________.____.__.___.___.....___.......................3-5 Movement of Personnel To and From Jobsite .__....................... 3-13 Jobsite Personnel Chart - Eniwetok and Bikini Atolls ............ 3-15 Personal Injury Experience - A Comparision With Other Unloading Fire Crash Truck from USS Craig _._....._.................3-26 Method of Off-Loading in Bikini Lagoon __._..._._..____._..____.__......3-27 Cameo Trailers in Midship Hold of USS Craig ........................ 3-27 Unloading Cameo Trailers, Eniwetok Lagoon ..._........................ 3-28 Warehouses 501, 502 and 503 on Site Elmer ..__....................... 3-29 Bin Arrangement, Plumbing Warehouse 502 _..._...................... 3-29 Outside Storage Area, Site Nan ._...._.._.._...__._._..___.______..__..._.....3-30 Interatoll Cargo Shipments __..__..__...._.._.___._........__.___..._.............3-31 Personnel Chart - Site Tare ___.___._._...._.._._._.__._._..__..._...._............. 4-2 Galley for a Small Camp _.___________...______.___...__._.____._______.___.____.___.4-8 Bake Shop for a Small Camp ___..__.._______..___._____.__..__._.______.____..__..4-8 Dining Room, Elmer Camp _______._._..___......___...__...__._____.___.___.......4-12 Dining Room, Charlie Camp _.____________.___.____._.___._______...__.._.........4-13 Barracks Room, Elmer Camp _____.___.__._____.________..________.___.___.......4-16 Central Post Office, Elmer Camp ______._.___._____..____.______.___.____...__.4-23 Barber Shop, Elmer Camp __________.____.__.._____._________________.___.___...._._4-24 Electric Generator Requirements for Eniwetok Atoll _............. 4-25 Electric Generator Requirements for Bikini Atoll _________.___._.....4-26 Camp Power and Distillation Plant - Site Nan ____.______._______._._.4-27 Water Distillation Units - Site Charlie ___________________.____._______......4-30 Elevated Water Tanks - Site Tare _______.___._._____________.___._._.______..._4-32 DUKW on Site Bravo. Sites Alfa and Bravo Were 4-28 Pier and Loading Ramp at Site Tare _..____._.____.__.____.______________._.4-37 4-29 Buoy for Mooring Floating Dry Dock ....__..._____..___._.___.____.____..__.4-38 4-30 Beaching Conditions - Eniwetok Atoll _______.___..._.._._....__.____.....__4-39 4-32 Landing Barge Near Barge Stations for Helicopters _.___.__._______4-43 4-33 Barge Mooring Scheme ...........................____._____._______.________.____._...4-44 4-34 LCU Uuder Repairs in Floating Dry Dock - Site Elmer __._______4-46 4-36 Telephone Exchange - Site Elmer .._._._____.____.___.__._._______..__..____.._4-51 4-37 Nan Camp, Looking Towards Lagoon ____________.______...________._______._4-54

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS (Continued) Decontamination Barge Tied Alongside the Marrying the Ramp of an LST With the Ramp of an LCM ... Transferring Vehicles Afloat Onto the Tank Deck Station 2311. Stripped for Nectar Test ____...._____________.___...__........ Ursula Mess Hall. Prepared for Nectar Shot Blast __......_......... Station 60 at Ruby With AII Facilities Dismantled for Nectar Blast .______.__.__.._....__...................__............................. Station 60. Protection Provided for Equipment __.._____....._._...____ Various Task Groups With Equipment Leaving Elmer for TABLES AND CHARTS Eniwetok Geographic Positions ___________.___.____..__.___..___..__.._.____..2-10 Eniwetok Geographic Positions .__.______.__.____._____.__.____.__..__...._____..2-12 Eniwetok Geographic Positions _.__.____.__.._.__.__...____.______.___..._____..2-13 Eniwetok Plane Coordinates _____________.___..._______......___.___..._......___...2-16 Eniwetok Plane Coordinates _____._.____.._____.___.____.____.._____...__.....___...2-17 Eniwetok Plane Coordinates _____________.__._.....____________...___..__...........2-19 List of Horizontal Control Stations - Eniwetok Atoll _____________.2-20 Location of Primary Horizontal Control Stations - Construction Progress - Estimated and Actual, Contract Construction Progress - Estimated and Actual, Contract Expenditures and Commitments .______._____.___._____.____._____.._________.__2-64 Accumulated Monthly Total Concrete Poured ....___..__.__.._..___._2-65 Monthly Totals Concrete Poured - Both Atolls ________.___.._______.__2-66

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Engineering and Construction planning for OPERATION CASTLE, a test series consummated in early 1954, was first distinguished from its predecessors, IVY and GREENHOUSE, by the inclusion of Bikini Atoll as an auxiliary proving ground to Eniwetok Atoll. Bikini Atoll is located in the northeasterly region of the Marshall Islands at approximately latitude 11 degrees 35 minutes north, longitude 165 degrees 25 minutes east. It lies 189 nautical miles east from Eniwetok Atoll. The Field Manager, Eniwetok Field Office, Holmes & Narver, Inc., (H&N) in letter PG-l612 dated on 12 June 1952, to make a preliminary reconnaissance and study of Bikini Atoll to determine the feasibility of using it as an auxiliary proving ground. The results of the study formed the basis of a report entitled which was submitted to the Field Manager, Eniwetok Field Office, on 2 August 1952. The report, finding the project preponderantly feasible, included estimates on the number and types of aircraft, ships, and landing craft that would be required, the cost for development of the sites, and the cost of the support services which would be needed. Bikini was seen to be an elliptical lagoon 24 miles in length by 12.5 miles in width, enclosing an approximate area of 250 square statute miles within its coral reef ring. There are 29 land areas and numerous sandbars. The total combined land area is approximately 2.8 square statute miles. Two deep water passages are located in the southerly perimeter of the lagoon, Figure 1-l. Typical Island Vegetation - Bikini Atoll

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and navigable channels were swept from these passages to practicable ship anchorages in the When explored, most of the islands had a dense ground cover of vines and brush, as shown in Figures 1-1, 1-2, l-10 and l-11. Occasional trees were found, some 85 feet in height. The ground surface is generally flat, of coral sand and has an average elevation of less than ten feet above mean lower tide. With the exception of a few beaches, approaches to the islands by landing craft were not possible without dredging, due to the presence of a flat, shoal! coral-studded shelf, typical of atoll conformation. Bikini Atoll is situated in an area dominated by the northeast trade winds, and weather conditions are comparable to Emwetok Atoll. The mean wind velocity is 9.6 knots, 44y0 from the east and 34% from the northeast; the mean cloud cover is 4.1 y0 ; and the Atoll has an average of 14 rains per month with a total annual average of 81 inches. The mean tide range is 3.0 feet, the mean high water spring tide rise is 5.5 feet, and mean low water spring tide is 0.6 feet. It was …