PY3wa DNAl.950224.030 37F554 Wf l$-UL) -HEXIQUARTERS KESTERN CHEaarCAt CENTER . TOOELE, . .

CMLDD-A 7 March 1949

SUBJECT: Status Survey of and Wendover Air Force Base and Bombing Range

TO 3 Colonel 'Nillirim R, Currie, Inf . 1. Attached for your information is a brochure of the current status of Dugway Proving Ground and Ykndover Air Force Base. This information has been compiled from the best available information in a very limited time and is therefore not complete.

2. The estimated cost of rehabilitating Dugway Proving Ground to make it suitable as an active garrison is based only on providing minimum housekeeping .facilities for permanent occupanoy and does not take into consideration any technical improvements.

/s/ Warren S. LeRoy 6 Tncls: VfARREN S. FOY 1. Brochure, "Current Lt. Col. Cm1.C

Status of D1G and Commanding ~ Pfendover AF Base" dtd"*7 Mar 49 2. Map of buildings at DPS Cantonment Area 3. Vicinity map of PrCC and Wendover Bombing Range 4. Map-of DPG Area and Proposed Addition 5. Map of Buildings, Cantonment and Housing Area, Wendover AF Base 6. DPG Photomap LUfllZ /UCL, k8 bu.cy. NO Defense Nuclear Agency Classified InfOrmatiOn. Coordinate with &,w,y Before Declassification Authority: ISTSAfL Date: ,&bC HEADQUARTEZS WESTERN CHEMICAL CENT= TOOELE, UTAH

7 Karch 1949

CUILiENT STATUS OF DUGIVAY PROVING G2OUNL) AND WENDOVER RF BASE

1, The following is a report of pressnt conditions at Dugway Proving Ground:

a. The airstrip is in need of a sealing coat and fills in a few depressed areas. The landing strip is not suitable for B-29's, but will land E-17's.

b. Landing lights are,portable and need replacements, The underground electric feed lines to the landing lights has been abandoned due to breaks under the taxi and landing strips. The radio squiyment in the Control Tower has been removed. The hangar needs to be rehabilitated.

c, Two 450 H.P. Diesel engines in the Power Plant are due for a 2000 hour overhaul. Vest wall of Power Plant should be fireproofed against engine exhaust pipes. These pipes get extremely hot and are a definite fire hazard in their present condition, The water supply is adequate. Present system is capable of pumping 500,000 gallons per day, The 30,000 gallon storage tank is in the process of being dismantled due to its dangerous condition.

d. Communication Facilities at Dugway Proving Ground,

(1) Radio Systens:

(a) Guard and Seourity:

1, WXZP 36,5 M.C. 2 each fixed stations (one on standby). Eleven each mobile stations (seven on standby). Maintenance is performed by Tooele Ordnance Depot.

Operational: 1, Consists of one each E.C. 610 transmitter and receiver in communications building and three each SCR-610 portable sets, These were in use last summer and are in operating condition. They are operated and maintained by assigned Chemical personnel.

... .- HEADQUARTERS VYESTERN CHEMICAL CENTER TOOELE, UTAH

7 March 1949

(c) Ground to air:

1, Radio equipment lochted in the Control rawer has been rezaved.

(2) Telephone Systems :

(a) Administrative : -1. 200 line automatic north all relay dial exchange and dial loop trunk to switchboard Tooele 3rdnance Sub-depot. -2. Additional channels for voice and or teletype are currently projected by Sixth Army for compositing present leased linea. -3. One pay-station circuit to Tooele. -4. Two physical circuits to Granite Peak Installa- tion.

(b) Operational:

-1. 40 line switchboard for terminating field telephone circuits located in Communications Bui lding .

-2. Portable B.D. 96 switchboard is available for Granite Peak Distribution System. I e. The roads are in bad condition due to extreme winter weather in the past few months. The bituminous surface on 22 miles of road to Granite Peak Area # 2 should be resurfaced. All roads to main installa- tion areas should be metaled, which would save considerable time and labor to keep in repair.

f. Some buildings in toxic gas yard and G.P.I. installations are in need of minor repairs. Roofing and felt siding are main items needed in these areas.

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'I HIUDZUNITERS WESTEXN CHEIv[ICAL CENTER TOOELE, UTAH

g. The general condition of the laboratory buildings is good. Building T-364, the original animal laboratory, is available for use.

h. The standing buil:lings, shown on Incl 2, are hs!iit&ble, but prolonged occupancy would require rohabilitation and repair.

i. Quarters with kitchen facilities are available for 18 fami- lies. Quarters without kitchen facilities are available for 12 families. Three BOQ-type buildings, each capable of housing 40 persons, and one Navy BOQ with a capacity of 20 persons are available. It will be necessary to provide some cooking and refrigeration for family quarters. Repairs to hentiug and plumbing facilities will be needed for prolonged occupancy.

j. There is no machine shop available at Dugway. A well- equipped machine shop is located at Ykstern Chemical Center, approxi- mately 40 miles from Dugway.

2. The following is an estimate of the cost to rehabilitate quar- ters, utilities, Commissary, Theater and electric power plant and mess hall at 'Dugway Provine, Grounds3

Quarters $ 18,000.00 Utilities 10,000 .00 Mess 'Hall 5 ,000 .00 Theater 2,000.00 Power Plant 3,000.00 C ommi s s ary 8 ,000.00 Total $ 46,000.00

This is the absolute minimum to ?ut this installation in habitable condi- tion to accommodate the number of persons cited in 1 i, above.

.3. The following is a report on conditions existing at Wendover Air Force Base:

@ a. Cracks in airstrip need resealirig, some concrete having been replaced. Condition is genorally good. The landing field is capable of handling all aircraft including B-29's and B-36's. b. F.P.H.A. Housing is off-base and has approximately 300 units.

c. Plumbing and electrical facilities removed from main base in some buildings. Plumbing and electrical facilities removed in 90 per cent

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R. 12 i HEfiDQUhFtTERS WESTERN CHEA!ICkL CENTER TOOELE, UTAH of buildings at bombing and gunnery ranges. Commissary and Mess Hal1 are closed.

d. Wendover Air Force Base includes approximately 1,000,000 acres adjoining Dugway Proving Ground. (See Incl ff 3). NOTES ON DUGNAY PROVING WOUND, WENUOVER - HILL AIR FORCE BASES

1. The Dugway Froving Ground area consists of approximately 800 square miles in the edge of the prehistoric Bonneville Lake bottom. Adjacent and ad- joining are an additional 1500 to 2000 square miles of the Wendover bombing range on the salt flats of tho Great Salt Desert. The entire area is essen- tially flat except for a few buttes and some wind-blown sand dunes. The area thus provides a vast exsanse of ideal terrain, with almost completely unobstruc- ted airflow. This satisfies one of the most stringent requirements for small and large scale testing of cloud type agents. (None of the other sites inclu- ded in the survey even approaches fulfillment of this basic requirement.) Ap- proximately 450 square milos of the area are owned in fee by the Department of the Army. Between 12 and 13 square miles are leased from the State of Utah at $1.00 per annum and the remainder is under special use permit from the Grazing Service and from Wendover Air Force Base. The area is free of all but the usual sparse desert vegetation. The Uugway area is at present under control of the and the "Tendover areas are under control of the . The areas are included in the large danger areas shown on the western part of (U-3) Sectional Aeronautical Chart attached as Appendix A.

2. Vfendovsr Air Force Base is locsted approxinately 50 airline miles, and approximately 100 airline miles from the pro,?osed target areas. Both bases are ca2ablc of handling large size aircraft. Fully loaded B-29's could not operate from Wendover unless the sub-base were dry or frozen as in summer or winter. All land between Wondover Air Force Base and Dubway Proving Ground is under Federal control. Between Hill Air Force Base and Dug- way Proving Ground there is some privately owned farm land. The airstri;! at Dugway Proving Ground is designed to handle aircraft up to the size of B-17's. At either Hill Air Force Base or Wendover Air Force Base special loading and handling facilities could be installed. At Wendover there are vacant buildings that could be used but thore are none at Hill. Sub-depot shops are located at both. There is little vacant housing near Hill Air Force Base and none on the base itself. At VJendover there is no vacant housing, An FHA project of ap- proximately 370 units is near but is full, including 68 enlisted men with fami- lies now stationed at Wendover. There are a large number of barraoks and 28 buildings for BOQ on a temporary basis.

3. Near the target areas of Dugway Proving Ground there are a few tem- porary housekeeping units in converted barracks. These would accommodate 18 I families with kitchen facilities and 12 without. Included in these I families I are three small individual houses. Three BOQ type buildings will accommodate i 40 perspns each. A Navy BOQ will accommodate an additional 20 in a little I better style than the Army BOQ's. Previously, a few families have found housing in Tooele, about 55 miles from Dugway. Commuting is possible but not easy 'on a daily basis. KOTES ON DUG'Cr'LY t-'RC)VIBG GR3UX9, NE1JDOVE;R - HILL AIR FORCE BASES

4. A chemical laboratory in A permanent type building, suitable for Cii work, is located in the camp area at I)upay Proving Ground. Near the target areas are some temporary laboratory buildings designed for Wi work that might be adapted to the KV requirements and which include change rooms and animal houses. There is E veterinary laboratory in the camp area and animal corrals ere located E few miles from camp at Camel Back.

5. At the camp ares. ax! near several of' the target areas are located ' water supply, sewage, and power plants. A machine shop is located at Deseret 40 to 45 miles away and there is equi;?ment stored at Deseret tc equip a small machine shop at Dugway Proving Ground. Dial telephone exchange at Dugmy is in operation and connects with field telephone net and with Tooele and Salt Lhke City. Field operation and guhrd radios are installed. and being maintained. Nearest schools and shopping are loceted 40 to 45 miles away at Deseret or 50 to 55 miles away at Tooele. There is a post hospital building at Dugway Proving Ground and one also at Deseret.

6. From a cloud cover standpoint Dugway Proving Ground is usable ap- poximately 80 par cent of the year. During most of the year the ground is traversable on'foot or by jeep. Then wet, traversal by vehicle other than weasel is difficult. During the summer months sand and dust storms occur. Area is not generally too hot nor too cold to prevent work in the field at any time of the year if ;?roper clothing is worn.

7. The area is approximRtsly 90 miles from Salt Lake City where some emergency procurement and special contracts are possible.

8, The nearest railhead is at St. John, approximately 36 miles from the camp area, accessible over hard surfaced road. Construction of a railroad spur to the camp would be oxpensive.

9. Considerable security is possible due to access by few roads. Cattle and sheep now enter area but can be excluded by guarding entrances to area or controlling their movement.

10. Tooele and Salt Lake City provide a fairly good labor market.

11, There is little drainage in the area, it being quite flat. What drainage there is would be toward Great Salt Lake. Care would be required to guard agcins t possible contamination of present water suj?plies although this possibility is rather remote.

12. A small amount of desert wild life roams the area; occasional cattle

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DATA '

NOTES OF DUPiiAY PROVIMG GROUND, WENDOVER - RILL AIR FClRCE BASES and wild horses enter the area but these lattor could be exoluded by recon- naissance and use of guards.

13. Ample aree exists where special loading, handling, instrumentation, and decontamination facilities could be established at the Wendover Air Force Base, near target areas and near the airstrip at Dugway Proving Ground.

14. Ilu,yray Proving Ground is at present under standby condition and requires some aaintenance work before it can be used; however, the condition of buildings and ureas-is .such that field testing work could commence in the are& by 1 July 1949 or earlier.

15. Brochure including charts showing facilities and areas of Dugway Proving Ground - Viendover Air Force Base area is attached as Appendix B.