TE-DPW__001_Facility_Listing_and_Site_Layout.pdf

ANALYSIS OF EXISTING FACILITIES

U.S. ARMY GARRISON

KWAJALEIN ATOLL

JULY 2015

i.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE............................................................................................................................. iv

I. INSTALLATION DATA

II. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA

III. CLIMATE

IV. SOIL

V. VEGETATION

VI. ANIMAL LIFE

VII. REAL ESTATE

VIII. DATE AND TIME

IX. PROBLEMS & SIGNIFICANT FACTOR RELATED TO SITE OPERATION &

CONSTRUCTION

X. HISTORY OF THE INSTALLATION

XI. ORGANIZATIONS ON-SITE

XII. POPULATION- KWAJALEIN ATOLL

XIII. ON/OFF ATOLL COMMUNICATIONS

XIV. BASE SUPPORT COMMUNICATIONS

XV. TRANSPORTATION

XVI. BUILDINGS, STRUCTURE AND OTHER FACILITES- BY UTILIZATION 51

XVII. NUMERICAL LISTING OF FACILITIES

XVIII. KWAJALEIN

XIX. MECK

XX. ENNYLABEGAN (CARLOS)

XXI. ENIWETAK

XXII. LEGAN

XXIII. GELLINAM

XXV. GAGAN

XXVI. ROI-NAMUR

XXVII. ILLEGINNI

iv

PREFACE

The Analysis of Existing Facilities is intended to be the primary source of factual information related to all existing facilities belonging to United States Army Garrison Kwajalein Atoll/ Reagan Test Site

(USAG-KA/RTS). The Analysis enables the user to quickly find the location, facility number, name, size, purpose, year of construction and category code of any facility within the installation. It is updated annually.

“Real Property” is a specific term, referring to the facilities such as buildings, towers, roads and utilities that comprise the infrastructure of the installation. The term must be differentiated from “equipment-in-place,” which usually refers to items of a less stationary nature, such as transformers and movable structures (not counting residential trailers, which are real property). There are instances when the distinction between real property facilities and equipment-in-place are not obvious.

Real property facilities are further divided into “permanent,” “semi-permanent” and “temporary” categories. Permanent facilities have an expected life of at least 25 years. Semi-permanent facilities have an expected life of more than 5 but less than 25 years. Temporary facilities are expected to have a useful life of up to 5 years.

The most useful features of the Analysis are the following: (a) a text section filled with pertinent information on the climate, conditions, features and history of the installation, (b) listings of all facilities arranged in order by facility number and by category code and (c) maps of the ten active islands, showing each facility.

Every effort is made to provide a source of accurate and helpful information. However, there is always the possibility of errors.

U.S. ARMY GARRISON KWAJALEIN ATOLL/ REAGAN TEST SITE

U.S. ARMY INSTALLATION MANAGEMENT COMMAND

KWAJALEIN ATOLL, MARSHALL ISLANDS

ANALYSIS OF EXISTING FACILITIES

Contract Data List DCRL-AF11

31 July 2015

I. INSTALLATION DATA

Name of Site: The installation is currently called “United States Army Garrison Kwajalein

Atoll/ Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site” (USAG-KA/RTS) effective 01

October 2013. The installation has undergone multiple name changes since its inception: U.S.

Army Kwajalein Atoll/ Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (USAKA/RTS) from

15 June 2001 to 01 October 2013; U.S Army Kwajalein Atoll/ Kwajalein Missile Range

(USAKA/KMR) from 01 March 1998 to 15 June 2001; U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) from 14 November 1986 to 30 September 1997; Kwajalein Missile Range (KMR) from 15 April

1968 to 13 November 1986; Kwajalein Test Site from 1 July 1964 to 14 April 1968. Between

1945 and 30 June 1964, while under the command of the United States Navy, the installation was called at various times Navy Operating Base Kwajalein, Naval Air Station Kwajalein, Naval

Station Kwajalein and Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) Kwajalein.

Site Number: NQ100 [for Military Real Property Inventory purposes, assigned by the U.S. Army

Chief of Engineers per paragraph 2.2.1 (3) of AR 405-45]

U.S. Mail Address: PSC#701-PO Box 26, APO AP 96555-0001

Status: USAG-KA/RTS is a Class II site (Active) of the United States Army and is designated a subordinate activity of the U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM), headquartered in Houston, TX with an Initial Operating Capability (IOC) of 1 October 2012 and

Full Operating Capability (FOC) of 1 October, 2013. Command of the site with regard to its

National Range Mission as an element of the Department of Defense’s Major Range and Test

Facility Base (DOD Directive 3200.11) is exercised under funding guidance from the U.S. Army

Test and Evaluation Management Agency.

Analysis of Existing Facilities- 2015

II. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA

Location: Kwajalein Atoll is located in the “Ralik” (sunset or western) chain of the Marshall

Islands in the West Central Pacific Ocean. It is 2,100 nautical miles southwest of Honolulu and about 4,200 nautical miles southwest of San Francisco. Lying less than 700 miles north of the equator, Kwajalein is in the latitude of Panama and the southern Philippines. It is in the longitude of New Zealand, 2,300 miles south and the Kamchatka Peninsula of the former Soviet

Union, 2,600 miles north. Its remoteness from centers of population and its proximity to the sea has a major bearing on the operation and maintenance of USAG-KA/RTS.

Atoll Configuration and Size: Kwajalein Atoll is a coral reef formation in the shape of a crescent loop enclosing a lagoon. Situated on the reef are approximately 100 small islands with a total land area of only 5.6 square miles (3,854 acres). The largest islands are Kwajalein (1.2 square miles), Roi-Namur and Ebadon at the extremities of the atoll. Together they account for nearly half the total land area. While the “typical” size of the remaining islands may be about 150 yards by 700 yards, the smallest islands are no more than sand cays that merely break the water’s surface at high tide. By contrast, the lagoon enclosed by the reef is the world’s largest, having a surface area of 1,100 square miles. Its depth is generally between 20 to 30 fathoms (120 to 180 feet). However, there are numerous coral heads approaching or breaking the lagoon surface.

The atoll’s longest dimension is 75 miles from Kwajalein to Ebadon and its average width is about 15 miles. Kwajalein, at the atoll’s southern tip and Roi-Namur at its northern extremity, are the principal islands at USAG-KA/RTS situated between these two, on both sides of the lagoon.

Atoll Structure: Coral atolls are believed to be seamounts which have been capped by calcareous marine growth constructed by lime-secreting organisms (coral polyps and algae). Presumably the lower parts are composed of non-calcareous rocks, usually volcanic materials. The coral superstructures may be hundreds or even thousands of feet in thickness. Emergent portions of reef and islands are composed of loose, poorly consolidated calcareous materials derived from foraminifera, coral, shells and marine algae or their debris, resulting from destructive action of the elements. One notable characteristic of atolls is the steep slopes of the mountain seaward of the reef. Around Kwajalein Atoll, the depth plunges to as much as 1,000 fathoms (6,000 feet) within two miles of the atoll and 2,200 fathoms within 10 miles. The Kwajalein Atoll reef lies at inter-tidal level, mostly exposed at low tide and submerged at high tide. There are about 25 passages from the open ocean into the lagoon, through or over the reef, which will admit small boats. Ocean going ships ordinarily use Gea Pass, 10 miles north-northwest of Kwajalein.

Elevation: All islands of the atoll are quite flat with few natural points exceeding 15 feet above mean sea level. The average elevation of Kwajalein is 5.9 feet. Its highest point, “Mount

Olympus,” the original missile launch hill, is about 57.6 feet high and is man-made. As a result of the coral base and the lack of elevation of the islands, there is a very shallow water table. This condition presents a major problem for underground construction.

III. CLIMATE

Kwajalein has a tropical, marine climate characterized by a relatively high annual rainfall of nearly 100 inches and warm to hot, humid weather throughout the year. The principal rainfall season extends from May through November; about 75 percent of the annual rainfall is recorded during this period. Light easterly winds, almost constant cloudiness, and frequent moderate to heavy showers prevail during the wet season. The dry season is December through April and has light showers of short duration, not a complete absence of showers. In this season, trade winds out of the northeast are persistent and cloudiness is at a minimum.

Temperature: Temperatures vary little from day to day and month to month. Typical daily average temperatures are a low of about 78 degree Fahrenheit (F) and a high of about 87 degrees

F. Due to the low latitude, there are only slight variations in the length of daylight and the altitude of the sun at Kwajalein. As a result, the small variation in solar energy and the marine influence are the principal reasons for the uniform temperatures in the area. The monthly temperature is 82.2 degrees F. The range of normal temperatures between the coldest and warmest months is about one degree F, with an average daily temperature range of 10 degrees F.

Maximum daily temperatures occur in the early afternoon and the minimum occurs during showers or in the early morning.

Relative Humidity: The relative humidity is quite high, with the 30-year normal being 79%.

Relative humidity is typically 70% to 80% during the day and 80% to 90% at night. Humidity is on the low end of the range in the dry season and the high end in the wet season. Unusually dry episodes occur a few times in each dry season when the humidity drops below 70%.

Winds: Northeasterly trade winds are dominant most of the year. From December through June, the wind blows mostly from the east-northeast (the bearing of the Kwajalein aircraft runway) at speeds averaging about 17 miles per hour. During the summer months, winds are generally weaker with occasional doldrums of almost no winds; the direction tends to be more easterly, sometimes southeasterly, and even westerly on occasion. Winds seldom exceed moderate gale strength (38 miles per hour). Typhoons are rare in the immediate vicinity of Kwajalein but are possible at any time of the year due to the warm water temperatures in the region.

Clouds: Partly to mostly cloudy skies, with one half to three quarters cloud cover, prevail most of the time. Periods of scattered to broken cumulus clouds (40-90% sky coverage) with bases at

1,500 to 2,000 feet are common throughout the entire year. Fog is never experienced and only heavy showers reduce visibility below two miles.

Dry Season: The dry season is of particular significance to an installation such as USAG-

KA/RTS. As many as 19 weeks have passed with practically no rainfall (in 1983 the rainfall for

January-May was only 3.89 inches). Light showers of short duration fall on dry, heated ground and render little, if any, catchable water. During the dry season fresh water consumption exceeds the amount of rainfall available from catchments and it is necessary to obtain fresh water by extracting it from lens wells or by extracting it from sea waters.

Kwajalein had a severe dry season in 1983 and 1984, with 1984 being the driest year on record.

Kwajalein sustained a severe dry season in the first half of 1992. Tropical Storm Zelda (Nov

1991) affected the freshwater table, decreased the amount of available freshwater and freshwater was also shipped from Kwajalein to the outer islands. In 1995, USAG-KA/RTS installed a permanent sea water desalinization unit capable of augmenting fresh water reserves. Drought conditions attributed to El Nino followed Typhoon Paka in December 1997.

Tropical Disturbances, Tropical Storms (TS) and Typhoons (TY): Typhoons are classified as tropical cyclones with sustained winds greater than or equal to 64 knots (74 mph). Due to

Kwajalein’s location, typhoons are rare. Tropical storms, which are less intense than typhoons, are more frequent.

In January 1988, TS Roy caused extensive shoreline damage at Kwajalein. Various facilities were damaged, mostly on their roofs, with the damage estimated at approximately two million dollars for Kwajalein. Because of the storm’s track, most of the damaged buildings were on the ocean side and the shoreline along the runway and golf course was heavily damaged. Ebeye received even worse damage, leaving 3,500 people homeless, with major damage to more that

50% of the homes, while 30% of them were destroyed.

TS Zelda came through Kwajalein on Thanksgiving Day 1991 with 55 knot sustained winds and peak gust of 71 knots. Zelda’s winds and driving rains uprooted trees and severely damaged many facilities. The center of the storm was 19 miles southwest of Kwajalein. The Kwajalein

Atoll was declared a disaster area and was supported by Federal Emergency Management

Agency (FEMA) with a damage of more than eight million dollars.

TY Paka passed 83 miles south of Kwajalein on December 12, 1997. Sustained winds of

39 knots were recorded on Kwajalein, with gusts to 47 knots. While damage was widespread, it was generally minor.

In December 2004, TS Talas made its way through the Marshall Islands, affecting Kwajalein

Atoll from the evening hours of December 10 through the morning hours of December 11.

Talas’ track brought it 16 miles south of Kwajalein. The weather station recorded sustained winds of 40 knots, with gusts to 56 knots. There were a few structures on Kwajalein that sustained significant structural damage; however, the storm’s overall impact was not great.

Reports indicated more severe damage on Ebeye, with many roofs blown off and more significant structural damage to houses.

TS Bavi formed in the RMI in March 2015 and moved within 111 miles southwest of Kwajalein.

The Kwajalein Atoll experienced several days of blustery winds in excess of 25 knots with several short peaks of sustained winds over 34 knots. The maximum sustained wind speed was

36 knots with a maximum recorded gust of 44 knots. TS Bavi damaged the roofs on several buildings, toppled trees, and did damage at both Roi-Namur and Kwajalein. Damage was estimated to be more than a million dollars.

In El Nino years, weak tropical disturbances made their way through the Marshall Islands, resulting in prolonged periods of rain and wind for Kwajalein Atoll. These occurrences are typical of the region during El Nino when the general region for tropical disturbances shifts eastward, increasing the likelihood of tropical cyclone activity throughout the Marshall Islands.

When intensification of a tropical disturbance does not happen in the Marshall Islands, westerly winds can occur if the system intensifies further west. The lagoon geography allows westerly winds to pile up water on the lagoon shores of Kwajalein and Roi-Namur Islands, resulting in unusually high surf and wash-over in low-lying areas. Structures such as docks, boats and housing which are usually sheltered from easterly trade winds become vulnerable to damage during these conditions. Several years ago one of the docks in the harbor was significantly damaged by lagoon waves during west winds and had to be removed for repairs. Rough seas along the watercraft traffic channels in the lagoon can hinder transport capabilities for

Marshallese workers during west winds.

During times of unsettled weather, special weather statements are issued to keep the range and community aware of the situation in order to protect the people and assets of the USAG-

KA/RTS.

Rainfall: Average annual rainfall at Kwajalein is slightly less than 100 inches. The variation ranges from a low of 59.35 inches in 1984 to a high of 149.13 inches in 1950. The following table contains the rainfall amounts measured over the past five years and the historical rainfall data for Kwajalein. Extremes recorded since 1945 are given in the second and third columns.

Normal rainfall amounts are listed in the fourth column; these refer to the average rainfall amounts over the 30 year period from 1981-2010. The fifth column lists the average rainfall per month since 1945; these values are not to be taken as the “expected” rainfall for a given month.

The monthly figures for 2010 through 2014 are shown in the last five columns.

KWAJALEIN RAINFALL (INCHES)

5 YEAR PERIOD (2010 - 2014)

Month Extreme

Min

Extreme

Max

Normal Average 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

January 0.48 15.66 4.01 4.26 5.29 6.11 4.22 1.22 3.81

February 0.04 11.79 3.30 3.03 1.23 11.79 3.01 0.46 13.82

March 0.16 24.33 3.56 4.59 3.86 10.61 1.97 1.73 11.17

April 0.20 20.09 6.21 6.72 1.72 3.76 3.58 9.34 19.24

May 0.53 26.86 6.61 8.79 2.88 7.83 10.82 1.97 5.36

June 3.56 19.61 7.86 8.95 11.01 8.38 8.08 4.66 7.22

July 3.53 22.29 9.85 9.98 7.04 10.27 11.83 9.71 11.88

August 5.38 23.61 10.40 10.39 7.33 14.05 9.23 5.51 5.61

September 3.77 21.16 10.89 11.01 8.35 11.95 6.17 8.81 9.49

October 4.17 20.05 11.83 12.02 18.56 14.00 8.18 4.17 17.17

November 3.51 19.51 11.07 11.05 14.97 14.68 5.09 13.63 8.85

December 1.90 30.38 8.13 8.32 2.96 5.59 15.33 2.62 4.54

Year 59.35

(1984)

149.13

(1950)

93.72 99.41 73.58 87.20 119.02 87.51 118.16

Percent of

Normal

63.3%

159.1%

106%

79%

93%

127%

93%

126%

IV. SOIL

The atoll’s soils are extremely poor mainly because of the lack of nitrogen and potash (two major plant nutrients). Although small amounts of all the required trace elements are probably present

(they can be found in the sea water that surrounds the atoll), they are insufficient for normal development of many imported plants. The high alkalinity of the calcareous sands also inhibits the growth of many non-native species of vegetation. Water-holding capacity of the soil, largely determined by the size of the particles, is poor because of the generally, coarse-grained sands.

This capacity is improved by the presence of humus materials formed from decayed organic matter. Unfortunately, these humus materials do not readily form under the aerobic conditions of

Kwajalein’s temperature and alkalinity.

V. VEGETATION

Usefulness: Plants perform vital services for an installation in Kwajalein’s environment, quite aside from their considerable decorative value in enhancing the scenic aspect of the development island as a place to live. Trees, shrubs and ground cover vegetation, by providing shade, absorbing light and preventing heat reflection from the white sandy soil, greatly lower the heat energy that would otherwise be generated on the island surfaces by the tropical sun. For example, assuming a radiation of 1.5 gram calories per square centimeter per minute, a coconut tree 10 feet in diameter, which casts a shade of only 33 percent coverage of its overall shaded area, is either absorbing or reflecting a total of over the two kilowatts of energy or about 112

BTU per minute. Trees with wider diameters of foliage will absorb correspondingly more of this radiant energy and provide greater cooling effects. Plants, particularly of the ground cover type, also serve to control dust and erosion caused by wind and rain.

Types: While the variety of trees and plants found on the islands occupied by USAG-KA/RTS is relatively limited, there are several of them. Many are particular strains which have adapted to the difficult growing conditions. By far the most common tree is the coconut palm; others frequently seen are the heliotrope, pandanus, pemphis, and ironwood. Common grasses, vines and shrubs include Desmodium canum, Bermuda grass, thuarea, scaveola, “vigna” marina, beach morning glory and wedelia creeper. Some of these would be considered no more than weeds in other locales but at Kwajalein they are beneficial. The last three plants named, for example, will flourish where nothing else will survive and are therefore valuable as ground cover. Desmodium canum (beggar’s lice, commonly known as “hitchhikers”) is a nuisance because of its flat, clinging seeds that catch on socks and clothing, but it helps the growth of other plants by transferring nitrogen from the air into the soil through its roots. Those plants that grow most readily seem to be spurred by disturbance of the ground surface and a jungle-like tangle of growth can develop quite rapidly. However, since all of the vegetation, even the largest trees, are shallow rooted, the clearing of an island offers no problem to modern machinery.

VI. ANIMAL LIFE

Native fauna on the Kwajalein Atoll consists of only a few species of birds, various insects and a bountiful profusion of marine life, both on the reef and in the surrounding sea. Two sensitive marine species are known to frequent the waters of Kwajalein Atoll. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service have listed the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) as threatened and the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) as endangered.

Non-indigenous animals include cats, dogs, chickens, ducks and pigs, most of which can be found in domestic and wild forms on different islands throughout the atoll. Creatures that at times create economical or public health problems include wild cats, pigs, rats, mice, termites, cockroaches and several species of filth flies.

VII. REAL ESTATE

Islands Used: USAG-KA/RTS has facilities and personnel residing on the islands of Kwajalein and Roi-Namur. Operations personnel commute on an as needed basis to the structures sited on the islands of Ennylabegan, Gagan, Meck, Legan, Gellinam, Omelek, Eniwetak and Illeginni.

Political Jurisdiction: The Kwajalein Atoll first came under U.S. administrative control at the time of its capture in February 1944, according to the International Law of Belligerent

Occupation. However, in July 1947, the former Japanese-mandated islands of the Marshalls, Carolinas and Marianas groups became a Trust Territory of the United Nations. By agreement between the U.N. Security Council and the United States government, the Trust Territory was placed under U.S. administrative authority (not ownership). Civil administration was delegated to the U.S. Navy on 1 July 1951, when it was transferred to the Department of the Interior by

Executive Order 10265.

On 21 October 1986, the signing of the Compact of Free Association between the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the U.S. Government dissolved the Trust Territory of the Pacific Island

(TTPI) authority over the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). Under the Compact of Free

Association, the political status of RMI is one of independence with the Marshallese people electing their own leaders as a self-governing nation. The U.S. Government provides sufficient funding for most government operations, social services and development. The U.S.

Government also has full responsibility for defense of the islands for a period of 15 years. Sites for defense facilities are provided for under a lease with an option for an additional 15 years.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands shall provide to the U.S. Government the following land areas for its exclusive use, unless otherwise provided. The U.S. Government may, upon request of the RMI Government, grant limited access to these islands.

Outside Mid-Atoll Corridor:

Island Approximate Acreage

Kwajalein 748 (includes 205 acres of landfill constructed by the U.S. Gov’t)

Roi-Namur 398 (includes 40 acres of landfill constructed by the U.S Gov’t)

Ennugarret 6 (of 24 total acres)

Ennylabegan 71 (of 124 total acres)

Within the Mid-Atoll Corridor

Island Approximate Acreage

Meck 55 (Includes 18 acres of landfill constructed by the U.S. Government)

Eniwetak 15

Omelek 8

Gellinam 5

Gagan 6

Illeginni 31

Legan 18

The U.S. Government has control of entry and movement of personnel within the Mid-Atoll corridor area of the Kwajalein Atoll as delineated in the Compact of Free Association. The Mid-

Atoll Corridor is defined as the area within the Kwajalein Atoll bound on the north by a line drawn from north of Boked Island on the east reef to Yabbernohr Island on the west reef and bound on the south by a line drawn from south of Bigej Island on the east reef to north of the high tide mark on Ninni Island on the west reef.

National History Site: The Kwajalein and Roi-Namur Battlefields were officially dedicated

National Historic Landmarks in 1986. As such, they are listed on the National Register of

Historic Places. Although the original islands have been filled and are covered with modern structures and facilities, the entire land area underneath these features is considered historically significant. The original islands were fought over in a fierce battle. The above-ground historically significant structures are listed in the Master Plan for Kwajalein Atoll.

VIII. DATE AND TIME

In the past, both date and time were set arbitrarily for the convenience of the U.S. installation and did not conform to the atoll’s geographic position west of the International Dateline in the Time

Zone centered on the 165 degree E. meridian.

M li

P

Kwajalein Time 7:30 11:30 4:30 PM 10:00 PM

Hawaii Time 9:30 1:30 PM 6:30 PM 12:00

Pacific Standard 11:30 3:30 PM 8:30 PM 2:00 AM

Pacific Daylight 12:30 4:30 PM 9:30 PM 3:00 AM

Mountaini 12:30 4:30 PM 9:30 PM 3:00 AM

Mountain 1:30 5:30 PM 10:30 4:00 AM

Central Standard 1:30 P 5:30 PM 10:30 4:00 AM

Central Daylight 2:30 6:30 PM 11:30 P 5:00 AM

Eastern i 2:30 6:30 PM 11:30 5:00 AM

Eastern Daylight 3:30 7:30 PM 12:30 P 6:00 AM

The RMI government requested that USAG-KA/RTS observe the proper time and date according to the International Date Line. This change was implemented in August 1993.

Time: Kwajalein time is 22 hours ahead of Honolulu. Thus when it is 7:30 Tuesday morning on

Kwajalein, it is 9:30 Monday morning in Honolulu. Read down the following table to see the relationship to other U.S. time zones.

i A

IX. PROBLEMS & SIGNIFICANT FACTOR RELATED TO SITE OPERATION &

CONSTRUCTION

The location of U.S. Army Garrison Kwajalein Atoll/ Reagan Test Site in an isolated and sparsely populated area of the West Central Pacific Ocean is dictated by requirements of the missile-testing programs conducted here. This setting, together with the nature of the installation, introduces conditions not generally encountered at Army posts and requires consideration in the planning, operation, maintenance and construction of USAG-KA/RTS facilities. Factors of significance in this regard are briefly described below.

Status as a National Range: National Range policies govern the occupancy of the installation by activities such as Range users and tenants. These policies govern the support which such activities are to be rendered by the installation. Security requirements limit the accessibility of the installation to USAG-KA/RTS personnel employees of contractors and subcontractors, crews and passengers of transit aircraft and ships and dependents.

Preponderant Civilian Scientific Community: The success of the R&D programs at USAG-

KA/RTS is, to a large measure, dependent on the high caliber of scientific and technical personnel at the site. It is to be stressed that there is no such thing as “off post housing” for

Americans at USAG-KA/RTS. The U.S. Government provides all the housing and community facilities. Attracting and retaining the most competent personnel obtainable for operation of the technical programs and of the installation are vital factors in fulfilling the mission of the missile range.

Regional Limitations: Because USAG-KA/RTS is located in a remote area with a small population, many of the facilities and services normally available in a community and provided by commercial or civil sources, are either nonexistent or minimal in the accessible surrounding area. The nearest urban area is Honolulu, 2,100 nautical miles away. The following list indicates the types of facilities and services provided, which are available to island residents, only to the extent that they are provided as a part of the operation of the installation.

Housing facilities include dormitory-style bachelor’s quarters, a variety of one to three bedroom houses and transient accommodations. All modern utilities are provided, including direct dial telephone service to the mainland and in the spring of 2014 residential high speed internet became available.

Personal service facilities include dining facilities, snack bars, commissary, a convenience store, a department store, beauty/barber shop, laundry service, schools, library, hospital, dental clinic, Community Bank, a religious education center, churches, travel agency and U.S. Army Post

Office.

Recreation facilities include golf courses, swimming pools, softball fields, soccer fields, bowling alley, racquetball courts, tennis courts, beach volleyball courts, a gymnasium, boat rentals, recreational center and a skateboard park.

Entertainment services include movie theaters, DVD rental and the Armed Forces Radio and

Television Network (AFN).

Requirements for Air Conditioning: Criteria for air conditioning at Army installations are set forth in Army Regulation 420-54 Engineering manual, Air Conditioning-Evaporative Cooling-

Dehumidification-Mechanical Ventilation. These standards are set in order to maintain acceptable comfort levels for personnel under oppressive climatic conditions and to protect government and personal property from deterioration due to climate. Of the four weather zones described in AR 420-54, the one authorized the most air conditioned facilities is Zone B, defined as having a wet bulb temperature of 67 degrees F or higher for 1000 or more hours during the six warmest months of the year. A subdivision of Zone B covering additional air conditioning for personnel quarters raises the 1000-hour requirement to 1800 hours. Kwajalein exceeds that maximum requirement 2 1/2 times over, as it has 100 percent of the hours (4416 hours) in any six months registering temperatures higher than 67 degrees F wet bulb. According to the

National Weather Service, Kwajalein’s wet bulb reading is higher than 67 degrees F the entire year. Rarely does the temperature drop below 71 degrees F wet bulb at any hour in any month.

Clearly, air conditioning is a necessity at this site for efficiency of personnel, operations of equipment and protection of property.

Corrosive Climate: The constant high humidity, warm temperatures and high salt content of the air have a severely corrosive effect on buildings and equipment. Between 1955 and 1988, the

U.S. Navy Civil Engineering Laboratory conducted studies of the sample protective coatings exposed to the atmosphere of Port Hueneme (California), Kaneohe (Hawaii) and Kwajalein. The

Laboratory’s Technical Report R-197 of 2 July 1962 concluded that the Kwajalein exposure site has the most corrosive marine atmosphere of the three test sites, coatings tested were consistently less durable at the Kwajalein location. Continuous maintenance is required to preserve the usability of buildings and equipment at USAG-KA/RTS but even so, the life span of facilities is significantly shorter than would be expected in most other environments. The Kwajalein environment is particularly conducive to electrolytic action between contiguous dissimilar metals, causing destruction of one of the metals. Many small but vital parts (screws, hinges, fittings) of buildings, vehicles and equipment are affected by this condition. In many cases, more expensive, difficult-to-obtain materials at Kwajalein must replace materials that are standard in other locations. For example, experience has shown that aluminum flashing on roofs will not stand up in the Kwajalein environment and that stainless steel flashing must be used instead.

Long Supply Lines: Almost all materials and supplies supporting the Range’s programs, population and construction must be shipped from Hawaii or Continental United States

(CONUS). Only a small part of the total requirements can be airlifted. Surface vessels send the bulk of the cargo. Lead time for procurement of supplies is ordinarily figured at three to four months, depending on point of origin and assuming immediate availability from suppliers.

Warehousing Requirements: The long lead time for procurement necessitates warehousing of sufficient supplies, materials and repair parts to insure uninterrupted operation of technical programs and construction activities, plus support of the Kwajalein community. Much of the material requires dehumidified storage to protect it from damage by Kwajalein’s moist, corrosive climate. During construction of technical buildings, precautions must be taken to protect delicate, costly electronic equipment that requires carefully controlled humidity and temperature conditions prior to its installation.

Intra-Atoll Shipping: Supply lines are lengthened by up to 50 miles on items for use by outer-island installations of the Kwajalein Atoll. The items must be transported from Kwajalein by

USAG-KA/RTS aircraft or watercraft. This requires additional handling and off-loading at points where the use of bulk-handling and off-loading equipment is not practical. Intra-atoll shipments require extra manpower, time and usually temporary warehousing space on

Kwajalein. USAG-KA/RTS operates a fleet of U.S. Army vessels in order to transport personnel, cargo, fuel and water to the outer islands.

Non-fluidity of Manpower: Required personnel, other than general labor, must usually be brought from Hawaii or CONUS. As more indigenous gain skills and training, this situation is showing some signs of change but it is still the rule. The expense, in both time and money, of transporting employees is a significant factor in overall project costs. The cost is multiplied when dependents are involved.

Groundwater: The presence of both pure and brackish ground water underlying the islands causes a problem when excavating to depths of more than five feet. The water table fluctuates with the tide. The water does not adversely affect placement or curing of concrete but it does aggravate nature’s attacks on items such as reinforced steel and subsurface piping. Valves and fittings of underground utility lines are therefore subjected to a severely corrosive environment.

Shore Erosion: Although small in area, the islands of the Kwajalein Atoll have long shorelines that are constantly exposed to wind and wave action. The erosive effect is generally slight, is controlled by existing protective measures (riprap, seawall, revetments, etc.) and has no effect on facilities away from the shore. Even so, adverse weather conditions can cause severe damage in a short time. The prevailing winds at Kwajalein are easterly or northeasterly. However, the wind shifts occasionally and blows from the southwest. A southwesterly wind occurring in conjunction with a high tide tends to “pile up” the water in the lagoon. In severe instances (such as those which took place in August and September 1965, January 1968, October 1972, January

1979 and November 1982), the high water attacked the shorelines and piers with resultant damage and flooding. During those storms, the sea washed over Echo Cargo Pier, riprap was displaced and road damage occurred. Limited flooding occurred on Gugeegue, Ebeye, Eniwetak, Meck and Roi-Namur.

Storms: Tropical storms and typhoons hit Kwajalein Atoll from time to time. See “Climate”

(Section III) for historical data on specific events.

Facility Deterioration: A dramatic increase in the discovery of concrete spalling and other types of structural deterioration occurred between 1996 and 1998. These failures have created a significant number of safety concerns in key areas. Facility 808 had severe spalling in one of the automotive repair bays and shut down for several years until 2006, when funding was made available to repair it and several other localized spalling conditions. Facilities 603, 704, 708, 900 and 901 have all suffered localized concrete failure due to spalling of the reinforcing steel. In

2013, facilities 803, 1045 and 1658 were all closed and use of the facilities discontinued.

The residential housing area quarters 490-495 started spalling on the outside to the extent it became a safety hazard. When the quarters were renovated, much of each roof had to be replaced due to rebar having corroded away. There was extensive corrosion and spalling in other spaces too. Exterior spalling became apparent on other housing units as well. Repairs were made on 35 family housing facilities in 2011-2012. In 2013-2014 another 36 family housing facilities were repaired. Repairs included fixing horizontal spalling along the roof edge and eyebrows and replacing built-up roofs with insulated hydro-stop roof system.

Warehouse Facility 602 had major repairs accomplished to the concrete walls, which were cracking and fragmenting. A new hydro-stop roof system was placed on top of the existing built-up roof to extend its life cycle and stop numerous roof leaks throughout the facility. The

Zamperini Dining facility’s kitchen was closed due to the severe concrete spalling condition of its structural columns and beams.

X. HISTORY OF THE INSTALLATION

The United States has used Kwajalein for military purposes since 1944, for one and a half years as a wartime sea and air base, seven years as a small, all- male naval outpost, seven years as a small naval community, and since 1960 as a military and civilian community devoted to missile research and testing programs. Since 1 July 1964, it has been a Class II Army installation assigned to the Nike-X Project Office and its successors, the SENTINEL System Command, the

Safeguard Systems Command, the Ballistic Missile Defense System Command, the Space and

Strategic Defense Command (SSDC), the Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) and now the U.S Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM).

Kwajalein’s first use as a military base was during the late 1930’s when Japan began to fortify its

Micronesian mandates. During World War I, Japan occupied Micronesia and in 1920, was given mandate over the islands by the League of Nations. In 1935, Japan withdrew from the League, closed Micronesia to foreigners and began military preparation. Kwajalein Atoll’s huge lagoon provided an excellent fleet harbor.

The Japanese built their largest naval and supply base in the Marshall group on Kwajalein, a major air base on Roi-Namur and a seaplane base on Ebeye. Minor installations were built on other islands in the atoll to support these bases. Kwajalein had a key role in the initial Japanese strike against the United States on December 7, 1941. The submarines that attacked Pearl

Harbor and the task force that assaulted Wake Island departed from Kwajalein’s bases. By 1943, Kwajalein was the headquarters of the Japanese Fourth Fleet and a part of the Sixth (submarine)

Fleet.

Kwajalein Atoll was one of the first of Japan’s prewar territories to fall to American forces during World War II. After two days of air and surface bombardment (15,000 tons of ammunition rained down on the tiny land area), the atoll was invaded from the north by the U.S.

Fourth Marine Division and from the south by the U.S. Army’s Seventh Infantry Division on

January 30, 1944. The islands were taken one by one in the ground combat and the entire atoll was in American hands by February 8, 1944. American casualties numbered 372 killed and

1,582 wounded out of 41,446 troops committed. The Japanese defending forces were almost eliminated, 7,870 were killed and 265 taken prisoners. On the fortified islands, virtually all

Japanese installations were destroyed and vegetation stripped from the land.

Navy Construction Battalion (Seabee) units immediately began clearing the debris- littered islands to make them usable as American naval and air bases. On Kwajalein, a 5,000-foot

Japanese airstrip was reconstructed and lengthened to 6,300 feet, hardstands were laid for 102 heavy bombers and several hangars were erected. Echo Pier was rebuilt and a small boat slip added. On Roi-Namur, the runway was reconstructed and 100 fighter planes were based there.

On both Kwajalein and Roi-Namur, temporary buildings were erected for hospitals, barracks, shops, storage and other garrison uses. Several buildings dating from 1944-1945 are still in use on Kwajalein including the Commander’s quarters and Chapel. Both buildings were built on a volunteer basis by military personnel stationed on Kwajalein at the time.

In the northern section of the Atoll, there were originally three islands. Roi, Enedrikdrik and

Namur. During the years 1945 to 1946, American occupation forces commenced a fill operation from both Roi and Namur. By the end of 1946, the three islands had been joined and a road built. Over the years since, more fill has been added and Enedrikdrik has disappeared. It is now all one island, Roi-Namur.

After the war, Kwajalein was one of the seven islands in the Gilbert-Marshall-Mariana area chosen by the Navy for retention as a United States base. Congress appropriated funds for these bases in 1946. Kwajalein served as the main support center for the first atomic tests on military targets during “Operation Crossroads,” March to August 1946. Over 300 ships and 20,000 men took part in this operation. The remains of the German super cruiser, Prinz Eugen (currently lying at the bottom of the Kwajalein lagoon), are a grim reminder of this major military test. The

Kwajalein base was under Navy command for 19 years, until July 1, 1964, when it was transferred to the U.S. Army. Besides the Navy, units of the U.S. Marine Corps, Air Force and

Coast Guard, also operated on the island during the 1950’s. Kwajalein was described as “an important refueling transportation and communications point linking East with West.” After the war, a community averaging some 300-400 Marshallese workers lived on Kwajalein in the area where the Weather Station is now located. They were relocated in January 1952 to a village on

Ebeye constructed under Navy auspices.

During the period from the end of World War II through 1950, only a few buildings were constructed on Kwajalein. However, early in this period a considerable area of usable land was added to the island by filling in the shallow beach area along the lagoon side for distances ranging up to 200 yards from the original shoreline. In 1946, an underground sewage system was installed on the island and the first part of an extensive fuel storage area was built, which is still in use today.

Most of Kwajalein’s existing support facilities were erected in the period 1951 to 1956 when the base’s activity was sharply stepped up due to its position on the supply routes for operations in the Korea and Eniwetak-Bikini areas. Provisions were made to accommodate dependents of officers and senior enlisted personnel. Nearly all buildings dating from this period, located on the northern half of the islands, are of permanent concrete block construction. They were built by civilian contractors (the company names have been recalled as “Mid-Pac”, “Burns” and

“Fisher”) and Navy Construction Battalion crews and include the following facilities:

1951-1953: Ten houses (31 family units), 1,000-man barracks (Pacific Barracks) Surf BQ, mess hall (Pacific Dining Room), hospital, Yokwe Yuk-Club, Crossroads Clubs, two swimming pools, two tennis courts, commissary (Surfway), two cold storage buildings, telephone exchange, main supply warehouse, transit cargo warehouse (on Echo Pier), fire station, Rawindsonde (Weather)

Station, vehicle shop building, steam plant and the main power plant.

1954-1956: One hundred seventy-seven houses (257 family units), air terminal building, special services building, laundry, engineering/maintenance shops, aircraft and marine maintenance shops, fuel pier, Yokwe Yuk Theater, and the photo lab facility at the west end of the island.

1951-1956: Extensive permanent additions were made to the island utilities, including power lines and electrical substations, street lighting, three sewage pumping stations, fresh and saltwater lines, water filter plant, two freshwater pumping stations, two saltwater pumping stations, fifteen 1,000,000 gallon freshwater storage tanks and one 100,000- gallon elevated tank, plus most of the major structures in the Fuel Farm.

1957-1961: Few additions were made to existing facilities due to decreasing activity at the

Kwajalein Naval Station. The station was on somewhat of a caretaker status serving as a base for sea/air rescue operations, MATS flights and occasional calls for servicing ships and aircraft of other services. In 1959, the Navy placed Kwajalein on the military base surplus list with the intent of abandoning it that year.

A new chapter in its history began in early 1959 after Kwajalein was selected to be the testing site in the Nike-Zeus Anti-Missile Program of the (then) U.S. Army Rocket and Guided Missile

Agency. At about the same time, the island of Roi-Namur was chosen for development as a center for missile re-entry characteristics studies, sponsored by the Advanced Research Projects

Agency (ARPA) of the Department of Defense. This program, designated Project PRESS

(Pacific Range Electromagnetic Signature Studies), had related facilities in California, Hawaii and Wake Island.

Naval Station Kwajalein became “Pacific Missile Range Facility Kwajalein” under the Navy’s

Pacific Missile Range Command at Point Mugu, California, with the Army and ARPA as tenant activities on the naval station. A further major change began on July 1, 1959 when the Navy let a contract to a civilian concern, Transport Company of Texas (TCT), to operate and maintain all the base’s support facilities, replacing the military personnel who had previously performed those functions. A small staff of naval personnel was retained to supervise the execution of the contract. TCT continued as Logistics Support Contractor until March 1, 1964 when the contract was awarded to another civilian company, Global Associates, with head offices in Oakland, California.

Construction of facilities for the Army Nike-Zeus and the ARPA programs was under the responsibility of the (then) Honolulu Engineer District (HED) of the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers. On 30 June 1959, HED awarded the basic contract for construction of the Nike-Zeus technical building to Pacific Martin-Zachary (PMZ), a joint venture of companies based in

Honolulu, Fairbanks and San Antonio. By June 1962, when the construction was substantially completed, the contract totaled $55,823,000 for Nike-Zeus and support facilities on Kwajalein, Gugeegue, Ennylabegan and Roi-Namur and under a separate contract, $19,200,000 for Project

PRESS technical support facilities on Roi-Namur.

A complex of highly technical buildings, radar, missile assembly and launching facilities were constructed on the western end of Kwajalein Island. The Ralph M. Parsons Company of Los

Angeles under the Mobile (Alabama) District Office (MDO), Corps of Engineers, performed architectural and engineering services. Related radio transmitter and receiver sites and living accommodations for operating personnel were built on Gugeegue and Ennylabegan, respectively.

On Roi-Namur, a launching facility for Speedball test missiles was built in the northwest corner as part of the Nike Zeus Program.

Approximately $15,000,000 of the contract covered support facility work by PMZ on Kwajalein, including the following: extension and rehabilitation of both the fresh and saltwater systems, construction of three 3-story bachelor quarter buildings, construction of the 20-room school building for dependent children, addition of 20 acres by filling along the lagoon shore on the northern end, installation of 257 three-bedroom house trailers on the new site, rehabilitation of the existing (Navy built) houses, mess hall, Yokwe Yuk Club and other service buildings, rehabilitation and extension of fuel farm facilities and the fuel pier and the addition of two 1500 kW generator to Power Plant #1.

On Roi-Namur, facilities for Project PRESS included the TRADEX and computer buildings, optical facilities and the precise power plant. Support facilities included four permanent dormitories, messing, administrative and service buildings, a freshwater system including two

750,000-gallon storage tanks, a saltwater distribution system, fuel storage, roads and a 4,500 foot asphalt aircraft runway. On the islands of Roi-Namur and Ennylabegan, virtually all facilities now in use were constructed since 1960. The wartime buildings had long since fallen to ruin although some Japanese bunkers on Namur have been made usable for storage space. Roi-

Namur and Gugeegue were taken over exclusively by the test-site activity.

Some 50 Marshallese residents were resettled from Roi-Namur, mostly to Enniburr, an island three miles south of Roi-Namur. The installation of Ennylabegan occupies the central segment of the island and a few Marshallese families reside on both end segments of the island.

As facilities were erected, technical installation and operating personnel with their families settled into the Kwajalein community. Nike-Zeus contractors and subcontractors included

Western Electric Company, Bell Telephone Laboratories (research and development) and

Douglas Aircraft Company (Zeus missile). The technical support contract for communications, instrumentation, photography and other range services was awarded to Kentron Hawaii, Ltd.

The Project PRESS contractor was MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory, with RCA and IBM as subcontractors. The island’s population was composed mostly of civilian employees of the technical contractors with a small group of Army personnel [the Pacific Field Office (PFO) of the Zeus Project Office] monitoring the operation. Other residents included personnel of the construction contractor PMZ, monitored by the Kwajalein Area Office of the Honolulu Engineer

District, a small Army group, Engineering/Service Test Office (ESTO) making a separate evaluation of the Zeus program under White Sands Missile Range, the civilian Logistics Support

Contractors monitored by the Navy command of PMRF Kwajalein, a Navy Search and Rescue

(SAR) detachment, and U.S. Weather Bureau Station which took over weather reporting responsibilities from the USAF in July 1960.

1962-1966: History was made at Kwajalein with the announcement in July 1962 of the first…