Trinity Site: 1945-1995.
Page: 6

He worked as the station sergeant at Los Alamos before being sent to
Trinity Site in April 1945. In a letter Bourg said, "I was sent down
here to take over the fire prevention and fire department. Upon
arrival I found I was the fire department, period."

As the soldiers at Trinity Site settled in they became familiar with
Socorro. They tried to use the water out of the ranch wells but found
it so alkaline they couldn't drink it. In fact, they used Navy salt-
water soap for bathing. They hauled drinking water from the fire
house in Socorro. Gasoline and diesel was purchased from the Standard
bulk plant in Socorro.

According to Davis, they established a post office box, number 632, in
Socorro so getting their mail was more convenient. The trips into
town also offered them the chance to get their hair cut in a real
barbershop. If they didn't use the shop, Sgt. Greyshock used horse
clippers to trim their hair.



Jumbo


The bomb design to be used at Trinity Site actually involved two
explosions. First there would be a conventional explosion involving
the TNT and then, a fraction of a second later, the nuclear explosion,
if a chain reaction was maintained. The scientists were sure the TNT
would explode, but were initially unsure of the plutonium. If the
chain reaction failed to occur, the TNT would blow the very rare and
dangerous plutonium all over the countryside.

Because of this possibility, Jumbo was designed and built. Originally
it was 25 feet long, 10 feet in diameter and weighed 214 tons.
Scientists were planning to put the bomb in this huge steel jug
because it could contain the TNT explosion if the chain reaction
failed to materialize. This would prevent the plutonium from being
lost. If the explosion occurred as planned, Jumbo would be vaporized.

Jumbo was brought to Pope, N.M., by rail and unloaded. A specially
built trailer with 64 wheels was used to move Jumbo the 25 miles to
Trinity Site.

As confidence in the plutonium bomb design grew it was decided not to
use Jumbo. Instead, it was placed in a steel tower about 800 yards
from ground zero. The blast destroyed the tower, but Jumbo survived