COLLAPSE OF TEXAS TOWER NO. 4 235 



MONDAY, JANUARY 9 



Morniug : Received a call from Mr. Ciccio and Colonel Battison from 26th Air 

 Division Syracuse, relative to information about the broken brace. I passed on 

 what information I had and what the plans were. Mr. Ciccio replied that this 

 approach seemed very logical. They asked what precautions had been taken 

 relative to the tower. I replied that I understood from CWO Hardy that the 

 commanding officer on board had authority to call the Coast Guard and/or the 

 Air Force for boats or "choppers" at any time he deemed it necessary. For 

 further information or details I suggested that they contact Otis AFB although 

 I would try to find out myself. 



Morning : Called Mr. Kuss of M.P.M. & R. to follow up request for informa- 

 tion on tower condition with broken diagonal brace. He said it was quite com- 

 plicated and that he was putting a man on it right away. I also advised him that 

 we were going ahead with getting fill materials to the tower, as he had suggested. 

 He approved and asked if we had any further reports from the divers. I said 

 that we had not but would inform him as soon as we received such information. 



Afternoon : Talked with CWO Hardy relative to boat arrival at Steers' Jersey 

 City yard, and also asked him about question of precautions on tower for 

 evacuation if necessary as asked by Mr. Ciccio. He confirmed that the com- 

 manding officer had authorization to contact Coast Guard or Air Force for help 

 at any time. He suggested that Mr. Ciccio call Otis if they required further 

 details. 



Afternoon : Called Mr. Ciccio at Syracuse but talked to Colonel Battison who 

 was in at time. Repeated conversation with CWO Hardy to him. Also sug- 

 gested that he call Otis for additional information direct. 



TUESDAY, JANUARY 10 



11 a.m. (approximate) : Received a call from V. Tavorosky on the tower stat- 

 ing that the divers had been down and had made an inspection of the brace at 

 —125 on AB side and found no further damage on the horizontal brace, the other 

 diagonal brace, or the legs at the end of the horizontal brace. They also re- 

 checked the collar at —75 and it was solid, no movement, and no bolts loose. 

 Tower appeared to be quiet. I told him to continue underwater inspection and to 

 investigate as many areas as possible including cleaning legs and braces at con- 

 nections for inspection. 



11:30 a.m. (approximate) : Called Mr. Kuss of M.P.M. & R. to advise him of 

 my conversation with V. Yavorosky and to apprise him of the divers' findings. 

 mV. Kuss said that he had a man making calculations and would advise us as 

 soon as they were complete. He also said he had his soil experts investigating 

 the possibility and effectiveness of a rock berm at the legs because of the broken 

 lower diagonal brace. 



THURSDAY, JANUARY 12 



9 :30 a.m. (approximate) : Mr. Kuss of M.P.M. & R. called to say that they had 

 finished some of their calculations and the tower when the wire rope bracing 

 was installed would be good for approximately 55 percent of the design criteria. 

 He said that they were still investigating the possibility of rockfiU around the 

 legs. I immediately reported this conversation to Mr. Rau. 



5 p.m. (approximate) : Called Henry Schutz on the tower to report results 

 of meeting held in our offices with Air Force and M.P.M. & R. Advised him that 

 it was agreed that we would do certain work while the Air Force was winterizing 

 their equipment and removing other equipment, as follows : ( 1 ) Divers to con- 

 duct underwater inspection, (2) repair and reinforce all cracks in above water 

 bracing, (3) complete installation of vertical shear plates at center vertex (AB 

 side) ; (4) place fill materials presently on tower in legs and grout B leg as 

 shown on M.P.M. & R. drawings. Also told him of the 55 percent as given by 

 M.P.M. & R. Henry informed me that they had gotten approximately 4,000 

 bags of fill material on tower and had installed about 25 percent of it in B leg. 



FRIDAY, JANUARY 13 



5 p.m. (approximately) : Talked with Henry Schutz on tower. He informed 



me that they had been diving but had nothing new to report. Said that he and 



Captain Phelan were wondering if it was essential to bring the grout materials 



and mixer out at that time and if they could forego this part of the operation 



70733—^1^^16 



