Post war Kenneth Nichols

nichols @ desk in 1945

nichols promoted brigadier general on 22 january 1946. following departure of major general thomas farrell, nichols became groves deputy, although continued district engineer. asked spend more time on weapons production , storage, nichols established new underground assembly plant @ mound laboratories in miamisburg, ohio, , recommended sandia base transferred united states army air corps manhattan district. in december, nichols recommended closing down of alpha tracks of y-12 plant, thereby cutting payroll 8,600 1,500 , saving $2 million month. henceforth, uranium enrichment performed gaseous diffusion plants, wartime k-25 , new k-27, had commenced operation in january 1946.

nichols kept national laboratories operating $60 million worth of research grants fiscal year 1947. helped captain hyman g. rickover train team of naval engineers @ oak ridge in nuclear propulsion. in june 1946, nichols went bikini atoll represent manhattan project @ operation crossroads, series of nuclear weapons tests conducted investigate effects on warships. many of contemporaries in army dramatically reduced in size rapidly demobilized, nichols reduced in rank, reverting substantive rank of lieutenant colonel on 30 june 1946. on return bikini, found had been made honorary commander of order of british empire.

aerial view of able mushroom cloud rising lagoon bikini island visible in background.

the atomic energy act of 1946 created atomic energy commission (aec) take on functions , assets of manhattan project. president harry s. truman appointed 5 commissioners on 28 october 1946, , groves appointed nichols military liaison officer aec. nichols main responsibility organize orderly transfer of assets , responsibilities med aec. military aspects taken on armed forces special weapons project (afswp). assumed nichols become aec s director of military application, while nichol s relationship aec cordial , commissioners impressed administrative skills, became clear nichols did not agree commissioners concept of director of military application staff rather line function.

in february 1947 nichols appointed professor of mechanics @ west point, in april 1948, recalled command afswp, rank of major general, becoming youngest major general in army @ time. although rank entitled him quarters @ fort myer, virginia, chief of staff of united states army, general omar bradley advised him not ask them there had been criticism senior colonels. nichols became senior army member of military liaison committee aec, , deputy assistant chief of staff of army (g-3) atomic energy.

in new role nichols clashed aec on issue of whether or department of defense should have custody of nuclear weapons. administration s policy remained firmly in favor of aec control. tested during berlin blockade, when truman ordered b-29 bombers europe. time there talk of calling off operation sandstone nuclear weapons tests, nichols argued continuation. in 1950, became deputy director of guided missiles division of department of defense, overseeing nike project. appointed chief of research , development when reorganized in 1952. nichols retired army on 31 october 1953. services 1948 1953, belatedly awarded second distinguished service medal in 1956.

nichols became general manager of aec on 2 november 1953. in capacity initiated aec personnel security board hearing on loyalty , trustworthiness of atomic scientist j. robert oppenheimer. in harshly worded memorandum aec on 12 june 1954, subsequent hearing, nichols recommended oppenheimer s security clearance not reinstated. in 5 security findings, nichols said oppenheimer communist in every sense except did not carry party card, , not reliable or trustworthy. commission agreed, , oppenheimer stripped of security clearance. second scandal dixon-yates contract, political controversy became major issue in 1954 elections, resulting in nichols appearing before united states senate subcommittee.