Message posted by Thud on June 21, 2001 at 8:33:45 PST:

I can answer question 1):

Eisenhower decided to fund the U2 program on November 23, 1954. Groom Lake was chosen as the test location on April 12, 1955 and the first U?2 arrived at Groom Lake on July 24, 1955, several days after Eisenhower proposed Open Skies. On August 19, 1955, Eisenhower issued an executive order
extending the restricted airspace over the NTS to include that above Groom Lake.

On January 16, 1957, while the CIA U-2 program continued at Groom Lake, the Bureau of Land Management issued Public Land Order 1382, which revoked Executive Order 8578 as to the land occupied by the base at Groom Lake, stating that the land had been "included in an application for withdrawal . . . filed by the AEC." On June 20, 1958, the Bureau of Land Management issued Public Land Order 1662, which withdrew a six mile by ten mile land area containing the base at Groom Lake to be administered by the AEC "in connection with the atomic testing program" at the NTS. At that point the U2 testing program was winding down, likely terminating at Groom Lake circa 1959. The reason for transferring control of Groom Lake is unclear. Given existing public sources, one can only speculate. It is not clear under what legal authority if any the CIA operated at Groom Lake and barred public entry thereupon for the approximately seventeen months between the issuance of Public Land Order 1382 and that of Public Land Order 1662.

I don't know about Janet.

Thud

In Reply to: Re: A speculative Groom Lake history question - Speculate? posted by gary on June 20, 2001 at 22:13:50 PST:

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