Historical Narrative
2402 Aircraft Control and Warning Unit (Aux) Winnipeg, Manitoba
1 June 1957 to 31 May 1958
In accordance with AFAO71-00-01 following is Historical Narrative covering period 1 June 1957 to 31 May 1958.
June, July, Aug 57
Routine training continued with lectures and practical training for officers and airmen. Contact training for 916 AC&WS, USAF at Milner Ridge with aircraft from Portage La Prairie, Gimli and Macdonald until these operations were ceased for the summer standdown.
Preparations were also made for summer camp training at RCAF Stn Senneterre to take place during July and August, and in the case of Fighter Controller Officer, up to October and November. The situation was different this year in that the officers proceeded to summer camp in small groups at different times rather than as one body for the first two weeks of July, as was done in previous years. An exception to this were officers recently taken on strength and who were studying for their Phase 1 classification. In order to speed up their preparation for the fall examination they proceeded to Stn Senneterre in two large groups during the first two and last two weeks of July.
Training of airmen and airwomen under the RTTP was also carried out at Stn Winnipeg during the summer months.
20 Jun 57
The squadron Commanding Officer, S/L BT Macfie received the substantive rank of S/L effective 18 May.
22 -28 Jun 57 S/L BT Macfie, F/Ls RS Turner, CE Johnson, MD Webb and JD Macgillvray, and F/Os G Finkle and AW Maher proceeded to Stn Senneterre for contact training. 1 Jul 57 F/O GS Milne and F/O JA John, the squadron's regular force support officer were promoted to the rank of F/L. 16 Jul 57 The information was received that F/L JD Macgillvray and F/O D Macmillan and Menzies has passed their Phase 1 examinations written in April. 23 Jul 57 S/L FR Sarty, SOGT, ADC visited the squadron to discuss RTTP training problems. 9 Aug 57 F/O TE Butt reported to the unit from Stn Gander, Newfoundland effective 9 Aug to become the regular force support officer, replacing F/L JA John. 17 Aug 57 F/L JA John the squadrons previous support officer was SOS on transfer to Stn Gander, Newfoundland. 26 Aug 57 S/L BT MacFie, F/O Brown, and F/L MD Webb received their Phase 3 standings as Fighter Controllers. 3 Sep 57 Regular training re-commenced as the summer standown came to an end. During the break a good number of the squadrons officers had spent a week or two weeks at Stn Senneterre at various times and in groups of one to four or five and from a training standpoint the summer had been very productive. One or two officers also took their camp training later in the fall.From Aug 30 to Sep 15 units Security Officer, F/O JH Thould was taken on strength as regular support officer in lieu of summer camp. 5 - 6 Sep 57 W/C Lawrence SRCO, S/L Moir SORP and party visited 2402 AC&WS and 5002 IU to discuss various problems with these units. On Sept 6 they visited the 916 AC&WS USAF at Beausejour, Manitoba. 14 Sep 57 The squadrons Phase 2 and 3 Controllers recommenced intercept practice with live aircraft at the 916 AC&WS, Beausejour with aircraft flying as before from RCAF Stn Gimli, Portage La Prairie and MacDonald on alternate weekends. The above mentioned stations have proved very co-operative and enthusiastic and our controllers have gained valuable experience. On regular parade nights lectures were started again for officers preparing for their Phase 1 and for airmen and airwomen Fighter Control Operators. The 15-JID synthetic trainer was also put into continuous use training Phase 1 Controllers to Phase 2 standard as well as training Fighter Control Operators. 15 Sep 57 29 airmen and airwomen were TOS from the Primary Reserve as a result of the RTTP program. Oct 57 Regular training continued as outlined above both on the unit premises and at 916 AC&WS. Airmen and airwomen also visited the latter station on some weekends to gain valuable training in the actual operation of a site. During the month representatives of AFHQ, ADCHQ, and TCHQ visited the unit to discuss auxiliary personnel problems. 3 Nov 57 The October trade board was held and 12 officers from the unit sat for their Phase 1 examinations. Also 19 airmen and airwomen sat for their respective examinations. 11 Nov 57 Officers and airmen of the unit took part in the Remembrance Day Parade held in Winnpeg as part of 17 Wing. 28 Nov 57 F/O WJ Glidden received his Phase 2 while on summer camp training at Stn Senneterre. During the month regular training in all phases was carried on as usual. Dec 57 Routine training continued until the Christmas standdown Dec 20. Lectures to Phase 1 trainees and airmen were combined with practical training on the 15 JID and operations room exercises. Live interceptions practice was carried on weekends at 916 AC&WS UASF at Beausejour using T-33 aircraft from Stns Portage La Prairie, Gimli and MacDonald. 6 - 22 Dec 57 F/Os Bass and Bradley on temporary duty to Stn Senneterre for camp training. 13 Dec 57 Phase 3 standard for fighter controller was acquired by F/L AE Riddle. Jan 58 Training recommenced Jan 3 after the Christmas standdown and training as outlined above continued. During the month five officers were released in accordance with the new limitations on the Squadrons establishment for fighter controllers, all of them having been taken on strength during the past year and having not completed their Phase 1 training. Further plans were transfer officers to other branches to bring the strength down to that required. Effective 1 Jan F/O IS Ramsay, AS/FtrC was promoted to the substantive rank of F/L. 7 Jan 58 P/O DA Schmidt, Pers/Ed was taken on strength. 24 Jan 58 It was made official that F/O J Bradley had passed his Phase 3 evaluation while at Stn Senneterre the previous month. Feb 58 Training continued during the month, involving lectures, the operations room, the 15-JID synthetic trainer and live interceptions at 916 AC&WS as outlined above. 17 Feb 58 F/L GH Walker was struck off strength on transfer to 17 Wing HQ. 18 Feb 58 F/L AM Proud, ADCHQ visited the unit for a ground training staff visit. 24 Feb 58 Effective this date P/Os CW Vincent, AS/FtrC and AB Reilly Pers/Adm were promoted to the rank of F/O. Mar 58 Training continued as normal with the exception that live intercept practice at 916 AC&WS was discontinued during the latter part of the month due to alterations being carried out at that site. A change was also seen at this unit as a second operations room employing a vertical plotting board was constructed. This new ops room was designed to supplement the existing ops room with the horizontal GSM and so broaden the training of the units officers and airmen. This month also saw the start of the installation of a new telephone communications system connecting all stations in both operations room and the synthetic room. The objective in all cases was to duplicate as nearly as possible the operations room set-up at a permanent site and thus provide realism and useful training for the synthetic exercises carried out by the squadron on Sundays. 17 Mar 58 F/O J Monteith, Air Obs was struck off strength on transfer to 402 Transport Squadron. 20 Mar 58 P/O SC Johanson, AS/FtrC was promoted to the rank of F/O. 26 Mar 58 P/O AG McLeod, AS/FtrC was promoted the rank of F/O. 29 Mar 58 F/L JD Macgillvray and F/O SC Baker left for Senneterre for two weeks camp training. While there they both attained their phase 3 standing. 31 Mar 58 F/O TE Butt, the units regular force support officer left for Stn Trenton for the SIT course. Apr 58 During the early part of this month, training consisted mostly of lectures and synthetic intercepts on the 15-JID trainer in preparation for examination later in the month. After the Easter standdown the completion of alterations at 916 AC&WS allowed the live intercept practice to begin again, at about the same time the installation of the new telephone communications system on the unit premises was finished. The squadrons officers and airmen were divided into three groups and schedules were drawn up to lay on synthetic operations room exercises every Sunday morning and afternoon, each exercise being handled by one of the groups. 1 Apr 58 F/O RD Howard, Pers/Adm was stuck off strength on transfer to 17 Wing HQ. 2 Apr 58 P/O WN Scott, Pers/Adm was promoted the rank of F/O. 3 Apr 58 F/O J Acthim, and P/Os Scott and Reilly transferred from AS/FtrC to Pers/Admin Branch, further reducing the units fighter controller strength to meet is new establishment. 4 Apr 58 P/O Murphy AS/FtrC was promoted to the rank of F/O. 13 Apr 58 F/L GW Chase arrived from Stn Senneterre to evaluate 4 officers for their Phase 2, all of them being successful. They were F/Os McKimm, Murphy, Johansons, and Finkle. 14 Apr 58 Effective this date, F/L CE Johnson Tech/Tel, the units CAdO, and F/S GW Telford, FtrCOp 3(O) were awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration. 20 Apr 58 Twelve officers wrote Phase 1 examinations and nine NCO's and airmen wrote examinations appropriate to their trades. May 58 Routine training continued as outline above with the exception that Phase 1 lectures were no longer required. During the month Phase 2 training on the 15-JID synthetic trainer for nine officers was stepped up with the object of preparing them for Phase 2 evaluation about the middle of June. Most weekends during the month saw the departure of a small group of officers to Stn Senneterre for camp training. In each case an airlift was provided by 402 (T) Sqn (Aux). 4 May 58 The squadron paraded for the Commanding Officers inspection with a very good turnout. The reviewing officer was S/L BT Macfie. 13 May 58 W/C AG Lawrence & S/Ls Pook and Moir, ADCHQ paid a staff visit to this unit. (BTG Macfie) S/L
CO 2402 AC&WS (Aux) Winnipeg, Man