Memories of Frobisher Bay
My name is Robert Guthrie and in 1956 I was a young Airman First Class, AFSC 72150 Information Specialist. How was I to know what the next year held in store?
Special Orders Number 112. Headquarters, 2750th AB WG, AMC, Wright-Patterson AFB (AMC), Dayton, Ohio, 18 May 1956 advised shipment to HQ, 64th Air Div, Project BBk-Jul-NEAC-Newfoundland 0727 – (and at that time, I had no idea where I was going to be assigned). It is safe to say that I was initially assigned to HQ 64th Air Division (Defense), Pepperrell AFB then informed later about shipment to the 926th AC&W Squadron located near Frobisher Bay on Baffin Island. A place where we were told that "a woman was behind every tree". I later learned that there are no trees on Baffin Island! Baffin Island is above the tree line, just tundra, and surprisingly, little snow in this part of northern Canada.
I flew from Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio to McGuire AFB, New Jersey and onwards to Pepperrell AFB in Newfoundland. I flew on a C-119 which was a peculiar aircraft that was outfitted with passenger seats facing the planes tail. I arrived in St. John’s, Newfoundland and I recall spending about two weeks at Pepperrell AFB before I was assigned to the 926th AC&W Squadron at Frobisher Bay.
From Pepperrell via a C-54, I flew to Goose Air Base in Labrador and then onwards to Frobisher Bay where I was met with ground transportation and driven up a long winding road straight up a hill to what was known as the "upper base", the home of the 926th AC&W Squadron, APO 863, NY, NY.
I arrived at Frobisher Bay on 2 August 1956 – a day that I shall remember as long as I live.
After I arrived at the upper base, I was briefed, shown the place and warned to prevent "the Baffin Island stare" (8 foot stare in a 6 foot room). I was shown how to work the toilets and the clothes washers where I noticed a civilian watching his clothes in the machine's glass window as if he was watching TV! I was warned to adjust to the site, realize that it was going to be a one year assignment, and as I was handed my bedding materials, the Sgt. asked me: "Wonder who is with your wife tonight?" Yes, the gallows humor at the 926th was terrible and went on regularly. If you didn’t learn to accept the humor, you had a terrible time ahead.
My assignment was with the 926th as opposed to the communications detachment. I guess I was one of the lucky ones because regularity was routine working regular shift duty days between 8:00 a.m. and 4:40 p.m. Recreational facilities were limited but I managed to keep myself occupied with reading materials from the library, spending time with our very own radio station "SKIMO" as well as the MARS ham radio equipment. We also had access to and made use of equipment for outdoor activities such as ice skates, snow shoes, and fishing gear. I studied USAFI correspondence courses (only $2.00 a course) and also worked as a part-time bartender in Officer's club.
I am amazed that I have experienced a multitude of flashback phenomena which were as real as during the time of the occurrence. For example, as I read (in the Historical Reports on your web site) about the Blackout Security exercise in 1956 which SAC bombers flew over us, (we had to maintain total quietness, no movement, ghastly still – I remembered exactly where I was sitting on the floor in the catwalk. I remembered the position I was in and how I bided at least 30 minutes of sensory deprivation – the melodies I psychologically sang in my mind!). What is more mysterious and sort of defies scientific theory, while reading the reports, I had an interesting olfactory experience.... let me say this again...an olfactory – flashback. The 926th had an odor unlike any other smell I have ever experienced. You may remember how radar and associated machinery smells, not odious but different. This odor totally permeated the 926th.... a one kind smell. Well, as I read the historical report "I smelled 1956-57 926th" in December 2000 And before you ask "No, I am not nuts".
Our Commanding Officer was a fellow by the name of Lt. Colonel James C Grove. He ran a tight outfit and was very efficient. I saw him as a lonely guy. He would go into his office in the Orderly Room, close his door and came out with tons of work to do. I remember him rubbing a hand injury he had sustained at Goose Bay. I remember we were never late on correspondences, reports, etc to the 64th because of his sense of timing; he wrote a lot of letters to his wife but he maintained an aloofness of command that was I guess was necessary in an isolated site such as ours. He was the boss and the authority structure was in a truly military direction – vertical. Once in a while he shared thoughts and he told me he had volunteered for the isolated site duty to fulfill command authority that was required for a possible promotion to "bird colonel". Why he would tell me this (an airman) was a mystery and knowing him, he probably had second thoughts later about that conversation. But as I said, he was aloof, sort of a benevolent aristocrat. Everyone had great respect for him and he truly was the "boss." A couple of years later, I really felt his humanness when he wrote me a personal letter that accompanied a letter of recommendation I needed for some purpose. I think he was stationed in Hawaii.
The commodes (toilets) in the latrine, were the most unique contraptions I have seen. To flush the commodes was an exercise in manual dexterity, i.e., while sitting on the commode, we had to turn a knob located at the base of the commode with the left hand which would commence the flow of water into the commode and allow one to regulate the amount of water in the commode. With the right hand, a pump (much like the hand brake on automobiles) was activated by constant up and down pumping. This pumping would suction the waste matter from the bowl to large containers in the walls of the latrine. So it was all like a "flush". Periodically, native men would come and empty these vats. We were told with great seriousness that some of the waste was then fed to their sled dogs.
In the motor pool, a shoddy make shift recreation area was created which had a large and long punching bag suspended from the ceiling. A broom handle with a bicycle handle grip wrapped in black tape was nearby. Someone could always be found beating the hell out of this bag with this stick. I guess it was a self-induced psychotherapy session. I can't recall any instructions or even mention of how to use this punching bag and stick, but it was used often. I am sure this proved to be a tension or frustration reducing mechanism.
Amphetamines are another subject that I recall and is worth mentioning to you in this article. A pretty decent size box of these pills appeared one day with no mention or expectation to use them or even who put them there – probably our "doc" (medic) put them there. They were government USAF issued. The larger box and the smaller containers were olive drab in color and the boxes were labeled "Fatigue Pills". They were located in the area where the "scope dopes" frequented and I guess they were for them keep them awake. I don't think anyone abused them because the box was always at the same level with the pills. But I remember they were there. So with Fatigue Pills, cheap booze and 10 cents a package cigarettes, it is wonder we, all, didn't have problems.
One day, I was selected to travel via a USAF C-54 to Goose AFB – to escort "booze" back to the 926th so this meant a three day pass at Goose. Anything to get away was appreciated. I occasionally went flying (helicopters) with 926th officers who had to maintain their monthly flying hours. This was kind of scary at times because the pilots would practice emergency procedures which involved gaining altitude then cutting off power and a floating zigzag down to a certain altitude. This would play tricks with your stomach.
What can I say about the weather that hasn’t already been said – it was cold... very little snow... hard blowing gale-like winds. Snow shifting on the tundra on gray days created spooky and eerie scenes. That was outside. Inside was quite comfortable. We wore khaki uniforms.
I recall that we regularly ate extremely good steaks – the USAF did a stellar job providing us with above average entree dinner foods. It should be mentioned, however, that we had no fresh foods – breakfast foods were not nearly as good and the standard joke was that our eggs were at least one year old (true), with a very peculiar smell. We had "powdered milk" for breakfast and the "canned cow" a mechanical device in the mess was often discussed. Bread was fresh. The baker was a guy we rarely saw (there is a photo of him, on the web site, dressed in his all-white clothing) because he always worked late nights and early mornings. I remember he showed up for a beer in the club and no one knew who he was. Was he a Russian spy? We were surprised that he had been aboard for months. He was our mystery guest and was sort of a celebrity. Thereafter, whenever he came in the club "drinks were on the house".
We drank a lot. One day, I caught myself eagerly waiting for 5:00 p.m. to have a drink and this scared me. I had enough awareness to know that my body had adjusted to alcohol and it craved the booze so I stopped drinking for a while, then cut back and slowed down. I am sure other guys went through this but we were not "hooked". It was environmentally induced. I do not recall any major problems pertaining to alcohol. I do remember one civilian was caught hiding bottles of booze around the station for his propensity to need a drink at odd hours of the day.
Due to the adverse weather, all of the buildings were connected with catwalks. These catwalks led to the sleeping areas and these areas were private. (I enjoyed the photos on your site from Resolution Island because there are clear pictures of the sleeping quarters. Apparently, Res was similar in appearance to our outfit). I remember the neat quarters and the great Hollywood hotel type beds. Everyone shared the same type quarters regardless of rank. It was difficult to realize that you were in a catwalk. I guess I got just got used to being in them. They were slightly inclined with entrances to the rooms.
A USO troupe did come to the upper site, but it was the same time that I was at Goose. One of the airmen got a hold of a used Kotex, sanitary napkin, that was left behind. It was on display by some joker. So that's all I saw of the USO show. A used Kotex!
Movies? Strange, but I do not remember any movies but I think some were shown. I just don't know. We had great Armed Services radio shows that were listened to. Those huge records (which I understand are worth a fortune today) were at SKIMO. All of the great radio shows and music programs were played. These programs were constantly played over intercoms in each bedroom.
Mail was delivered on as much a regular schedule as the weather permitted. Sometimes there were long spells without mail. Nothing was as more welcomed as the squawk box blaring: "Charlie 54 due to arrive Frobisher at 1835 hours with (number of new) personnel for the 926th and 1,000 lbs. of mail". A big rush would gather at the mail room. Sometimes mail for you, sometimes no mail for you. Happiness or sadness. Outgoing mail would of course be tied to incoming mail. I remember XMAS 1956, a crew at Goose who were off duty volunteered to fly the mail to us into Frobisher because we had gone so long without mail due to bad weather and when the weather broke, I guess they said, "Let’s go!". That crew were heroes to us. They were contacted in the air on their return to Goose and they heard our thanks a zillion times. They were so happy to hear all of our commotion over their earphones.
Each time someone was to rotate to the ZI (Zone of Interior) "the world", as we called the USA, an occasion for celebration was called for. Giving them lists of things to do, to call this person and so forth. As the days dwindled, we would refer to ourselves as "short-timers," and the number of days remaining were counted in eggs, i.e., 6 eggs and a wake-up (3 days and a morning). When my time came around there was the usual celebration and I had the usual list of things from the guys to do.
When I got to the lower base I saw this huge aircraft with engines warming up. It was one of General Nathan Twining's private aircraft (I don't remember the type but the USAF's finest) and I went aboard. I flew, not to a military field but to National Airport, Washington, DC, in luxury. The plane was furnished as a passenger aircraft. It was a luxurious large air plane. I have no idea why General Twining's plane was at Frobisher. I only saw one other person on the plane. He was enlisted and we talked very little. I remember sitting down and not moving until Washington DC, but it sure was a comfortable "ride". I think I slept most of the way. I guess I was exhausted physically and psychologically.
As I was flying back to "the world", happy to have left that God-forsaken hell hole on earth, I had the oddest and most peculiar feeling: I was wondering what my buddies were doing. I missed the 926th and the guys I had left behind!!
As a post script, after a long furlough in August 1957, I rotated to the 44th Bomb Wing (SAC), Lake Charles Air Force Base, Lake Charles Louisiana. Lake Charles, located in southern Louisiana, was a hot and humid place and it rained every day ... the exact opposite of Baffin Island. All new faces, uniforms were khaki short pants, knee length brown socks, short sleeve shirts, no ties, and pith helmet head gear. If this wasn’t enough to adjust to, a devastating hurricane swept in from the Gulf of Mexico and hit our air base about the time that I arrived after a year at Baffin Island.
Dr. Robert V Guthrie