Frobisher Bay, NWT

1958 – Historical Report – USAF Historical Division

Historical Record
926th AC&W Squadron
Frobisher Bay, NWT
1 April 1958 to 30 June 1958

Section I

REQUIRED DATA
  1. Unit and Location

926th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron,
Frobisher Bay, Baffin Island
  1. Name and Grade of Commander

Edward G Kar, Lt. Colonel, USAF
  1. Chain of Command (Superior Echelons)

    2. 4732nd Air Defense Group (effective 1 May), APO 863, New York, New York,
    4733rd Air Defense Group (to 1 May), APO 863, New York, New York,
    64th Air Division (Defense), APO 677, New York New York.
  • Subordinate Units (Down to and including squadrons)

    • None
  • Mission (Give authority and brief statement of primary mission)

    • The mission of the 926th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron is to conduct air defense operations within that area assigned by Headquarters, 64th Air Division (Defense) Regulation 55-24 and function as a GCI Station in the Air Defense System.
  • Personnel
    		•
       

    Officers

    Airmen

    Civilians

    Total

    		  
     

    Assigned

    11

    110

    16

    137

    		  
     

    Attached

    10

    107

    16

    133

    		  
                 
  • Equipment (Give official nomenclature and quantity of mission-type equipment)
    •

    AN/FPS-3C; AN/FPS-502; AN/TPS-502.

    Section II

    COMMENTARY

    Effective 1 May 1958, the 926th came under operational control of the 4732nd Air Defense Group, headquartered at Goose Air Base, Labrador. The 4733rd Air Defense Group, of which the 926th had been a part, was dissolved by order of the Commander, 64th Air Division (Defence).

    The squadron’s operational training program continued to be hampered during this period because of 15-J-1C outage. This equipment is still inoperative because of a lack of parts.

    In April, the Operations Training Section received a MO-1 Surveillance Trainer. Twenty Radar Operators received MO-1 training during this period, with this device proving highly effective for training.

    Six airmen were assigned to Radar Maintenance during this period. Only one was a seven level supervisor. The five airmen not of level seven classification required constant supervision. A majority of forecasted personnel are students who have recently completed school. The lack of experienced personnel necessitates additional off-time for 926th radar due to excessive time required for these airmen to find and correct malfunctioning equipment.

    Indications are that the Operations Section will also face this problem of functioning with inexperienced personnel during the next reporting period, as only one level seven airman has been forecasted to date.

    In April two pairs of assault wire were run between the Transmitter Building and Pole Vault to fulfil a requirement for a weather circuit to the Canadian Department of Transport.

    During June, a fire damaged one of the squadron’s latrine areas (south latrine). The investigation team from 64th Air Division (Defense) determined the most probable cause of the fire to be due to overloading of electrical circuits. The team commended the squadron for an outstanding job of fighting the fire which "undoubtedly prevented the fire from spreading beyond the latrine area". A bulldozer was used to cave in a wall, thereby enabling fire fighters to gain access to the fire and extinguish it. No casualties were suffered by 926th personnel during this fire. Damage was estimated to be between 25 and 30 thousand dollars.

    Typed Name and Grade of Commander

    Edward G Kar, Lt. Colonel, USAF

    Signature