Goose Bay, Labrador

1960 – Historical Report – USAF Historical Division


Historical Record
641st AC&W Squadron
Goose Bay, Labrador
1 October 1960 to 31 December 1960

Section I

REQUIRED DATA

  1. Unit and Location

641st AC&W Squadron
APO 677, New York, NY

  1. Name and Grade of Commander

Delbert R Smyth, Major, USAF

  1. Chain of Command (Superior Echelons)
  2. 641st AC&W Squadron
    Goose Air Defense Sector
    64th Air Division (Defense)
    Air Defense Command

  • Subordinate Units (Down to and including squadrons)
  • None

  • Mission (Give authority and brief statement of primary mission)
  • The mission of the 641st AC&W Squadron is to conduct Air Defense operations within area of assignment as outlined in ADC (RCAF) ASI 3/4/3, to support the Goose NORAD/CONAD Combat Center area of responsibility as described in NORAD GO Nr. 14 and CONAD GO Nr. 8 dated 13 May 1960, and to function as a Master Direction Center within the Air Defense system.

    Authority: Paragraph 1, Goose Air Defense Sector Regulation 20-2, dated 30 June 1960.

  • Personnel
  •    

    Officers

    Airmen

    Civilians

    Total

     
     

    Assigned

    24

    280

    13

    317

     
     

    Attached

    1

    23

    2

    26

     
                 
  • Equipment (Give official nomenclature and quantity of mission-type equipment)
  • AN/FPS-20A – Two channel prime radar, AN/GPX-6 Radar Identification, 10 Cummins Diesel Generators, 8 AN/GRC-27 Multi-Channel UHF Transmitter-Receivers, 6 AN/GRT-3 Single Channel UHF Transmitter-Receivers, 6 AN/GRR-7 Single Channel Receivers, 5 AN/FRT-502 VHF Transmitters, 11 AF/URG-60 VHF Receivers.

    Section II

    COMMENTARY

    Operations:

    The Operations Section received a rating of Outstanding as a result of the annual IG inspection held in November. A similar rating was earned by Operations in October when the 64th AD (D) Tactical Evaluation Team visited the squadron. Operations personnel began training on new ECM procedures as a result of the installation of new search radar equipment, the AN/FPS-20A. Additional training hours were accomplished in the following equipment:

    (see the matrix at the end of this report)

    Total intercepts attempted during this period were 568. Intercepts completed numbered 515, for a rating of .9066 or 91 percent success rate.

    C&E Performance and Maintenance:

    The newly installed AN/FPS-20A search radar set became operational on 18 December 1960. Modification to the 6B tower began on 28 November at which time the CPS-6B was turned off the air. The FPS-502 search radar performed the prime function during the tower modification and 20A installation. Prior concrete support work was accomplished in October. The FPS-502 search radar was decommissioned on 18 December concurrently with the acceptance of the FPS-20 radar. The complementary trainer for the FPS-20 was received in December. This equipment if the AN/GPS-T4 Interceptor Simulator. An air-to-ground voice patch was wired into operations to permit cross patching of aircraft calls to Goose Air Defense Sector Staff Personnel. In December a Marconi Company Depot Maintenance Team began rehabilitation of this station’s point to point radio equipment. Concurrent with this rehabilitation, radio maintenance personnel began a complete rewiring of control circuits for all air-to-ground radio equipment, using shielded cable in place of open drop wire. The teletype system comprising Alert #1 was changed from government owned equipment to Bell Company of Canada Equipment. Installation of the commercial equipment was completed on 21 December. Maintenance will be performed by Bell Company of Canada Personnel. Traffic volume in the 641st ACWRON minor relay station hit a peak of 12,728 messages in October.

    Supply:

    During the period of this report, two new radar sets were received and one old radar set was decommissioned, dismantled and delivered to salvage. The AN/FPS-20 was received in October. The AN/FPS-6 was received in November and the AN/CPS-6B was turned into Base Supply for transfer to Crown Assets of Canada. Along with all other sections of the squadron, supply underwent the annual IG inspection in November.

    Civil Engineering:

    Approximately $12,000 worth of materials were utilized in support of the squadron preventative maintenance program during this period. In addition, station civil engineering personnel accomplished minor modification and repair on 80 separate work order projects averaging $75.00 each. A major overhaul of five diesel engine generators was accomplished during this period by a Canadian Marconi Overhaul Team.

    Special Services:

    The squadron basketball team compiled a record of 10 wins against 1 loss during December. The American-National League competition was closed off during the Christmas Season and is scheduled to resume on 6 January 1961. In addition to basketball, bowling leagues are currently active in the squadron. Special Services is also pre-planning summer activities. Fishing rods and reels have been ordered through the squadron unit fund.

    Motor Pool:

    The first accident in two years of vehicle operation occurred during the period of this report. One 2 ½ ton truck slid off an icy road and struck a power pole in December. During this period the motor pool complied the following statistics:

    (see the matrix at the end of this report)

    Typed Name and Grade of Commander

    Delbert R Smyth, Major, USAF

    Signature

     

    Operations Training by Equipment

    AN/GPS-T2

    31 hours

    AN/UPS-T5

    36 hours

    SM-146/GPS-T2

    2 hours

    Motor Pool Driving Statistics

    Vehicles Owned

    10

    Personnel Assigned

    6

    Vehicle Miles Travelled

    33,257

    Passengers Carried

    10,462

    Pounds Transported

    431,770

    Gasoline Consumed

    4,733

    Aggregate Vehicle Dispatch

    1,249