Kamloops, BC

1960 - Historical Record - Anonymous

RCS: AU-D5

HISTORICAL RECORD

of the

825th AC&W Squadron

for the period ending

31 March 1960

Section I

REQUIRED DATA

1 Unit and Location

825th AC&W Squadron, Kamloops, BC, Canada

2 Name and grade of Commander

John H. Farrar, Major

3 Chain of Command (Superior Echelons)

825th AC&W Squadron, Kamloops, BC, Canada
25th Air Division (SAGE), McChord Air Force Base, Washington
Western Air Defense Force, Hamilton Air Force Base, California
Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Headquarters, United States Air Force, Washington 25, DC

4 Subordinate Units (Down to and including squadrons)

Not Applicable

5 Mission (Give authority and brief statement of primary mission)

25th Air Division Manual Direction Center with added responsibility of consolidating and forwarding Air Defense information from 917th, 918th and 919th Squadron to 823rd Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron. Authority: Western NORAD Region.

6 Personnel

	Officers	Airmen	Civilians	Total
Assigned	15	147	18	180
Attached	1	2	0	3

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

AN/FPS-3A, AN/FPS-6

Section II

COMMENTARY

In general this past reporting period has been marked by decrease in operational activity. This decrease was brought about by several factors: SAGE transition occurring in the 25th Air Division; conversion of Paine Air Force Base from F-89-Js to F-102-As; and inclement weather throughout the entire area. Activity picked up considerable late in the Quarter and is expected to reach normal again in the next Quarter.

Operations:

There were a total of six (6) division exercises conducted during this period, with this site active in three (3) of these. Our performance in these three exercises was considered excellent by higher Headquarters. Our reputation of never having missed an intercept due to personnel error is still intact.

Western NORAD Region exercise Bull Shoes was conducted on 29 March 1960, with this site experiencing little or no activity.

The squadron participated in thirty-six (36) STM exercises. This number was slightly less than previous quarters, but was sufficient for our training requirements.

On March 12, this squadron began conducting on-site week-end training of RCAF (Auxiliary) personnel from the 2442nd Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Sea Island, BC, and the 2455th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Victoria, BC. This normally involves two (2) officers and five (5) enlisted men each week-end, with training consisting of site familiarization and duty orientation. Excellent comments have been received from the two Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons and 5th Air Division.

It has been suggested that this squadron conduct the two weeks summer camp now held at Cold Lake, in view of the excellent progress made so far. The summer camps will tentatively run from 1 June to 31 September.

Local Fighter Squadrons have supported this week-end training by sending fighters for control.

Contingent with week-end training, this squadron must send an officer semi-annually to brief the above units in accordance with NORADR 55-4 Subject; Briefing of Augmentation Units, dated 28 August 1959. The first such briefing was conducted on 4 March 1960.

The activation of the Seattle Air Defence Sector 1 March 1960 created a need for telling certain surveillance information to their manual inputs room. The necessary coordination with SADS personnel has been accomplished, and no significant problems exist.

Radar Maintenance:

No significant difficulties appeared in Maintenance. Equipment outages were within limits, and sufficient qualified personnel were assigned to conduct proper maintenance.

The Philco Corporation of Canada has had an installation crew on site during the entire period installing the AN/FPS-6B. Although the major portion of construction has been completed and most of the components are in place and cabled, they have not reached the stage where power could be supplied.

Communications:

This section has experienced a generally trouble free period. A manpower problem was solved by the arrival of a teletype maintenance man. A shortage still exists in the 291X0 field.

All receivers have been moved from the receiver site to the transmitter site, and antenna switch relays have been installed. This has proved very satisfactory both manpower and equipment wise.

Supply:

Project Count was implemented during the month of February. The resultant improvement in supply records has more than justified the time and effort expended.

Air Police:

Manpower was increased by one due to an airman cross-training from the operations section. One airman was promoted to Staff Sergeant.

Nothing definite has been accomplished on a firing range, but a temporary range is being constructed to enable the personnel to become qualified.