Lowther, ON

1960 – Historical Report – USAF Historical Division

Historical Record
639th AC&W Squadron
Lowther, ON
1 April 1960 to 30 June 1960

Section I

REQUIRED DATA
  1. Unit and Location

639th AC&W Squadron
Lowther Air Station, Lowther, Ont., Canada
  1. Name and Grade of Commander

Arthur A Fox, Major, USAF
  1. Chain of Command (Superior Echelons)

    2. 30th Air Division (SAGE)
    Air Defense Command
  • Subordinate Units (Down to and including squadrons)

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

    • To operate and maintain a Direction Center facility as part of the integrated Air Defense System of the 30th Air Division (SAGE) for the purpose of conducting air defense operations within this system. (30th ADIVR 24-6, 2 July 59)
  • Personnel
    		•

     

     

    Officers

    Airmen

    Civilians

    Total

     

     

    Assigned

    18

    153

    7

    178

     

     

    Attached

    0

    0

    0

    0

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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

    1 Search Radar AN/MPS-7 in Arctic tower; 1 Height Radar AN/MPS-14 in Arctic tower; 1 IFF AN/GPX-20; 1 Video Mapper AN/GPA-30; 1 Telephone Equipment AN/GTA-6A; 2 Teletype AN/FGC-20; 1 Teletype AN/FGC-25; 3 Radio VHF BC640 BC639; 4 Radio UHF Multi Channel AN/GRC-27; 1 Radio HF AN/GRC-26A; 1 Crypto Account; 4 Radio UHF Single Channel AN/GRR-7; 4 Radio UHF Single Channel AN/GRT-3;

    Section II

    COMMENTARY

    The following Officers, replacing Officers indicated, reported for duty in this reporting period:

    Captain John W Wallace replaces Captain John I Lund as Weapons Controller.
    1st Lt. Richard F Wolfe replaces 1st Lt. Edward S Beppu as Weapons Controller.
    1st Lt. Arthur E Coyne replaces 1st Lt. William W Dordey as Supply Officer.

    The airmen personnel picture is good. During this reporting period we have been about 96% manned. There are about 185 dependants in the area, on dependant joined status and on tourist status. Housing is very bad and no improvement is expected in the immediate future. Concurrent travel is not being authorized. 1st Lt. Merlin E Armitage was awarded the "Point With Pride" award for an aircraft saved while stationed at Williams Bay Air Force Station, Wisconsin. Official presentation was not made, but is planned for the future. Four UPA-35/CPS-6B scopes were received and installed and four 0A99/FPS-3 scopes were shipped out. Morale remains high and community relations are very good. A project to rework the ditches draining water from the station was started. In addition brush is being cleared and land is being levelled and cleared. Both of these projects will greatly improve the overall looks of the station area. Sault Ste. Marie Air Defense Sector assumed operational responsibility for this unit effective 15 June 1960.

    Typed Name and Grade of Commander

    Arthur A Fox, Major, USAF

    Signature