Lowther, ON

1960 – Historical Report – USAF Historical Division

Historical Record
639th AC&W Squadron
Lowther, ON
1 July 1960 to 30 September 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

    1

    0

    0

    1

    		  
                 
  • 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; 2 Radio HF AN/GRC-26D; 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 Peck replaces 1st Lt. Francis F Spinks as Assistant Operations Officer.
    Captain John B Mulherron replaces Captain David W Knox as Operations Officer.
    1st Lt. Rudolf O Hammermeister (Not Joined) assumes the duties of Dentist.

    The officer and airmen manning has been good, about 97% of authorized strength. Morale remains high and Community/Air Force relations have been very good.

    The base trailer park was opened on 27 August 1960 and all eighteen (18) pads have been filled. Housing in Kapuskasing has improved somewhat but personnel are still waiting about two (2) months for civilian housing.

    The Installations Section has undertaken the job of clearing land in the squadron area and considerable progress has been made in the general appearance of the station.

    The highway passing the station has been the object of considerable construction during this period. Paving has been completed to about three (3) miles east of the station and the road to Hearst (30 miles), though still dirt, is much improved.

    The Squadron is preparing to participate in the 30th ADIV (SAGE) ORI which will be conducted during October. There has been practice in Base Defense, Sabotage Alert, and other areas of the Disaster Control Plan.

    Typed Name and Grade of Commander

    Arthur A Fox, Major, USAF

    Signature