Puntzi Mountain, BC

1965 – Narrative Report – National Archives of Canada


Narrative Report
RCAF Station Puntzi Mountain, BC
1 January 1965 to 31 December 1965

1 Jan 65

F/L Drinkwater, SCEO, is promoted from F/O rank. The stations congratulations are extended.

11 Jan 65

Departing SAO, F/L Baker, has completed a handover to his replacement, F/L Forget. Puntzi Mountain and Kamloops exchange SAO’s. The CO has appointed as PMC Officers Mess, F/L JA Emon vice F/L R Stewart.

15 Jan 65

F/O Bill Meadows, Tech/Tel, is TOS Puntzi Mountain.

29 Jan 65

AOC’s Inspection delayed until 4 Feb 65.

31 Jan 65

$177.82 has been collected by station personnel for the March of Dimes. A very good show for a station of 200 people.

4 Feb 65

AOC’s Inspection. Members of the party were: A/V/M Lister, G/C Hovey, G/C Bowes, W/C McKnight, F/L Flynn, F/L Isaac.

9 Feb 65

CO departs on leave 9 – 17 Feb.

10 Feb 65

Padre and MO arrive from Comox for semi-monthly visit. First since December.

15 Feb 65

Station Parade and Flag Raising Ceremony for the New Canadian Flag. F/L Stewart, Acting Commanding Officer. F/L Lois Davis arrived for an SOPA Administration Inspection 15 – 17 Feb. A pleasant visit and some very good suggestions.

22 Feb 65

The visiting dental team – Major Kelly, and Sgt. Schwarze arrived for approximately two weeks to carry out required repairs.

27 Feb 65

Preparations for our first Puntzi Mountain Winter Carnival are moving along nicely.

6 Mar 65

A gala day. We held our first Winter Carnival and the response was amazing. Even the weather co-operated – a beautiful cloudless day. Mrs. Kissinger (Miss MSE) was crowned our Queen; Mrs. Melnechuk (Miss Mess Hall) was our Princess. The MSE section won the Best Float in the parade.

9 Mar 65

F/L Orv Wannacott arrived for the SOPA M&I Inspection from 9 – 11 Mar. Confused CAdO cowers in corner continuously.

10 Mar 65

F/L Barbely and WO2 MacQuat carried out an MSE inspection 10 and 11 Mar.

12 Mar 65

First security force practice in the new year. A dry run for the guards.

18 Mar 65

The station is converting to an automatic dial telephone system and the switchboard operators are weeping tears of joy.

19 Mar 65

Mr. Doucet and Mr. Davies arrived for a CPO inspection, from Command, from 19 to 22 Mar. The Officers Mess held its first Mess Dinner of 1965. Guests included F/L’s Miller, Austin and Hodgson of Kamloops, F/L Mallory and F/O’s Close and Smith of Baldy Hughes, and Messr’s Doucet and Davies of ADCHQ, CPO Branch.

31 Mar 65

F/L Hammond and FS Villeneuve arrived for a supply inspection 31 Mar. The CO has departed on TD and annual leave until 11 Apr 65. F/L Weeks is acting CO during his absence.

19 Apr 65

F/O Ted Ronberg is TOS as our new SCEO to replace F/L Drinkwater. He was transferred here from Station Penhold.

30 Apr 65

F/L Drinkwater, our SCEO, has departed for Station Kamloops where he will take up similar duties. The month of April was a very quiet one on the unit from the viewpoint of station activities. Many unit personnel were observing the Lenten season and others had departed on leave and Easter holidays.

3 May 65

WO1 Aucoin from ADCHQ arrived today for a power plant inspection.

4 May 65

W/C Swerdfager and WO2 Adams of ADC (SOGT) are carrying out a Ground Training inspection and will be with us for a couple of days.

8 May 65

The unit had the pleasure and the privilege to host Major General J Rockingham today on his way to visit the Army Riske Creek Training Area. His party also included Brigadier Danby, Lt. Colonel Mathews and Captain Forbes. After lunch in the mess, a station your was carried out.

10 May 65

F/L W Cormier, ADCHQ SOAF, suddenly popped up today to carry out a surprise accounts inspection. He was quite pleased with the fine way in which our SAO, F/L Forget, was running his section.

13 May 65

The Officers Mess held a surprise birthday party for F/O Stratychuck, our SLogO, and one of our units "old timers". Tony was very impressed with his birthday gifts.

15 May 65

The renovated Airmen’s/Cpls. Club was officially opened today by the CO. The airmen have done an excellent job of decorating the club. The Officers and Sergeants Messes donated a plaque to commemorate the occasion. After the opening and presentations the Spring Ball was held and a most pleasant time was had by all.

18 May 65

F/L Weeks departed today for Namao to take the Otter in for a major overhaul.

19 May 65

The "Padre – Doctor" flight from Comox brought Lieutenant Commander Ford, RCN, and Captain Henderson, RCMC, to the unit for their inspections. Lt. Commander Ford is the area Hygiene Officer and Captain Henderson inspected the unit medical facilities.

29 May 65

The units annual Bowling Banquet was held today after a very successful season. The trophy winners laughed and joked – the losers wept and drank.

8 Jun 65

WO2 Calvert from ADCHQ carried out the Annual Armament Inspection.

11 Jun 65

F/L DV Crandell, Tech/Tel, arrived from Trenton; he will be taking over as STelO.

12 Jun 65

The Puntzi Mountain "Frontier Golf Club" was officially opened today with a closed station tournament – won by Cpl. Hanson of Accounts. A press tour was held in conjunction with the tournament and a Station Bar-BQ was held in the evening. The day was a complete success.

16 Jun 65

The EWU ECCM Team, F/L Chitra and F/L Blackburn carried out a one day training programme for the radar site personnel.

17 Jun 65

F/O G Saunders, the Command URTP Liaison Officer visited the unit.

19 Jun 65

The Airmen’s/Cpls. Club held their annual fish derby.

29 Jun 65

S/L Braun and Major Kovacs arrived from Ottawa to carry out a CF-31 briefing for unit personnel.

2 Jul 65

F/L Brian Morrisey reported in from the Ottawa Union Reserve Squadron for summer employment in the Supply Section.

14 Jul 65

Mr. Larry Skabor of Welsh Antenna Company arrived to study the possibility of a cable transmission system for TV on the unit.

15 Jul 65

F/L JJP Bastien is transferred to the unit as SLogO. He will replace F/O Tony Stratychuck who goes to CJATC Rivers.

19 Jul 65

O/C Jack Olsen of UBC arrived for summer employment in the CAdO’s office.

20 Jul 65

S/L WD Walker, ADCHQ Fire Marshal, carried out an inspection of the unit fire department.

21 Jul 65

S/L Betty McCaffrey carried out the annual Command Food Services Inspection.

26 Jul 65

WO1 CH Sealock, ADCHQ (SOCE), inspected the unit Power Plant operation.

27 Jul 65

O/C Hymie Mida, Ottawa University, started his summer employment in the ME Section.

2 Aug 65

Mr. Don McLeod, DMov CFHQ, arrived to discuss shipping problems with F/L Bastien, SLogO.

9 Aug 65

Major General WE Elder, 25 NORAD Region Commander and A/C GH Elms arrived with their party to carry out an operational unit inspection.

11 Aug 65

W/C Child, the new CO of Holberg, spent a couple of days with W/C Advent discussing Radar Site Operations.

16 Aug 65

S/L WE Campbell, Area Legal Officer, arrived to discuss legal problems with unit personnel and advise those who required it. F/L WJ Carleton arrived to take control of our station Otter; he replaces F/L Al Weeks who has departed for 3 Wing.

7 Sep 65

Major General GE Pearkes, the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, accompanied by Mrs. Pearkes and Commander Dixon, his secretary visited the unit today. They had luncheon with the units Officers. Prior to lunch, Lieutenant Governor Pearkes reviewed a Guard of Honour and had the opportunity to speak to the unit children.

8 Sep 65

W/C Warren, the new CO of Baldy Hughes, spent two days on the unit discussing Radar Site Operations with W/C Advent.

13 Sep 65

S/L Reid, F/L O’Neill and F/L Janega, the ADC RSA Inspection Team, arrived to carry out our unit assessment.

14 Sep 65

The Officers Mess hosted F/O and Mrs. AA Binnie to a going-away party. Art and Dot were very popular; and Art had a great deal to do with the development of our TV system. F/O Binnie has been transferred to RCAF Station Uplands.

22 Sep 65

F/L Doug Carter, ASWelO from Namao Alberta, spent a day on the unit to acquaint himself with the Station and the area.

1 Oct 65

S/L JV Ronson and F/L J Heffel from ADC Pers/Admin Branch spent the day here to acquaint themselves with the unit, its problems and its facilities.

4 Oct 65

Major Kelly and Sgt. Deene of the RCADA arrived for a two week stay. They are the visiting Dental Team from Camp Chilliwack.

6 Oct 65

F/L CL Gibson, ADC SOCE Branch, carried out a staff visit on Radar Mechanical Maintenance.

12 Oct 65

A familiarization visit to the unit was carried out by our new Sector Commander, Brigadier General JA Rouse, USAF. He was accompanied by G/C D Williams, Deputy Commander and staff.

13 Oct 65

F/L DF Stewart, our new SAO, arrived today from Decimomannu. He replaces F/L CJ Forget who is transferred to CFHQ. F/L Forget is leaving tomorrow.

22 Oct 65

S/L MW Mould, ADC Protestant Padre, arrived for a weekend visit and unit inspection.

29 Oct 65

F/O Bill Meadows, Tech/Tel, leaves today for his new unit – RCAF Station Sydney, NS.

1 Nov 65

F/O A Powell and F/O BR Mitchell were TOS. Both are Tech/Tel and will be working as DOO’s.

5 Nov 65

W/C WM Ronberg, ADC SOMSE and F/L G Hovey, D of Eng (L) arrived for a unit inspection and visit.

10 Nov 65

F/O Dave Meeds was hosted today by the Officers Mess. Dave leaves this Friday for RCAF Station Namao.

19 Nov 65

A unit security inspection was carried out by WO2 Rody and Cpl. Shaw from ADCHQ SOSec Branch.

20 Nov 65

W/C OC Brown, ADC SOOR, S/L RR Lunn and F/O GS Park carried out a Readiness and EDP Check. The unit passed with a "Satisfactory" Assessment.

30 Nov 65

Mr. Hopper, SCEO Branch, arrived to re-adjust the SAGE Annex Air Conditioning system.

7 Dec 65

S/L G Millar carried out a R&PE Inspection. He seemed quite pleased with the units self-help recreation projects.

16 Dec 65

G/C EHM Walsh, Sector Director of Operations and his staff Colonel P Moore USAF, W/C OL Read, Major MW Frank USAF and S/L GF Lough visited the unit for an Operational Inspection.

17 Dec 65

The Officers Mess held a retirement Mess Dinner for F/L RH Stewart today. Guests from Prince George and Kamloops attended and many congratulatory messages were read at the dinner. F/L and Mrs. Stewart will retire in the Vancouver area.