Red Cliff, NF

1959 – Historical Report – USAF Historical Division


Historical Record
642nd AC&W Squadron
Red Cliff, NF
1 April 1959 to 30 June 1959

Section I

REQUIRED DATA

  1. Unit and Location

642nd Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
APO 862, New York, New York

  1. Name and Grade of Commander

Lorin E Robinson, Major, USAF

  1. Chain of Command (Superior Echelons)
  2. 4731st Air Defense Group
    64th Air Division (Defense)
    Air Defense Command.

  • Subordinate Units (Down to and including squadrons)
  • Detachment #1, 642nd AC&W Squadron, Elliston Ridge, Bonavista, Newfoundland.

  • Mission (Give authority and brief statement of primary mission)
  • Authority: Paragraph 1, Section V, General Orders 25, Headquarters Northeast Air Command, dated 5 June 1953.
    Primary Mission: The mission is to conduct Air Defense Operations within that area assigned by Headquarters 64th Air Division Regulation 55-34, and function as a Direction Center in the Air Defense system. PER – 4731st Air Defense Group Regulation, 20-4, dated 1 May 1958

  • Personnel
  •    

    Officers

    Airmen

    Civilians

    Total

     
     

    Authorized

    18

    138

    27

    183

     
     

    Attached

    1

    2

    1

    4

     
                 
  • Equipment (Give official nomenclature and quantity of mission-type equipment)
  • CPS-6B (1); FPS-502 (1); TPS-502 (1); RT-264/4PX6 (3); AN/GRC-27 (6); GPX-6A (1); 0A-947 (1).

    Section II

    COMMENTARY

    Operations:

    It has been proposed that the Transmitter Site at White Hills PAFB) be combined with the Receiver Site at this headquarters (642nd). Plans have been submitted to the 64th Air Division for final approval.

    The contract for the installation of a new fire detection system is underway and should be completed prior to 31 July 1959.

    The teletype maintenance section relocated the weather teletype machine to the operations room for more convenience to this section.

    Personnel:

    No particular problems in this area that has not been noted before. To mention one – Communications – due to a shortage of personnel, are working one man shifts in the center. Also, the only outside wire man has been sent TDY to Pepperrell for training purposes.

    Several overseas tour of duty extensions have been approved within this squadron thus cutting down the number of incoming personnel.

    The skill level of the last replacements have improved considerably over previous assignees.

    Equipment Performance:

    The Receiver section experienced a broken Z25.1 RF timer in the T-217 backup transmitter this leaving this unit without a backup UHF transmitter.

    Failure of having a February work order to have antenna poles erected caused the receiver site considerable difficulty during "Desk Top" operations. Installation of these antennas would have greatly increased out effectiveness.

    The video cables (Radar) were recabled by a team from the Canadian Marconi Company. They were tailor made and the color codes greatly helped the maintenance men find defects and breakdowns easy.

    All three radomes were depot reconditioned during the month of June, and also this month saw the installation of an 0A-947 and the GPX-6A (Gap Filler Monitor and SIF – Selective IFF).

    Facilities:

    Most sections were accomplishing their winter clean-up and the repair of winter damage.

    Maintenance and Supply Problems:

    The Supply Section is organized as a functional unit under the supervision of the Supply Officer. No specialized assignments are made which would restrict personnel in one particular job. All personnel are trained in the complete Supply function.

    The squadron continues to enjoy exceptional support from the electronics supply section at 64th AD (D). The co-operative attitude of the command has been a determining factor in the very low rate of non-operational time, due to lack of supplies.

    The supply of 16PT (Pinetree) spares and NE (Northern Electric) spares pose a problem with the support base supply. Many items are not listed in the 16PT Brownline Listing and have to be requisitioned under the NL (Not Listed) procedure. The same is true with the NE communications spares. No satisfactory solution to the problem has been achieved.

    All surplus property is disposed of as soon as it is determined to be surplus. The marketing and distribution section is within easy accessibility and there presents no problem in this area.

    To date, the wire maintenance section has experienced difficulty in obtaining wire supplies for the inside plant. There have been numerous delays even on High priority requisitions.

    Typed Name and Grade of Commander

    Lorin E Robinson, Major, USAF

    Signature