Stephenville, Labrador

1966– Historical Report – USAF Historical Division


Historical Record
640th AC&W Squadron
Stephenville, Newfoundland
1 January 1966 to 31 March 1966

Section I

REQUIRED DATA

  1. Unit and Location

640th AC&W Squadron
APO New York 09864

  1. Name and Grade of Commander

John H Fuss, Lt. Colonel, USAF

  1. Chain of Command (Superior Echelons)
  2. 640th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, APO New York 09864
    Goose Air Defense Sector, Goose Air Force Base, Labrador
    26th Air Division, Stewart Air Force Base, New York
    Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, Colorado

  • Subordinate Units (Down to and including squadrons)
  • None

  • Mission (Give authority and brief statement of primary mission)
  • The mission of the 640thAC&W Squadron is to conduct air defense operations within the area of assignment as outlined in (ADC) (RCAF) ASI 3/4/3, and function as a NORAD Control Center within the Air Defense System.

  • Personnel
  •    

    Officers

    Airmen

    Civilians

    Total

     
     

    Assigned

    15

    134

    19

    168

     
     

    Attached

    0

    0

    0

    0

     
                 
  • Equipment (Give official nomenclature and quantity of mission-type equipment)
  • Radio Telephone – 1 each FTA-13 Telephone Plant, 2 each M-19 Teletype Machines, 6 GRC-27 A/G UHF Radio, 6 GRT-3 A/G UHF Radio Transmitter, 6 GRR-7 A/G UHF Radio Receiver, 4 FRT-502 A/G Radio Transmitter, 7 URG-60 A/G UHF Receiver.
    Radar – 1 each AN/EDS-93A, 1 each AN/FPS-90, 1 each AN/GPX-7A, 1 each AN/GPX-14, 1 each AN/GPA-30, 1 each AN/GPS-T2A, 6 each 0A-175 PPI, 4 each UPA-35 PPI, 2 each 0A-99 PPI, 1 each AN/GPS-T-4, 1 each AN/GPS-T2, 2 each OA/929, 3 each RD-142A.

    Section II

    COMMENTARY

    Commanders:

    During the period 1 Jan through 31 Mar 66, this section underwent a complete re-accomplishment of all administrative support due to the closure of Harmon AFB. Status was changed from customer of Harmon AFB PDO to a Class B PDO with the Publications Distribution Center at Baltimore, Maryland. A 12 month stock of publications and a 90 day stock of all AF, SF, AFTO & CA and AFCOMSEC forms will be maintained. All publications from GADS and 26th Air Division were reprinted as 37th Air Division and 1st Air Force pubs and started arriving 21 Mar. A forms room was established in bottom of 502 tower. Work on records staging area in 502 tower was also begun. Pre-IG visit was conducted by GADS and a satisfactory rating for CAS resulted with only several minor discrepancies. Key personnel: Major FW Brown, Operations Officer replaced Major AM Granese. Major F Campos was assigned duty as Assistant Operations Officer. M/Sgt. CL Campbell replaced M/Sgt. EF Howard as 1st Sergeant. Promotions for this period were: To S/Sgt: A/1C Lewis; To A/1C: A/2C Bennett, A/2C Chalos, A/2C Glowacki, A/2C Holsinger, A/2C Konicki, A/2C Richmond, A/2C Schrieber and A/2C Smith.

    Operations:

    During this reporting period the Operations section participated in six live and ten simulated exercises. These exercises proved to be valuable training vehicles for all personnel concerned. On 15 February 1966, Detachment 1, 59th FIS, Harmon AFB phased out. This has severely hampered live intercept training for this unit. However minimum training requirements were met with the 59th FIS interceptors from Goose Bay, Labrador. Two hundred eight-three live intercepts were conducted this quarter. Major Frank Campos, Assistant Operations Officer, attended the Operations Officers conference at Goose Bay on 18 February 1966. On 9 February 1966, Major Frederick W Brown replaced Major Anthony M Granese as Operations Officer. Operations personnel gained during this period were: Officers 2, NCO 7, and airmen 8.

    CEM Section:

    A considerable effort was expanded this quarter by all personnel in preparation for the semi-annual Quality Control Inspection by the Goose Air Defense Sector. The inspection was conducted the week of 28 March 1966. Only minor write-ups were received most of which were corrected during the inspection. Compliments were received particularly in areas of Training, Radio Maintenance, Administration, and Technical Publication Files. This section received word from GADS Systems Maintenance Analysis Section that no Maintenance Data Collection errors were recorded against this squadron for the month of March. This was the first time on record that a perfect record had been achieved in the GADS. New personnel assigned to this section were: A/2C Dewey, A/2C Norwood, A/1C Jolly, A/1C Polzin and S/Sgt. Bridgham.

    Unit Supply:

    During the period of this report an inventory of administrative equipment on this Air Station was completed and all unserviceable administrative equipment has been replaced, new custody receipts have been accomplished and are 95% complete, hand receipts have been made for administrative equipment in each section. Also additional and replacement furniture was obtained for both "A" and "B" barracks, storage facilities have been increased both in the Unit Supply building and the 502 tower. During this period A/2C Williamson was on leave for 20 days, A/1C Robinson, A/2C Boone and A/2C MacFarlin arrived TDY, and A/1C Spears was assigned duty as Unit Mail Clerk.

    Food Services:

    During this period new divider planters were installed in the dining room, new stoves were installed in the kitchen, and the dining room was completely repainted. Lounge furniture has been procured but not received. The cold storage warehouse was renovated to make room for a four month supply of rations. A dish washing machine, ice making machine, reach-in refrigerator, and toaster are presently on requisition from BEMO. This section operated within the prescribed monetary allowance during this period and morale is at an all time high.

    Security and Law Enforcement:

    Losses for this period were: S/Sgt. Oliver R Craig reassigned to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, and A/1C Larry G Silvis to Warner-Robins AFB Georgia. Gains were: A/2C James W Williamson and A/1C George R Mason Jr. This brought the assigned strength to five. As of 30 March 1966, 18 suggestions have been received for this quarter. This unit is levied 50 suggestions for the fiscal year. We anticipate no trouble in meeting our quota in the coming year.

    Typed Name and Grade of Commander

    John H Fuss, Lt. Colonel, USAF

    Signature