Cartwright, Labrador

1964 – Historical Report – USAF Historical Division


Historical Record
922nd AC&W Squadron
Cartwright, Labrador
1 July 1964 to 30 September 1964

Section I

REQUIRED DATA

  1. Unit and Location

922nd Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron,
APO 433, New York, New York 09433

  1. Name and Grade of Commander

BE Thayer, Major, USAF

  1. Chain of Command (Superior Echelons)
  2. Goose Air Defense Sector
    26th Air Division (Defense)
    Air Defense Command

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

  • Mission (Give authority and brief statement of primary mission)
  • GADS Regulation 20-5. The mission of the 922nd AC&W Squadron is to conduct Air Defense Operations within an assigned area of responsibility and function as a Direction Center in the Air Defense System.

  • Personnel
  •    

    Officers

    Airmen

    Civilians

    Total

     
     

    Assigned

    11

    87

    20

    118

     
     

    Attached

    0

    14

    1

    15

     
                 
  • Equipment (Give official nomenclature and quantity of mission-type equipment)
  • AN/FPS-20A; AN/FPS-90; AN/GPX-7A; AN/GRT-3 (5); R-316 (5); AN/GRC-27 (5); AN/FRT-502 (3); AN/FRT-503; AN/URG-60 (6); NE-612; SSM-7 & TT-21; M-19; AN/UPA-35 (3); 0A-175 (5); 0A-99 (2); AN/GPS-T2; AN/GPS-T4; AN/GPA-30.

    Section II

    COMMENTARY

    Personnel and Administration:

    The Squadron held its annual parade and review in the village of Cartwright on Saturday, 29 August 1964. The Commander, Major BE Thayer, presented T/Sgt. WH Benham with the Air Force Commendation Medal and 1st Lt. Frank G Springs with an ADC Commendation Certificate. The ceremonies were highlighted by a flyover of 4 F-102’s from the 59th FIS.

    The normal rotation for the quarter gave this squadron a gain one 1 officer and 31 airmen, while losing 1 officer and 26 airmen. An Open House was held for the village of Cartwright on 18 September in celebration of the Air Forces 17th anniversary. It was a very successful Open House and all guests were treated to ice cream, cookies, and beverages in addition to guided tours of the station. The squadron contributed 100% to the annual Air Force Aid Campaign and also is not 88% participation in the US Savings Bond Drive (Project Totem Pole).

    Military pay has been a continuous and prevailing problem. Every new member assigned to this squadron has a pay problem whether it is a lost MPR or missing MPR from last unit of assignment. The mechanized pay system does not give this unit satisfactory service nor does the servicing finance center expedite normal pay matters. Invariably there are 20 pay discrepancies each two week pay period.

    Operations:

    The Operations section participated in a total of 7 live exercises and 23 simulated exercises. A total of 4465 tracks were plotted by this station during this period of which two hundred twenty-nine were classified as unknown. The Intercept Directors and Associated Technicians were kept busy with a total of 556 attempted, 422 intercepts completed and 144 missed intercepts. Of the 144 missed, only 16 were due to 922nd personnel error, and only 14 to 922nd equipment failure. One hundred and two were the result of pilot and/or airborne equipment failure. The remaining twelve were charged to weather, ECM and flying safety.

    There were several improvements in the section during the period, one being the completion of the 0A2325 (ECCM) modification for the FPS-90. This should add considerably to the effectiveness of height operations during live exercises. Another improvement was the 10 line unit communication boxes. This was another item of equipment badly needed and should increase the effectiveness of the section through the use of additional internal communications. The installation of a new security door in the section was an enormous improvement over the old security door. The old door opened inward against the draft and sometimes did not lock; the new door closes from the outside, assisted by air drafts, thus increasing the security of the section.

    Communications and Electronics:

    SM/Sgt. Ralph E Miller arrived on 20 July to assume duties as Ground CEM NCOIC. The semi-annual GADS QC Inspection Team was on station from 6 to 11 August. The inspection was passed successfully, marking the first time this station passed a QC Inspection in the last 3 tries. Two Canadian Marconi Representatives spent the month of August on station calibrating test equipment.

    Installation of the 0A-2325A began on 24 August by a GEEIA installation team. The installation was originally delayed by a lack of technical skills on the team and later delayed by a lack of parts. As of 30 September, the installation was still not complete. Mr. Sid Trimble of GADS arrived on 10 September to assist the GEEIA team on the 0A-2325A and to train site personnel on the equipment. A GEEIA installation team for the GTA-6 arrived on 21 September and began the installation of the GTA-6 and the removal of the NE-612.

    Civil Engineering:

    The Civil Engineering Shop, with the help of the Mobile Maintenance Team, complete quite a number of projects in the past quarter. Chief among these was the cleaning of the water storage and all septic tanks; hot mopping of the roofs of building S-15 and buildings S-18 through S-24, repair of the Ric-Wil line, painting the base of the lower POL tanks and the installation of a new forms room in building S-13.

    Construction began on MCP Projects 100-1 and 105-1 on 1 August by the Colonial-Briard Company. Project 100-1 is a 43 man dormitory which is 60% complete and project 105-1 which is only 35% complete is a multi-purpose building. Work has also begun on Cartwright Project 2-4 which consists of painting the interior of the airmen’s quarters. It is presently 95% complete. Cartwright Project 3-4, painting the exterior of towers 1 and 4 have been completed.

    The Fire Department has completed 7 drills in the past quarter. This action is in keeping with an accelerated program of training and indoctrination by the Station Fire Chief. The Fire Department received an excellent rating by the GADS Pre-IG Team during their 8-10 September visit.

    The motor pool has been augmented with two new vehicles this quarter. Also, the much needed parts for our Trackmasters arrived in September. The vehicles assigned were driven a total of 14,208 miles during the quarter.

    Supply:

    The annual summer resupply was accomplished during the past quarter. The squadron received 305,000 pounds of general cargo, 14,000 barrels of diesel fuel and some 90,000 pounds of frozen foods and commissary dry goods. In addition, the supply section received a new 2 ˝ ton truck, a snow blower and a boat. With the arrival of the summer shipment of fuel, supply took over the daily function of pumping fuel from the upper tanks to the power plant.

    During the past 90 days, the supply section has furnished logistical support to the Canadian survival and fishing camp at Eagle River.

    The manning situation in this section is becoming critical. At the end of the quarter, supply has only two airmen and one of these is scheduled for rotation within thirty days.

    Medical:

    Two hundred and one military and 34 civilian employees were treated this quarter. A total of 13 military and 8 civilian non-disabling injuries requiring first aid were treated on outpatient status. Two military disabling injuries were treated. Eleven AF personnel were referred to Goose AB for medical treatment. Due to a change in medical personnel, the weight control roster was not given proper attention but this is now being remedied.

    Typed Name and Grade of Commander

    BE Thayer, Major, USAF

    Signature