Cartwright, Labrador

The 922^nd is located three miles from the village of Cartwright, Labrador, which is approximately 135 miles east of Goose Bay, Labrador. Cartwright has a population of 400. There is a Hudson’s Bay store, churches and a Grenfell Mission in the village. Residents of Cartwright are dependent upon fishing for their livelihood.

Weather conditions encountered in this area are quite variable. The average yearly temperature is 30 degrees F, with the temperature dropping to 20 degrees below zero during winter months and rising to 75 degrees during the summer months.

A considerable amount of snow falls in this area each year and the winters are extremely long.

The year round duty uniforms are either summer 505’s or fatigues. Off duty, civilian clothing is authorized for wear. NCO Dine-Ins are conducted at least once a quarter. A blue uniform, white shirt and bow tie are required items. It is advisable to have a good supply of washable civilian clothing as there are no dry cleaning facilities at this station, and procurement of civilian clothing here is very difficult. The facilities for cleaning washable items are adequate. There are washing machines, ironing boards and irons available to all personnel.

Hold baggage takes about ninety days to arrive here from stateside bases, and it is recommended you ship any hold baggage at the earliest possible date so that it will arrive here shortly after you do.

1 – Personnel Services Activities

1. Theatre – Top features are shown in the small but quite adequate theatre at this station. The theatre has a miniature Cinemascope screen to facilitate the showing of this type of film. Admission price is 25 cents except for special showings when the price is changed accordingly. Normally movies are shown twice daily.
2. Library – A small but well stocked library is provided for the off duty entertainment of all personnel. Hard bound books are available in the following subjects: fiction, science fiction, western, mystery, biography, history, social sciences, literature, philosophy and religion. Also many reference volumes are provided. The library is opened to all personnel around the clock.
3. Gymnasium – There is no gymnasium at present, although one has been proposed by the 64^th Air Division for future installation. The Motor Pool currently houses (Half-court) basketball and weight lifting facilities. Occasionally, during good weather the entire Motor Pool is cleared for volleyball.
4. Bowling Alley – There is no bowling alley at the present time, but one has been approved through a non-appropriated fund grant from the 64^th Air Division. Installment is scheduled in FY62.
5. Snack Bar – A small Snack Bar which also serves as the Airman’s Club after 1800 hours, has coffee, soft drinks, hot dogs. Canned juices, candy, cigarettes and often carries small snack items. The Snack Bar serves canned beer between the hours of 1800 and 2300 with last call being at 2245 hours.
6. Other Recreation –

1. Fishing – During the summer months there are various sporting activities available. Fishing is the favorite sport, and the Special Services Section has fishing rods and reels with line available for 24 hour loan. Hip boots are not available for issue and if you wish to participate in fishing you should bring boots with you. Each week the Special Services Section arranges for fishing trips on the unit boat, the "Fireball". These trips start at 0800 hours from the site and return at 1600 hours. The "Fireball" can accommodate twelve passengers and two crew members. Fishing licenses may be obtained from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Detachment for $5.00 per day for salmon. However, trout licenses is on a resident basis.
2. Hunting – In the fall, personnel who prefer the outdoors may avail themselves to the favorable hunting conditions in search of wild game. Ptarmigan and spruce hens are in abundance. Special Services may have some firearms available for those interested in this diversion but it is recommended that personal weapons be utilized. In addition, although ammunition is available at a local Hudson’s Bay store, it is rather expensive and it is advisable that personnel bring some ammunition from the Zone of Interior. A hunting license is $2.00 for residence and $5.00 for non-residence (those personnel not on station for more than six months). These may be obtained from the local Royal Canadian Mounted Police Detachment. NOTE – A Rod and Gun Club is presently being organized and is expected to be in full swing on or about 1 May 1961.
3. Volleyball and horse shoe courts are set up and receive much use in the evenings and on weekends during the summer months when the days are long.
4. In the winter months the games rooms are found to be crowded most of the time keeping a variety of different equipment busy. The larger game room located in the theatre area has ping pong, shuffle board, bumper pool and miniature pool while the smaller game room has only a standard size pool table. Skiing and ice skating are also favorite winter sporting activities available. Skis and skates are available through Special Services. However if you are a serious skier, bring your own equipment. The squadron has six pairs of snowshoes.
5. Photo Hobby Shop – A Photo Hobby Shop is available to all personnel interested in developing, enlarging and printing pictures that they take while here at Cartwright. Two enlargers, two contact printers and a print dryer are but part of the equipment provided in the Photo Hobby Shop. Supervision for beginners is available at convenient hours.
6. Leather Craft Shop – A well-equipped leather craft shop, operated by the Unit Fund, is available where you may desire to spend some time making items for your personal use or to send home to friends and family. Considering there are few places to purchase gifts for special occasions, the leather craft shop affords you an opportunity to make many fine gifts for these occasions. Supervision for beginners is available at convenient hours.

2. Base Exchange – The Exchange System operates a small retail sales store at this station. While the store is rather small it carries a complete line of toiletries, tobacco and personal items. From time to time the Exchange receives various gift type items which of course are reasonable in price.

3. Officers and NCO Open Messes:

1. Officers Open Mess

All other meals are offered in the Squadron Dining Hall.

(b) NCO Open Mess – The NCO Open Mess is open for membership to all NCO’s as active members. Considering the lack of local civilian entertainment facilities at the NCO Open Mess have also been opened for membership to lower grade airmen over 21 years of age as associate members. A free dinner is served once a month for all active members and everyone in this category is urged to attend these functions. Snacks are served in the evening from time to time.

4. Religious Facilities – Catholic and Protestant services are held periodically on station and are conducted by Chaplains on temporary duty from Goose Air Base. The village of Cartwright offers religious coverage for those of Anglican, Pentecostal, or congregational denominations. A schedule of services is posted on the Squadron Bulletin Board. Jewish personnel may, in accordance with AFR 165-5, obtain permission to attend the High Holidays at Goose Air Base. Bible study groups meet once a week and are conducted by base personnel.

5. Telephone Service – Telephone calls may be made to the United States on a collect basis only. Calls are placed with the unit telephone operator, who will in turn place the call with the Canadian Bell Telephone operator at Goose Bay Air Base. A telephone booth is provided for these calls and is located in the main corridor near the Unit Bulletin Board. These calls can be made after duty hours only. If your family should desire to call you at some time during your tour this may be done. All incoming calls should be made Person to Person to lessen the expense of the call. The charges on a person to person call begin when you are connected to the calling party. Charges on a station to station call begin when the operator is first contacted and this may lead to excessive expense if the operator finds it difficult to locate you. When your family places a call to you they should inform the operator that they are calling you at Cartwright, Labrador and that the call foes through Goose Air Base, Labrador. If an emergency should arise, your family should be reminded that they should first call the nearest Chapter of the American Red Cross if there is a possibility that the emergency will involve an emergency leave. Calling you first in case of such an emergency will only lead to a longer period between notification and the time you may leave the unit for home.

6. Amateur Radio Station – The squadron presently has a radio station which is available to all licenses amateurs who have applied for and have obtained a license from the Canadian government.

1. In the past, individuals operating the station have provided squadron personnel with numerous phone-patch calls to families and relatives in the Zone of Interior free of charge.
2. At the present time, new equipment to improve the operation of this facility is being obtained, this includes: four-element quad antennas, antenna rotating unit; and a new single side-band transmitter.
3. Code and radio theory classes are being conducted for personnel who are desirous of obtaining an amateur license.

7. Information Services – The main function of the Information Services Office at this Station is operating the closed circuit radio affiliate of the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service WNTS. The station operates fourteen hours daily except Friday and Saturday when it is operated for fifteen hours. Broadcasting at WNTS begins each day at 0900 hours, and various live, transcribed, and network programs are offered each day. News is broadcast eight times each day from AFRS New York, atmospheric conditions permitting. These newscasts are aired over WNTS and live broadcasts are also presented from time to time. WNTS means Wonderful Nine Twenty Second. It is a closed circuit radio station and therefore can only be heard here at the 922 ACWRON and at our three Detachments. We have approximately twelve airmen who have the privilege of being Disc-Jockeys at WNTS. Upon arriving at the station anyone interested in working may contact the NCOIC of the Radio Station. Anyone who works there for a period of six months will have their picture permanently posted in the Radio Station.

8. Education Services – The Education Centre at this station provides most educational opportunities that can be found at stateside bases.

1. You may enroll in USAFI for an initial fee of $5.00 (if not already enrolled). About 300 elementary, high school, technical-vocational and college courses may be taken directly from USAFI. In addition, there are approximately 3,000 course offerings available through USAFI from extension divisions of leading colleges and universities under government contract.
2. General Educational Development Tests are given at this station and many high schools and colleges grant diplomas and advanced credit when these tests are satisfactorily completed.
3. USAF Extension Course Institute, Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama offers correspondence courses based on instruction given at resident schools of the USAF and other services. Completing a correspondence course does not bar you from attending the resident course and in fact will help you immeasurably if you do attend.

9. Mail and Postal Service:

1. Present arrangements provide that we receive mail five times a week, Monday through Friday, weather permitting. This unit is serviced mainly by helicopters. However, during shipping season (around June – July) large articles are received by boat. There are times when the mail service is disrupted due to severe weather conditions and it may take up to ten days to resume the normal schedule.
2. The Unit Postal Clerk can accept outgoing Parcel Post Mail. These items may also be insured if desired. Postal Money Orders are available, as are postage stamps.
3. Your correct mailing address while stationed here at Cartwright is as follows:

Example:

A/1C John C Smith, AF13275905

922^nd AC&W Squadron, Box 147,

APO 433, New York, New York

All outgoing mail must bear the return address of the sender.

4. Bona-Fide Gifts from members of the Armed Forces – Military personnel on duty outside the Continental United States may send bona-fide gifts from abroad to donees (addresses) in the United States free from duty, internal revenue taxes, and customs charges and exactions, to the extent of $50.00 in any one shipment. All parcels of the above mentioned type must bear on the outer portion of the parcel a DD Form 427 (Customs Declaration and Certificate for Bona-Fide Gifts). Parcels of less that $10.00 value require a POD Form 2966.

10. Administration – It is suggested that arrangements be made by individuals being assigned to this station since possible delays may be encountered in making routine payments on existing obligations. This unit is scheduled to be paid on the last day of each month. However, weather conditions sometimes prevents chopper services therefore delaying receipt of pay and further delaying your prompt payment to creditors. It is suggested you clear any outstanding accounts or at least change the paying date to the 15^th or so of the month.