Documentation pertaining to Gap filler sites has proven to be extremely difficult to locate or obtain. All of the AC&W Squadrons which formed the 64th Air Division (Defense), NEAC, were expected to provide Historical Reports on a quarterly basis. We have not been able to locate any Historical Reports which originated at the Gap Filler Detachments. As a result, we focused our attention to the AC&W Squadron Historical Reports, and in some cases, we were able to find some mention of Gap Filler(s).
The 921st AC&W Squadron was located at St. Anthony, Newfoundland. This squadron had a Gap Filler Detachment within its overall area of responsibility. This unit was:
Detachment 2 La Scie, Newfoundland N-26B
The following detail pertaining to these Gap Filler sites has been extracted from the 921st AC&W Squadron Historical Reports and provides some detail of interest to the reader.
1 October 1956 to 31 December 1956
Communications with La Scie was installed and operating in December 1956. (This implies that the 642nd AC&W Squadron at St. Anthony now had the ability to communicate with the Gap Filler site)
1 January 1958 to 31 March 1958
Eastern Provincial Airways are providing the transportation of perishables, mail, personnel and general supply items. This detachment is fortunate to enjoy the proximity of a nearby village. Relations with the community are considered to be excellent.
1 April 1958 to 30 June 1958
The Radio Corporation of America sent a contractor crew of eleven men to finish the gap filler tropospheric scatter communications at this location and at the 921st AC&W Squadron located at St. Anthony, NF. Our annual resupply (SUNEC 58) was completed on 30th June. Beach landing operations took place at this location. The off-loading of supplies and supporting equipment was very orderly and without incident. Two civilians were authorized for 90 days TDY under SUNEC 58 and they were of great assistance to the detachment. A very harmonious relationship continues between the Detachment and the village of La Scie.
1 July 1958 to 30 September 1958
Community relations between the Detachment and the village of La Scie are very cordial. The summer months found our personnel participating in a number of activities. The local community assisted our personnel in fishing, boating and lobstering. The units surveillance station (gap filler) at La Scie has seen a busy summer season with many small projects to make living in winter more comfortable. They will enjoy better control of heat, a trouble free water system and more efficient layout of space available due to the efforts of summer construction crews from our support base. The Tropospheric communication system to La Scie has checked out very satisfactorily and the system to Fox Harbour should be ready for its trial period soon. A great improvement over the AN/TRC equipment.
1 October 1958 to 31 December 1958
Community relations between the Detachment and the village are reported to be excellent. The Detachment (Gap Filler) at La Scie has settled down to winter operations. The transition from open water to ice for air lift operations has been slow. The lake at La Scie has not frozen and the water temperature in the harbor makes it impossible for aircraft to operate. However, boat service is still available and should continue through the middle of January. La Scie has had trouble with the heated water supply line and has requested a complete overhaul of this system for next summer.
1 April 1959 to 30 June 1959
No organizational problems have been reported from our detachment located at La Scie, Newfoundland. Community relations between this detachment and personnel of the village are reported as excellent. Captain Consolate J Calabro has been replaced by Captain Herbert H Pollinger as Commander since the last reporting period.
1 January 1960 to 31 March 1960
It was necessary for the 921st AC&W Squadron located at St. Anthony to send a teletype maintenance man to this Detachment to effect minor repairs in our one machine. The repair took only 30 minutes, but the TDY trip took 20 days. A general increase was noticed in the number of messages that have been relayed to this Detachment from the 921st AC&W Squadron. No organizational problems have been observed at the Gap Filler Detachment in La Scie. Community relations between this unit and the village are reported as excellent.
1 October 1960 to 31 December 1960
Operations Section at 921st AC&W Squadron, St. Anthony: During the past three months, two airmen were transferred to Detachment #2 at La Scie.
Communications Section at 921st AC&W Squadron, St. Anthony: Equipment rearrangement a new tape rack and improved message relay procedures to the Gap Filler at La Scie has added to the efficiency of the section.
1 July 1961 to 30 September 1961
Radio Maintenance Section at 921st AC&W Squadron, St. Anthony. Requirement for an HF patch to La Scie was met, and a successful system was put into service.
Supply Section at 921st AC&W Squadron, St. Anthony: An estimated 25-30 tons of supplies were received for closing stations - mainly La Scie - during the annual resupply (SUNEC) season. During this period, S/Sgt. Mansfield was sent to La Scie.
NOTE #1:
We are aware that the Detachment #2 Gap Filler Site at La Scie was only operational between 1957 and 1961. It is unfortunate that we do not have very many quarterly Historical Records for St. Anthony during this four year period. It is, however, somewhat unlikely that there would be a great deal of additional detail pertaining to the Gap Filler Detachment in the missing St. Anthony Historical Records.
The only recurring detail which was found in all appropriate Historical Records for St. Anthony was found in Section 4, as follows:
Subordinate Units
Detachment #2, 921stnd AC&W Squadron, La Scie, Newfoundland.
NOTE #2:
We are, at the moment in a position of uncertainty. We have a set of documentation that indicates there were 2 Gap Filler sites subordinate to the 921st AC&W Squadron at St. Anthony.
These units were:
Detachment 1 Fox Harbour, Labrador N-26A
Detachment 2 La Scie, Newfoundland N-26B
Early historical records (1956 to mid 1958) for the 921st AC&W Squadron at St. Anthony make reference to both of these locations. All subsequent references to Gap Fillers appear to be restricted to Detachment 2, located at La Scie.
As if this was not bad enough, Historical Records for the 922nd AC&W Squadron at Cartwright, Labrador indicate three detachments reporting to that location, of which Fox Harbour is Detachment # 3.
Please send us an email message if you can explain exactly what took place. Its almost as if there was a bit of reorganization with the Gap Fillers somewhere along the way.