The Public Relations program of this Unit expanded annually as the Squadron grew and became established within the community, taking part in more activities every year within the Windsor-Detroit area.
Beginning in July 1956 when the first PRO was enlisted in the Unit, the Squdron held parades in the RCAF Recruiting Unit Offices. A suitable building was purchased and remodelled by the Department of National Defence; the first PR report including a release and photographs of the contractor tearing out the insides of the building, a former dairy, and installing steel to the second-story west end.
In April 1957, Air Vice Marshal Larry E Wray, AOC, ADC,and Mrs. Wray were Guests of Honour at the annual Windsor Officers' Garrison Ball, and were guests of the Squadron during their visit. Several photographs and an extensive story in the social pages of the Windsor Star covered the event.
This event marked the beginning of a planned public relations program and the firm establishment of the Squadron worked all this summer in preparing and publishing a brochure for the opening of our new headquarters, planned a program and extended invitations to Military Commanders, members of the City Council and the Legislature, and prominent businssmen in this area.
The building was opened on October 5th 1957, and the ribbon was cut during opening ceremonies by Air Commodore WE Kennedy, Comptroller of the RCAF. The Windsor Fire Department floodlit the front of the building, police blocked the street for 20 minutes and photographers from Detroit and Windsor newspaper and TV stations completed their assignments. Four hundred guests attended this opening including visitors from RCAF Stations St Hubert, London, Hamilton, North Bay, Aylmer and Foymount. The USAF was represented by Col Glenn E Duncan, Commander of Selfridge AFB and several of his officers.
During the fall period we arranged building tours for several Service Clubs, held the annual Children's Christmas party and arranged a New Year's Day Levee for the Windsor Garrison. In November we held our first Mess Dinner. Honoured guests included Garrison CO's, USAF Officers from Selfridge, and former RCAF Officers who worked hard in promoting the RCAF in this area. At the New Year's Day Leveee, Mr. Moss, the British Consul in Detroit, proposes a toast to the President of the United States, Mr. Weeks, American Consul in Windsor proposed the toast to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
In January 1958 we started recruiting for the RTTP with two news releases and 240 candidates were interviewed. Of this group only 83 could be enlisted because of establishment, but the response was amazing.
The Squadron continued training with the USAF, trade examinations written, and several officers were appointed to the Garrison Ball Committee taking an active part in the affair.
In May a reception was held in honour of the Right Honourable J Keiller MacKay, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario who presented Queen's Scout Certificates to the Scouts of this district. The reception was held in the Officers' Mess in the evening where all officers and their wives were formally introduced.
Two Air Cadet Squadrons of the City of Windsor were brought into this headquarters when they were faced with the problem of accommodation. The War Surplus building at the Windsor Airport which served them for many years had been condemned. Class rooms and administrative Offices were provided for them by this Unit. This was a great help to all concerned, particulary the parents of the boys, because of the downtown location of this Unit being easily accessable by city buses. Previously they were forced to hitch-hike from the city limits to the airport which was a hazard during the long winter months.
After the summer camp period and the completion of the RTTP course, a graduation parade was held, attended by the Mayor and the heads of the Board of Education.
During the Battle of Britain parade in September we were fortunate in obtaining the Training Command Band, and the two Air Cadet Squadrons along with members of the Air Force Club of Windsor marched with this Unit through downtown Windsor.
At the Remembrance Day parade in November, Air Commodore JG Stevenson placed this Unit's wreath at the Cenotaph, and took the salute on the March Past.
Later in November, the Second Annual Mess Dinner was held and we invited as our guest speaker Air Commodore Sir James Easton KCMG, CB, CBE. Sir James, the British Consul-General in Detroit, an Honourary Air Commodore in the RCAF, helped to set up the BCATP in Canada in 1938 and 1939, and was the best man at the wedding of AVM Larry E Wray. At the conclusion of the dinner, he was presented with a sterling silver mess card, a life-time honourary member of 2451 Squadron Officers' Mess.
During the year, all staff visits received publicity in the Windsor Star, and Public Relations also covered all publicity for the two Air Cadet Squadrons who are also a this headquarters.
The year 1959 was a busy one at the Squadron, highlighted by the Royal Visit and the inauguration of an Internation Freedom Festival to be held annually between the Cities of Detroit and Windsor, to further hands-across-the-border relations. Proclamations were issued jointly by the Mayor of Detroit, Louis C Miriani, and the Mayor of Windsor, Michael J Patrick. In forming committees on each side of the border, both Mayors appointed military commanders to the committees. Squadron Leader Norwood represented this Unit on the Windsor Committee to co-ordinate our participation during the four day festival held July 1st, Dominion Day, to July 4th, American Independence Day.
Throughout the spring training period, operational training was carried out with two American Units on week-ends. These were Fort Custer at Battle Creek, Michigan and at Selfridge AFB, plus local training at Squadron headquarters. Cross-border training ceased at the end of May, and the local training was stepped up in preparation for Wray-day held at Foymount during the summer camp period in July.
In the meantime, organization meetings were being attended by various officers of the Squadron to plan participation during the Royal Visit. Another committee was formed with the Air Force Club of Windsor to plan the Air Show Commemmorating the 50th Anniversary of Flight. The Air Show was sponsored by the Air Force Club of Windsor. This committee comprised of Officers of the Unit and members of the Club including Mr. Len Baldock, National President of the RCAF Association, Chairman of the 50th Anniversary of Flight Committee. Mr Ken Courtenay of the Air Force Club and President of the RCFCA was chairman of the Air Show committee.
During January of this year, the recruiting program for the RTTP was launched and completed by the end of February. From 175 applicants, 61 were selected. In April, S/L JS Mencel relinquished Command of the Squadron to S/L Robert Norwood and a hand-over parade was held. Staff visits during this period were also covered.
The Squadron participated in several parades with other Militia Units during the Freedom Festival, July 1st to July 4th, both in Canada and the States, but the highlight of the whole festival was the Royal Visit on July 3rd when more than half a million people on both sides of the Detroit River cheered the Royal Couple, and hundreds of pleasure cruisers escorted the Royal Yacht Brittania up the river to Lake St Clair.
During the visit in Windsor, the Commanding Officer and his wife were presented to Their Majesties at a ceremony alongside the Royal Yacht. The airmen from this Squadron also lined the route of the Royal Party in two different sections of the city, being transported from one area to another while the Royal Couple were busy elsewhere. Even another detail of airmen were assigned as a work party and entrusted to transfer all the baggage from the Royal Train to the Royal Yacht Britannia moored at Dieppe Gardens not too far from the railway station.
A week after this visit, the Squadron held its first Wray-day at RCAF Station Foymount with approximately half of the Squadron participating, the number of personnel which could be accomodated at Foymount. This amounted to 18 officers, 8 being controllers, and 30 FTR/COPS plus equipment and accounts people.
At the end of August another graduation parade was held for the graduating RTTP class. The parade was inspected by the Mayor of Windsor, Board of Education heads, and Officers of the Windsor Garrison. Trophies were presented by the Commanding Officer to the outstanding airmen and airwomen. After the ceremonies the parents were invited on a building tour and a dance held in the evening.
The Air Show was officially opened by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hugh Campbell, on Sept. 19th. Other high ranking officers and dignitaries who attended with the CAS were the late Air Commodore JG Stevenson, Group Captain LJ Birchall, Hon Paul Martin, Former Minister of Health and Welfare, S/L Norwood, Mr Len Baldock President of the RCAF Association, and Mr Ken Courtenay, Chairman of the Air Show Committee. The big attraction of the show was of course the performance of the Golden Hawks and their RCAF colleagues. Additional participation was obtained from Selfridge AFB with flights of 102's and F86's with Search and Rescue helicopters of the USAF giving demonstrations.
During the evening, the Commanding Officer and Officers of 2451 Squadron held a reception for the Chief of the Air Staff in the Officers' Mess. At a cocktail party the CAS met all the visiting dignitaries and the air crew who participated in the show including many of the Americans and representatives of the Warbirds Association from Windsor and Detroit. Also present were local military commanders and civic leaders. This reception was followed by the Air Show Ball held on the drill deck of HMCS Hunter, the only place in the city big enough to accommodate the crowd.
Almost twelve pages of advance publicity was published in the Windsor Star, prior to this event through the efforts of a few hard working members of the Editorial staff who are keenly interested in the RCAF not only in this area, but internationally wherever the RCAf is operating.
On the following day, the Chief of the Air Staff took the salute at the Battle of Britain parade, and laid a wreath at the Peace Monument in Dieppe Gardens and during the two minute silence there was a fly past of CF100's and the Red Knight in his T-33. The CAS then left to attend the Battle of Britain Ceremonies in Ottawa held in the afternoon.
Group Captain LJ Birchall was Guest Speaker at the Armistice Day Dinner at the Air Force Club on No. 7th, and the next day the RCAF Training Command Band from Toronto led the RCAF section of the Remembrance Day Parade. During the services at the Cenotaph, four CF 100's from North Bay did the fly past co-ordinated with the two minutes of silence.
At the Third Annual Mess Dinner our Guest Speaker for the evening was Air Commodore JG Stevenson OBE, AFC, CD. Other guests of honour included Captain Frank G Reynolds USN, Commanding Officer of the US Naval Air Station, Grosse Ile, Mich., W/C J Garton, Commanding Officer RCAF Falconbridge, along with local commanders and members of the Mess. As a novel way of introducing Air Commodore Stevenson before his speech, the PRO obtained everything on his file from the Windsor Star Library, and produced a "This is your life" story. The story traced the Air Commodore's career from the time he attended school in Windsor, through RMC, his wedding, and his Air Force career to the present time. Little did we know that this was to be his last visit to Windsor.
The year wound up with the Children's Christmas Party and an Airmen's Mess Dinner on Boxing Day, when the Officers customarily served the dinner.
A New Year's Day Levee was held in the Officers' Mess for Officers of the Windsor Garrison and prominent citizens of the City.
This year of 1960 began with the formation of an International Air Forces' Nigh committee to discuss the feasibility of conducting a get-together of American and Canadian Air Forces' Officers. The purpose of the committee was to form a nucleus of Officers who would represent the various military formation in the Windsor-Detroit area. The aim of the committee was to lay a solid foundation for the first gathering and for future annual affairs which will be held alternately in the United States and Canada. The date was set for June 24th which would kick off the International Freedom Festival and we could therefore obtain additional publicity in this manner on both sides of the border.
In April it was the Air Force who were host unit for the Annual Windsor Officers' Garrison Ball. Our Officers on the Committee handled the invitations, decorations, publicity and positionf of secretary. Guest of Honour was Air Commodore DAR Bradshaw and Mrs Bradshaw. Other distinguished guests of the squadron included Air Commodore Sir James Easton KCMG, CB, CBE, and Lady Easton; Group Captain RL Denison and Mrs Denison of RCAF Station Edgar.
On May 6th, a military funeral with full military honours was held for Air Commodore JG Stevenson of Windsor who was killed with five others in the crash of a Mitchell Bomber at Milwaukee Wis. A 100 man Guard of Honour attended from RCAF Station Centralia under Parade Commander Group Captain AG Kenyon. A gun carriage was obtained through the Army at London and brought to Windsor. All transportation for VIP's arriving at Windsor Airport was arranged for by this unit. Limousines were obtained on loan from the Ford Motor Co. of Canada and from Chrysler of Canada. This Unit supplied the drivers and arranged for policing the procession which was led by the Transport Command Band.
The first International Air Forces' Night was held on June 24th at the Elmwood Casino and at this Headquarters with over 400 Officers attending. The Americans outnumbered us by two to one. During the months of organization that went into this affair we invited HRH Prince Phillip as Guest Speaker, who would be in Canada at this time. However, his schedule did not allow him to do this. We were fortunate in being honoured by the Associate Minister of National Defence Pierre Sevigny, and Mrs Sevigny. Senior Officers of the RCAF were headed by AVM Lipton and Senior Officers representing AFHQ, ADC, and RCAF Stations Foymount, Falconbridge, North Bay, Edgar, Hamilton, London,Centralia. The USAF wer headed by Brig Gen WH Klenke, USMC and Officers from the Detroit Air Reserve Centre, Selfridge Field, Grosse Ile Naval Air Station, and members of the US Marine Corps and the US Coast Guard Search and Rescue. Toastmaster for the evening was Captain Frank G Reynolds, Commander of the Grosse Ile Naval Air Station. Other guests included members of the RCAF and Windsor. Members of Parliament also sat with the Officers at the head table. After hearing the address by the Honourable Pierre Sevigny, the group watched a delightful floor show featuring "La Femmes de Paris", and were transported back to this Headquarters for the balance of the evening. Many of the Senior Officers and US Interceptor Crews were indoctrinated into the game of "Crud" on our pool table, and Captain Reynolds took with him all the rules and regulations of the game planning to introduce it to the US Navy.
On July 1st the Unit took part in the Dominion Day Parade in Windsor, in which the NORAD band also participated. On July 4th in downtown Detroit the Unit again took part in a parade when the new 50 Star Flag of the United States was unfurled as the NORAD Band played the National Anthem.
The NORAD Band under Major Mark Azzolina also played a band concert in Windsor's Jackson Park, during their visit to Detroit during the International Freedom Festival.
Several Officers of this Unit are invited to Detroit annually to the home of the British Consul when he observes the Queen's Birthday at a garden party. We are also invited to various affairs held at Grosse Ile and at Selfridge AFB. Our American brethren have adopted us as kinfolk.
During September, the featured band at the Michigan State Fair in Detroit was the RCAF Training Command Band from Toronto.
We have duly covered all these events in the local news media in the Detroit-Windsor area to further the interests of the RCAF, and to bring about good will and understanding between the servies of both great countries.