Aerial photo of CFS Foymount
Operation "Last Tango in Foymount" was launched by CFS Foymount commander Major DW Mitchell early last winter, and ended with the Winter Carnival in February 1974.
The idea was to keep spirits and efficiency up following the October 1973 announcement that the radar station would stop operations on April 1 1974 and close on October 1 1974.
The idea worked!
First results saw Foymount win the Air Defence Command 100-hour swim, breaking the three-year record of CFS Holberg. Foymount set a per capita record of participation and logged 556 miles to caprure the trophy.
The "small base" broomball championship was captured next, and ME section added still more miles to an accident-free driving record of 2,250,000 miles accumulated over the past ten years.
The week-long mid-February 1974 winter carnival was attended by former Foymounts who served at the base during its two decades plus.
Overlooking the Bonnechere valley 90 miles west of Ottawa, the station originally housed 32 Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron RCAF.
In 1963 Foymount's capabilities were improved and it became a long-range-radar NORAD unit.
But now, as the station commander "locks the gate" he and his people can look back upon a successful "Last Tango".
Aerial photo of CFS Foymount
This detail was made available to the Pinetree Line web site by Penny King in February 2001.