Frobisher Bay, NWT

1959 – Historical Report – USAF Historical Division

Historical Record
926th AC&W Squadron
Frobisher Bay, NWT
1 April 1959 to 30 June 1959

Section I

REQUIRED DATA
  1. Unit and Location

926th Squadron, (ADC)
Frobisher Bay, Baffin Island, Canada
  1. Name and Grade of Commander

Frederick L Schanberger, Major, USAF
  1. Chain of Command (Superior Echelons)

    2. 4732nd Air Defense Group, APO 677, New York, New York,
    64th Air Division (Defense), APO 862, New York New York.
  • Subordinate Units (Down to and including squadrons)

    • None
  • Mission (Give authority and brief statement of primary mission)

    • The mission of the 926th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron is to conduct air defense operations within that area assigned by Headquarters, 64th Air Division (Defense) Regulation 55-24 and function as a GCI Station in the Air Defense System.
  • Personnel
    		•
       

    Officers

    Airmen

    Civilians

    Total

    		  
     

    Assigned

    14

    124

    17

    155

    		  
     

    Attached

    0

    10

    0

    10

    		  
                 
  • Equipment (Give official nomenclature and quantity of mission-type equipment)
    •

    AN/FPS-3C; AN/FPS-502; AN/TPS-502.

    Section II

    COMMENTARY

    Command of this squadron was assumed by Captain Paul H Cutner Jr., after the departure of the previous commander, Major Francis A Russell.

    AN-GPS-T2: There was a Video Modifier unit installed on this equipment in April. The Video Modifier allows ground clutter to be presented on the scope with STP without live targets being presented.

    Lt. Michal Ciz, CD, RCN arrived this station on 23 May 1959 as Officer in Charge of Royal Canadian Navy Comm.-Transport Services. His specific duties are to establish one full duplex teletype system through Pole Vault to ALVRO Lake Radio Station, Halifax, Nova Scotia. Secondly, ship-to-shore radio facilities for ships engaged in military sea transport services. Thirdly: Act as Royal Canadian Navy Liaison Officer for MSTSO, Frobisher Bay. The communications section, in co-ordination with Lt. Ciz for accomplishing his mission has provided: (1) Four transmitters for three HF channels and one LF channel, (2) Keying lines for the transmitters, (3) Land lines to Pole Vault for the teletype system, (4) A portion of the receiver building as a radio station for his operations, and (5) One landline facsimile circuit has been established between lower Frobisher Bay MSTS quarters and Pole Vault for the US Navy for transfer of ice reconnaissance and weather information.

    The antenna for the Amateur Radio System was raised by approximately twenty (20) feet and recabled during May.

    Relocated the SB203/GTA-4 and SB201/GTA-4 control units located in Operations to make room for the SIF equipment installed on 16 June 1959.

    The Base Non-Tactical Radio System was installed and became operational. Six two-way mobile radios were installed in vehicle equipment by Mr. Fred Wilson of Canadian Marconi Company.

    The 926th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Baffin Island, Canada, had the largest Armed Forces Day crowd in its history on Sunday, May 17th. A total of 430 Frobisher Bay residents visited the squadron which is known here as "Radar Hill".

    The Armed Forces Day program was highlighted by a tour of the Operations section. The flags of Canada and the United States were posted together to represent the combined efforts of both nations in the defense of North America.

    Captain Murray J Godlberg, Project Officer for the event, stated: "The Armed Forces Day program was a huge success. It made the residents of Frobisher Bay more aware of our mission in protecting Canada and the United States from hostile aircraft. The record number of visitors far exceeded our expectation".

    Representatives of the following departments, plus a large segment of the Eskimo population, attended the event: The Department of Northern Affairs, The Department of Transport, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Royal Canadian Navy, Pan American Airline Company, The Tower Construction Company, The Federal Electric Company, The Carter Construction Company, The Pitts Construction Company, 1932-2 AACS Detachment, 465th Air Base Squadron, the Royal Bank and the Bank of Montreal.

    Typed Name and Grade of Commander

    Frederick L Schanberger, Major, USAF

    Signature