Goose Bay, Labrador

641^st AC&W Squadron
APO 677, New York, NY

Benjamin M Howse, Lt. Col., USAF

AN/FPS-20A – Two Channel Prime Radar, AN/FPS-6B Radar Height Finder, AN/GPX-7A Radar Identification, 10 Cummins Diesel Generators, 8 AN/GRC-27 Multi-Channel UHF Transmitter-Receivers, 6 AN/GRR-3 Single Channel UHF Transmitter, 2 MF/URG-60 VHF Receivers, 6 AN/GRR-7 Single Channel Receivers, 10 T-5002/FRT-502 and 1 FRT-503 Single Channel VHF Transmitters.

Operations:

Officer manning in Operations during this quarter was 14 assigned against 13 authorized. New officers were Captain Gibbons, Captain Dorr, 1^st Lt. Towers and 2^nd Lt. Cummings. Major Boydston, Captain Delaurentis and CWO Alexander departed. Captain Wade and 1^st Lt. Duncan were upgraded to Combat Ready Skilled and Captain Middleton and 1^st Lt. Zeimer to Combat Ready. Current Director status is: 4 Combat Ready Skilled, 5 Combat Ready and 4 in training status. Airman manning was: NCO’s, 33 authorized, 33 assigned; Airmen, 52 authorized, assigned 38. 12 new personnel arrived. The squadron participated in the NNR ORE in March 1964 in a satisfactory manner. The Operations section participated in 8 live exercises during this quarter. Weapons controllers have accomplished 935:10 hours of ECM and academic training. Airmen have accomplished 2483:35 hours of ECM and academic/proficiency training. Operations received 3588 flight plans. There were 52 unknowns, 12 active air scrambles, 1092 practice intercepts and 586 aircraft recovered. The 641^st participated in 2 category I’s, 11 category II’s, 3 category III’s, 1 category IV and 1 category V STP exercises. S/Sgt. Wilson was selected as Squadron NCO of the year. Major Evans became Operations Officer upon Major Boydston’s departure to the ZI. Captain Young was assigned additional duty as Assistant Operations Officer. The Operations briefing room was renovated. New ceiling, floor tile and permanent seats were installed. Two new teletype machines were installed. One new weather teletype machine was installed. Fifty new headsets were issued to combat crew personnel. All dias and radio monitor ten line telephone box switches were re-identified by use of white to black hand-embossegraph tape. The Operations Section received an excellent rating in the administrative inspection and outstanding in the OJT inspection by GADS in February 1964.

Communications and Electronics:

All sector records concerning AFM 66-1 ratings were broken during this period. The December, January and February K-25 report show that we are well within standards for direct labor utilization and error rate. The December Direct Labor rate was 49% and Error rate was 2%. The January Direct Labor rate was 55% and Error rate was 3.8%. The February Direct Labor rate was 56% and Error rate was 0.8%. Sector standards are 40% Direct Labor and less than 3% Error rate. This section was selected By Goose Air Defense Sector and 26^th Air Division to represent them in competition for the annual ADC Maintenance Management Award. Our NORAD taped briefings continued. In January we briefed Riverside High School, Sioux City, Iowa and in March we briefed Chippewa Secondary School at North Bay, Ontario. During February and March, we provided students for classes given by the local Field Training Detachment in AFM 66-1. All of our students passed successfully. Considerable training was also given in OJT proficiency training, unit fundamental training and Effective Writing Techniques. The Military Suggestion program as of 31 March, had 166 suggestions submitted and we also received 49 civilian suggestions. An award was presented to the 641^st for submitting the greatest number of civilian suggestions. Under the Cost Reduction Program savings in the amount of $32,000.00 has been submitted. A second savings of $15,000.00 will be submitted shortly. Both of these savings were a result of establishing our mechanized Materiel Control and "turn-in" of excess items. Three project ICE proposals have been submitted: Establishment of Materiel Control and resultant savings. Elimination of the 641^st Communications Center except for one teletype circuit. Replacement of Military personnel for civilians in accomplishment of janitorial requirements. Plans are well underway for the combined 641^st Officer and NCO Dining-In to be held 1 May 1964. Mr. AA Edwards, Commissioner of Labrador is guest speaker. One hundred and nine persons, of which 22 guests are expected, including Brigadier General Harry R Thyng, Vice Commander, Northern NORAD Region. An absolute and relative height time sharing capability was installed on the UPA-35. Height capability was also installed on our GPS-T2 trainer. An emergency tactical net was established during March using our amateur radio station. The net included AC&W Squadrons in both the northern and southern complex. The materiel control project has progressed satisfactorily. Turn in of excess items has been completed. A remodelling of the work areas is now underway. A Tactical Evaluation of Northern NORAD was conducted during March. During this exercise all C-E equipment held up nicely.

Civil Engineering:

On 8 January 1964, CMC personnel arrived to investigate antifreeze in lube oil of No. 1 unit in the power plant. Cylinder liner and piston on No. 4 cylinder was replaced. On January 22^nd, 1964, No. 6 unit was tripped off the Tech Buss to a short in the control panel. The "No Break" engines took the load without a break in power. On 27 January 1964 CMC personnel arrived to investigate low oil pressure on No. 1 unit. Cause was found and eliminated. On 2 February, 1964, No. 8 unit tripped off the Base Buss due to an open field coil in the exciter. Power was restored in minutes and the exciter was replaced. On 4 March 1964, CMC personnel arrived to perform automatic inspection on units No. 7, 8, 9 and 10. Inspection was completed and personnel departed station 14 March. On 17 March 1964, No. 4 unit tripped off the Tech Buss due to a defective overspeed stop. No. 1 and 5 units also tripped off due to overload. Units No. 2, 3 and 5 were started to take overload and defective overspeed stop was replaced. The Heat Plant has been in inspection order during this period and was presented a commendation certificate as best in the 26^th Air Division in its class in the ADC competition. The following are cumulative costs reported for this three (3) month period: Military costs: $7,929.84. Civilian costs: $24,696.90. Materials: $5,318.72 and Total Costs: $37,945.46. There were no fires during this period. The fire fighting teams participated in Sabotage Alert Drills on 30 January and 7 February 1964 and a DECUF Alert on 23 January 1964 and Fire Drills on 6 March and 20 March 1964.

Supply:

On 15 January 1964 a Pilot Project was begun to establish Materiel Control in accordance with AFM 66-1. Initial personnel requirements were taken from Unit Supply. The Unit Supply Section has rewarehoused and realigned office and janitorial supplies to agree with the 300 line item bench stock system established by Goose Air Base. Bins have been installed to store office and janitorial supplies. On 1 January 1964 the Unit Supply established a branch of the Goose Air Base linen issue section to provide better service. Previously all linen was issued to individuals from the host base. On 20 January 1964 the Semi Annual inspection was conducted by Goose Air Base ammunition inspectors. A satisfactory rating was received. M-2 Carbines were transferred from the Unit Supply weapons room to the Motor Pool. This will expedite the issue of weapons during exercises. The Dining Hall operated within its monetary allowances during the quarter. We stayed within PRIME requirements for the period. The Food Service Section received excellent ratings on the Administrative and Training inspections during January, February and March. The Dining Area was completely repainted by section volunteers.

Personnel and Administration:

The personnel and administration section accomplished its goal during the quarter. Four officers and thirty airmen were processed in and three officers and thirty-six airmen were processed out of the squadron during January through March 1964. Total manning was satisfactory in all sections except Operations. On 30 April 1964 19 officers, 204 airmen and 14 civilians were assigned against an authorization of 19 officers, 222 airmen and 14 civilians. The Airmen’s Open Mess was annexed to the Non Commissioned Officers Open Mess and designated the Airmen’s Branch, Non Commissioned Officers Open Mess on 26 January 1964. This provided for much better internal control over the monies and overall operation of the Airmen’s Branch. On 26 January 1964 the Commander signed an agreement with Central Accounting Office, Goose Air Base, Labrador to provide as many accounting and disbursing services as possible for all non-appropriated funds. The CAO maintains general ledger control accounts, reconciles bank statements, prepares payroll, maintains employee earning records, prepares month-end financial and operating statements, and provides technical assistance as required. As of 31 March 1964, all accounts and balances have been reconciled and the proper adjustments have been made. The financial records of all non-appropriated funds are in satisfactory condition. Permission has been requested from 26^th Air Division to allow station exchanges to inventory stock quarterly instead of monthly. This will allow the exchange to be open 3 to 5 days more each month for the convenience of assigned personnel. The following distinguished visitors visited the 641^st AC&W Squadron: 20 January 1964 – Colonel Tom J Arbogast, Chief of Staff, Air Weather Office; Colonel JC Scales, Operations Officer, 4^th Weather Wing; Colonel Eugene A Carter, Commander, 12^th Weather Squadron; Mr. EJA Hamilton, Staff Weather Officer, Northern NORAD Region; Lieutenant Colonel Donald J Wolfel, Operations and Training Division, 4^th Weather Wing; Major Eugene B Lewis, Weather Officer, 4^th Weather Wing; Major George Potter, Director of Information, 26^th Air Division; Mrs. Carol Johnson, Reported, NORAD News Service; Miss Norma Stone, Reporter, NORAD News Service; and Miss Julia Longley, Reporter, NORAD News Service. 10 March 1964 – Brigadier General Harrison A Thyng, Vice Commander of Northern NORAD Region. 11 March 1964 – Colonel JH Wood and 12 members of the Northern NORAD Tactical Evaluation Team. 18 March 1964 -–Group Captains Magnusson and Ingalls of Northern NORAD Region and Williams of Ottawa NORAD Sector. The following groups toured the 641^st AC&W Squadron: Dental Clinic Staff of Goose Air Base, on 10 January. Faculty and staff of Goose Bay RCAF Station School on 11 January. Crew members of two Royal Air Force Vulcan bombers on 28 January. 100 Boy Scouts on 21 March.

Benjamin M Howse, Lt. Col., USAF