Goose Bay, Labrador

1969 – Historical Report – USAF Historical Division


Historical Record
641st AC&W Squadron
Goose Bay, Labrador
1 April 1969 to 30 June 1969

Section I

REQUIRED DATA

  1. Unit and Location

641st AC&W Squadron
APO New York 09677

  1. Name and Grade of Commander

Norton E Byrd, Major, USAF

  1. Chain of Command (Superior Echelons)
  2. Air Defense Command

    First Air Force
    37th Air Division

  • Subordinate Units (Down to and including squadrons)
  • None

  • Mission (Give authority and brief statement of primary mission)
  • The mission of the 641st AC&W Squadron is to function as a NORAD Surveillance Station detecting and identifying all airborne objects entering or operating within the units defined area of responsibility; to provide surveillance information to the Commander 37th Air Division concerning unknown, hostile and friendly airborne objects; to flight follow all air traffic operating within the scope of its radar coverage; and to function in a supervisory capacity over three outlying sites.
    Authority: 37ADR 23-2 dated 26 June 1968.

  • Personnel
  •    

    Officers

    Airmen

    Civilians

    Total

     
     

    Authorized

    6

    82

    40

    128

     
     

    Assigned

    6

    63

    38

    107

     
                 
  • Equipment (Give official nomenclature and quantity of mission-type equipment)
  • AN/FPS-93A – Two Channel Prime Radar, AN/FPS-90 Radar Height Finder, 0A840A/GPX-7A Radar Identification Set, AN/GPX-27 Interference Blanker Group, AN/UPX-14 Radar Interrogator Responder, AN/GRR-7 Single Channel UHF Receivers, AN/GRT-3 Single Channel UHF Transmitters, AN/GRC-27 Multi Channel UHF Transmitter-Receivers, AN/FRT-502 Dual Channel VHF Transmitters, AN/URG-60 Single Channel VHF Receivers.

    Section II

    COMMENTARY

    Command and Administration:

    Staff Assistance Visit – 26 to 28 May 1969 in preparation for 1AF IG Visit in August. All sections found satisfactory with the exception of Operations (see below). All sections are working to correct discrepancies found. Target date for completion is 1 August 1969.

    Operations:

    The unsatisfactory rating received during the Staff Assistance Visit was due entirely to administrative problems. The Staff Assistance Visit Report specifically stated that the unsatisfactory rating given did not imply lack of ability to perform the unit mission. All discrepancies noted during the Staff Assistance Visit have been corrected. Subsequent inspection by Staff Assistance Team failed to note any discrepancy as did the quarterly security inspection by this unit’s Security Officer.

    The unit underwent a NORAD Operational Readiness evaluation during the month of April. A satisfactory report was received with many favorable comments.

    The Squadron participated in three live exercises during this period and eight systems training programs were conducted.

    CEM Maintenance:

    Captain Charles Gerson departed this station PCS and was replaced by Captain John Raymond effective 7 June 1969.

    During the period 22 April through 27 May 1969, an IRAN Team from Canadian Marconi Company conducted inspection and repair work on all assigned equipment and helped to correct many deficiencies and problem areas.

    Civil Engineering:

    Captain Virgil Carr departed this station PCS and was replaced by 1st Lt. Juan Perez effective 7 June 1969. Lt. Perez also assumed duties as Disaster Preparedness Officer due to his previous experience in the field.

    During the month of April and May, the entire site underwent a general maintenance and repair program by the 8th AF Mobile Maintenance Team. Some of the main projects include the complete refurnishing of A Barracks" and lower "B Barracks" to include repainting of walls and ceilings, refinishing wooden lockers, replacing and repainting most of the windows and considerable amount of work to the electrical and plumbing systems. The team also inspected and cleaned the station sewage system including pumping out and cleaning of the septic tank and flushing the entire system. The team installed the new air-fed incinerator. The old incinerator is presently programmed to be dismantled and discarded during August 1969.

    Personnel:

    This Unit is currently grossly undermanned due to a malfunction in the computer processing program. No inputs were programmed for the months of March through June. The entire unit is currently approximately 80% manned with critical shortages existing in several specialties. The manning picture, however, shows evidence of improving over the next few months as communications have been received from ADC stating that they intend to man the entire 37th Air Division 100% and should have this project completed by the first of the next calendar year.

    Prepared By: Bernard W Pitkin, 1st Lt., USAF

    Typed Name and Grade of Commander

    Norton E Byrd, Major, USAF

    Signature