Hopedale, Labrador

1965 – Historical Report – USAF Historical Division


Historical Record
923rd AC&W Squadron
Hopedale, Labrador
1 July 1965 to 30 September 1965

Section I

REQUIRED DATA

  1. Unit and Location

923rd AC&W Squadron, (ADC)
APO New York 09434.

  1. Name and Grade of Commander

George C Arnberg, Jr., Major, USAF

  1. Chain of Command (Superior Echelons)
  2. Headquarters Goose Air Defense Sector, APO New York 09677
    Headquarters 26th Air Division, Stewart AFB, New York
    Headquarters Air Defense Command, Ent Air Force Base, Colorado
    Headquarters United States Air Force, Washington 25, DC

  • Subordinate Units (Down to and including squadrons)
  • Mission (Give authority and brief statement of primary mission)
  • The mission of the 923rd AC&W Squadron is to conduct air defense operations within an assigned area of responsibility, to support the Melville NORAD Control Center and to function as a Direction Center in the Air Defense System. Authorization: Goose Air Defense Sector Regulation 23-6.

  • Personnel
  •    

    Officers

    Airmen

    Civilians

    Total

     
     

    AUTHORIZED

    11

    110

    20

    141

     
     

    ASSIGNED

    11

    101

    18

    130

     
                 
  • Equipment (Give official nomenclature and quantity of mission-type equipment)
  • 1 - AN/FPS-87A; 1 AN/FPS-90

    Section II

    COMMENTARY

    Operations and Training:

    Air activity increased to 2,306 tracks carried, 188 of these initial plots and 82 were classified as unknown. Seventy-six of the unknowns were identified by flight plan and six visually by interceptors. Favorable weather resulted in an increase of sorties from 137 last quarter to 167 this period. A total of 414 attempts were made with 300 successful. Simulated intercepts totalled 461. Five live exercises were scheduled and accomplished. Ten simulated missions were accomplished.

    CEM Maintenance:

    A team from Eastern GEEIA Region completed the outside plant portion of the AN/GMQ-20 wind velocity indicator. The MK747 antenna for modification of the Search Radar arrived by ship in July. The antenna was moved by the Stevedore crew to its present location adjacent to the Search Radar Tower. The antenna suffered minor dame in transit, The Base Wire and Telephone Development Schedule meeting was held in July. Topics discussed were the installation of an additional 51 pair cable to the TX site, repair of station serial cables, and modification of the inside cable distribution.

    Civil Engineering:

    C&M Projects to paint corridors, paint the heating plants, and repair roofs were completed. Canadian Air Force personnel installed Guy Wires and Ventilators on Building S-49. This unit succeeded in achieving a record of no reportable accidents and no fire losses for the quarter.

    Supply and Transportation:

    On 15 September 1965, a physical inventory of the Supply Warehouse was taken with a minimum of 91% accuracy in stock balances. An inventory of the Administrative Account was accomplished with Lt. Bolinger accepting the account as the new custodian. 198 passengers and 37,818 pounds of cargo was received, and 189 passengers and 16,379 pounds of cargo was shipped out by helicopter on 38 flights. Three SA-16 flights arrived during the quarter. Seven cargo ships discharged 609,309 pounds.

    General:

    Major George C Arnberg Jr. assumed command in July. Other key personnel changes included Lt. Booby G Bolinger replacing Lt. Charles A Bridley as Supply Officer. Lt. Thomas Blackburn replaced Lt. Anthony D Boyle as Weapons Controller. CM/Sgt. Marlin W Whitman replaced CM/Sgt. James A Lucas as NCOIC of Operations and M/Sgts. Burgeson and Williamson were assigned duty as Operations Crew Chiefs. SM/Sgt. Robert Floyd replaced SM/Sgt. Howard W Moore as NCOIC of Ground CEM. S/Sgt JW Phipps is the new Radio Maintenance NCOIC and T/Sgt. Dorris W Stevens the new Food Service NCOIC.

    The Goose Air Defense Sector Staff Assistance Team provided some valuable assistance during August. The GADS Quality Control Inspection Team performed a semi-annual inspection in July. All discrepancies noted were promptly corrected. A technical security inspection of the Communications Center was conducted by an OSI team. The final results of this inspection have not been received, however, the preliminary indication is that no major discrepancies were found.

    In Operations the turnover of personnel during the period evened out at 16 gains and 16 losses. The majority of the gains were in September to fill vacancies that resulted from summer losses. These gains have enabled the section to revise the 2 crew, 7 day week schedule into a 3 crew, 6 days on, 3 days off configuration. The new shift schedule has had a definite bearing on higher morale.

    Prepared By: William R Chancey, 1st Lt., USAF

    Typed Name and Grade of Commander

    George C Arnberg, Jr., Major, USAF

    Signature