Hopedale, Labrador

1 October 1954 - 31 December 1954

(64^th Air Division (Defense)
Northeast Air Command)

Historical data contained herein reflects activities of this section for the interim period of 1 October 1954 to 31 December 1954.

Major Herbert A Ford, A0434095 assumed command of this organization 8 November 1954 replacing Major Sam Zorich, A0726541, October Officer returnee.

Captain Leland A Hale, Jr., A0589282 assumed the duties of Adjutant of this Organization 6 November 1954 replacing CWO Arthur J Krauss, AW2126389, October Officer returnee. Captain Hale was assigned additional duties as Personnel Officer, Certifying Officer, Record Disposition Officer, Squadron Forms Officer, Test Control Officer, Postal Officer, PASA Officer, Top Secret Control Officer, Food Service Officer and Area Fire Marshall for the Dining Hall.

Personnel section reports the arrival of 32 airmen and 2 officers in the month of October, 17 airmen and officers in November and 8 airmen and 1 officer in December making a total of 47 airmen and 6 officers arriving this organization during this period. During this same period 97 airmen and 6 officers were returned to the ZI.

Since the arrival of Captain Hale there has been considerable reorganizing of space, material and personnel on the orderly room. Personnel duties have been reallocated thereby creating a more efficient section. This section is now at near peak efficiency.

Captain Hale screened the previously published Squadron Policies and found them inadequate in policy to govern the functions for which they were formulated. A new series of Squadron Policies are now published and in effect. Particular emphasis is placed on Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting policies. It was also found that the distributions of SOP’s were not being complied with as directed by higher headquarters, this discrepancy was also corrected.

The mail room that was formerly located in the PX has been moved to the orderly room for better coordination in the distribution of official correspondence and regular mail to the support base. This change also assists the distribution of incoming mail.

The filing system in the orderly room was found to be carried out in a haphazard fashion. Some of the correspondence carried no office file symbol, some sections were using the section symbol of this section. This error has been corrected and a Squadron Policy has been published directing all sections to comply with AFM 10-1 and AFM 181-4 in the preparation of correspondence. Here to for all RCS reports have been maintained in separate case files. In the future all correspondence and reports will be filed in accordance with AFM 181-4.

Approximately ten days prior to the arrival of Captain Hale the Orderly Room had a complete turn over in enlisted personnel, leaving this section under strength, a First Sergeant and one personnel clerk; total authorized strength is five. However Captain Hale reassigned one 70230 from operations section making a total of four enlisted personnel for the section.

This section is short a 73170.

One airman remained from the former personnel of this section to indoctrinate the new personnel on their duties. This indoctrination was wholly inadequate in view of the fact that he remained only a period of five or six days and that the mission of this command presents some administrative activities, and that in most instances at a higher level than encountered before by the newly arrived personnel. Captain Hale found it feasible, regardless of the heavy work load, to place our payroll clerk on TDY to Goose finance section to further augment his briefing received here. This is only an example of difficulties encountered upon taking over the activities of this section.

During the month of October two D-8 caterpillars and one Snow Plow truck, mounted 4x4, were received aboard the USNS Vela plus two hundred drums of Av 115-145 gas. One man was rotated during this month and was not replaced, however two additional men arrived in November.

Personnel Heaters were installed on the Caterpillars and since a main part of our snow removal is done at night two additional head lights were added to the "cats". Two 15 ton dump trucks were received in the place of a two and one-half ton, which is authorized, but due to the impracticability of using them they have been left in storage. Throughout this whole period it was becoming increasingly difficult to refuel the helicopters arriving at this site, so the refueling pump was reconstructed, utilizing a metal strainer and felt, and this proved to be very effective. The plans were drawn up for this pump and sent to Division as we feel this may help the other stations which are observing the same difficulties.

Heavy snow began to fall the latter part of November and the month of December and the station was handicapped due to a lack of adequate snow removal equipment. To alleviate this situation an angle nose plow blade was installed on a 6x6 to aid in snow removal.

Installations Engineer, Captain James F Simon, departed for annual leave on the 11 of December, 1954. Second Lieutenant Rembert H Stokes Jr., Assistant to the Sections, assumed his duties.

The routine duties occupied the first few days, but following an unusual "blue flash" reported to have been seen by the diesel power plant operator on turning off the water pump house, the power failed to energize the line when it was turned back on. Inspection of the line revealed a shorted transformer to Ric-Wil heater element number three. This transformer was replaced.

However, the trouble persisted. Isolation of the line followed by "ringing-out" of the various sections revealed shorted sections. Working under inclement weather conditions with improper equipment, we ascertained partial shorts which were unexplainable. Various opinions were voiced: some were valid based on the limited observations and experience we had. Basically, those individuals who were desultorily associated with the situation grossly under-rated the gravity of the situation - radically proposing immediate solutions. These were rejected by sheer logic.

Conditions after the third day necessitated the rationing of water. Complexed by the absence of the Commanding Officer, the problem was left with Air Installations.

The conditioning of a water tender and the improvising of a second demanded Vehicle Maintenance personnel to fill long hours. The work progressed under the NCOIC T/Sgt. Gregory. It was during this period that the demand for additional personnel became evident. All sections were reduced to skeleton crews and the additional men were assigned to this section.

To express the nature of the problem, a squadron meeting was held justifying our action and attempting to inform all personnel.

In that our analysis of the line difficulties appeared to multiply the complexity, plans were drawn up to construct an auxiliary line on the existing poles. This decision followed a smoke test performed on the line, during which thirty-two man stations along the line observed nine sparks and a major burn.

Therefore, the extra crews supplemented our own in salvaging pole hardware for the new line and in filling in personnel for the water hauling schedule.

When the water shortage rose above the critical low, rosters were posted giving the personnel one chance per week to either shower or to wash his clothes.

Our support base was notified and in turn they contacted Drake-Merritt Construction Company informing them to send up a professional line crew. The crew arrived just prior to our beginning actual construction on the new line. Their initial survey of the situation was promising and predicted an early repair, an opinion that anyone who had been close to the problem knew was superficial. As it resulted, the team worked a full week past their scheduled departure. The section was commended for the action we took in this undertaking.

During this repair period, the water tenders continued to haul. This presented several diverse additional problems: Keeping the pumps from freezing between trips, maintaining the pumps, keeping the roads clear, and keeping the trucks in proper condition.

A second meeting was held of all squadron personnel to inform them of the progress.

Although the idea of constructing a new line of the existing poles was openly challenged by the Drake-Merritt firm, Colonel Mitchell, during a personal telephone conversation, agreed with the idea and gave sanction for its construction should the line fail again.

The repair crew found charred splices where the main connector had shorted to the shielding cable. These burnt splices were submitted as evidence to support a UR which was submitted on the line.

Following this situation, the third occurrence of poor conduct on the part of a civilian employee under the Native Son Project called for action against this person which led to his discharge along with another civilian who had refused to comply with working regulations. The regulation required that civilians be required to clean up the area in which they work. Said employee refused to do janitorial services. These discharges were made after conference with Mr. Normal Todd of the Civilian Personnel Office, Goose Bay.

It was during this period that the SnoGo failed. Parts were ordered immediately as the vehicle was invaluable at that time.

During the inclement weather period, plans were made and work begun on both a movie projector booth and a basketball backboard. Both were completed without delay.

To assist in the fire prevention program, an electrician rewired the socket in every bed lamp and drilled ventilation holes about the lamp shade. It was felt that the burnt wires resulted from the lack of ventilation. Further, a fire alarm system was designed and installed. The performance was good, as evidenced by three drills.

Throughout the entire period, the heating problem was under surveillance. An excessive amount of steam was noticed to be escaping from the seven out-of-doors safety valves. An analysis of the system proved this improper. For quite a few weeks continued effort was exerted toward correcting the system. Many minor discrepancies were found and corrected. The presence of leaky traps, however, still prevent this system from being as efficient as possible.

During this period, also, the weather warmed above the freezing point. As a result of the melting ice on the roofs, leaks began to develop, leaks which grew excessively large. At length great damage and greater potential damage was done. This problem was beyond our control.

A security door and a door to Communications office was constructed and an effort was exerted to correct the air-conditioning system in Operations.

All vehicles in the Contractor’s Camp were either sheltered in the garage there or arranged in an orderly fashion. The 15 ton dump trucks were blocked and winterized. Garbage racks for outside garbage cans were built. Signs for the Garbage Dump were constructed. Several outside control lines froze and broke from the poles requiring repair.

The early part of this period was characterized by a general personnel readjustment. Prior to the arrival of employees under the Native Son Project, airmen were assigned to the diesel power plant to cross-train for additional duty as plant operator. These additional personnel served well, fulfilling their mission to a degree in excess of their training.

Upon arrival of the civilian employees, a second training period was initiated to familiarize these individuals with the peculiarities of this section. Following an extensive training period during which manning was maintained at double strength, the civilians were assigned shifts and assumed charge. It seemed advisable to keep military contacts in the plant to integrate administrative and operational procedures.

Therefore, with the exception of one airman who was specifically assigned by orders to the power plant, all other airmen returned to their duty positions in the Motor Vehicle Maintenance Section.

Questions relative to civilian practices on military installations necessitated contacts with the Civilian Personnel Officer at Goose AFB. Matters of improper and delayed pay, lack of money mailing facilities to Canadian Post Offices, working hours, overtime permitted, overtime rates, civilian decorum, military regulation compliance, and disciplinary action had to be considered and concluded.

Because of indefinite and unknown stock levels in Supply, personnel were assigned from the plant to inventory all diesel parts such that better control might be had. During this period equipment and spares arrived which were marked for Marconi Diesel Overhaul and requested not to be used.

Mr. Tom Riley, Marconi Representative, was assigned to this site for an indefinite period to return the diesels to first class operational status. The job, still in progress, proves lengthy because of inadequate supplies and a multitude of minor irregularities. His work has been highly beneficial, serving not only to bring the engines into repair but also to instruct the operator in practices of maintenance where they were either lacking or inadequately trained. To coordinate the mechanical and electrical equipment status, we requested that Marconi’s Electrical Power Engineer, Mr. Fred Jackson, be sent to work with Mr. Riley. As yet Mr. Jackson has not arrived.

Overall efficiency for the months of October, November and December was approximately 69 per cent on HF radio teletype operation. The LF back up was usable nearly 100 per cent of the time, being out only during the latter part of December for de-icing purposes.

During October several bad wind storms caused power failure at receiver and transmitter sites. Back up generators were utilized during these power failures so that there was very little time that they were off the air.

In November and December we had considerable snow, however the roads were kept clear and there was little difficulty in getting back and forth from receiver and transmitters. During the last week in November the new power cables were accepted and put into use. Since this time no power failures have been experienced.

On 7 December 1954, transmission on HF rtty was changed from simultaneous on 5875 and 3240 KC’s to simultaneous on 5875 and 2508 KC’s. Crystals for 2508 were made available from 924^th AC&W Squadron. Until the crystal was received the VOX was utilized in tuning to the new frequency.

During November Marconi riggers re-worked all the UHF antennas. Doing a modification on them which decreased the possibility of loss of efficiency due to moisture condensation.

All through this period we experienced difficulty in keeping the UHF transmitters on the air due to high mortality on 2c39A and 4x150 tubes. None of these tubes were on hand and we could not get them on special requisitions. An emergency message sent to 641^st AC&W Squadron resulted in our receiving a few tubes from their stock. To this date no tubes have been received through normal supply channels although they have been on requisition since November. During the last week in December severe icing conditions prevailed. This was especially dangerous to our LF, HF, and UHF antennas. The LF is the only installation provided with de-icers. These do not work satisfactorily when the temperature is below approximately 15 degrees with the wind over 25 mph. Successful de-icing has been accomplished only on warm days with little wind. Tropospheric Scatter is nearing completion. It is expected that its utilization will solve the communications problem encountered with the present equipment.

The remainder of the original squadron rotated during this period. Communications section has encountered difficulties with accomplishment to the mission because of lack of sufficient personnel. Many of those reassigned have to work outside of their AFSC. With the re-assignment of S/Sgt. Crafts and A/2C Lueck the strength of the section is further depleted. Presently there are no NCO’s assigned. Immediate assignment of more men in these fields is urgent.

During this last quarter of 1954 the Operations section continued to operate efficiently and at the present time merely lacks back up search equipment to be a fully operational GCI station. Two new controllers were assigned to the Section in October and November bringing the strength up to four, which made for much better operation and supervision, allowing each crew to have their own Duty Director. In December Captain Theodore Stewart arrived and was appointed Operations Officer, bringing the section up to full strength.

During the latter part of December the site experienced a water shortage and one of the Operations crews were assigned special duty to aid in the hauling of water. During this period, three crews worked straight seven day shifts and operations continued smoothly. As a whole this section experienced a lack of NCO grades as a result of the final rotation in October but the lower three grade airmen who were appointed to these NCO positions filled the jobs very capably and the work continued smoothly.

Some difficulty has been encountered with our Height-Range Indicator, AN/TPS-502, in that the readings were not correct in relation to known aircraft and maintenance has been continually working on it to correct this error. Coupled with this is the fact that the Height Finder has not been calibrated, nor has our primary Search equipment been calibrated since the installation of a new Radome. As a result we can not know if we are operating at our full potentiality.

The assignment and operation of five UHF channels has aided tremendously in the control and navigational assistance of aircraft but difficulty in procuring certain parts for our mutli-channel UHF transmitters has prevented this somewhat from operating at its full capability.

During the month of October this station carried 781 tracks, in November we carried 786 and in December 629. The number of tracks carried fell during the month of December due to a few days of very bad weather where all flying was kept to an absolute minimum and as a result in the latter part of this month we had two days where there were only two tracks in our whole area.

The ice thickness has not been enough yet so as to sustain a C-47 type aircraft but the H-19 and H-21 type helicopters have been maintaining a steady schedule except when prevented by inclement weather.

Our back up Search Radar has been programmed for the second quarter of 1955 and when this has been accepted this unit will be fully operational.

Routine performance was interrupted on 14 October 1954 when we had a complete power failure for eight minutes during high winds (50-60 mph). Fortunately no damage was done to the Radome.

October marked a transition when the "old bunch" left on yearly rotation and we were on our own. M/Sgt. Kelly, NCOIC, was the last to leave on 21 October 1954. T/Sgt. Clifford Rancour officially joined our ranks on 15 November 1954.

During November we completed "Operation Snail". This was the construction of a standby blower system to be utilized in case of a blower or power failure.

During this time we also completed the installation of an auxiliary alarm system for added protection of our Radome.

During December we constructed a liquid manometer type of anemometer to be used as Radome protection in case of an anemometer failure. During the past three months our training program was intensified with the addition of Philco Tech Rep Mr. Joe Zelinski to our ranks.

During December we welcomed Marconi Tech rep Ronald Blanchard to our section, which brought us up to the level of three Marconi and one Philco Tech Rep. As a result we were able to give a total of 197 hours of instruction to maintenance personnel during this quarter without interfering with normal operations.