Historical Narrative
RCAF Station Moisie, PQ
1 Jun 1958 to 30 Nov 1958
3 Jun 58
Successful "shake up" exercise in conjunction with 32nd Air Div. Successfully completed two intercepts on profile target with one section (2 aircraft) of F-89s handed over from 766th AC&W Squadron, USAF, Presqu’Ile. Work commenced on painting of radomes.
2 – 3 Jun 58
Inspection of Unit by AOC, A/V/M LE Wray.
14 Jun 58
Air Force Day – open house to public – twelve visitors plus forty from Montreal Chamber of Commerce.
7 Jun 58
Visit to unit be members of Greater Detroit Chamber of Commerce.
9 Jun 58
RCAF fire fighters commenced fire fighting course fro Seven Islands Fire Dept. Course terminated 22 Aug 58.
15 – 16 Jun 58
19 members of Canadian Industrial Preparedness Association with conducting officer Major General Howard and 5 crew members of Wheeler Airlines weathered in at Seven Islands. Accommodated and entertained on unit.
23 Jun 58
ECM exercise carried out with SAC aircraft. Completed GCI site run photographed and later assessed.
24 Jun 58
"Shake up" exercise resulted in 1 missed intercept 3 "missions accomplished". Mr. Romeo Duguay, civilian cook in Combined Mess, died suddenly from heart attack in BB4.
3 Jul 58
ECM training exercise with ADC "FRICASSEE" aircraft. Practice provided in ECCM against both electronic and mechanical jamming.
4 – 9 Jul 58
Supply Inspection by W/C EE Parks (SOSup) ADCHQ and staff.
15 Jul 58
Air Alert NORAD due to Middle East situation.
24 Jul 58
MAT aircraft weathered in with 33 passengers. Accommodated and fed overnight. Security infiltration team attempted to sabotage operational role of unit commencing at 1800 hours. All infiltrators apprehended without any damage or impairment of operations functions. Security Plan implemented at 1800 hours and ceased at 0315 hours 25 Jul.
30 Jul 58
Emergency Helicopter landing by civilian pilot who ran out of gas.
6 Aug 58
MAT Hospital aircraft C-118 with 49 personnel aboard made emergency landing Seven Islands with engine trouble. Station ambulance took Brigadier General with leukemia to Seven Islands Hospital, 5 women, 6 children, 7 walking hospital cases and 30 others accommodated at unit.
12 Aug 58
"Shake up" exercise controlled 3 sections of USAF F-89s against southbound penetrating "Faker" tracks. Results, 6 "missions accomplished" (MAs) and 2 "Missed Intercept" (MI).
11-28 Aug 58
DM Audit Team at unit.
20 Aug 58
Successful ECM exercise with four SAC jammers. Valuable training derived for personnel on duty. Commenced alterations to Supply Quonset #29 to provide workshop space for supply repair craftsmen.
21 Aug 58
Infectious diseases – 2 cases of ringworm.
25 Aug 58
1 case of scabies. Commenced laying out garage locations for the 40 garages for steelox PMQs.
29 Aug 58
Profile exercise worked in conjunction with 766th AC&W Squadron USAF. Controlled one section of F-89 with results 3 "missions accomplished".
1 Sep 58
Mrs. Faguy (dependent of 24707 Sgt. JCR Faguy) died at Quebec Hospital.
2 Sep 58
Shake up exercise involving aircraft from Presqu’Ile. Results of 100% on intercepts.
8 Sep 58
Baby Bernard Desroches (dependent of 151623 LAC JAJB Desroches) was found dead in PMQ.
10 – 23 Sep 58
Northern Electric overhaul team with Mr. WH Heaven in charge carried out an overhaul on the FPS-3, GPA 30 and UPX6’s.
12 Sep 58
1815 hours fire in Maintenance Craftsmen Shop with approximately $2,000.00 damage.
15 Sep 58
Concentrated trade advancement program involving classes for FtrCops, commenced to prepare for Oct trade exams. New Maintenance Craftsmen’s Shop opened in Supply Quonset. Tower sub-stores opened.
19 Sep 58
Visit by RC School Inspector, Mr. Hewitt from Quebec City.
20 Sep 58
Cocked Pistol initiating exercise "Top Hand" at 0440Z.
21 Sep 58
Battle of Britain Parade. "Top Hand" ceased at 2300Z. Unit operational participation at a minimum level.
23 Sep 58
Shake up exercise with aircraft from Presqu’Ile. Results 100% successful for this unit.
24 – 25 Sep 58
Northern Electric MRP led by Mr. L Hebden installed halyards on the HF transmitter masts, for raising and lowering of HF antennas. This party also replaced three squirrel cage type UHF antennas, two at the receiver and one at the transmitter site.
7 Oct 58
AOC, A/V/M MacBrien visited the station. 24 Americans grounded on route to Goose Bay in C-123.
8 Oct 58
Section placed on "Cocked Pistol" for canned NORAD exercise "Desk Top". Alert status initiated at 0741Z and terminated at 2008Z. Limited exercise traffic within this unit’s area of responsibility and no tactical action was feasible. Little or no training value at this level of the ACW system was derived as exercise traffic was of small volume at any time during program.
10 Oct 58
Captain Frey (USAF) after landing his Aeronca on Lac Rapide, is received on station and provided with rations and quarters pending his departure on last leg of his journey to Goose Bay.
13 Oct 58
Captain Frey, on his own initiative, departs in light plane from Lac Rapide to Goose Bay; take off at approximately 1000 hrs. local. At approximately 1600 hours local, Goose Bay report no sign of Captain Frey and check with Eon Lake reveals he did not check in at Eon during day. State of aircraft emergency is declared and Goose Bay initiate air search action along Seven Islands – Goose Bay route.
15 Oct 58
1 Canso, 1 SAC Search aircraft based Moisie for search.
16 Oct 58
During October a broken water main on the station led to the discovery that the location of shut off valves as shown on site plans and as they actually exist are no coincident. During the month the hunt for these missing shut off valves was carried.
17 Oct 58
Search for Captain Frey now in full operation with search master working out of Goose Bay. One USAF H-21 helicopter temporarily based at Station Moisie for local area search operations.
22 Oct 58
From 0007Z to 0201Z participated in "Big Blast" ECM exercise. Two sections of fighters were assigned to this unit’s control "Big Blast" and tactical training and results were satisfactory. At approximately 0915 hours local word was received on this unit of sighting of Aeronca "KWS" on lake near St. Augustine. Message was relayed from St. Augustine, through Havre St. Pierre and Seven Islands radio and initiated by two hunters who travelled for two days out to St. Augustine to relay their findings. Aircraft was found abandoned on lake 20 miles inland from St. Augustine. Note left in aircraft indicated Captain Frey had found a canoe cached on lake shore and was setting out in search of food and shelter. Immediate search of area failed to locate canoe or the Captain, therefore, hunters proceeded on foot to report findings at St. Augustine. All search facilities now concentrating on St. Augustine area. This unit relaying messages between Goose and St. Augustine – Havre St. Pierre – Seven Islands HF radio net. Search later abandoned with no trace of Captain Frey. At 1810Z station placed on "Cocked Pistol" for no warning NORAD exercise. Operational status increased to maximum capability and station security plan implemented. On this day, also took part in valuable ECM training mission directed by ECM Flight St Hubert. F/O Goosens, representing ECM Flight gave good briefing to all Ops and Telecom personnel. Briefing was followed 23 Oct by actual ECM display by ECM aircraft "FRICASSEE" with resultant practice in ECCM.
23 Oct 58
"Fade Out" received on NORAD exercise. Personnel employed in both surveillance/ident and control functions. Valuable training was derived.
24 Oct 58
COpsO F/L Beland, STP/O F/O Pengelly and NCO i/c Ops Sgt. Dyke depart on 2 week SDC indoctrination course in Santa Monica, California.
30 Oct 58
Visit by GObC personnel.
2 Nov 58
A civilian Seabee CF-FGG was reported overdue on a flight from Knob Lake to Seven Islands. Following a request from Halifax Search and Rescue, a communications check on the Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway was instituted, and all line stations were queried. Finally after three hours and thirty five minutes had elapsed, the aircraft was located at mile 87.
5 Nov 58
A "Big Blast" exercise was initiated involving SAC forces and 2 Sector. Surveillance results by this unit were excellent and although actual intercept activity was limited to one sortie, the overall results were most favourable.
11 Nov 58
Remembrance Day Parade in Seven Islands.
15 Nov 58
Children’s ADC Wire Swimming meet held.
17 Nov 58
Dr. Schudy, Systems Development Corporation, arrived to assist with STP programmes.
20 Nov 58
The first STP problem was conducted at a unit level only, giving operations another first experience. Although the manpower situation is critical, the program functioned very satisfactorily, while ordinary operations were conducted simultaneously by a skeleton crew. The next week saw further development of the STP program under the guidance of Dr. JJ Tschudy, STP Installation Team Member, F/L Beland COpsO and F/O Pengelly, STP Officer.
25 Nov 58
Contractor and DCL representative arrived to begin construction of 26 new PMQs, sewage plant and extension to power plant.
26 Nov 58
The first Sector exercise in STP was initiated and all programs are scheduled on a Monday – Wednesday – Friday basis. Results of the exercises thus far have been most favourable from the unit level although the whole program is still in the infant stage. However, interest among the crews is of a high degree and there has been a steady increase in efficiency with the added experience gained.
29 Nov 58
Construction of new road from airport to station completed.