Moosonee, ON

Introduction and Summary of Years Events

Canadian Forces Station Moosonee (formerly known as 15 Radar Squadron Moosonee) is located approximately one mile north of the town of Moosonee. The purpose of the Station is to provide radar data to the SAGE System, specifically to the Direction Centre at North Bay.

During the calendar year 1867 there was a 53.6% change-over in Station personnel. In the Officer ranks the percentage was 80% of the establishment at the beginning of the year with the addition to the establishment of one Dentist to serve this Station and CFS Lowther.

Total strength of the Station increased over the course of the year by nine personnel on the military side and three personnel on the civilian side, resulting in the strength equal to establishment for military and one short of establishment for civilian personnel.

Early in the year and after extensive study the Station introduced the ADC program of management, Management by Results, and has refined this technique over the course of the year to suit the needs of the Station. The name of the Station was officially changed from 15 Radar Squadron to Canadian Forces Station Moosonee on 10 Aug 67.

In sports and recreation the Station began the development of a nine hole par three golf course, was successful in obtaining a grant to improve the curling rink facilities, and boasted the first dependent in ADC to complete the 100 Mile ADC Walkathon.

Maintenance proficiency of all electronic and radar equipment continued to meet ADC goals during the course of the year. In June a contractor (Marconi) repair and overhaul team visited the Station and conducted an overhaul of the two height finders. On 19 June repainting of all the radomes was begun and completed one week later.

During the summer an extensive review and updating of the Station EDP was accomplished and an EDP Command Post was established and equipped. Additional communications for Security Forces were obtained and better lighting of the Security Areas was completed.

On the Operations side, the Station participated with a high degree of success in all Region and Divisional Exercises and conducted a total of two Vulnerability Tests, the second one being a Command test. Both exercises were considered to be successful in training exercises. A total of twelve Station EDP exercises were conducted. During the summer however a marked drop in efficiency was caused by the high turnover of personnel during this time period. A Command test in Oct however showed that our training efforts with the new staff and the adoption of the new procedures again brought the proficiency up to the level required for the Command.

Local on-the-job training continues at a high rate for technical and administrative staffs. Courses were conducted for 45 personnel on Emergency Security Force procedures and threat. During the summer the Station was authorized a Search and Rescue team and one exercise was conducted before the end of the calendar year. Three First-aid courses were conducted for a total of 24 personnel. Three projectionist courses were run with a total enrolment of 36. 36 personnel were trained on the 9mm Browning automatic pistol and 56 on the 8mm sten gun. One security briefing for 100 personnel and one EDP organization briefing were conducted. Other than local training many personnel at the Station were trained on Armed Forces courses such as the SSTS course, technical courses, on various radar and ancillary equipments and courses conducted by civilian agencies such as the Water Treatment and Sewage course.

On 8 Aug 67 a fire occurred in PMQ 7 Musko Avenue, resulting in a loss of $5,000.00 to the building and furniture. Refinishing of the salvageable furniture has begun, however no work has been done on refinishing the PMQ. During the year the new Post Office building was completed and in the spring new bowling alleys were installed in the Recreation Centre. A fire break was completed around the perimeter of the Station to counteract the lack of forest fire-fighting equipment in the area. During the break-up of the river ice in the Spring of the year several earth failures occurred along our TACAN Road an in the vicinity of the dam on Butler Creek. Preventative action against further action of this nature was completed during the summer and consisted in placement of quantities of rock-fill along the shores of the river in the vicinity of the dam. Other outdoor projects completed during the year consisted of the completion of a small arms firing range (done completely with volunteer help) and provision for better outdoor lighting in the secure areas around the radar towers. Minor carpentry work consisted of completion of porches in 100 PMQs and the refinishing of a dental office in the HQ building.

CFS Moosonee received the following visits and inspections during the year 1967:

S/L LW Mould SORA/P ADCHQ Longueuil arrived for a four day visit.

F/O PJ Dunne and Cpl LJ Billard of CFB North Bay arrived for a three day TACAN inspection.

S/L Tufts and Cpl. Dubois from ADCHQ Longueuil arrived for annual Supply Inspection.

F/L Eckley from ADCHQ Longueuil arrived for Annual SOPA Inspection. F/L Steiner from ADCHQ North Bay arrived for Inspection of Message and Crypto Centre.

S/L Miller, SSOPA/Rec. from ADCHQ Longueuil arrived for a Visit. F/O Graham, Accts, from CFS Ramore arrived for Accounts Audit.

F/L R Ford and WO2 Coyle of ADCHQ North Bay SSOCE staff arrived for Staff Inspection of Radar Maintenance Area.

Dental team of Captain G Charles and Cpl G Anderson arrived for five weeks TD.

Major R Plante, Reg. Matron, and LCdr D Ife, Reg. Hygiene Officer, OMR, arrived for a three day Staff Visit.

Colonel R Cunningham and Captain VO Bergland arrived from 13 Dental Coy Trenton to investigate the need for a permanent Dental Unit at CFS Moosonee.

WO2 D Shire arrived from Comm Group Oakville for Message Centre Liaison Visit. F/L A Forbely and WO2 W Bull arrived from ADCHQ Longueuil for MSE Staff Visit.

F/O Graham, Accts, arrived from CFS Ramore for Accounts Audit.

F/L Cyr arrived from CFRC Kirkland Lake for Liaison Visit.

W/C Inglis arrived from CFS Senneterre for Staff Visit. WO2 B Molik arrived from CFB North Bay for TACAN Technical Audit.

WO2 JL St. Jean arrived from Comm Squadron Petawawa for Comm Det Liaison Visit.

WO1 J Sherman arrived from ADCHQ North Bay to inspect the 25-yard range.

Lt. OC Budd arrived from CFB North Bay to inspect the mode of transportation of messing to this unit. G/C Farrell, Comptroller ADCHQ, arrived by air for one day Staff Visit.

F/L C Drouin from ADCHQ Longueuil SORA/RC arrived for Staff Visit.

F/L C Unger and F/O B Wood arrived from CFB North Bay as EDP Inspection Team.

Colonel D Saunders, Mr. Jones, Mr. Baswick and WO1 Gustafson arrived from 3 RCEO for Liaison Visit. F/O P Graham and Cpl. G Stanley arrived from CFS Ramore for Accounts Audit.

LCdr D Ife arrived from Reg. Surg Oakville for Hygiene Inspection.

Colonel M Vizant, LCol R Moss and Major R Davis arrived from NNRHQ North Bay for Liaison Visit.

Col. L Edwards, Reg. Surg OMR and S/L J Hodgkinson, Comd Surg ADCHQ arrived for Liaison Visit.

WO2 DF Shire arrived from Comm Group Oakville for Liaison Visit.

The following is a summary of major sports programs during the year 1967:

Swimming – An active swimming program was maintained on the Station with courses given at Junior, Senior and Intermediate levels. 121 Service and dependent personnel participated and 62 passed their course.

Hockey – A Station Hockey Team was again entered in the Local hockey league with Moosonee and Moose Factory.

Softball – An inter-section softball league was in operation during this summer and the Station enjoyed the visit of a team from CFS Senneterre to play in the Zone IV Softball elimination’s. In addition, a ladies softball league was formed and enjoyed very much by dependents and local residents.

Bowling – Three leagues were formed this year, men’s, ladies and mixed and a great deal of use was made of the new facilities installed last spring.

Curling – As in other years, curling proved to be one of the most valuable of Station recreation facilities with the men’s, ladies and mixed curling leagues all in full operation.

Golf – During the summer months preliminary steps were taken to lay out a nine-hole par 3 golf course on the Station, and while adequate greens were not available, the facilities were enjoyed by a good number of Unit personnel. At the final golf tournament, forty participants competed on the course. This winter, river sand was obtained through the expenditures of NPF funds for the improvement of the course greens during the summer of 1968.

Volleyball – An active inter-mess volleyball league was formed for a period of two months this winter.

Other sports activities participated in by lesser numbers of people were fishing, boating, hunting, skidooing and badminton. A one week Winter Carnival was held in Feb 67 with full participation from all service personnel, dependents and DND employees. This activity proved to be the highlight of the winter season. A variety show, sports banquet and children’s Christmas parties for both the Station and the town were again held this year and proved very successful.

In Feb a seminar was held in the town of Moosonee on the development of northern resources and was attended by professors and researchers from many universities in Canada. The participants were entertained in the Officer’s Mess on the first evening of the seminar. During their vacation, a group of students from Upper Canada College visited the Unit and were given a tour of the Station, as is now almost a custom for this school. On 17 Oct the Oakville Collegiate orchestra and dance team visited the Unit as a centennial project and gave two performances in the Station Recreation Centre. During the afternoon performance the invitations were extended to all school children in the town of Moosonee and during the evening performance to all adults. Both performances were very well attended.

Military Visits – On the 4 Mar a team of Army personnel from CFB Gagetown arrived in the area for winter exercises. Many of the personnel made use of the facilities on the Base during portions of their stay and participated in a Unit vulnerability exercise. As a centennial project the Royal 22^nd Regiment of CFB Val Cartier arrived by canoe to the town of Moosonee and were greeted by the CO and other personnel from the Station. The trip was called "Exercise D’Iberville Exhibition".

Missing Personnel – During Oct many personnel from the Station participated in a search for one of the local residents. The body was not discovered until some months later.

Levee was held in the Caribou Club with all Officers and Sr. NCO’s invited to attend.

S/L Keddy arrived by train.

Handing over Parade at 0800 hours in the Rec. Centre. S/L AE Keddy assumed Command from S/L DF Bate.

First Annual Winter Carnival. Cpls. winners , followed by Sgts., Officers and Airmen.

Team of Army personnel arrived from CFB Gagetown for Winter Exercise.

F/L R Ford and WO2 D Coyle of ADCHQ North Bay SSOCE staff arrived for Staff Inspection of Radar Maintenance Area.

Major R Plante, Regional Matron, and LCdr D Ife, regional Hygiene Officer, Ontario Medical Region, arrived for a three-day staff visit.

Colonel Cunningham and Captain VO Bergland arrived from 13 Dental Coy Trenton to investigate the need for a permanent Dental Unit at CFS Moosonee.

Mr. McDonnell and Mr. Gauld arrived from Marconi to assist in changing the Azimuth Drive on the antenna.

Mr. Gadwell, DDP representative, arrived for inspection of Radome Reconditioning. Mr. Foley, Mr. Schoennher and Mr. Pushman from UNITEC arrived for Radome Reconditioning.

The "Exercise D’Iberville Expedition" arrived. This consisted of six canoes mainly CF personnel from Royal 22e Regiment of CFB Cal Cartier, departed Montreal 1 Jul 67.

A fastball team arrived from CFS Senneterre to compete in a Zone IV elimination, CFS Senneterre emerged the winner, two games to one.

F/L C Unger and F/O B Wood arrived from CFB North Bay as EDP Inspection Team.

PMQ 7 Musko Avenue resulting in $5,000.00 damage by fire. New Post Office completed. New bowling alleys installed in the Rec. Centre. Small arms range completed. 110 PMQs had porches installed. Dental Office refinished.

15 Radar Squadron became Canadian Forces Station Moosonee.

Station Golf team proceeded to CFB Petawawa and competed in Zone IV Golf Championships.

Albatross aircraft piloted by Mr. Leroux landed at this unit on return from Great Whale River with Medical Air Evacuation for hospital at Moose Factory.

F/O RA Northover departed on TD to attend 9^th Annual NORAD Electronic Warfare Conference at Washington, DC.

Twenty-four members of the Ontario Economic Council headed by Mr. Dick Schler and Mr. Leo DelVillano were given a bus tour of the unit.

CFS Moosonee "Grey Cup" game was played on snow covered ball field.

CO’s Parade – Centennial Medals presented to: S/L AE eddy, F/S FH Camsell, Sgt. K Fisher, Sgt. WC Brewer and Cpl. RF Smith.