Parent, QC

Interim Take-Over new buildings included:

1. Administration Building
2. Extension to Combined Quarters
3. Fire Hall
4. Passageways to FPS-6 and right tower
5. VME Section
6. Swimming Pool

85H76-C55 road grader was received. 116A26-B56 15 passenger bus was received.

Radar off for annual overhaul. Quiet routine for one week. Radar jamming carried out on this station’s radar. Two unknown aircraft in our area. One chaff run against this station’s radar. Search radar off for emergency maintenance for a short period. This station on simulated Air Defence Readiness (prepare for attack), 9 controllers ready. Released from Cocked Pistol with no action. One Mid-Canada Line penetration with no action. Final week of month was a quiet routine week. This unit had 300 live intercepts during the month of June, 16 synthetic, 2 broadcast control and 8 recoveries. 12 operational signals received for our area. Controllers - F/O Hunt transferred in; F/O Ball transferred out.

1 Broadcast control exercise, two unknowns this area. Auxiliary controllers at this unit under instruction. Cocked Pistol, 6 controllers available. No action this unit. Chaff exercise against this unit on 11 July. No mission results on exercise - reason - ECM. Cocked Pistol, release to normal state with no tactical action. Little river runs against the radar. A/C Reyno landed at Mauser Lake. Three unknown aircraft intercepted by this control.

This unit had 529 live intercepts in July, 108 synthetic, no broadcast control and 1 recovery. 31 operational signals concerning this area received in July.

A very successful Summer Carnival was held at Station Parent on 27 Jul 57. The Station was most fortunate and all personnel both service and civilian were most pleased that A/C Reyno, from ADCHQ, was able to attend. Station Senneterre sent their summer sports representatives this year as they have in the past, they were beaten, as in the past. However, the Carnival was such a huge success and everyone had such a wonderful time that win or lose, the event was more than worthwhile for all who attended. The Carnival provided much good publicity for the Station and indeed the RCAF as a whole. Over sixty news clippings from many Canadian newspapers have been received so far. The crowning achievement in this line was a sport editorial in one of Canada'’ leading newspapers exalting the virtues of living up north on an RCAF Station. Six or seven hundred people watched the sports and five hundred, at least, attended the Carnival Ball. The second day - Sunday - of the Carnival was somewhat rained out but the annual softball game was wedged in between rain showers. After the last guest had departed and there was time to reflect on the Carnival as a whole the main thoughts voiced were that it had been worth all the extra hours of work, the disruption of routine, and the money. All agreed that the event should be staged again and this time it will be even bigger and better.

The Station HQ moved to the new HQ building near the end of the month. The space provided is, of course, far superior to the two PMQs used previously. The SOR is slightly under staffed, the accounts section is up to strength.

Six air defence readiness test calls to this unit. Routine week. Three unknown aircraft this area, Two B-52 aircraft intercepted with total synthetic destruction. Three air raid warning tests made to this unit. This station’s radar jammed by four USAF B-29 bombers. Routine.

Controllers transferred out - F/O Ewasick, F/O Torseth, F/O Bygrave. Controllers transferred in - F/O Hedley, F/O MacKay, F/L Healey-Ogden, F/L Andrews and F/O Armstrong.

This unit did 718 live intercepts, 156 synthetic, 10 broadcast control and nil recoveries. Unknown this area for August 63.

Construction of extension to Central Heating Plant underway. 90% complete to date. Hydro power disconnected and returned to Diesel power.

The station was visited by Mr. Frank Haughian, the CCPO and various members of the DND Employees Union Association and in all cases a most favorable report from these persons has been received.

The first week was routine with 1 broadcast control exercise. Several synthetic air defence readiness tests made by USAF units to this unit. Two synthetic exercises completed.

Two synthetic exercises on sked flight to leave Montreal 1500Z. Two unknown aircraft this area. This unit on Cocked Pistol. This unit released Cocked Pistol with no action. Sked flight cancelled. Final week was routine.

One height finder dismantled with the view of installing more capable equipment in the near future.

F/O Hedley and F/L Healey-Ogden visited St. Hubert for a weekend. F/O Hedley proceeded to Sector at Lac St. Denis for one month cross training at Sector Command level. W/C Yarnell and F/O Boynes visited the Auxiliary unit at Three Rivers regarding training of Auxiliary Controllers at this unit.

244 live intercepts this area in September, 34 synthetic, 1 broadcast control, nil recovery, 49 unknown aircraft this area this month.

Projection booth completed at Recreation Hall. 52L14A55 Fork Lift was received. Air Defence Command Supply Field Inspection carried out by F/L Porter and Sgt. Johnson. Modification to eaves at Rec. Hall underway; to date 80% complete. Construction of inflammable stores at Hospital was started. Entrance facilities were installed for LDP circuit #51. These facilities consist of a metallic pair between RCAF Station Parent and the LaTuque Central office in Parent Village.

The RCA microwave repeater Sites 3402, 3404, 3406, 3407 and 3408 were inspected jointly by representatives of RCA Victor Company and the RCAF. Inventories were checked and the equipment at these sites was formally handed over to the RCAF. The RCA microwave installation and inventory at Site 207 (Parent terminal) was checked jointly by representatives of RCA Victor Company, AMC, ADC and Station Parent. The equipment at this site was then formally handed over to the RCAF.

S/L Sansoucey, Com G/2 ADCHQ, visited this unit and inspected all communications ground installations.

The school year began this month. The Protestant school has three teachers, Mr. And Mrs. W Graham and Miss M Kelly. The RC school has two teachers, Mr. And Mrs. CJ Shaw. The kindergarten is being held at a PMQ and the teacher is Mrs. Loma. The Protestant school is becoming overcrowded with sixty children attending. The RC school accommodation appears to be adequate for the present.

Exercise Brave Star, good results this unit. Routine first week with a total of 406 live tracks. There were 467 live tracks and normal work throughout the following week. Cocked Pistol and released with no action. There were three synthetic exercises carried out during the last week. F/O MacKay attended the control proficiency course at Cold Lake. Fairly active unit this month with 414 live intercepts, 27 synthetic and 9 broadcast control, nil recovery. 112 unknown aircraft this area for the month.

#1 AN/FPS-501 was removed and the work was completed on 4 Oct 57. Mr. D Adams and Mr. LR Biby both of RCA were in charge of removal and packing and shipping.

Roads and landscaping contractors stopped work for winter. Roads are complete and landscaping approximately 85% complete to date.

This unit was visited by a Northern Electric Company mobile repair party which was charged with the overhaul of all unit communications equipment (other than telephones). This part completed the overhaul and departed from Station Parent 24 Oct 57.

Air Force Headquarters Supply Field Inspection carried out by S/L Milne, WO2 Miller and Sgt. Murphy.

By their message M1898 ADCHQ authorized a new teletype maintenance policy for this unit. Under the revised system the teletype technician from RCAF Station Senneterre would be directed to visit this unit as and when required. Arrangements were made between RCAF Station Senneterre and this unit to have the technician visit Station Parent on a regular monthly basis.

Construction of inflammable stores at hospital completed.

Peaking of prime search radar AN/PFS-3C took place during the period 30 Oct to 6 Nov 57. Mr. D Fort of Northern Electric Company was in charge of a party of three.

There were 400 tracks during the first week. Exercise Cold Wing 2 started 6 Nov 57 0100Z. The following week was routine. In Nov, 20 B-47 overfly and 6 intercepts were made by this unit. On 21 Nov Birchtree 3 B-52 aircraft of USAF one intercept made this unit. F/O Hardy, an Auxiliary Controller from Three Rivers on TD at this unit for training. F/O James was pilot of a C-119 which flew a 30 mile circle around this unit for step gain receiver trials. F/O Braun Auxiliary controller here for training. This unit changed Chief Operations Officers with F/L Norman being transferred to Station Edgar and F/L Andrews taking over as this unit’s Chief Operations Officer.

This unit carried 70 unknown tracks, had quite an active month with 548 live intercepts, 11 synthetic and 12 broadcast control. No recoveries were made.

W/C Gallagher and W/C Rodgers visited the Station twice during this period. The last time near the end of November. Padre Jensen arrived on the unit in late October and Father Brien lives in town and ministers to the Station an average of three times per week. In November he became F/L Brien, Supplementary Reserve.

The Combined Mess staff is now coming up to strength. The kitchen service has been overworked in the past due to shortage of personnel. With new help, work hours will return somewhere near normal.

The Hospital staff have had a hard working and productive six months. The Asian Flu epidemic hit this unit as it did the rest of the RCAF. The percentage of personnel who were ill was approximately 30%. Luckily it did not strike all at once. It was not all luck, of course, steps were taken to isolate all those infected and people were asked to take precautions. One whole wing of a barrack block was used for a few days as an isolation ward. No recurrence of the flu has yet appeared.

The summer recreation program was highlighted by the above mentioned Summer Carnival, however, much else took place. It can be safely stated that this unit provides and personnel make use of as many recreational facilities as on any other RCAF Station. The lake in the centre of the unit has been poisoned and will be restocked with 10,000 speckled trout. Many organized fishing and hunting trips to the surrounding lakes and bushy areas, took place over the entire season. Swimming and water skiing were two major summer aquatic sports. Our station swimming pool opened in late August. The unit now has ample trained lifeguards and instructors. Softball and football were very popular during the season and summer dances and outings were popular.

Winter activity is now in full swing and very well attended. A new hockey rink has been built; at no time before has a hockey rink on the unit been so well patronized. An extension to the curling rink has been erected, along with a new club house. Both of the a/m projects have been carried off entirely with voluntary labour. The cost to the Station Fund for these two projects with all the bits and pieces included, along with new and renewed equipment, will be well over $1,000. The ski tow equipment has been overhauled and many station personnel are eagerly awaiting enough snow for the skiing to begin. The bowling alleys, now public equipment, are going full blast 6 ½ days a week. The Station Theatre has been showing good films. The theatre is, of course, well attended. All sections on the unit have teams in all organized sports. The sports played include basketball, volleyball, blowing, badminton, hockey, curling, shooting, etc. The station recreation programme is in a very healthy condition.

An important visit to the domestic site was carried out by the Sector Commander C/G Pollard on 8 Nov 57. This senior officer appeared pleased with what he saw. Suitable entertainment, Dinner Dances, luncheons, trips to the pulp operations were arranged for this visit. The station being somewhat isolated always looks forward to visits from personnel from the "outside".

A field party from the Canadian Aviation Electronics Ltd. (CAEL) arrived to finalize the installation of three 120 foot steel masts. This party completed the work associated with these masts by:

1. Removing unused antennas from wooden masts no longer in operation. These antennas were no longer required since they had been replaced earlier by new radiators installed on the 120 foot masts.
2. Installing 10 feet aluminum lightning arrestors on top of the 120 foot masts.

The party departed from Station Parent 14 Nov 57.

Peaking of prime height finder radar AN/FPS-6 took place during period of 13 to 19 Nov 57. Mr. R Bowslaugh of CGE was in charge of a party of five.

Two additional VHF antennas were installed on the roof of the left tower. Two were installed on Room L302 of the left tower. The total number of VHF transmitters installed in the left tower is now four.

An annual overhaul of the complementary height finder radar AN/TPS-501 #2 took place during the period 26 Nov 57 to 2 Dec 57. Mr. RW Mousseau of RCA was in charge.

Signed by:
(CS Yarnell) W/C
CO, RCAF Station Parent.