Saglek, Labrador

924^th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
APO New York 09439

Richard J VanderSlik, 1^st Lt.

1 AN/FPS-93A; 2 AN/UPX-14; 3 AN/GPS-T2/T2A; 1 AN/GPA-30; 1 AN/GLH-501; 1 AN/UPA-35; 1 AN/GPX-7A; 7 OA-175; 4 AN/GRC-27; 3 AN/GRT-3; 3 AN/FRT-502; 1 GTA-6A.

Supply and Services Branch:

Total aircraft processed for turn-around by Supply and Services Branch: Four (4) DC-4’s, twenty-six (26) DC-3’s; one (1) HU-16. Incoming cargo included 32,486 lbs. of general; 16,642 lbs. of produce, 9,896 lbs. of mail and 207 passengers. Outgoing cargo consisted of 19,687 lbs. of general, no lbs. of produce, 6,432 lbs. of mail and 264 passengers.1^st Lt. James A Rohrer was lost; 1^st Lt. Peter C Lillie was gained.

Materiel Control – During this period 58 priority requests were processed. Fourteen (14) pieces of test equipment were sent to CMC for calibration. There were no personnel gains or losses during this period.

Food Services – There were no personnel gains or losses during this period.

Lower Camp – Eighty-seven (87) vehicle work orders were completed with a total of 607 manhours expended on general repair work orders. There were no reportable accidents during this period.

Civil Engineering Branch:

The site bowling alley was repaired and resurfaced. Requested alterations to the television studio were completed during this quarter. The summer road was kept open for the longest period recorded yet. 1^st Lt. Norman H Kale attended the Disaster Preparedness Course at Goose AB, 16-24 November. T/Sgt. Sam Maliziola was acting Base Civil Engineer from 6 Dec to 6 Jan 1967. It was announced that 924 AC&W IDC-P was the second place winner in the AC&W Squadron category, FY 66 Fire Protection Contest, First Air Force. Mr. Allen F Lyons and Mr. James Norman resigned during this quarter. S/Sgt. Webber, Fire Chief, departed this station and one airman was gained during the quarter.

Operations Branch:

During this quarter the 924^th AC&W Squadron Operations Section participated in three (3) live missions and eleven (11) simulated missions. The Commander, Major Thomas R Singleton, completed eleven (11) live intercepts and the Operations Officer, 1^st Lt. Donald W Vaughn, completed thirty-five (35) live intercepts prior to his rotation 5 November, 1966. 1^st Lt. Richard J VanderSlik reported to this station as Operations Officer on 15 December 1966. On 1 November a Cessna 172 landed at the station for re-fueling. The aircraft was en-route to Sondrestrom AFB. Upon departure, the pilot ran into severe weather and was returning to Saglek when he declared an emergency due to fuel problems. The pilot reported going down at 55 55N and 63 15W. November 85, an FAA C-54 in the area at the time, was vectored by Saglek Air Station to the scene of the crash and established contact with the downed aircraft. Both crew members were uninjured. Two survival kits were prepared by this station and air dropped by November 85. On 2 November a helicopter dispatched from Halifax to perform the rescue was unable to proceed due to weather. A Canadian Coast Guard Cutter (CGBA) in the area at that time was contacted, vectored to the area of the crash and performed the rescue.

Medical Services Branch:

A total of 164 patients were treated during this period; none required medical evacuation. Ten (10) patients were referred to the 868 Medical Group, Goose AB, Labrador, for further consultation. A four-hour indoctrination course in First Aid was completed for the civilian personnel assigned to BMEWS.

Information and Recreation Branch:

The GEEIA team completed the installation of the closed circuit television station. The equipment was quality control tested and discrepancies listed. Station commenced telecasting Nov 21. Projectors almost immediately began blowing an excess amount of fuses and lamps. This trouble was eliminated and programming was good for a short while. Then a fiber gear in one of the projectors was stripped and operators kept programming by utilizing only one projector. Before the crippled projector could be repaired the other projector had the same difficulty with the same gear and the station went out of operation for about two weeks awaiting replacement parts. Investigation revealed that the television station at Goose, Labrador, had had the same trouble with the same gear three or four times in the past. One of the first "live" shows on the television station was a Christmas service by Chaplain (Major) Calvin W Roy, 37^th Air Division Site Chaplain. Prior to the installation of the television station, S/Sgt. Luther A Dalton, then station manager, took permissive TDY to Goose Air Base to learn the fundamentals of television console and projector operation. Radio station operation was turned back over to the squadron. Annual re-supply was accomplished. Personnel losses were S/Sgt. Eugene Pickett and one airman. One airman was gained.

Communications and Electronics Branch:

Supervision – In November SM/Sgt. Alex O Cardenas was placed in the First Sergeant position, while he also supervised the Maintenance Control Center. The additional duty of First Sergeant as assigned to Sergeant Cardenas due to no replacement for the departing (PCS) First Sergeant. M/Sgt. Lloyd E Pierce arrived 21 November and was assigned primary duties of Quality Control Inspector for the Communications and Electronics Maintenance. He also assumed the duty (temporarily) as Maintenance Control Center Supervisor until Sergeant Cardenas could be released for full time duties at C&E. The Operations Section was removed from the supervision of the C&E Branch upon arrival of 1^st Lt. Richard J VanderSlik, 15 December. During this quarter the Materiel Control Section was removed from the C&E Branch and placed under the supervision of the Supply Section.

Radar Maintenance – The Canadian Marconi Company sent a Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory (PMEL) team on 7 November to calibrate test equipment operated by maintenance personnel. The calibration was satisfactorily completed 7 December. A modification is to improve the efficiency and capability of the OA-175/FPS-3, Plan Position Indicators. The modification, 31P6-2FPS-546, was initially started on 12 December. Thirty percent of the scopes have been modified with the remainder being scheduled for completion during January, 1967. A new piece of electronic equipment, AN/GPA-30 Video Mapper, was received November 21. The receipt of the Video Mapper is a result of distributing excess equipment where BUIC equipment was installed. The mapper, when installed, will assist operations personnel by simulating runways, ground clutter or other pertinent patterns that would assist in directing aircraft. Installation of the equipment hasn’t been started due to the lack of parts that were missing when received at this organization. A GMQ-1 anemometer was received, to replace the condemned anemometer at Lower Camp, 27 December. This equipment is used as a navigational aid for approaching aircraft for landings. The evaluation of the anemometer is approximately 50% complete. Losses: T/Sgt. Clayton Sizemore, S/Sgt. John Maish, and two (2) airmen. Gains: M/Sgt. Lloyd E Pierce. Overall manning for this section is 83%.

Radio Maintenance – The television station installed by GEEIA and assisted by this section was accepted and placed into operation 21 November. Difficulties have been experienced in obtaining parts for the projectors. A concentrated effort is being made to establish bench stocks to support this installation. At the present there are no qualified TV repairmen on the site. Therefore maintenance of the equipment is being accomplished by both radio and radar maintenance personnel. At present, the section is 50% manned and relief from this situation is not expected in the near future. Personnel gains: one airman. Losses: S/Sgt. Kenneth R Burdette.

Teletype/Crypto Maintenance – The teletype equipment is presently being maintained by one 36330. Two 36330 airmen are assigned with one being TDY for six weeks to Hopedale. There is no supervisor assigned that can properly train the three-level airmen assigned. Personnel gains: one airman. Losses: one airman.

Communications Operations – Teletype circuit Q102 was down for repairs from 2 November to 23 November. This represents approximately 60 hours of outage. The main trouble was located in the KW-7. A/2C Collins, KW-7 maintenance repairman, was dispatched from 37^th Air Division, Melville to help combat this problem. The nature of the problem cannot be disclosed because of the classification of the KW-7. Steps have been taken to prevent further recurrence. 1^st Lt. VanderSlik was assigned as alternate custodian for COMSEC Account 03588 as of 21 December. The files and the communication center operating instructions are in the process of being revised in order to meet the standards of the scheduled staff visit from 37 Air Division. The manning in this section is critically short. Three airmen are required for a 24 hour operation and one is assigned full time to crypto. Two airmen are scheduled to arrive this station during January, alleviating this critical shortage. Personnel gains: None. Losses: S/Sgt. James R Petties and S/Sgt. Lester J Norris.

Administrative/Personnel Branch:

The Administrative/Personnel Branch experienced moderate turnover of personnel this quarter.

CM/Sgt. Robert I Garrett, First Sergeant, departed PCS 27 October. SM/Sgt. Alex O Gardenas assumed the duties of First Sergeant. A/3C Dennis M Soinski arrived 1 November, replacing S/Sgt. Cescolini in the Administrative Section. A/1C Kozel, Personnel Specialist, is due to rotate in early January, 1967. In anticipation of Cescolini’s and Airman Kozel’s departure, much effort has been spent this quarter writing details SOP’s on practically every personnel/admin. action. The new SOP’s should aid immeasurably in providing continuity of operation in the face of constantly changing personnel. The squadron received two promotions to T/Sgt., Sergeant Maliziola and Sergeant Johnson, and six to A/1C. There has been a continuing upward trend in the number of personnel on OJT. Twenty-eight (28) squadron personnel are now on OJT. S/Sgt. Antle completed his SKT and was upgraded.

Thomas R Singleton, Major, USAF