Saglek, Labrador

Section I

Section II

1. - Operations

Problems Met:

During this period, (1 January through 1 April 1958), one problem encountered was lack of facilities for training the airmen. The 15-J-1C Target Simulator was inoperative the entire three months due to lack of parts. An M0-1 Surveillance Trainer that had been on requisition was received in February, but required minor maintenance and could not be placed into operation until March. The (0-208/UPA-37) Jamming Simulator was operating unsatisfactorily due to lacking parts and thus could not give effective jamming training.

This section lost fourteen 5-level airmen in January, gained six 3-level airmen in February, lost five and gained two 5-level airmen in March. This is a total loss for the three month period of nineteen 5-levels and a gain of two five-levels and sic 3-levels, reducing our overall skill level as well as number of airmen assigned. We were also under strength in both number and skill level of directors assigned.

Accomplish the Mission:

During this period the primary mission of the Squadron was accomplished with no unusual incidents.

2. - Personnel

Authorized Versus Assigned Problems:

The Unit Manning Document provides for enough spaces to effectively perform the Unit Mission. During the period of this report there has been an extreme shortage of 303XX personnel. There was no authorization for vehicle operators and with the large quantity of highly specialized vehicles on hand, airmen from other sections, by necessity, had to be assigned and trained to operate these machines. Experienced drivers are a must, since the five miles of road between Detachment #1 and the parent organization is extremely mountainous.

Retention and Replacement:

Only a minor retention effort was attempted during the period of this report. No Reenlistment Council was established, nor were the first term airmen counciled.

Lead time to get personnel in place. There is a constant slippage of at least one month on getting personnel into place, that is, between the date an individual departs this station PCS to the Zone of Interior and the date his replacement arrives. Delays are normally due to poor weather at and/or lack of air transportation between Goose Air Base, Labrador and this Station.

AFSC Problems. Malassignments Rates:

The assignment of unqualified personnel as mentioned above seriously hampered this Squadrons ability to effectively perform its mission. There was consistently five to ten airmen assigned with primary AFSC’s which the Squadron was not authorized.

Training Program and Needs:

Monthly meetings were held by the OJT Officer with training instructors. The problems, and correct methods in conducting and recording OJT programs, were discussed. In this way OJT instructors were kept informed on new/or revised procedures.

Effects of Arctic Environment on Personnel:

During the period of this report, the water system was frozen and inoperative, requiring all water needs to be met by melting snow. Though this was a tremendous undertaking 878,650 gallons of water was processed by this method. All personnel were assigned to this duty on a scheduled basis, which required a team of five (one supervisor and four workers), to work four hour shifts. This was quite often a 24 hour operation. Although the Arctic gear was cumbersome, bulky and fatiguing, on personnel and the job most distasteful, morale remained at a constant high level.

Civilian Recruiting and Retention:

The civilian manning remained very stable, with a total of 26 employed for 29 authorized.

3. - Equipment Performance

Radar Maintenance:

The primary search radar was off the air during this period for a total of 107:35 hours for scheduled maintenance. Time out of the net completely, with no back-up totalled 4 hours. The height finder was off the air for 12 hours for scheduled maintenance. The modulator trigger drive unit in the high voltage rectifier cabinet was the cause of most trouble encountered. The IFF unit (AN/UPX-6 Serial # 347), was shipped to depot for repair leaving the Radar Section with two units and high winds destroyed the only remaining anemometer.

Radio Maintenance:

During the period of this report there was a minimum amount of trouble with the air-to-ground equipment, only requiring minor preventative maintenance. Severe icing conditions in January forces down the HF antennas, but with assistance from the Canadian Marconi team the HF equipment was back on the air by February. A mobile communication net, utilizing AN/PRC-10 and a SP-600, was established for the safety of personnel travelling to and from the lower camp.

Wire Maintenance:

All activities of the wire maintenance section were routine and normal with regular preventative maintenance all equipment performed satisfactorily.

4. – Facilities

Special Problems:

This was an extremely hard period for all personnel on the site. The road to the pump house, and the road to the lower camp were completely closed for the entire period. Attempts were made to use a D-8 Caterpillar over the snow to construct a snow road, but this only accentuated the constant forming snowdrifts. The best snow road was found to be along the regular summer road as long as the snow was not disturbed.

Transportation to the lower camp was a major problem during this period. After periods of heavy snowfall and high winds the snow was often impassable for either the snow mobile or the weasel (one of each was operative during this period). Also, where the road was cut into the side of the hill the snow finally matched the original slope across the entire roadway. In places this made the side slope too steep for a vehicle to cross.

With the Ric-Wil line disassembled by contractors the previous fall, and the road to the pump house closed all water used by the site had to be obtained by snow melting. Snow was brought to the vicinity of the snow melter by D-8 Cat, truck, and D-8 Cat with site fabricated scoop. The snow was then shovelled into the tank by hand. It was found that a mans shovelling efficiency was cut in half by a drop in temperature from 32 to 20 degrees.

New Utilities:

The snow melter was constructed of a 1,000 gallon tank with openings cut in the top. Steam was jetted into the bottom of the tank from a special steam line direct from Boiler #1 operating between 45 to 55 psi. When a 2 inch diameter line was installed in February (replacing a 1 inch line) capacity was tripled and as much as 12,000 gallons of water (including condensed steam) was obtained during a 4 hour shift (at 32 degrees F)

New Facilities:

Rebuilding and improvement of existing gymnasium facilities was put underway during this period. The aim of this program is a complete modern weight-lifting and body building facility.

5. – Maintenance and Supply Problems

Organization:

During the period of this report 23 aircraft arrived and departed. Cargo received was 49,277 pounds. Cargo shipped out was 1,955 pounds.

Supply Support: - From Division:

Through the efforts of the 64^th Air Division (Defense), the supply pipeline time on VDP parts for the Diesel Caterpillar was reduced and the snow removal equipment was put back in operation within a short period of time.

Supply Support - From Support Base:

The AMC Supply Assistance Team arrived on the 10^th of February 1958 and assisted in taking of a physical inventory and helped in identifying the unmarked items. They also assisted in re-warehousing of the supply activity.

Surpluses:

All excess property stored inside was located and identified.

Supply Personnel Efficiency and Experience:

All personnel assigned during this period were of a high caliber and spent many extra hours in the effort to better supply.

Typed Name and Grade of Commander

Signature