Memories of Jerry's Nose

I arrived at Harmon AFB in March 1955 and I was assigned to the 1933rd AACS Squadron. Originally, we worked at the old receiver site outside of Stephenville which was referred to as the "Kippens Site".

The "Kippens Site" had the following functions:

1 - We were part of the USAF global communications network, having HF multiplex radio communications circuits with Andrews AFB, Washington DC, Goose Bay Labrador, Keflavik Iceland, and Lajes AB in the Azores. We also had a LF weather circuit with Andrews. Communications with the base was via land line with UHF transmitter backup.

2 - We had HF air-to ground communications circuits manned by radio operators, plus one or two Morse code circuits. These were only receivers - I don't know where the transmitters were for either the globe-com circiuts or the air-to ground circuits. I presumed that they were at the old transmitter site located on Table Mountain.

3 - In addition, we had some air traffic controllers of sorts. They plotted the air traffic over the North Atlantic between the US and Europe on plotting boards.

The USAF eventually opened up the Jerry's Nose site around March 1956 and we were moved there on a permanent basis as Detachment 1. When they closed down the Kippens site, the air traffic controllers and the radio operators transferred to Harmon AFB, and the globe-com multiplex radio receiver circuits were relocated to Jerry's Nose. Our only function at Jerry's Nose while I was there was to be part on the AF global communications network. We had a few extra circuits such as low frequency weather channels and fascimile circuit with Andrews in Washington, along with the microwave transmitters and receivers for communication with the base.

My AFSC changed a number of times during my tenure in the AF, but I did essentially the same work throughout my career, which was ground radio communication equipment repair (AFSC 30453B). This consisted mainly of operating and maintaining LF, HF, and VHF transmitters and receivers, keyers, modulators and demodulators, etc.

The new transmitter site at West Bay was opened about the same time as the new receiver site at Jerry's Nose.

I remained at Jerry's Nose until December 1956 when I was rotated back to the USA.