Stephenville, NF

19 April 1956

Subject: Historical Report, RCS: 1-AF-D2A (64-1)

To: Commander,
64^th Air Division (Defense),
Pepperrell Air Force Base.

This Site became Stephenville Air Station on 21 February 1956 in accordance with NEAC General Order #14.

An Operational Readiness Test was conducted by the USAF Inspector General during March. Major Needleman and Major Canfield observed at this Squadron.

The primary NEAC mission of defense and the training capabilities there for has been greatly enhanced by the opening of the Gulf of St. Lawrence Rocket Range. The ideal location of the range to GCI control and Harmon Base facilities was the determining factor in the selection of this range for the NEAC Rocket Meet to be held this summer.

The number of rocket missions have been increasing as the 61^st Fighter Interceptor Squadron selects and practices crews for competition. In the process overall rocket and Controller training is being accomplished by the NEAC Defense Team.

Orderly Room:

During this reporting period the administration section has had quite a change in Adjutants. Lt. Thomas S Hansen, who replaced Lt. Joseph B McGinty has now rotated to the ZI. Lt. William N Jackomis, assigned in February as Adjutant will be leaving the squadron in the very near future. Lt. John A Williams is now replacing Lt. Jackomis as Adjutant.

The administration section is losing a very competent and able Sgt. Major, A/1C Hessie F Cabell, who is rotating to the ZI. A/1C Charles H Hurst will be his replacement as Sgt. Major. A/3C James F Knight, a new addition to the Orderly Room, will replace A/1C Hurst as classified materials, special orders and records disposal clerk.

During this period, the personnel of the squadron have contributed generously to the Polio Drive, Heart Fund Drive, and the Red Cross Benefit Drive; for example, a contribution of $1600 to the Polio Drive from approximately 200 personnel is very commendable.

The morale of the squadron is good. On the last reporting period the morale was considered very good. Road conditions (closed several days due to drifting snow), non-availability of transportation, and very bad weather have contributed to the drop in morale of the squadron personnel.

Functions or items initiated to increase the morale of the squadron personnel:

Medical Section:

Transmitted herewith is the Medical Historical Report for the period of 1 January to 31 March 1956. (a) The health of this unit is satisfactory. Everyday medical problems with which we are confronted are similar to any other unit of this type and site. (b) The most common problems with which we are confronted are upper respiratory infections. Others area: Common colds, minor injuries and skin disorders. (c) There were three patients requiring hospitalization during the reporting period. They were: one tonsillitis, one peptic ulcer and one re-admission for plastic surgery. All patients were hospitalized at Ernest Harmon Air Force Base Hospital, with transfer of the plastic surgery case to Pepperrell AFB. (d) The relationship of this unit and the medical personnel is good. The unit gives us all the co-operation possible.

Medical Organization – The primary purpose of this dispensary is to give medical support to this unit by rendering medical treatment on an outpatient basis, or if necessary, hospitalize and treat as a bed patient any personnel for a period, not to exceed four (4) days. Personnel who require longer treatment and/or hospitalization will be evacuated to the USAF Hospital, Ernest Harmon AFB. At the present there are three medical personnel assigned to this section. One 90270 and two 90250 with rank of T/Sgt., S/Sgt., and A/1C respectively. One 90250 will rotate in May and a replacement is scheduled for that month.

Professional Services - (a) Outpatient Care – Daily Sick Call is held in the morning so that patients who are referred to our support base hospital will arrive at that installation in time to attend the scheduled sick call. However, this dispensary is kept open during normal duty hours and persons desiring treatment or advice may report here at any time during this period. After normal duty hours, the dispensary is closed, and a medic is on "Stand By" for that night and may be located by telephone, or by checking the front door of the dispensary to see who is on duty and his room number. (b) Drugs and Supplies – Drugs and supplies are maintained in sufficient quantities, on a two-week stock level. The stock is replenished every two weeks by requisitioning from Medical Supply, Ernest Harmon Air Force Base.

Dental Services – Dental service for this organization is performed by the Dental Clinic, Ernest Harmon AFB. Personnel desiring dental treatment must report in person to the Dental Clinic to make an appointment. Emergency dental treatment will be rendered without an appointment.

Veterinary Services – The veterinary and sanitary inspections of foods and food stuffs are being conducted by the EHAFB Veterinary Staff. Organoleptic inspections of questionable products are performed by the Medical Technician of this unit, in conjunction with the EHAFB Medical and Veterinary Services.

Summary and Conclusion – It is the opinion of the Medical Staff of this unit that the Medical Service Program is working very well, regarding our mission within the unit and to the Air Force. The Medical Service of this unit is offering immediate services to all personnel under semi-isolated conditions.

Air Police Section:

S/Sgt. Cain took over as Provost Sergeant during this reporting period. S/Sgt. Stephon, our former Provost Marshall rotated to the ZI and was reassigned to Lackland Air Force Base.

Two new men were received by this section during the reporting period: A/2C Moody who is on loan from Radar Maintenance and A/3C Ritchy who has just completed Air Police School at Parks AFB. These men replaced A/1C Burris and A/2C Dormer, the former returning to the ZI for reassignment and the latter for discharge.

Training:

During this reporting period Captain Gordon F Wilcox replaced Captain Sigler as Training and I&E Officer.

A film on reenlistment, "It All Counts" was shown for the career Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers of the squadron. A questionnaire pertaining to the problems normally facing servicemen and their families was filled out after the film showing.

Special Services:

Pinochle and ping pong intra-squadron tournaments have been held during this reporting period.

On the inter-squadron side, our bowling team has clinched first place in their league while the basketball team came home in fourth place from the 64^th Air Division play-offs at Pepperrell Air Force Base.

Direction Center (ADDC):

During this reporting period there has been a moderate turnover of personnel. At present this section has seven (7) 1644’s, one TDY from the 61^st FIS, three (3) 1641’s, two of which are also TDY from the 61^st. Six 27370’s, thirty-nine 27350’s, and twenty-two 27330’s are also assigned.

Personnel losses for the reporting period were two 1644’s, two 1641’s, (one TDY from 61^st), and two 1564’s also TDY from the 61^st FIS. All Officer losses were due to ZI reassignment or separation except for one 1641 who was recalled to the 61^st. Airmen losses were six 27350’s.

Personnel gains for this reporting period were one 1641 and three 1564’s TDY from 61^st . Airman gains were one 27370, eight 27350’s and eleven (11) 27330’s.

The following promotions were made during this period:

Exercises participated in were Candy Bar, Arctic Night, Blue Cross and Operation Swan Dive. Also, as reported in the General Section, an Operational Readiness Test was experienced which was observed by inspectors from USAF and 64^th Air Division.

During this period the Direction Center had an increased number of refuelling missions. No Keystone activity was experienced but seven faker aircraft were run against this site during the Operational Readiness Test and one faker aircraft was experienced during a visit by Colonel Konosky of 64^th Air Division.

In the past three months the Direction Center has had ten assists to aircraft. Nine of the assists were of the definite emergency type.

The Intercept Pre-Plot Board for assistance to the Directors, which was completed during the last reporting period is in limited operation. By the next reporting period it will be in full operation with qualified personnel to operate it.

Operations training has been reconstructed with special emphasis placed on ECM, indoctrination course for newly assigned personnel and overall crew training. A special ECM class has been set up and will be taught in formal class room procedure. Crew training will for the present consist of a balloon type project.

The construction of the new Operations Room is due to start the first of the reporting period. This operations is ready to continue operation in another section of the building. A scaled down plotting board and status boards have been completed. All electronics (radar and communications) are in place and ready for use.

Intelligence – A/3C Lawrence Braxton joined this section during the reporting period. Airman Braxton came here directly from Tech School at Sheppard AFB.

The Intelligence briefings initiated during the last reporting period have proved very effective for dissemination of information of Intelligence value.

An aircraft recognition course has been given to all the Officers of this Squadron. However, the necessary materials (projector, slides, etc) had to be borrowed from our support base, which made scheduling of the course difficult. At present we are awaiting the arrival of a projector and slides that were ordered some time ago. This course should also be more interesting in the future by the use of aircraft photos and models that were sent to us by aircraft companies in the United States, Britain and Canada.

We are still awaiting for materials for the construction of a War Room. It is hoped that when it is finished operation can be expanded to include a permanent, scheduled, aircraft recognition course, and a reading room for crews.

Electronics:

Personnel –The following men were assigned to the section during this quarter:

There were no personnel rotating to the ZI in this quarter.

The overall status of the section at the end of this quarter showed twenty-eight (28) airmen and one Technical Sergeant as supervisor. Lt. Kushner and Lt. Jankewski remain as Electronics Officer and Assistant respectively.

Training – It was mentioned in the previous quarterly report that a new training program based upon 64t^h Air Division Manual 50-2 was drawn up and placed into operation. However, the Philco Contract Technician, Mr. WL Leonard was transferred, and this left us without a training man, since Mr. Leonard was conducting Formal Training at the time of his transfer. One of the Marconi Radar Site Engineers was transferred to the Marconi Overhaul Team, thus leaving only one Site Engineer in the section to assist us with maintenance problems. The workload was too great to permit any useful training to be accomplished. After a period of about one month, the Marconi Engineer, Mr. RJ Sanders, who had been transferred to the Overhaul Team returned to the section. Upon his return the formal on-the-job training program was again put into operation. Several methods of training the personnel were tried with the result ending in a five man training crew found to be the most effective.

As a result of the planning of the Formal On-The-Job Training Program and the co-operation of the Marconi Site Engineers the training program has become quite effective. The arrival of Mr. William W Haynes, Philco Contract Technician, will make it possible for the airmen in training status to receive approximately 800 man hours of formal OJT per month.

Maintenance – Routine:

Like all Radar Sites the routine problems that occur during a three month reporting period are too numerous to mention. The Marconi Overhaul Team had departed the station just prior to this reporting period and an excellent and complete overhaul was performed by them. However after an equipment overhaul there are many problems that arise. The personnel of the section having worked very closely with the overhaul team and gaining a lot of practical experience made solving the many routine maintenance problems that came up less difficult.

The experience being gained and the training program now underway will continue to make routine maintenance problems that arise less difficult.

Major Problems -

The past three months have been quite difficult and trying seeing that the section has experienced several major difficulties in every equipment for which we have maintenance responsibility.

The prime radar equipment developed several major problems. The most difficult being the antenna system. The system developed what appeared to be a mechanical mind with a definite increase in wear on the teeth of the bull gear. Oil was also found to be seeping into the DC tachometer. The 36 speed selsyn also showed pitting on the slip rings. Another problem was with the antenna control. Set at zero, the antenna would rotate at 7 ½ RPM whenever the amplidyne was started. This problem was one of the many unexplained situations that arose and only after many hours of trouble shooting it was found that the leads of the DC tachometer were improperly marked by the manufacturer and as a result they were wired in reverse. Correcting this solved the above problem. Next the speed control motor would not energize. This trouble is still being experienced with the prime radar antenna system being that the antenna when not operating on batteries will not operate at a speed in excess of 5 RPM. The antenna will come to a stop, rotate backwards for about 180 degrees, stop, and slowly resume operation up to 5 RPM again. At the present time there is still the problem of increasing the speed of the antenna to more than 5 RPM. Lack of experienced personnel in this particular phase of the equipment is the prime reason for the slow progress and the elimination of the troubles being experienced.

Antenna trouble was also experienced with the back-up Search system. The antenna would not rotate. The pins connecting the PIV Drive System to the kingpin assembly was sheared. Reinstalling the pins was nor facilitated by the relatively useless maintenance tech orders on hand for that piece of equipment. The backup height finder has had a complete overhaul and is now operating satisfactorily.

The Early Warning Search radar has undergone a complete overhaul. The pressurizing system is still inoperative, however progress is being made and it is expected to be operating in the near future.

Communications:

Due to the modification of the operations room, wire maintenance installed several cables in the "B" Scan Room, which is to be used as a temporary operations room for the period of the modification. Two switch-boards, a BD-96 and BD-91, were installed with 25 circuits set up for operation. In addition eight channels for radio were wired to the Director’s position.

In conjunction with the operations move, radio maintenance removed from the main operations room and installed in the temporary operations room two UHF and VHF sets to be used as emergency back-up.

Several new circuits were installed to Sydney and Goose. Also a facsimile weather circuit was installed, operated for a few days, and put on stand-by until further notice.

MARS interest, through HAM activities, has been greatly increased at this site with over 170 phone patches to the ZI being established. On five occasions Red Cross or emergency traffic was handled for Ernest Harmon AFB and personnel of this site.

During this reporting period Radio Maintenance started a new OJT program under the guidance of Marconi Tech Rep Mr. Tony Nolli. Also during this period Mr. Paul Bounadere, a Marconi rigger, replaced 11 HF antennas which were blown down by storms. An inspection of all UHF and VHF antennas was made with necessary repairs being completed.

This quarter, as the last one, saw extremely adverse snow, wind and ice conditions, which hampered the Communications Section greatly. Power lines were out due to high winds and ice. The Receiver site was without heat and inaccessible many times. The D-8 (Cat) again cut the SOS cable while clearing snow.

Tech Supply

In the last three months Tech Supply has progressed greatly. We had one promotion this month, Airman Chester White to the grade of Airman Second Class. Airman White also has been upgraded from a 64130 to 64150.

We have completed inventory on nearly all classes except 16PT. All tubes, fuses and lamps have been ordered to fill our 90 day stock levels. A meeting was held last month with all Sections concerned with the annual overhaul. At this meeting a target date of 1 May was set to turn in all requisitions for the overhaul. Our stock request will be used by each section for their requisitions.

In the past three months we had only two Priority Requisitions and hope to have even less in the future. ROCP and RNFP requisitions both have been explained to all sections concerned with them.

In the past we have had much trouble with items being back-ordered from 6 months to a year. Now we have our own follow-up system set up and will be able to overcome this problem. All of our Supply Catalogues have been brought as far up to date as possible. These catalogues help us as well as the maintenance sections concerned with them. We are now in the process of cleaning our warehouse and getting ready for our move to the Wire Maintenance Building. This move will put Tech Supply at a handicap for a while but we are hoping to set up in a couple of weeks after the move starts.

Unit Supply:

During the past quarter a new UAL was prepared for this organization. Personnel of this organization, along with personnel of the Command Equipment Review Board completed this project on 23 February 1956.

The gun room was rearranged due to the large amount of Weapons turned in as a result of UAL changes.

Turn-in of excess equipment was made in March. A total of 210 items have been turned in, resulting in a total number of 5336 items. This project required many man hours and much overtime was put in by all personnel of this section.

New Custody Hand Receipts had to be prepared on all equipment issued to personnel of this organization.

New Section Hand Receipts were prepared on all Sections.

Jacket files were prepared on all equipment in the Communications Section account.

Captain Sherrell spent 30 wonderful days on leave to the ZI during this quarter. T/Sgt. Juszczak also spent 30 days in the ZI during January.

The morale of the section is still high although much overtime was put in this quarter.

Food Service:

This section is now down to six men out of a UMD authorization of 13. This has necessitated adding some KP to the normal compliment of three.

Squadron personnel are presently re-painting and giving the Mess Hall a general spring cleaning.

AIO Maintenance:

Contractors finished installing two 50 GPM pumps in the water pump house during this quarter. The increased capacity of these pumps is an added safety factor, but minor difficulties are being experienced due to malfunction of the priming system and foot valve.

The primary power line to the dock site pump house was repaired during this period. This will enable us to fill the upper storage tanks and make space available to offload a tanker due this spring.

The boiler in the receiver building was repaired and placed in commission after being out of order since the first ice and wind storm.

One boiler in the heating plant is in the process of being cleaned again. Progress is slow due to lack of available pump for flushing purposes.

Transportation:

The roads and snowfall have made this period a trial as far as maintenance of vehicles is concerned. An overload of work at the base shops has resulted in vehicles turned in for repairs being held there for weeks at a time. This section has had, on an average, four trucks in use at one time, out of seven assigned. One weapons carrier has been recalled by the base.

Pertinent statistics for the period are as follows:

There have been no reportable accidents during this period.

For the Commander:

John A Williams
2^nd Lt., USAF
Adjutant