Resolution Island, NWT

1970 – Memories of Resolution Island – Graham McCready

One of the objectives on my part is to provide detail on what remained or existed at Resolution Island - some nine years after the American Air Force closed down the radar station that was operational at this location between 1954 and 1961. While the USAF may have departed, there remained a small contingent of civilian personnel - employed solely for the purpose of maintaining the Pole Vault Troposcatter and the BMEWS communications system. The following detail is based on my memories, as I experienced my tour at Resolution Island in 1970.

I was hired by Canadian Marconi in Montreal. I had arrived back in Toronto from a trip to Europe with $20 to my name. I went back to my former landladies place at Shepard and Younge to pick up my car. The job offer was in the mail. It had arrived while I was away.

I had volunteered as a civilian employee, but having no job or funds the offer was a life line - and as best I can recall all of this took place about June 1970. I took a train to Montreal - charged the fare on my Eatons store card. I booked the seat at the store downtown. Got off at Dorvel where Canadian Marconi had booked me a room. Next day, a jet commercial flight to Frobisher Bay with an overnight stay. Then by light aircraft to Resolution Island.

All of the buildings at Resolution Island were in good condition and they were all heated. Not all were in use but all were accessable. There was lots of room to get away from people.

I was a Telecommunications Technician and I was responsible for the maintenance of Troposcatter communications equipment at the site. We worked six days on and one day off on rotating shifts of eight hours. On night shift, we would turn off all alarms but one and sleep.

For entertainment - well, there was a small gymnasium where we played volleyball. We had a small area that served as a movie theater, and on average, were shown one movie a week. "Bingo" provided an additional form of entertainment from time to time. Unfortunately, there was no live entertainment brought in for our benefit. I went out on walks to the tundra on days off with the dog. I had wanted to bring my cross cuntry skis but the company refused on safety grounds. But no one ever asked where I went on my walks.

I never did leave Resolution Island on R&R or any form of vacation during my tour at this site. For the most part, the weather was bearable. The sun was just setting below the horizon for a few minutes. Still - it was cold when I got there and there were icebergs in the sea below the base.

There were about 40 civilians at the base when I was there - all male and the dog. Fortunately the dog was female. (grin). Oh yes - there was one Transport Canada weather man.

The food was like cardbord before the re-supply ship arrived in August 1970. After that, the food was excellent.

Drinking was a big problem. We could book up booze to our pay account and pay once a month. I started drinking a controlled three bottles of beer a day and quickly progressed to 10 or more. I had to cut back. I recall that my predessor was shipped out after being found drunk crawling naked along the steam pipes in the ceiling of the building.

You could walk through the entire base making use of the walkways which connected one building to another. The sole exception was when you went out to the radio room below the road on the north end. We would phone the on-shift technician from the end of the base corridor and he would come up and ensure we could get in the door.

The delivery of mail was subject to the availability of aircraft and, as can be expected, the weather at the base.

I eventually left "The Rock" in November 1970 - travelling the same way (but in reverse) back to Montreal where I picked up my last pay cheque from Canadian Marconi. I then took the train back to Toronto where I took up residence at the Walker House Hotel on Front Street - awaiting my Air Canada training course at Bay and Front.