Preview
920th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
Prepared by
the Office of
Information Services
Resolution Bound!
You should be very proud of this assignment because "only the best go north".
Upon receiving your orders you will probably have the urge to return to your barracks immediately and pack all warm clothes; sweaters, red flannels, wool socks, etc. However difficult it may be to realize, the authorized uniforms are khaki’s and fatigues. You will of course need blues for travel to and from this station within the specified period for the winter uniform.
If you depart your TOE during the summer months there is a possibility that at least part of your trip will be by boat. If not you will travel the entire trip by plane.
Your journey here should be quite enjoyable with opportunity for taking unusual black and white and color photos.
Resolution Island is a barren island in the mouth of the Hudson Straits. It is 30 miles long and 20 miles wide. The only soil on the Island is right at the edge of the water. Hence, the only vegetation growing is lichens, moss and algae which are always present even if under the snow. There is some wild life to be found; white fox and occasionally seals and polar bears. However, because the Eskimos depend on these animals for their subsistence we cannot hunt or trap them.
The site itself is located on a cliff which is the highest point on the island. The cliff overlooks the ocean on three sides. The landscape is unlike anything the majority of us who are assigned here have ever seen. In the winter the ocean freezes and it is then that the big icebergs appear. It doesn’t seem to show too often but since there is no chance for it to melt there is always plenty on the ground. Temperatures usually remain below zero from November through April or May and rarely get above 60 degrees in the summer months.
From late November through May our transportation is by plane. Our strip is 4500 feet long, five miles from the site. Transportation is the biggest problem here and during those months when there is too much ice for ships and too little for planes, we are rather hard pressed for dependable service. At such a time we receive mail by paradrop when the site is not closed in by weather. There may be a period of as long as a month when no mail will go out from this station. However, as a general rule you can depend on receiving mail once a week or every ten days.
Upon your arrival here you will probably be surprised at the site layout. Before any of us reached Resolution we had the idea that the buildings would probably be connected by tunnels through the snow. But you will be pleasantly surprised if this is what you expect. You can hardly tell the difference between the buildings and the corridors.
Facilities for your convenience and comfort are the most modern and up to date. Each man has a private room with closet space, dresser, chair and hollywood style bed equipped with innerspring mattress, a rare commodity at the remote sites. Such is not the case here at Resolution. Our site supply is adequate for the needs of the whole squadron if not used indiscriminately. However, the pumping equipment can just supply a certain amount of water at any one time. Because of this, there is a great need for all to be careful with this in mind. Our water is brought in to the site through heated pipes from a lake which is one mile away. There are no cleaning facilities here so it is advisable for you to bring civilian clothing which can be laundered such as denim pants and other washable clothes such as sweaters and easy-to-care for shirts. You are advised to make certain that your clothes are in good condition. There is no place where you can buy replacements. The PX has socks and T-shirts but that is all. So come with your mandatory clothing allowance in good condition.
The quality of the food at Resolution is excellent on the whole. It would seem very unlikely that such fine meals could be prepared at all times at a remote station such as this. Fresh fruits and vegetables are flown in once a week, weather permitting.
It is advisable that you have your medical and dental records checked for anything you need to have taken care of before you leave. We have a very good medical section with three qualified medics. However, there is neither a Doctor or Dentist here to help you. There is a Dentist who travels around among the N-sites but the possibility is good that he will be here only once during your tour of duty. Any teeth should be taken care of which will need attention within two or three months after you arrive here.
You need not neglect your education during your year tour here. The long winter nights can be profitably spent by studying correspondence and self teaching courses which are offered on both military and academic subjects. These courses are gotten through the Education Office. A promising future lies ahead with the possibility of the University of Maryland sending a professor to our site to teach resident courses. This will be an easy and inexpensive way of gaining college credits.
Social Services offers many varied recreational and entertainment activities for the "off duty" time. A half court basketball area has been designed and put into use by the athletes of the squadron. Personnel have organized a squadron basketball team for intersquad competition. Other sports are available such as boxing, wrestling, snow shoeing, skiing and weight lifting.
In the entertainment field there is the Little Rock Theatre which offers 16mm motion pictures free of charge four nights a week. Interest also runs high in the Squadron Photo Club which boasts a very fine Photo Lab.
The Squadron has a well stocked library where many pleasant hours can be spent reading pages of fact and fiction. The more popular magazines can also be found in the library. Riding high on the list of "things to do" is a visit to the Airman’s Day Room complete with its pool table, writing desks, lounge and the many different types of games such as ping-pong, cards, chess etc. There are also organized entertainment functions available; Bingo, Radio Theatre Guild and Variety Shows.
Some of the things to come in the future are a Volley-Ball court, a Badminton Court, and in the summer, these seasonal sports including baseball, softball and football.
The 920th is attempting to organize a Squadron Band which would furnish "live" music in the near future.
We will be looking forward to your arrival.