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First Communications
Construction Squadron
In Newfoundland 1952 To 1954
(Page 1)
The History of why the
First Communications Construction Squadron was in Newfoundland from
1952 to 1954
In the spring of 1953 1st Communications Construction Squadron set up two camps to do
replacement of poles and anchors, etc on our cable lead that ran
across the island along the railroad. Camp-l was at the Shoal
Harbour gravel pit and Camp-ll was at Port Blanford. Later in the
summer, last of August, we at Camp-l had completed our work and we
moved just south of Terra Nova at a place called Three Ponds. Our
camp was then designated Camp-lll.
When winter set in, we moved to Pepperrell AFB and worked on the
long lines west of St. Johns. This would be the winter of 1953-54.
In May of 1954 we started a new Camp-l at Goobies. Goobies was my
last camp as I then rotated back to the states for discharge in Aug.
1954. My service buddy, Jerome Young, stayed on at Camp-l at Goobies
and they later moved to Rantem Wye and that is where Jerome rotated
from to go back to the states.
The 1st. Communications
Construction Squadron did construction and maintenance for
communications for all of Northeast Air Command which included
Labrador and Greenland besides Newfoundland.
Source:
Merritt B. Scharnweber
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Long
Lines Crews Responsible For Maintenance Of Communication Lines
By A/1C RICHARD A. McDANIEL
The loggers who work "deep in the heart" of the North Woods
have nothing on the men of the Long Lines crew of the 1st Communications
Squadron. These men work, eat, sleep and play in the middle of nowhere -
a section of Newfoundland accessible only by railroad.
The Mission of the Long lines is the upkeep of the communications
lines, some 239 miles of wire, which are the responsibility of the Air
Force. The summer task of the Long Lines is the maintenance of 36 miles
of communications lines running between Clarenville and Terra Nova,
Newfoundland. The 1953 work season was marked with the opening of two
work camps, and the season will continue until November depending on
weather conditions. Since there are no roads anywhere near these camps,
the camp sites were selected on the basis of being close to the
railroad, water facilities and suitable terrain for a railroad siding.
The Railroad plays the major part - in fact, the only part - in
the Long Lines transportation system. Speeders, commonly known as "put
ons," pull trailers, carrying men and supplies to the work areas. The
speeders use the Canadian National Railways lines and must regulate
their operating schedule with the railroad.
In addition to the men who actually work in the upkeep of the Long
Lines, there are other men in the camps that form an integral part of
the organization.
Cooks Prepare their meals on gasoline field ranges and can be
expected to serve meals at any hour of the day, when the linesmen return
from their job.
Purifying water, spraying the camp site to rid the area of mosquitoes,
and treatment of bumps and bruises are some of the duties on the medic
on the job at the camp.
Power generators, water pumps and maintenance of the speeders is the responsibility of the camp mechanic, while the camp supply man has the
job of co-ordinating the supply needs and requesting delivery of the
supplies by a certain date.
But The linesmen is the mainstay of the entire operation. The
linesmen are composed of seven man crews, each crew led by a crew
chief. The men dig holes for the new poles which are installed along the
communication lines. Jack hammers as well as manual labor are employed
in digging the holes. Conditions vary where these poles will be located.
One day the linesmen will erect a pole in solid granite, while the next
day they will put one up in waist-deep mud.
When Conditions won't permit the actual digging of a hole,
alternate plans of operation are put into effect. If the granite can't
be moved by either jack hammer or just plain muscles, rock cribs are
constructed to hold up the poles. A rock crib is built from short poles,
placed around the bottom of the pole and then filled with rocks. As for
the campers themselves, they live in Jamesway huts. The structures, made
of spun glass insulation covering a wooden frame, measure 16 by 16 by 8,
have wooden floors and house an average of four to five men.
Each Hut is equipped with electricity, an oil heating stove, wash
basins for shaving and single folding beds. Shower units with hot water
and washing machines are in separate buildings. Each camp also has three
squad tents. One tent doubles as a dinning hall and movie theater, the
second serves as the kitchen and the third as the supply tent. Fishing
and movies are about the most popular off-duty past times. An average of
three films weekly are shown.
Commanding the 1st. Communications Construction Squdron is Major Vincent
R. Biondino, and the Adjutant is 1st. Lt. Philip B. Meyer. 1st. Lt.
William H.Davidson, Jr., is Flight Commander of Camp No.1, while CWO
Cleveland B. Dennis, Jr., commands Camp No.2 |
The above article was printed in the base newspaper
at McAndrew
AFB in 1953
Source:
First
Communications Construction Squadron Website
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In this view
Camp-I is three miles further
north beyond the curve. The white building
is the Shoal Harbour repeater station. The
road from McAndrew AFB ends here, so,
we all unload here and ride the speeder
out to Camp-I. The telephone pole line we
maintained is on the right side of the track.
Other repeater stations were at Pepperrell
AFB, Gander, Grand Falls, Millertown
Jct., Howley, Corner Brook, Stephenville,
Table Mountain, and St. Andrews.
Photographed By:
Joe Louie
Source:
First Communications Construction Squadron Website
In this view, our two speeders are double headed with a load of
telephone poles to be spotted along the railroad. Tech / Sgt.
Wilkerson and M / Sgt. Anniable are conferring with Fred Rose
and LeRoy Hawco, the two speeder drivers, on strategy. Tip, the
squadron mascot, is ready to go.
Photographed By:
Jerome
Young
Source:
First Communications Construction Squadron Website
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This hill overlooks Camp-I. The Shoal Harbour river is behind
camp. Our sleeping huts were on the eastside of the track with
mess, kitchen and supply tents on the westside.
Photographed By:
Joe Louie
Source:
First Communications Construction Squadron Website
This is photo of No. 316 was taken at the Shoal Harbour gravel
pit
Photographed By:
Jerome
Young
Source:
First Communications Construction Squadron Website
With the road from McAndrew AFB ending here at the Shoal Harbour
Repeater Station, everything is loaded onto the speeder trailers
for transport to Camp-I, three miles further north We are
waiting for Leroy Hawco our speeder operator to get clearance
from the dispatcher. As we are on the Bonivista branch he will
back down to the main line and head north for Camp-I.
Photographed By:
Joe Louie
Source:
First Communications Construction Squadron Website |
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