OUA 1964 - Page 2

 

 

 

In fact, by relative standards, it was quite small seldom numbering as many

as 100 individuals or twenty operationally ready air combat crews.  But

this small band were professionals to a man and turned in a king-sized job throughout.  Their combined efforts, given gallantly, sincerely and many

times heroically, produced this squadron's remarkable record of achievement.

 

 

 

b.  This squadron is charged with the responsibility of maintaining an

aerial life line to the radar sites of DEW Line East on the Interior Green-

land Ice Cap.  It is the primary mission of this unit to provide supply sup-

port to a critical link in the Arctic Distant Early Warning System.  Without

the dedicated air crews of this unit and their ski-equipped C-130 Hercules

aircraft, these listening outposts of the free world would not long endure.

Food and fuel, mail, movies, and men are all supplied by air from Sondrestrom

Air Base perched on the coastal edge of the polar ice cap.  The very sites

themselves - every stick, bolt, rivet and transistor that went into their

physical assembly were flown-in by other C-130's some 5 ½ years ago.  Since

1958, every radar operator who has manned their listening equipment has been

delivered and taken home by the same means.  This unusual mission must con-

tinue until the nations of the world can resolve their differences, making

the need to constantly monitor each others moves non-existent.

 

 

 

c.   Landing the C-130 aircraft on open snow, while a calculated risk, is

not an overly difficult feat in itself, but unhappily, there are added con-

ditions.  Conditions which not only add, but multiply, so that the margin

for error is narrowed to the vanishing point.  Prime among these is the

horsepower loss at altitude.  Runway elevations of 9000 feet at the radar

sites steal 850-950 horsepower per engine.  Thus, a good quarter of the

straining Hercules' available power is lost.  Neither are instrument ap-

proaches existent in the environment.  The navigator must rely solely on

his own skill and airborne radar to obtain a safe approach for landing.

Even with temperatures well below freezing, the snow becomes sticky when the

sun shines on it twenty hours a day.  Adhesion to the snow makes take offs

under Arctic summertime conditions both difficult and dangerous.  Arctic

whiteouts are another hazardous phenomenon which come without warning.

Driving gales, picking up loose snow and powder-fine ice, can, in the space

of minutes completely eliminate all visibility.  Aircraft commanders don't

even think about emergency aids.  The Dye Sites do not include such opera-

tional niceties as fire trucks and ambulances in their equipment authoriza-

tions.  Blinding light of sun on snow, low ceilings, and blowing snow with

high gusty winds all contribute to the tension of the Ice Cap Operation.

 

 

 

d.  Quite often as many as six or seven runs must be made to lift 120,000

pounds of aircraft off the sticky Arctic snow.  Waiting for just the right

gust of wind or the right amount of packing by 6000 pounds of Teflon-coated

skis requires no mean degree of pilot skill and professional airmanship.

The margin here is thin - two or three knots of extra speed normally spells

the difference between a successful lift off and another attempt.  There are

also other interesting aspects to this far northern mission.  The aircrew

members of this unit must maintain a knowledge of world-wide navigation to

successfully cope with the Abilene-Sondrestrom-Abilene rotations.  This in-

cludes both overwater and Arctic grid capability.  Some of the worst flying

 

 

 

 

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