US MILITARY BASES IN NFLD by Wayne Ray
Earnest Harmon & Pepperrell AFB,
with an introduction by John W. Chambers. Photos will be included before Xmas 97.
U.S Military Role in Newfoundland and Harmon Field in WWII.
by John W. Chambers
The origins of Earnest Harmon Air Force Base in Newfoundland,
Canada, can be found in the early years of World War II with the
concerns of the Government to protect the sea and air approaches
across the North Atlantic Ocean. That became a crucial matter in
the spring of 1940 when Nazi Germany conquered France and the Low
Countries with unexpected rapidity and began its air and naval
attempts to force Great Britain into submission. With American
public opinion increasingly supporting rearmament and aid to the
Allies, the governments of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and of
the new British Prime Minister Winston Churchill negotiated a
defense agreement providing for the transfer of fifty U.S.
destroyers to England in exchange for 99-year leases for U.S.
military bases on eight British territories1. Among these was
Newfoundland which had relinquished dominion status as part of
Canada and which was a British Territory from 1934 until 19492.
Negotiations in regard to the U.S. bases on Newfoundland were
complicated by the varying interests of London, Ottawa, St. John's,
and Washington, but the details of implementing the bases agreement
were completed in London England in march 1941. The United States
obtained authority to build and operate bases and maintain control
of the U.S. forces on Newfoundland and the other British
territories without significant interference by local governors3.
Given the increased German threat in the North Atlantic,
President Roosevelt and Canadian Prime Minister W.L. Mackenzie King
had already initiated joint U.S. Canadian defense planning in
August 1940. In the same month, Ottawa reached an agreement with
the Newfoundland Government under which Canada assumed
responsibility for the security of Newfoundland. Roosevelt was
particularly interested in establishing U.S. air and naval bases in
the region, and the initial focus of the new Permanent Joint Board
on Defense, Canada-United States, was the defense of the coastline,
particularly Newfoundland which guarded both the entrance to the
St. Lawrence River and Gulf and the western reaches of the North
Atlantic sea lanes4.
A joint U.S. Army-Navy Board visited Newfoundland and
recommended specific base sites, and after the signing of the bases
implantation agreement in London on March 27, 1941, the Commission
of Government of Newfoundland leased several sites to the United
States Government. Construction began almost immediately on the
three major sites. Fort Pepperrell on 198 leased acres near Quidi
Vidi Lake would be the main army base, housing a regiment of
infantry as well as anti-aircraft guns and coastal artillery to
protect the capital city and harbor at St. John's. The main naval
base would be on 3,392 acres at Argentia on the southern coast of
the island and would be protected by a military installation, Fort
McAndrew. The U.S. Army Air Corps would use both Newfoundland
International Airport (redesignated Gander Airport, after a nearby
lake and town in the north central part of the island) and Earnest
Harmon Field which was to be constructed on 867 acres at
Stephenville on the western coast of Newfoundland5.
Initially, the U.S. Army Air Corps urged that Gander Airport be
included as one of the U.S. leased base areas for it was already an
operating international commercial airport. However the Canadian
Government wanted to assume major control of the recently completed
airport, mainly to prevent the Americans from doing so. This Ottawa
was able to do, with the approval of St. John's, largely by
providing for U.S. military needs at Gander, defending the base and
constructing five hangers for the Americans, at Canadian expense6.
As a result, the main Air Corps base constructed in Newfoundland by
the Americans themselves - by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers -
was Harmon Field7.
Named after Capt. Earnest E. Harmon, an Army Air Corps pilot who
was killed during a test flight in l933, the airfield near
Stephenville had been initially conceived of as an emergency
landing strip. However, due to dramatically increased activity in
the Battle of the Atlantic, initial estimates for the U.S. bases in
Newfoundland were substantially expanded. The projected garrisons
of U.S. troops were increased from 6,000 to 16,000. Furthermore, it
was decided to make Harmon Field a permanent and more substantial
facility, with three 6000 foot concrete runways. Construction of
the U.S. bases in Newfoundland was designated complete in March
1943, with actual final cost of construction being $6O,300,0008.
During World War II, Harmon Field served initially as a base for
aerial reconnaissance of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. However, its
major role soon became a main stopover point on the trans-Atlantic
route from the United States to the United Kingdom. This included
the Air Ferry Route over which thousands of war planes, constructed
in American factories, were flown across the North Atlantic to
participate in the air war in Europe. It also included the route of
the U.S. Air Transport Command, which in the last two years of the
war, used Harmon Field as its main trans-Atlantic staging site to
carry passengers and cargo across the sea as part of preparations
in England for the D Day invasion and the liberation of Western
Europe. After the victory in Europe, Harmon Field was also a major
site through which the U.S. Army Air Force returned 240,000
American soldiers and other passengers to the United States9.
1. On the destroyer bases agreement of Sept.
2, 1940, see Waldo Heinrichs, (1988).
Threshold of War: Franklin D. Roosevelt
and American Entry Into World War II.
N.Y.: Oxford University Press; Martin
Gilbert, (1983). Winston S. Churchill,
Vol. VI, Finest Hour, 1939-1941. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Co., pp. 732-33, 743,
1044; David Reynolds,(1981). Competitive
Cooperation: The Creation of the
Anqlo-American Alliance, 1938-1941.
London; and Philip Goodhart, (1965). Fifty
Ships That Saved the World: The Foundation
of the Anqlo American Alliance. Garden
City, N.Y.: Doubleday.
2. David MacKenzie, (1986). Inside the
Atlantic Triangle: Canada and the Entrance
of Newfoundland into Confederation,
1939-1949 . Toronto: University of Toronto
Press.
3. Stetson Conn, Rose C. Engleman, and Byron
Fairchild, (1964). Guarding the United
States and Its Outposts. Washington, D.C.:
Office of the Chief of Military History,
pp. 360-75, in the series, Office of the
Chief of Military History, The U.S. Army
in World War II.
4. Fred E. Pollock, (1981). "Roosevelt, the
Ogdensburg Agreement, and the British
Fleet: All Done with Mirrors", Diplomatic
History, (Summer), pp. 203-19; Stanley, W.
Dziuban, (1959). Military Relations
between the United States and Canada,
1939-1945. Washington, D.C.: Office of the
Chief of Military History, pp. 430, and
Stetson Conn and Byron Fairchild (1960),
The Framework of Hemisphere Defense.
Washington, D.C.: Office of the Chief of
Military History, pp. 364-89, both volumes
in The U.S. Army in World War II. From
Canadian perspectives, see MacKenzie,
Inside the Atlantic Triangle, pp. 46-51,
and J.L.Granatstein, (1975). Canada's War:
The Politics of the Mackenzie King
Government, 1939-1945. Toronto: Oxford
University Press, pp. 114-51. A
Newfoundland view is presented in Malcolm
MacLeod, (1986). Peace of the Continent:
The Impact of Second World War Canadian
and American Bases in Newfoundland. St.
John's: Harry Cuff Publications Ltd., pp. 8, 18-30.
5. Dziuban, Military Relations, pp. 96, 167;
Mackenzie, Inside the Atlantic Triangle,
pp. 53-54. On the U.S. Naval Base at
Argentia, see Paolo E. Coletta, ed.,
(1985). United States Navy and Marine
Corps Bases, Overseas (Wesport, Conn:
Greenwood Press, pp. 13-17.
6. Dziuban, Military Relations, pp. 96 97,
167-68, 172. On the role of Canadian
forces in Newfoundland during the war, see
Desmond Morton, (1985). A Military History
of Canada Edmonton Hurtig Publishers; C.P.
Stacey, (1970). Arms, Men and Governments:
The War Policies of Canada, 1939-1945.
Ottawa: Department of National Defense;
Gilbert Norman Tucker, (1952). The Naval
Service of Canada, Vol. II, Activities on
Shore during the Second World War. Ottawa:
King's Printer; G.W.L. Nicholson, (1969).
More Fighting Newfoundlanders: A History
of Newfoundland's Fighting Forces in the
Second World War . St. John's: Government
of Newfoundland.
7. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was the
construction agency for the U.S. Army and
the U.S. Army Air Corps; Lenore Fine and
Jesse A. Remington, (1972). The Corps of
Engineers: Construction in the United
States . Washington, D.C.: Office of the
Chief of Military History. For its work at
Harmon Field: see Dziuban, Military
Relations, pp. 127, 166-68, 193, 1978,
192; and the more detailed account in U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, North Atlantic
Division, "U.S. Army Bases: Newfoundland"
unpublished typescript monograph, 1946, on
file in the Office of the Chief of
Military History, Washington, D.C.
8. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, North
Atlantic Division, "U.S. Army Bases:
Newfoundland", cited in Dziuban, Military
Relations, pp. 167-68; see also ibid., pp.
175-75. Mackenzie, Atlantic Triangle, p.
79. Developments in the naval war in the
Atlantic are also recounted in the
official history of the U.S. Navy by
Samuel E. Morison, (1947). The Battle of
the Atlantic, September 1939-May 1943,
Boston: Little, Brown; and with broader
perspective and more recent documentation
by Dan van der Vat, (1965). The Atlantic
Campaign: An Epic History of World War
II's Struggle at Sea, N.Y.: Harper and
Row. On the name of Harmon Field, see Air
Force Bases: A Directory of U.S. Air Force
Installations, Harrisburg, Pa.: Stackpole
Co., (1965), p. 145.
9. Wesley F. Craven and James L. Cate, eds.,
(1948). The Army Air Forces in World War
II: Plans and Early Operations, Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, I, pp.
313-49; U.S. Army Air Forces, Air
Transport Command, "History of the North
Atlantic Division", II, pp. 308-10; IV,
pp. 205, 337, 368, unpublished, typescript
monograph, 1946, on file at Headquarters,
Military Air Transport Service, cited in
Dziuban, Military Relations, p. 192. On
the history of the Air Transport Command,
see Reginald M. Cleveland, (1946). Air
Transport at War, N.Y.: Harper and
Brothers; and Oliver La Farge, (1949). The
Eagle in the Egg, (Boston: Houghton
Mifflin Co.
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Earnest Harmon Air Force Base: Construction In 1953,
the 347th (Engineer Aviation) battalion was assigned the immense task (along
with 2,502 contractor personnel) of completing the 62 line construction
projects on Earnest Harmon Air Force Base at Stephenville, Newfoundland.
The base, situated on 8,159 acres of land at the Northeast end of St. George's
Bay was leased from the British government for 99 years in 1940 and closed
down in 1966. Originally named Stephenville Air Base, it was renamed on
the 23rd of June, 1941 in honor of Capt. Earnest Harmon. The construction
projects consisted of: completion of major runways of up to 222,000 square
yards, taxi way and aprons of up to 421,000 square yards, and bomber aprons
of heavy duty pavement up to 351,000 square yards, (the runway complex
was so large that the existing harbor facilities had to be demolished to
give proper clearance for aircraft); construction of fighter aircraft hangers
and three boat docks and dredging of the existing harbor, which, when completed
was 8000 feet long, 200 feet wide, and 35 feet deep; a flight control tower
was built in September of 1953 along with four petroleum tanks with a capacity
of 25,000-125,000 barrels of fuel. Four hundred and forty-four 347th Engineers
were already working on the base and were joined by the 750 engineers of
their Battalion, who had left Florida and arrived at Harmon on June 23,
1953 to begin three of the projects: 1. The construction of a By- pass
road (Hanson Highway) to prevent civilian access through the base (in progress
since April, 1943), 2. The construction of a base salvage yard and 3. The
construction of a trailer park for Harmon personnel. The battalion was
made up of four Company's; three Line Company's and one H&S (Headquarters
and Service) Company. Company A was responsible for construction of the
salvage yard and Company B and C were responsible for the construction
of the By-pass road with a budget of $583,000. The Salvage Yard, which
was situated near Noels Pond on 30 acres, was finished to partial occupancy
by the fall of 1954 and completed in 1955. Thirty Butler-Buildings were
located on the property. The machinery which constructed the By-pass road
was buried at the end of the property when it became over used and obsolete
in 1959/6O, under the supervision of Warrant Officer Ebb Higdon, Company
A. They were later dug up to be sold for scrap but were found to be useless
and reburied. This equipment had come up from Florida in Liberty Ships,
with the Battalion in 1953. In 1986 when this information was made available
to the Town of Stephenville several doubters and curiosity seekers, armed
with metal detectors, swarmed over the site and located the buried equipment.
Company and C began work on the By-pass road by working towards each other.
Company C, under the command of Capt. Claxton Ray began at the Stephenville
side and worked towards Company B which began construction near Cormiers
Village and worked in two directions towards Long Gull Pond and towards
Stephenville. It was necessary to begin construction of the road at Cormiers
Village and work back towards Stephenville pending the finalizing of property
agreements. Company B was under the command of Captain Gomez. The H&S
Company split operations equipment and men between the three Companies.
The eleven mile long construction began with a line of corduroy roads comprising
one half of the road and when Long Gull Pond was reached in the fall of
l954, the other half was constructed. The road followed the existing rail
road line. It was necessary to build three access roads approximately two
miles in length in order to facilitate construction of the By-pass road.
These roads were built to the same specifications as the By-pass road as
they were used constantly for heavy hauling. The concrete bridge over Cold
Creek was built in 1954 and the sixty foot concrete bridge over Warm Creek
was programmed for completion in 1956. Not counting equipment, 90,000 cubic
yards of fill. 30,000 cubic yards of crushed rock and 15,000 cubic yards
of earth were used before the final nineteen inches of paving was laid
down. Equipment and material were stored at the Gull Pond site. The By-pass
road was officially opened to the public in October of 1957 and named The
Hanson Memorial Highway. The third construction operation was canceled.
The 347th (changed to the 823rd in 1954) Engineer Aviation Battalion was
disbanded in 1960 and most of the men went back to the U.S.A. The two Battalion
Commanders at the time were, Colonel Germain and Major Truet. The Medical
Officer was V.H. Berry and the Ground Safety Officer was Lt. Arthur Everitt.
The general construction on the base (buildings, roads and runways) was
done under the base supervision of Colonel Koski and Colonel Bailey. J.A.
Jones had the construction contract from 1954-59. From 1956- 1959, Major
Ray was the superintendent for the asphalt, rock crushing and concrete
operations for J.A.Jones and was responsible for the construction of 200
on base houses, two seven story barracks for 1500 airmen, additional runways
and the Central Heating (steam) Plant. Colonel Koski passed away in 1989
and Lt. Colonel Ray passed away on New Years Eve, 1989. Selected References
Bailey, John A. (1986) Interviews and correspondence. Barr, Jack. (1986)
Interviews and correspondence. Bowater's Pulp and Paper Mills Limited.
(1956) Correspondence with Claxton Ray. Earnest Harmon History. (1956 microfilm).
USAF Historical Division, Maxwell AFB Alabama. Ray, Lt. Colonel Claxton.
(1986-1988). Interviews, correspondence, military records, photography
and diaries. Ray, Ola Gay. (1986). Interviews and correspondence. 66O2nd
Air Base Wing. (January 19, 1901) EHAFB Information Pamphlet. Education
The first educational institution in the St. George's Bay area was the
Roman Catholic Church. Bishop Mullock established the first church of the
Roman Catholic faith at Sandy Point in 1848 when the population of the
area was about 2000. Father Belenger was the first priest in the St. George's
Bay area from 1850-1868. Father Sears, then priest in the area, established
a church in the growing town of Stephenville. In 1884 there were four Catholic
schools in the parish. One at Sandy Point, one at the Highlands, one at
Port aux Basques and one at Campbell's Creek. Earnest Harmon AFB was established
in 1941 and the first elementary school started in a small clap-board building
in 1948 housing 28 children and 3 teachers. The first high school graduating
class (1957) began in 1953 with all of the students beginning their education
at Saint Stephen's High School in Stephenville. The new elementary school
(built near the base entrance in 1955) opened in May of 1956 by former
Base Commander, Colonel Richard Fellows and the school principal, Mr. Gerald
Brennan. In 1956 there were 19 teachers and 62 children. On September 4,
1956 the high school officially opened on the base in building number T-394,
the old elementary school building. In 1958, the same year that Stephenville
got a new stop light and T.V. celebrated its first birthday, Harmon High
established its own newspaper, The Harmon Highlight. In June of 1960 the
elementary school was situated in a very good building with large play
areas for the children. There were 29 elementary teachers and Mrs. Anna
Barnett was the secretary. Joseph C. McCormack was the High School principal
in 1961 and Mr. Harvey Bodiford was the superintendent of both Harmon and
Goose Bay schools with his main office at Goose Bay. In 1961 Cecil Haddox
was promoted to superintendent of the Earnest Harmon Schools and was also
principal of the junior-senior high schools. Mr. Haddox taught at Pepperrell
Air Force Base (1957- 1960) before being transferred to Harmon in 1960.
During this year (61) several new programs were started due to his perseverance.
The National Honor Society was formed as well as several new classes such
as art, music and physical education. Mrs. Barnett moved to the high school
and (the late) Hap Hollander was promoted to teacher-principal in the junior
high. Cecil Haddox moved around the globe after Harmon closed and continued
in educational administration on several U.S. Bases and is now living and
working in Price, Texas, where he is high school principal. In 1962/63,
Mr. Robert Keefaurer joined the staff as assistant principal. The base
and the schools continued to grow and saw the opening of the new high school,
now being used as the community college. In 1963/64 the administration
offices were staffed by Mrs. Toon, Mrs Perdue and Mrs Betty Coroner. The
high school teaching staff increased to 25 and the elementary-middle school
staff of teachers jumped to 42 with the help of Shirley Vincent, Patricia
Sudsbury and Julia Reid in clerical positions. Cyril Alexander was the
supply clerk at the time. Mr Kidd (elementary school principal) was transferred
to Japan and Mr L.E. Davis was the new Principal. In 1964/65 John Middleton
became the assistant high school principal and in the administration offices
were Mrs. Saul, Mrs. Title, Miss Barnes and Cyril Alexander. In 1964/65,
Greg Hastings was the physical education teacher and coach at the high
school and his bride to be was a fourth grade teacher in the elementary
school. They were married shortly after leaving the base and are now living
in Wilson, North Carolina where Greg is Director of Teacher Education at
Atlantic Christian College and Connie is Director of the Children's Center
at Wilson County Technical College. Mrs Edith Raymond taught in the high
school in the late 50's and later taught for three years (grade 7&8)
in Indiana and 16 years in West Point, Mississippi where she retired in
1980 and is now living on a small farm. In 1965/66 Mrs. Barnett returned
and Mr. Steve Davis joined the elementary middle school as the audio-visual
director. The total school population had now grown to over 1000 elementary
students and 38 teachers and the high school had a population of 171 junior
high and 235 high school students and 28 teachers. When the base closed
in 1966, so did the school system. It ended with 1175 elementary students
and 43 teachers and 405 junior and high school students and 26 teachers.
School was literally, out forever. Selected References Brennan, Gerald
F. (1986). Interviews and correspondence. English, L. E. F. Newfoundland,
Canada's Historic Province. Newfoundland Tourist Development. Earnest Harmon
Air Force Base Schools: Yearbook, The Rocket (1957-1966). Haddox, Cecil.
(1986). Interviews and correspondence. Hastings, Greg and Connie. (1986).
Interviews and correspondence. Lengle, Emil and Julia. (1986) Interviews
and correspondence. Ray, Lt. Colonel Claxton. (1986-1988). Interviews,
correspondence, military records and diaries. Ray, Ola Gay. (1986). Interviews
and correspondence. Raymond, Edith. (1986) Interviews and correspondence.
Recreation For its early years as an American air force base, Earnest Harmon
was quite isolated. Located within the protection of the mountains and
harbor of the St. George's Bay area, it was virtually cut off from rest
of the Island except for a few roads and boat and plane traffic. In spite
of its early isolation, the morale on the base was high. In the very early
years of the base, the adjacent village of Stephenville grew from a few
hundred people (with no paved streets or side walks and little or no water
and sewage system in 1941) to a Town of over 5000 in the mid 50's. It more
than doubling in size by the time the base closed down in the mid sixties.
The Base Command realized the situation early in the life of the base and
incorporated a number of recreational facilities into their programs and
building projects. By the mid fifties, thousands of service men and their
families were making use of these activities monthly. In the area of Hobby
Shops there was space available for leather craft, ceramics, ham radio,
lapidary, woodworking, automotive shops, model airplanes and photo labs.
Sports facilities and groups were set for softball, baseball, bowling,
golf, picnicking, archery and guns. The hunting and fishing in the Stephenville
area was great and the base set up a fishing lodge at Camp 33 with eight
large cabins a 40 man Bunk House and a mess hall and kitchen. Camp 33 is
owned by Bowater's Pulp and Paper out of Corner Brook and was leased to
the base during the spring and summer months. Along with outside activities
a number of service clubs were built and the University of Maryland Extension
Courses were set up for those wishing to continue their education while
on the base. A local broadcasting station and commercial free radio station
was in operation by the mid 50's with as many as six live shows a week
being broadcast as well as live theater and plays being made available
and a movie theater. A large gymnasium was built in 1956 with a seating
capacity of 500, two squash courts and four wall courts. The Base Chapel
accommodated up to 1500 worshippers of many religions and faiths per week.
The library was also one of the most frequently used facilities with an
average book lending rate of 1000 books every month. The most popular recreational
feature of the entire base is the Base Theater which runs a new movie every
night except Sundays and Mondays. There were four shows a day and a matinee
on Saturdays. In the early years of the base, recreational activities off
base, in the Town of Stephenville were very limited and some were often
restricted. In some of the pamphlets released by the base to its airmen,
they went as far as giving the names of women and particular houses and
taverns that no base personnel were to be in or near as well as rules about
fraternizing with the local girls. Selected References English, L. E. Newfoundland,
Canada's Historic Province. Newfoundland Tourist Development. Ray, Lt.
Colonel Claxton. (1986-1988). Interviews, correspondence, military records
and diaries. Earnest Harmon History. USAF Historical Division, Maxwell
AFB (1956 microfilm) 6602nd Air Base Wing. EHAFB Information Pamphlet.
January 19, 1951 Fight For Long Gull Pond During the By-pass road construction
activities of 1953/54 the 347th Engineer Aviation Battalion used the beach
area of Long Gull Pond as a storage yard for their equipment while the
were building the road. The By-pass Road or Hanson Memorial Highway as
it was later to be called, ran along the same route as the existing rail
line. It was during June of l953 that one of the officers, Captain Claxton
Ray, took it upon himself to discover the ownership of a tract of land
encircling the head of the lake nearest the rail line. It was listed on
their maps as being part of Reid Lot 2l. The only means of access to the
pond was by the American military rail road from Stephenville to White's
Siding, or by walking for five miles through the rugged Newfoundland terrain.
The primary construction of the By-pass road continued until the summer
of 1955 and there still was no evidence of the ownership of Reid Lot 21.
The Engineers had been dealing with the Woods Manager of Bowater's Newfoundland
Pulp and Paper Mills Ltd. Mr Cyril Parsons, concerning land acquisition
rights along the right of way of the By-pass Road. The officer (now promoted
to the rank of Major) was informed that Bowater's owned the parcel of land
in question and that they would entertain the idea of selling it for two
purposes only: agriculture or tourist development. On the 19th of July
1955 an application to purchase the 67 acre site was considered by Bowater's
and they informed the officer that the sale had been approved with one
clause added "..you will be required to resell to the Company the land
which you are now acquiring at its original purchase price [of $20.00 per
acre ed.] together with the cost of any improvements which you may have
made, should you desire to sell the property within a period of ten years".
In l956 Major Ray made preparations to be relieved from Active Duty with
the Engineers as of April 30th. He returned to Stephenville as a civilian
wishing to engage in private enterprise and drew up plans for a tourist
development on the Long Gull Pond site. What he had proposed for the site
was a 55 room hotel with motel units, a dining room, swimming pool skating
rink and services for hunters and fishermen on the four mile long lake.
Bowater's had also leased him 2000 acres of surrounding land, reserving
the timber rights for themselves. Because the road construction was incomplete
at this time and winter was setting in, the actual purchase transaction
did not take place until the 16th of May, l957. The By-pass Road was still
under construction and was not completed until the fall with opening ceremonies
taking place in October. During the summer of l957, rumors were abounding
in the Town of Stephenville that an American had purchased property with
a great potential to the area. The Western Star newspaper in Corner Brook
had printed a report on a Chamber of Commerce meet where it was proposed
that since the Town of Stephenville had used the Long Gull Pond site for
a park for years that it should be acquired for recreational purposes under
the Provincial Parks Act before Individuals gobbled it up for their own
profits. Bowater's had been placed in an embarrassing position: they had
sold Canadian land to a foreigner, before the local population realized
they had lost a valuable piece of property. Bowater's was not too concerned.
Major Ray realized that the Town of Stephenville had neither the funds
nor the coordinated efforts required to construct a park in the Gull Pond
area. Stephenville had over $40,000 in water and sewage bills due at the
time and these had not been collected. The town had only one paved street
and the others were inadequately lighted, snow removal was inadequate during
the winter, there was no water filtration plant at this time and the only
local police force was the RCMP. With all this in mind, Major Ray made
an announcement in the Western Star on August 20, 1958: "I find it most
strange that the Stephenville Town Council is seeking to acquire control
of my property along Long Gull Pond, off Hanson Memorial Highway, in order
to operate a public park several miles from its legal boundaries. In recent
months the Council and the Department of Mines and Resources, has requested
me to sell my property to establish a so called 'provincial town park'.
In each of the three letters offering to buy the property a ridiculously
low price is used. The only organizations which have publicly declared
themselves are the Town Council and the Stephenville Lions Club. It is
most difficult to understand why I am being victimized, and current activities
have every mark of an organized group attempting to overthrow the rights
of an individual... After I had recognized the value of the property, and
spent over a year developing it, clearing building sites, fencing it, then
and only then, did others come forward and attempt to acquire it. If a
town park is needed miles from the center of Stephenville, why did the
council wait so long? I am convinced, and sources of other people agree
with me that a tourist resort will be of far more benefit to the St. George's-
Port au Port districts than a public park operated by a town council whose
reputation as able administrators must obviously be in doubt when it acknowledges
tax arrears of $40,000 or more... At the best of times an individual is
hard pressed to maintain his rights in the face of constituted authority,
no matter how honest or sincere such an authority is in its actions. It
is for this reason that we have laws to protect individuals and minority
groups. My position is even more vulnerable to attack since I am an American
born citizen who is seeking a new career in Canada as a Canadian Immigrant.
I can still be called a foreigner although I have permanent establishments,
business and property investments in Newfoundland. Three organizations
are involved in trying to force me off land I legally own - Stephenville
Town Council: Stephenville Chamber of Commerce: and Stephenville Lions
Club. It was the Chamber of Commerce in l957 that called for the setting
up of a civic park at Long Gull Pond. It is a whisper campaign, to make
people believe I am standing in the way of progress, that I am stubbornly
refusing to sell my land thus robbing the people of the west coast their
own birthright to boil the kettle on their chosen spot of summer scenery.
This argument is full of holes. Firstly, I have stated publicly that a
first rate section of my land including frontage along the beach of the
pond has been reserved and placed solely at the disposal of all comers
without cost. I have offered to make such an arrangement permanent by entering
into a proper contract with the appropriate authority. This fact, plus
the fact that land is still available elsewhere on the pond, shows that
more than just a park is involved. I have spent thousands of dollars on
plans, clearing, materials and construction of a tourist resort under the
regulations of the Newfoundland Tourist Development Board in order to provide
a much needed attraction for this area. Clearly, It should be supported
by the general public who should see that the individual does not suffer
in false progress." In the Fall of l958, Mr. W.J. Keough, Minister of Mines
and Resources stated that there was no chance, at the present time for
the Province or the Town, to purchase property near Stephenville for a
park. The Indian Head Rod and Gun Club went ahead that same year with construction
of buildings on property bordering Major Ray's, which they had leased from
Bowater's. When the dust finally settled, and everyone stopped fighting
over Long Gull Pond, Major Ray didn't develop the lake as a resort area
but allowed public access to the property until it was sold to the Indian
Head Rod and Gun Club in 1987. He had turned his efforts to other things.
In August of 1953, he had received permission from the U.S. and Canadian
governments and the Town of Stephenville to construct and operate a trailer
park as off base housing for Harmon servicemen. He built and serviced 46,
28X60 foot lots on three acres of land on Queen St. In l956, along with
Telesphore White, created another 50 lots on three and one half acres.
Mr White bought the property in l965 for $20,000. In 1956, Major Ray began
the first coin operated laundromat and dry cleaners in Newfoundland. One
of only five in Canada as well as a flower shop on the Base until 1960
and raised a family with his wife, Gay, a teacher at the Harmon Elementary
School. The flower shop on the base was situated next to the tailor shop
run by Moe and Rita Clayman. When the Ray's moved off the base in 1965,
to Woodstock, Ontario, the Claymans had become such good friends with the
Ray's that they moved to Woodstock and set up a tailor shop there the next
year. Selected References Bowater Pulp and Paper Mills Limited. Correspondence
with Claxton Ray, August 18, 1955. Bowater's Pulp and Paper Mills Limited.
Correspondence with Claxton Ray, October 11, 1956. Department of Mines
and Resources, NFLD. Correspondence with Claxton Ray, August 20, I958.
Earnest Harmon History. USAF Historical Division, Maxwell AFB (1956 microfilm).
Ray, C. Waste of Public Funds. The Western Star August 20, I958. Ray, Lt.
Colonel Claxton. (1986-1988). Interviews, correspondence, military records
and diaries. Roberts, Honorable Kenneth. US House of Representatives (1956)
Correspondence with Claxton Ray. 6602nd Air Base Wing. EHAFB Information
Pamphlet. January 19, 1951. HISTORY OF ST. JOHN'S NEWFOUNDLAND Sailing
from Bristol England, on May 02 1497, John Cabot is believed to have sighted
the New World on June 24 1497. The exact locality of this sighting is believed
to be Cape Bonavista or Cape Breton Island. As early as 986 A.D., however,
the Norseman may have sailed past the island of Newfoundland under the
leadership of Bjarni Herjolfsson and landed on and explored it in 992 A.D.
by thirty-five Norsemen under the leadership of Leif Ericsson. (10). When
Cabot returned to England, he told of waters teeming with fish, surrounding
the island of Newfoundland. This knowledge later brought many European
fisherman to the area, and St. John's became known as a major fishing station.
No claims were laid to the island with its 6000 mile coastline, however,
until August 05 1583, when Sir Humphrey Gilbert, planted the British Royal
standard in St. John's and claimed the island of Newfoundland in the name
of Queen Elizabeth I. The Royal Standard was planted at the site of the
present Soldiers Monument. As a result of this claim by Great Britain,
Newfoundland holds the distinction of being Britain's oldest colony and
the `corner stone' of the British Empire. The first letter ever written
from North America to Europe was sent in 1527 from here. It is also the
location of the first successful Trans Atlantic Cable (from Heart's Content
to Ballymena, Ireland) in 1866, the first wireless signals were sent from
Signal Hill in 1901 and the first non-stop flight from North America to
Europe took off from Lester Field in 1919.(13) Following the year in which
England laid claim to the island, they met continuing resistance from the
French Empire which, too, felt that it had the right to Newfoundland. As
a result of the struggles between the two powers, the city of St. John's
changed hands in the years 1696, 1697, 1705, and 1762, with England emerging
as the victor. The city was destroyed by the two powers each time control
was changed. Later in three different years, 1816, 1817 and 1819, St. John's
was destroyed by wind swept fires which raged through the capitol city.(13)
Government by the Fishing Admirals, established in the year 1633 by the
Star Chamber Court of Charles I, was the first rule known to Newfoundland.
The Captain of the first ship to arrive in St. John's harbor was to be
Admiral of the harbor for that season. It (the Rules) reigned until 1729,
when the first Governor was appointed. In the year 1833, the first House
of Assembly was established under Sir Thomas Cochrane, marking the beginning
of representative government. By 1854, it was replaced by Responsible Government.
Responsible Government (self rule) continued until the early 1930's, when
financial conditions in Newfoundland, forced England to appoint a Royal
Commission under the Letters Patent and Royal Instructions (which in effect
became Newfoundland's new constitution), to inquire into the financial
condition of the country(25). The Commission recommended that a board of
governmental experts govern until the country again becomes solvent. When
world War II began, the Commission was not in a financial position stable
enough to protect the island. North American security was at risk and Canada
and the United States assumed military defense responsibilities for Newfoundland(18
p.3). This Commission (form) of Government was composed of six commissioners
appointed by England, three from England and three from Newfoundland, and
a Governor. The Governor acted as a chairman and each of the six Commissioners
was given a portfolio, such as Finance or Justice, over which he was responsible.
This government continued until the late 1940's. Given a choice, to continue
the Commission, elect responsible Government, or confederate with Canada,
the people of Newfoundland chose the latter. In 1908 the idea of confederation
was studied by Britain and then dismissed. In 1913 and 1916 unofficial
talks were held but no agreement was finalized. Two referendums were held
in June and July of 1948 to decide between self government and confederation
with Canada. The voters chose confederation with a slight majority vote
of 78,323 to 71,334.(22 p.1) On 01 April 1949, Newfoundland became a Province
of Canada and has continued so until this day(25). Pepperrell Air Force
Base Pepperrell Air Force Base (originally Fort Pepperrell) named for Sir
William Pepperrell (1696-1759) was the nucleus of defense protecting the
northeast coast of Canada and the United States. In the early 1940's, French
Atlantic ports were controlled by the Germans. French African ports were
cut of from Royal Navy warships the French Fleet was in danger of passing
under enemy control and since Italy allied with Germany and the Italian
Fleet was in the Mediterranean, this left Great Britain virtually alone
as the Allies' first line of defense. In September 1940, the British Government
obtained leases of sites for the establishment of naval and air bases for
the Government of the United States, and facilities in its western possessions,
Newfoundland and the South Atlantic territories. Aware of the possibility
of a potential enemy strike across the North Atlantic Route, the United
States accepted, and agreements were signed between the two countries.
On March 27, 1941 a 99 year lease was acquired from Great Britain [Great
Britain did not want to sell or give land away so a 99 year lease system
was set up-ed.] for construction of air bases on sites in Newfoundland,
Bermuda, Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua, St. Lucia, Trinidad and British Guinea.
["The Leased Bases Agreement was signed on March 27, 1941 at 10 Downing
Street. Under this agreement the United States received very wide powers
to take necessary steps to defend the areas involved, including additional
powers in time of war or emergency" 25 p59] As a result of the discussions
preceding these agreements, a board of experts on naval and air bases in
British possessions had arrived in St. John`s by March 1940 to investigate
areas necessary for developments being considered by the recently set-up
Canadian/United States Defense Board, and with the agreements signed and
most of the negotiations completed, the first movement of U.S. troops to
Newfoundland was planned. Fort Pepperrell was originally the center of
the Newfoundland base Command (NBC) and was separated from the Greenland
Base Command (GBC) under the provisions of the United States/Danish Defense
of Greenland Agreement. During the early post war years, however, all were
brought under the jurisdiction of the NBC. Fort Pepperrell became the hub
of all operations from Newfoundland, north. On January 15, 1941 the Headquarters
and Headquarters Detachment of the NBC was activated on board the U.S.
Army Transport Edmund B. Alexander, the former German liner Amerika, which
had been refitted as a floating barracks, and arrived off Cape Spear, Newfoundland
on January 25, 1941 with the first U.S. troops under the command of Colonel
Maurice D. Welty, Infantry. His garrison numbered about 1000 men and was
composed of units from the infantry, coast artillery and anti-aircraft
artillery. Brigadier H.W. Harms assumed command, replacing Welty on July
16, 1941, We1ty returned to assume command again, on September 22. Weather
kept the Alexander out of St. John`s harbor until the 29th, when it slipped
through the narrows, the largest ship ever to dock in St. John's. There
was no debarking ceremony from the Alexander at this time. It had been
decided to use the ship as a barracks until adequate housing had been constructed
by the U.S. District Engineers. The Engineers had been busy for several
months prior to the Alexander`s arrival with the construction problems
of the base. Field work near Quidi Vidi Lake began on October 15, 1940.
During April and May, 1941 the Newfoundland Base Contractors' personnel
began arriving on the island, and construction was taken over by their
organization. On the 15th of April a lease was signed with Carpasian Park
limited, for fifteen acres of land on which to build Camp Alexander, a
temporary tent camp, located on Carpasian Road. On May 20th both the troops
quartered aboard the Alexander began moving into their new, but temporary
camp. The Canada Newfoundland defense agreements were restricted to war-time
conditions. War-time shortages meant that the Canadians did not build permanent
military bases at Botwood, Gander, Bell Island or St. John`s. Canadian
Military buildings were erected quickly and cheaply with what ever materials
were available. U.S. construction was planned to last the length of the
99 year lease. (18, p4) Actual base construction began on May O5, 1941
and the plans called for the site to accommodate 3500 troops, inside storage
space for 310 vehicles, warehouse space of 146,315 square feet and open
storage of approximately twenty acres for vehicles, lumber, equipment,
and supplies. Each barracks was a self styled unit, with ample squadron
room and non commissioned officer sleeping quarters, one barrack to accommodate
125 men using single beds or 250 men using double deck beds. By utilizing
the summer months to the fullest extent, the contractors building Fort
Pepperrell had completed enough utilities to allow the move from Camp Alexander
to begin by November 1941. Lt. Colonel J.J. Yates assumed command of Fort
Pepperrell on November 28, 1941 and was replaced on December 02 by Colonel
Paul N. Starling. Beginning with the 21st. Signal Service Company, [the
Signal Corps began activity by linking up the ship with the temporary shore
establishments. The link to Argentia from St. John's was later installed
and then right across country to Harmon Field, thus providing a permanent
dial telephone system between the bases(36)] unit after unit moved from
the tent city to Fort Pepperrell until on February 27, 1942, Headquarters
NBC had moved from 44 Rennie's Mill Road. The military capacity was increased
to 5,500 troops. With Pepperrell, McAndrew, and Earnest Harmon Air Force
base on a war footing, extensive maneuvers took place in the early fall
of 1942. Between May 01, 1942 and December 15, 1942, the Argentia Holyrood
Road was constructed and 500 miles of telephone communication extended
across Newfoundland. [One such difficult link in the cross country communication
line was the 110 mile stretch from Harmon Field to Port-au-Basque. Two
thousand foot high, Long Range Mountain had to be crossed and wires had
to be stretched over the top. Siberian huskies were used to tow the sled
with heavy equipment up the dangerous slopes of the mountain. The task
was completed with a telephone network far surpassing anything Newfoundland
has ever had and in case of emergency is ready to fall in line of service
for the inhabitants(36)]. On January 07, 1943, Brigadier General John B.
Brooks assumed command of the Newfoundland Base Command and on March 15
of the same year, work was completed at Fort Pepperrell. St. John's harbor,
one of two ice free ports during the winter months, was engaged in unloading
supplies necessary to maintain the Newfoundland garrisons. During the war
years of all supplies shipped to other stations were processed through
Fort Pepperrell. On October 10, 1944, Brigadier General Samuel Connell
arrived at Pepperrell and assumed command of the Newfoundland Base Command,
and in November 1944, the first man to be called on temporary active duty
status left the Newfoundland Base Command for the Zone of Interior. On
February 08th, Headquarters Company, St. John`s Area, was formed and the
Headquarters Detachment discontinued. On December 23rd, 1945 Colonel Albert
Warren assumed command of the Newfoundland Base Command. The war's end
brought a haziness in the minds of authorities as to the future of the
Newfoundland Base Command and Fort Pepperrell, since the inactivation of
units and redeployment of forces had been going on at a rapid pace. But
word finally came from the Adjutant General setting forth the post-war
mission for Newfoundland. This was to provide local security for and maintain
U.S. Army installations and areas and to facilitate operations of the Air
Transport Command and maintain liaison with U.S. Navy and allied nations
and local commands. Effective January 01, 1946, the Newfoundland, Greenland,
Iceland, and Bermuda Base Commands were relieved from assignment to the
Eastern Defense Command and assigned to the Army Air Force under jurisdiction
of the Atlantic Division of the Air Transport Command, commanded by Colonel
Albert L. Edison. Headquarters NBC was moved from Fort Pepperrell to Harmon
Field. Fort Pepperrell became the 1388-2 Operating location. Twenty days
later, however, when Brigadier General Caleb V. Haynes assumed command
of the Newfoundland Base Command, the headquarters was returned to Fort
Pepperrell. The command was responsible for dispatching, servicing, supplying,
and maintaining all aircraft under operational control of the Atlantic
Division scheduled or routed through or within the Command and had responsibility
for the operation and disciplinary control of such air units and crews
while within your command and establish and operate a Search and Rescue
System. During the spring of 1947 an important question pertaining to civilian
personnel was answered. The question: What policy should the United States
War Department peruse in administering rates of pay for civilians employed
at bases within the Newfoundland Base Command? A board of personnel management
experts was detailed to establish and maintain proper rates of pay for
civilian employees on military installations. Adapted especially to Newfoundland,
it raised the pay level on a par with commercial businesses in the St.
John's area as determined by a local wage survey. The aim of the program
was to guarantee approximately equal pay for positions of approximately
equal responsibility. [for example: in 1947 three thousand Newfoundlander's
were paid $6,500,000 by base authorities for work at Fort Pepperrill, Harmon
Field, Fort McAndrew in Newfoundland, and at Goose and other places in
Labrador and Greenland(35)]. [It should be pointed out that the wages referred
to were paid to Newfoundlander's only and the money was spent in Newfoundland
and it does not include the expenditures that are made in local markets
by U.S. servicemen. Neither does it include Newfoundlander's who were employed
by the U.S. Navy or Coast Guard at Argentia or domestics employed by personnel
living on the bases. It is noted that the overall expenditures by the Air
Force shows that the average wage paid to each employee was over $2,100
per annum(1)]. In April 1948, the Newfoundland Base Command included Labrador
Greenland, Quebec and the Northwest Territories. Earnest Harmon Air Force
base was left under the control of the Air Transport Command. In February
1949, for the first time since WWII, a ship was assigned by the New York
Port of Embarkation to make scheduled runs between New York and St. John's.
The ship was the U.S. Army Transport, Sergeant Jonah E. Kelly. The Kelly
departed St. John`s on the 7th of February and began it run. In the summer
of 1950, information was received of the planned activation of the Northeast
Air Command. Group General Order Number 13, reassigning all units of the
1225th Air Base Group to the Northeast Air Command, bringing to a close
the activities of the Newfoundland Base Command and from that point NBC's
bases and facilities became an integral part of the Northeast Air Command.
On October the 20th the 1225th was redesignated as the 6600th Air Depot
Wing and later designated the 6604th Air Base Wing. The importance of the
North Atlantic and Arctic regions more and more was being heralded and
once again this location was the last bulwark of defense against potential
invaders. The Northeast Air Command could look for a short future. Early
in 1957 it would be abolished and replaced by the Strategic Air Command
and the Air Defense Command. The 6604th Air Base Wing The mission of the
6604th Air Base Wing was to maintain and operate Pepperrell Air Force base
for the support of personnel and units stationed on the base or USAF controlled
areas of operation and to support other military units required to rise
the facilities in their operational assignments. Each pilot of the 6604th
ABW was required to put in 100 hours of flying on an annual basis, divided
equally between the first and second half of the fiscal year. Typical hours
would include twenty hours of weather flying, fifteen hours of night flying
(50% as co-pilot) and up to ten missions as instructor pilot(p47). The
total amount of hours put in by the Wing was 16,800 for the 168 pilots.
In l955, cross country flights to the United States and Canadian mainland
were begun as a means of testing the pilots proficiency and making full
use of the airplanes. This was set up over a three day period of six flight
hours per day, every six months(p49). Commercial Transportation was placed
under the Maintenance and Supply Commander and Military Transportation
under the 6604th Operations Squadron Commander. In a six month period (in
I956 for example) 862,500 miles were driven using 93,900 gallons of gasoline
and requests for 18,560 taxi trips. The food services and air installations
functions formerly performed by the 64th Air Division for their organizations
were transferred to the 6604th on May 01. The 138th Engineer Aviation Group,
SCARWAF (Special Category Army With Air Force) was deactivated on the 31st
of May along with its 15 officers and 70 enlisted men. The 622nd Engineer
Aviation Maintenance Company was deactivated along with its 4 officers
and 95 enlisted men. The Engineer Aviation Battalion remained at Pepperrell
and was under complete control of the Army at Governor's island, New York.
For operational control and support, Headquarters 5th Weather Group and
Detachment Number l2 were attached to the 6604th Wing on March 01. On June
01 the 6982nd Mobile Radio Squadron was attached to Wing for logistic support.
Colonel Floyd M. Johnson assumed command of the 6604th Wing during this
first six months due to the temporary absence of the Commander, Colonel
Graeme S. Bond. For the year 1956, maintenance and operational Projects
at Pepperrill totalling $21,307,681 were accumulated from a total personnel
assignment of 54,00 (2,702 in the Wing). By the end of the year civilians
were decreased from 1,738 to 1,685; officers increased from 129 to 132
and airmen decreased from 814 to 777. Costs of the entire base averaged
$2,000,000 monthly, the two highest costs being military pay (over $1,000,000
monthly) and civilian pay ($500,000 monthly). Operating costs of the Wing
averaged over $1,000,000 a month with a high of $1,505,173 recorded in
December 1955. Figured in the Wing costs were military pay ($350,000 monthly),
civilian pay ($420,000), monthly supplies ($210,000 monthly), contractual
services ($20,000 monthly) and other ($50,000 monthly). A cost savings
program was implemented at Pepperrill for a total savings of $915,505.72.
The largest recorded amount was by the 1805th AACS Wing when they succeeded
in establishing direct route communications between Goose Bay and Thule
Air Bases. The improvement in estimated gains was $758,000. The second
largest recorded savings was by the Food Services Branch. The savings resulted
from standardization of a master menu for command wide use. Under the old
system 240 man hours monthly were required. This was reduced to 80 man
hours. One of the smaller savings was the publication of the base phone
book every four months instead of every three months. Civilian Employment:
Civilian employees were processed by the Civilian Personnel Office. In
hiring civilian personnel including U.S. nationals, it was required that
the applicant furnish the names and addresses of all previous employers
and five references, names and locations of all schools attended, a birth
certificate and a certificate of conduct from the St. John`s Constabulary.
All names were checked against an civilian unsuitability list. Letters
were written to all schools attended by the prospective employee, to all
former employers and to persons listed as references. If derogatory information
is received, the letters were filed in the official personnel folder of
the employee concerned. Prior to employment and every year after, each
applicant underwent a complete physical examination. Clearance was then
completed and an identification card was issued. Selected references: Hastings,
Greg and Connie. Interviews and correspondence. Hiller, Ian and Neary,
Peter (eds.) (1980). Newfoundland in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Century:
Essays in Interpretation. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 66O2nd
Air Base Wing. EHAFB Information Pamphlet. January 19, 1951. Lengle, Emile
and Julia. Interviews and correspondence. Lumsden, Ian (ed.) (1977). Close
to the 49th Parallel: The Americanization of Canada. Toronto: University
of Toronto Press. MacKenzie, David. (1986). Inside The Atlantic Triangle:
Canada and the Entrance of Newfoundland Into Confederation 1939-1949. Toronto:
University of Toronto Press. MacLead, Malcolm. (1986). Piece of the Continent:
The Impact of Second World War Canadian and American Bases in Newfoundland.
St. John's: Harry Cuff Publications. Mulvenna, Francis X. Sr. Interviews
and correspondence. O'neill, K.J. (1965). The town of Stephenville. The
Western Star. Plapp, Paul V. Interviews and correspondence. Ray, Lt. Colonel
Claxton. Interviews, correspondence, military records and diaries. Ray,
Gay. Interviews and correspondence. Raymond, Edith. Interviews and correspondence.
Roberts, Honourable Kenneth. US House of Representatives Correspondence
with Claxton Ray. Stacey C.P. (1976). Mackenzie King and the Atlantic Triangle.
Toronto: Macmillan of Canada. Terranovan. Bases boon to Newfoundland. St.
John's Telegram. Topics Of The Day. April 16, 1948. Terranovan. U.S. Signal
Corps. St. John's Telegram. Topics Of The Day. April 17, 1948. Zeidler,
Ed. Interviews ad correspondence.
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