The White Falcon - 27.02.1965, Blaðsíða 4
4
WHITE FALCON
Saturday, February 27, 1965
Saturday, February 27, 1965
WHITE FALCON
PRE-FLIGHT BRIEFING
OUT OF THE HANGAR
BARRIER CREW CLIMBS ABOARD
ADMIRAL BRIEFS MEN OF BARRIER
Pk
cede
Out WlarL CnJ Of BarOorjCant Jfter 4 U
“My hat is off to all of you for the work you’ve been doing. Although I haven’t met
very many of you, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting the crew coming back from the
75,000 hour accident free Barrier Flight,” said RAdm Ralph Weymouth recently as he
met with the men of the Barrier Forces, confirming the news of their operational
phase-out.
The admiral spoke informally to the men as he explained the situation to them.
“You all heard the radio last night. I want to tell you what I think of the Barrier,”
he said.
The Barrier, which had its first flight in the Atlantic in 1957 and in the Pacific in
1958, is being phased-out.
“This is how the Barrier started. It was designed to block end runs. Someone had
to built it and the Navy had the best background for it.
“The Navy was reluctant for two reasons. They con-
sidered it to be a Maginot Line type operation and they
didn’t like the amount of strength they would have to com-
mit to it. However, though reluctant to do the job, the
Navy did it.
“Things change,” he added, “we are at the forefront of
all these changes. The big thing affecting you today is the
missile take-over.
“The men of the Barrier Forces are some of the most
capable and best qualified in the world. The probability
of enemy planes getting through is low.
“This decision to phase-out the Barrier Forces was made
all the way up—by President Johnson. It was a difficult
decision to make.
“The money saved will go into another phase. As you
know your talents will be needed elsewhere,” continued
the admiral.
“Your role has been tremendous... .The Navy has taken
tremendous steps forward. Your continued services will be
needed all over the Navy. The name of the game in military
LOOKING OVER AN ENGINE is ‘Change’.”
New weapons force the use of new defenses. Last week
this basic law of military existence acted at Keflavik In-
ternational Airport to disestablish the Barrier Forces At-
lantic
Announcement of the impending “phase-out” came from
Iceland Defense Force Commander RAdm Ralph Wey-
mouth, warning of the disappearance from Keflavik of
those hump-backed, swollen-bellied aircraft, affectionately
called “Willie-Victors.”
Better known as the “Warning Star” Super Constella-
tion, the EC-121J arrived at Keflavik June 19, 1961 and
made its first airborne early warning flight from here at
0001, Aug. 1, 1961.
Since then, these aircraft have kept an around-the-clock
surveillance of the air space between Greenland, Iceland and
the United Kingdom, searching for aerial intruders. In
addition, crewmen have logged 75,000 hours of accident-
free flying time.
The history of Barrier Forces Atlantic at Keflavik has
been one not only of reliability and hard work, but of
bravery and compassion. On Sept. 5, 1961, a Willie Victor
crew and a radar picket destroyer worked together in heavy
seas to rescue the crew members of the trawler Sleipnir
when it sank 200 miles southeast of Iceland.
On Feb. 19, 1962, Barrier Force aircraft aided in search-
ing for two fishermen missing from the trawler Ellidi
which had capsized in heavy seas. Two months later com-
mand units assisted the Icelandic Coast Guard in rescuing
the crew of the burning ship Voerdur.
From Sept. 23 to 25, 1962, Barrier Force aircraft as-
sisted in search and rescue operations for the survivors of
a Military Air Transport Service charter airliner which
ditched in heavy seas. These are just a few of the efforts
made by Barrier Force men to save lives, often at the risk
of their own.
In addition to their patrol and rescue mission, men of
the Barrier Forces Atlantic have participated in many
exercises and training operations.
In 1961, for instance, men of the barrier took part in
“Project 660”, “High Heels”, “Sky Shield,” “Desk Top”
and “Star Step”. During 1962, they participated in exer-
cises “Whiplash”, “Lantbex”, “Sky Shield”, “High Heels
II”, and “Fallex ’62”. In 1963 they participated in “Mute
VIII”, “Desk Top VI and VII’ and “Viking Shield” and,
in 1964, “Fallex ’64”, “Newsbex” and “Teamwork”.
Headquarters for the Navy’s airborne early warning
operation — the extension of the joint United States —
Canadian Distant Early Warning Line—was moved from
Argentina, Newfoundland to Keflavik after being activated
at Argentia in July 1955.
Some 65 officers and 290 enlisted men of the phased-out
barrier forces are scheduled to leave Iceland.
CHECKING THE LANDING GEAR
WILLIE VICTOR OVER ICELAND