The White Falcon


The White Falcon - 26.03.1965, Blaðsíða 5

The White Falcon - 26.03.1965, Blaðsíða 5
WHITE FALCON Friday, March 26, 1965 Friday, March 26, 1965 WHITE FALCON OKAY SKIPPER—Ltjg Donald G. Pritchard, officer- uv-chatge of Grindavik Site, gives some kelpful advice to Paul IV. Balf, RM2, on working the controls of the AN/F11T-4 low frequency broadcast radio trans- mitter located in the Communication-Transmitter Building. CHECKING THE VALVES—Dennis A. Pfenning, CEPN, (left) and Emery D. Hampton, EN1, inspect the valve rocker arms on a diesel generator during a routine inspection. This eight-cylinder generator is one of three housed at the Site’s Power Plant Build- ing. HOW MUCH “PAPPY”?—That’s what Gary L. Scott, RMSN, seems to be saying as he pays Albert C. “Pappy” Lancaster, UTP2, for a carton of cigarettes bought at the small exchange operated by “Pappy.” Grindavik’s Exchange, part of the Navy Exchange, sells most everything that an be bought here at the Naval Station’s Exchange, Keflavik. The Grindavik Story Situated about 16 miles south- east of Keflavik is a tiny but all- important transmitting station called Grindavik. It is located a short way from the little fishing village of Grindavik. At the Site 48 men, 13 Marines and 35 sailors, keep the radio transmitters beaming messages from Keflavik to the Atlantic Fleet, Europe, MATS aircraft and the United States. I and my co-reporter were in- troduced and shown around the station by Ltjg Donald G. Prit- chard, officer-in-charge of Grinda- vik Site. Two Marine guards are always on duty, one at the gate and the other up in the Site’s look-out tower. The 100-foot plus tower, locat- ed in the center of the base, is only accessible by climbing a maze of stairs. Atop the tower is a searchlight while inside the Mar- ine sentry, armed with an M—1 rifle, constantly scans the two- mile lighted perimeter and the outlying antenna field. The first stop along our itiner- ary started at the Site’s power plant. Three huge diesel genera- tors stand by ready to deliver their 350 kilowatts of power per engine for the Site. Presently, only one of these eight-cylinder diesel powered gen- erators, capable of supplying elec- trical needs to a town of 4,000 people is necessary to supply the base. In case of a failure of the operating diesel generator one of the standby units can be put into action in a matter of minutes. The newly programmed equip- ment for this base will require at least two of these units and poss- ibly all three to be operated simul- taneously. Suck power is needed to operate the 35 transmitters at the Site's Communications Building. Over 3% million dollars worth of equipment is housed in the building. These radio transmitters are the primary voice of Iceland Defence Force (IDF) and the largest complex of its kind in Ice- land. Here, highly complex electro- nic machines are interconnected by a maze of wires. They are con- tinuously monitored through hundreds of lights and dozens of dials operated 24 hours a day un- der the watchful eyes of highly skilled radiomen and electronics technicians. Messages are beamed to all points of the compass from these devices. Each radio transmitter has a different job to perform. For in- stance, one transmitter, the larg- est at the Site, is used only for beaming signals to the Fleet. This low frequency radio transmitter called the AN/FRT—4 can beam signals to the Fleet anywhere within a 2,000-mile radius. Two of the machine’s tubes each weigh 250 pounds and must be lifted by a crane. One of the towers used for beaming the low frequency sig- nals of the AN/FRT—4 is 800 feet high and the second largest tower in Iceland. The other, a 600-footer, which nestles among the Site’s already antennae-surfaced land- scape, is used as a back-up in case MMMM .... RAISIN PIE — Chief Cook Donald D. Parsley, CS2, pre- pares to bake his homemade raisin pies. “Flakes” as everyone at Grindavik calls him, runs the gal- ley with an assistant cook and an extra duty man who works during weekdays. H!if! ~~ - f sc... * ENTERTAINMENT AT SITE—The Varsity Vaga- bonds from Western Michigan University provide an evening of entertainment to the men at the Site. The show took place inside the combination lounge and TV room. (Photo my Shidiskis, SK3) WHAT’S COOKING? — Assistant Cook Steven B. Ray, CS3, stirs some noodle soup in preparation for the evening meal. KINDA’ WINDY UP HERE — Joseph P. Shidiskis, SK3, begins the long climb up the 600-foot transmitter tower. Both towers are checked periodically for installa- tion of new lights and routine maintenance. Small In Manpower; Large In Importance SITE FROM 800 FEET UP—Picture taken atop the 800-foot low frequency transmitter tower shows how small Grindavik Site really is. If one looks closely enough one can see that the backward L-shaped building is the barracks; the oblong structure, the Transmitter Building; the “fence-post”, the watchtower;and the square block to the tower’s right is the Power Plant. (Photo by Ainsworth, CEPS) LONE SENTINEL—Pvt. Ray L. Cain of the U.S. Marine Corps stands at his post on top of the look-out tower. The sentries keep guard over the entire area. HALT! IDENTIFY YOURSELF — The gate guard, PFC Dennis A. Gadowski, USCM, checks all persons entering and leaving the Site. ONE MORE TURN—A1 S. Pashcal, ETNSN. tightens the screw just once more as Gene C. Musante, ET3, steadies the vacuum tube. The men were working in the “helix house” located beneath the 600-foot tower. This house contains numerous coils used to match the impedence of the transmitters with the antenna. the larger transmitter malfunc- tions. Each tower must be checked periodically by men at the Site and a climb up both towers is a tedious, cold, dangerous and yet important job performed by the base’s seabee electricians. The building also maintains transmitting equipment for con- tact with Military Air Transport Service (MATS) planes. One of the most modern transmitters, a 40,000-watt single side-band mach- ine, beams messages from Com- mander Iceland Defense Force (IDF), Keflavik, to Commander- In-Chief Atlantic Fleet (CINC- LANTFLT) in Norfolk. Constant contact is kept between Keflavik and Grindavik by way of a two-way teletype that sends and receives messages from Technical Control Center, Hangar 831, Keflavik. All information that’s trans- mitted at Grindavik is received from Keflavik Control via a 24- channel microwave system. Be- cause of the microwave’s extreme- ly high frequency, many voice channels can be used simultane- ously. The antennae systems of a mi- crowave directs a small amount of energy into a pencil-width beam having the equivalent effect of 8,000 watts of radio frequency power. Life at the Site is not all work and no play. Although the facili- ties for recreation are few in number, they, nevertheless, con- tribute a great deal to the high morale at this small Navy Station. One of the biggest factors in the men’s high morale at Grinda- vik is the excellent food prepared and served by the hard-working and highly competent galley crew. The main living quarters build- ing combines a mess hall, a pool and table-tennis room, and a com- bination reading-lounge-TV room under one roof. A short walk from the barracks a small building situated on a rise overlooks the rest of the Site. It is called the Grindavik Club. Built by the men themselves, the club provides a place of en- joyment during off-duty hours and movies are shown each even- ing. Being the only club at the Site, it is open to all members of the Grindavik Transmitter Station and their guests. Besides these recreational faci- lities, the natural land features around Grindavik are quite differ- ent from the terrain at Keflavik, and something to see. An extinct, old, lava-filled vol- cano looms behind the Site. Many men have climbed “Mt. Grinda- vik”, as some call it, and even a road winds its way to the summit. Also, a few miles out on the road to Grindavik, a mysterious, craggy and crater-like plain dubbed “Moon Valley” can be seen. So, as my co-reporter and I drove through the moon-like plain, we felt more secure knowing that at this small and almost forgotten Site a handful of men were doing their job keeping us in contact with the outside world1. MECHANICAL OCT AW ft—Monty 8. Taylor, RM2, makes sure the radio frequency patch-panel’s tenacles are securely fastened. The patch-panel hooks the transmitters to the antennae out in the field. OUTDOOR WORK—Fixing an antenna on the roof • of the Barracks Building Gene W. Beaver, RMC, non- commissioned officer-in-charge of Grindavik Site, and Daniel R. Steichen, RM1, perform the cumber- some task. LEISURE FUN—A couple games of ping-pong during off-duty hours provides enjoyment for men like PFC William A. Buchanan. A pool table is also found in the recroom for all the pool enthusiasts. TREE CLIMBING—Climbing up the transmission- line pole which feeds the lines to the antennae is PFC Dennis A. Bird. Private Bird must wear special shoes and safety equipment used in pole-climbing. TELETYPIST AT WORK — Richard J. Patterson, RM3, keeps in constant contact with Keflavik by way of a two-way teletype that sends and receives messages from Tehnical Control Center, Hangar 831, Keflavik. DAY’S END—At the day’s end Craig A. O’Der, SN, still finds time to write his favorite girl. And maybe this would be a good place to say “au revoir” to this story too. THE END. (Joseph P. Schmieg, JOSA)

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The White Falcon

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