HISTORY OF THE 423 SQUADRON

CHAPTER VII

THE SEA KING ERA1

Naval Air Force?

For many years the Royal Canadian Navy had been flying helicopters from ships. With integration in 1967, the Air Element of the Canadian Forces (CF) was given control of all aircraft and air assets of the Canadian military. The helicopters were a valuable extension of the ship's combat sensors (finding the enemy), and attack capabilities (destroying the enemy). The RCN Air Arm had proved these capabilities, and as "their" assets were integrated into the Air Force, they were wary of what the future might hold. A new era of Navy-Air Force cooperation, however, was to begin.

With the advent of the 280 class helicopter-carrying destroyer (DDH) in 1972, came an increased requirement for additional Sea King aircraft, more aircrew and more maintenance personnel. It became apparent to the CF that the established Naval Air squadron, HS-50, was both too large to function effectively as a single unit, and at the same time, too small to accommodate its scope of operations. Consequently, it was decided that the unit must be divided into two squadrons and expanded overall. HS-50 Squadron was disbanded, and in its place, 423 and 443 were resurrected as Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadrons. Thus, on 3 September 1974, HS 423 Squadron, with its "We Search and Strike" (Quaerimus et Petimus) motto, and the formidable bald eagle emblem, was once again in the business of hunting for submarines. LCol Larry A. Ashley (later LGen and Comd of Air Command) took command of HS 423 and, with Executive Officer (XO), Maj Jav Stevenson, began the task of building an administrative and training organization, as well as promoting the "esprit de corps" necessary to form a highly professional and effective unit.

The new squadron was based out of H Hangar, at CFB Shearwater, N.S. These facilities were far superior to those used previously by HS-50. Within two weeks, the headquarters staff and detachment personnel were established in place, and refurbishment programs, such as shower installation and briefing room modifications, were under way.

The ultimate task of 423 Squadron was to support CANDESRON ONE (CANadian DEStroyer squadRON ONE). It was to provide five detachments of helicopter, aircrew, and technicians (HELAIRDETs) for HMC Ships IROQUOIS, SAGUENAY, ANNAPOLIS and FRASER, and a "headquarters det" based in Shearwater. The squadron manning department soon discovered that such support would not be easy. The unit's mandate: "developing aircrew to an operational standard for employment in combatant ships; assisting in the development of procedures, tactics, and equipment for ships and aircraft; and ensuring the maintenance of the operational standards of all squadron aircrew, ashore and afloat." In addition, the squadron was "responsible for operations in support of the Navy's responsibilities and requirements for surface and sub-surface surveillance, maritime warfare, cooperation with other commands, forces and agencies, air/sea rescue and other missions that may be assigned."

This role was new for the Air Element of the CF, and an interesting division of loyalties was seemingly created in this restructuring. 423 Squadron was an Air Command unit with operational responsibilities to Maritime Command. The ever-flexible HS community, fortunately, was able to adjust to the new command and control situation.

423 To Sea

Early in September 1974, HMC Ship's SKEENA and IROQUOIS were deployed to EASTLANT and took part in EXERCISE NORTHERN MERGER. It was a multinational threat exercise which boasted the largest participation of naval vessels since World War II. Both ships' HELAIRDETs played an active part in the exercise, conducting visual searches, dropping sonobuoys, augmenting the screen and transferring material and personnel. One of HMCS IROQUOIS' crews effected a simulated kill on a submarine and HMCS SKEENA boasted seventeen days of flying operations out of a possible twenty-two, an impressive record. While in company with HMCS PROTECTEUR, one of the two East Coast-based Auxiliary Oil Replenishers (AOR or "Oiler"), the HELAIRDETs experienced fuel problems which were attributed to a new paper fuel filter. It was later discovered that the Oiler was carrying water-contaminated fuel, which was pumped into the tanks of IROQUOIS and SKEENA, and thence into the helicopters during refuelling.

Meanwhile, HMCS SAGUENAY's HELAIRDET was in the Arctic on OPERATION NORPLOY '74 during the months of August and September. Most of the flying conducted during this exercise was in the utility role, conducting slinging operations and material and personnel transfers. Though not ideal for such tasking, the Sea King combined versatility, a good pay load and an excellent instrument capability to produce more than satisfactory results.

During Phase II of the exercise, the SAGUENAY and ASSINIBOINE HELAIRDETs were embarked onboard HMCS PRESERVER, the second East Coast Oiler. On the seventh of September, Sea King CH12422 launched with passengers for transfer to a recreational fishing camp sixty miles away. The crew commander had been authorized to shut down on arrival at Robertson River and return to PRESERVER at 1900 hours. During the shutdown, however, the main gear box sustained damage resulting from an accessory drive/rotor lockout malfunction. After two days of consultation with CFB Shearwater, the transmission was completely flushed and the aircraft successfully returned to PRESERVER. The outcome of this evolution was to review Sea King operations in the Arctic and to establish contingency plans in support of future operations like NORPLOY '74. Salvage, training and communications came under scrutiny preparatory to another Northern deployment.

FISHPAT

In September, the HMCS ANNAPOLIS HELAIRDET arrived back from a four month deployment with Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT). After a month and a half of crew training and participation in co-operative ASW exercises with maritime patrol (VP) and surface units, the detachment embarked again and deployed to pioneer the role of fisheries surveillance; a deployment which would later be dubbed as a FISHPAT or Fisheries Patrol. HMCS ANNAPOLIS was the first Canadian Forces destroyer to be designated an ICNAF Fisheries Inspection Vessel. Unfortunately, aircraft CH12433 was plagued with serviceability problems during this deployment and could not exploit all of the surveillance opportunities afforded on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. The Sea King's potential as a fisheries surveillance vehicle was, however, confirmed.

LCol Ashley had done his job. An effective squadron had been formed, and it was providing operationally-ready crews to support Navy missions and other assigned tasks. On 12 August 1975, LCol Ashley turned over command of 423 Squadron to LCol J.W. McDermott.

The world oil crisis of the early 1970s, and a resulting nation-wide fuel cut-back, had its effect on the Sea King world. The 205/265 class destroyer detachments were reduced to flying forty-two hours per month. The 280 class detachments were granted sixty-three hours per month and HS 423 headquarters aircrew were allotted sixty-two hours. The squadron concentrated on maintaining the bare minimum of aircrew proficiency.

By December of 1975, the squadron was providing four HELAIRDETs for HMC Ship's IROQUOIS, ALGONQUIN, ASSINIBOINE and NIPIGON. With fewer operational aircraft, due to the CH124A reconfiguration program, and a manning shortage, aircrew and equipment were shifted between detachments as ship's programs changed. Short notice changes were the norm as the unit scrambled to meet increasing taskings. This was the year, for example, when Canada began enforcing a 200 nautical mile economic control zone to protect the fishery.

In concert with the RCMP and the Coast Guard, Sea King crews monitored foreign fishing vessels and conducted transfers of fisheries officers and marine biologists to check catches for fish types, tonnages, and possible bacterial and parasitic infections. Capt Kurt E.D. Theoret, of the HMCS FRASER Detachment, was the first aircrew member to act as a witnessing officer during a fisheries inspection at sea. 423's helicopters were well suited to this type of activity, and from necessity, was born the guideline transfer. Designed to place or remove personnel from a ship where a vertical hoist was impossible due to antennas or other obstructions, the helo would first drop a guideline to the deckhands. The pilot would then carefully move the helo away from obstructions and down to the level of the deck of the ship, while the deckhands used the guideline to keep the person in the hoist from swinging. The crewman operating the hoist would then feed out cable as the deckhands took in the guideline, so that the "hoistee" was moved horizontally to the ship, thus avoiding the obstructions. This procedure was soon used to save lives as sick and injured crew were evacuated in Stoke's litter-type stretchers from ships and fishing boats that would otherwise have reached medical help too late, and would previously have been inaccessible to a helicopter.

HMCS ATHABASKAN (with HMCS IROQUOIS' Detachment) was the first Tribal (280) class ship to be used on a fisheries patrol. Approximately 180 fishing vessels were located and identified, mostly Soviet with some West German and French. Several boardings were made, with the inspections officers and biologists paying strict attention to detail. Meanwhile, congenial trades were made of Russian cigarettes, Vodka, and tinned cod livers in return for Player's Navy Cut cigarettes, Canadian Club whiskey and corned beef. Photographs and film footage documented the role and procedures of fisheries inspection for future reference and training. These moments of camaraderie, incidentally, were recorded in the midst of the Cold War.

The rest of the year passed with scattered deployments for all of the detachments. FRASER's detachment, however, seemed to have the most excitement with the rescue of a man overboard in September. The crew involved saved the man's life, and were later presented with the Sikorsky Rescue Award. Not one month later, the same detachment suffered a near-fatal incident when their helo was caught in a windshear and heavy turbulence while in the dip. The crew was forced to guillotine the sonar dome to save the aircraft. Fortunately, they were able to fly the helo out of the hover and recover to the ship.

"Roosy Roads" and Beyond

January 1976 saw 423 through the usual preparations for spring exercises. While the aircrew worked on their shore-based proficiency and training, detachment "maintainers" ensured that Air Department spaces and equipment were ready on their respective ships. The most valuable personnel asset at this time was someone who knew where to acquire the multitude of equipment and spares needed to keep aircraft flying during a busy exercise. Begging, borrowing and "otherwise obtaining" became the order of the day for the detachment scroungers.

1976 proved to be a busy year for the detachments. With EXERCISE SPRINGBOARD, EXERCISE TEAMWORK, various Combat Readiness and workups inspections, three separate CANLANT patrols, and one turn at STANAVFORLANT, detachment personnel were kept on the move. Morale remained high, even though time away from home port exceeded 250 days in some cases.

On 26 January, several ships sailed from Halifax for EXERCISE SPRINGBOARD and returned in early March via convoy on EXERCISE SAFEPASS. NIPIGON Detachment, meanwhile, spent eight days away on a CANLANT Fisheries patrol. The aircraft, even without radar, could greatly enhance the amount of area searched and it was felt that it should have been used more in this capacity. This experience, and the resulting discussion, served to ensure that, on subsequent patrols, better use was made of the aircraft. The DDH, with radar-equipped helicopters, could effectively cover a very large area, and IROQUOIS later claimed a record for the number of ships boarded in a single day using these assets.

Throughout 1977, HS 423 continued to provide HELAIRDETs to the ships of the First Canadian Destroyer Squadron. The declaration of the 200 mile limit served to increase the frequency of sovereignty patrols by ship and aircraft. The importance of the helicopter, as an extension of the ship, was clearly established.

In the early part of the year, HMCS ALGONQUIN was participating in EXERCISE CARIBOPS in the waters south of Puerto Rico. On 9 February, the crew of an American F-4 Phantom was forced to eject into the water eight miles south of Roosevelt Roads. ALGONQUIN came to emergency flying stations, readying her helicopter for an immediate launch to effect the rescue of the stricken aircraft's crew. An emergency launch can be done in as little as ten minutes, while a normal launch takes up to thirty minutes for checks and start procedures. This launch was fast indeed, for the helicopter was overhead the ejection scene and picking up the two grateful men before they had the chance to worry about their stay in the water. Neither the pilot nor the navigator had been injured in the ejection, and the quick pickup prevented any further injuries from occurring. The rescue appeared almost routine.

A Sea King modernization program had reduced the number of available aircraft and crews throughout 1977. Nonetheless, 423 was able to meet detachment commitments for HMC Ships ALGONQUIN, ATHABASKAN, MARGAREE, OTTAWA and SKEENA. With eight major exercises taking place during the year, the squadron still found the time to form up for the change of command from LCol J.W. McDermott to LCol G.A. Potter.

1978 was another active year, with the squadron participating in a variety of national and international ASW exercises as well as sovereignty and fisheries patrols. Sea operations took place in the Caribbean and Western Atlantic, off Scandinavia and in the Eastern Atlantic, and into the Mediterranean Sea. Fortunately, the Sea King modernization program was finally completed in early April, which brought the aircraft strength of the squadron back up to par.

Of all the deployments that occurred this year, ASSINIBOINE probably experienced the most eventful. At the end of February, while deployed on CARIBOPS, the detachment was called upon to perform a "MEDEVAC" of a British sailor from a Tanker. The injured sailor had fallen thirty feet and sustained a broken back, a broken pelvis, and internal injuries. ASSINIBOINE's aircrew performed the mission, transitting 190 miles to Roosevelt Roads after performing a difficult hoist between the mast and the bridge of the tanker.

On a more pleasant note, the ASSINIBOINE made her first port visit to Leith, Scotland, after being at sea for twenty-three days on EXERCISE NORTHERN WEDDING. The ship also performed a "diplomatic service" while in Leith for the Nova Scotia Government, which was working to gain support for a "Gathering of the Clans," to be held in Nova Scotia in 1979. The events and activities of the port visit proved a welcome diversion after so many days at sea.

Early January 1979 saw the SKEENA HELAIRDET busy with preparations for sailing south on the annual CARIBOPS exercise with other CANDESRON ONE ships. The exercise was over by the end of February, and the Det had two weeks at home before departing on 14 March for EXERCISE SUBARCTEX 79. During this short exercise, the detachment was called in to assist the M/V PARTNERSHIP, a vessel in distress. The upper decks of this ship were particularly obstructed, and in order to lower one man, a pump and hoses, the crew had to use a "light line" to steady the hoist. After successfully completing this operation, and enjoying a brief stop in St. John's, Newfoundland, the ship departed to arrive in Halifax on the third of April.

HMCS ALGONQUIN, meanwhile, had sailed on CARIBOPS on 5 February, and after a brief nine day break in Halifax, also re-embarked on 14 March for EXERCISE SUBARCTEX. The major purpose of SUBARCTEX was to investigate DDH operations in areas of cold weather and freezing spray. The exercise was conducted off of Labrador and Newfoundland, but the results were somewhat inconclusive as the expected extreme weather conditions were seldom encountered.

Command of the squadron changed hands on 12 July, when LCol G. Cook took the reins from LCol Potter. The change marked the start of an interesting period for ATHABASKAN Det, which began its three month involvement in the trial of the new AQS 18 sonar. Two aircraft were flown to the Naval Air Development Centre in Warminster, Pennsylvania on 27 July for the installation of the new sonar. The detachment was tasked to provide sufficient aircrew and maintenance personnel to move, maintain, and operate two Sea King helicopters in order to conduct technical and operational evaluations.

The sonar installation was completed by 30 August and the aircraft were flown to Key West to commence technical evaluation, with additional aircrew and maintenance personnel arriving on a C130 Hercules. Sonar performance checks were conducted in the waters off Florida, where problems with the reeling machine and the raise/lower speeds were ironed out. On 17 September, HMCS ATHABASKAN arrived in Key West to embark the detachment and the entire project team for further technical evaluation of the sonar at the Atlantic Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre facilities near Andros Island, Bahamas. Tests were terminated early, however, when a "universal" joint attaching the sonar ball to its 300 meters of cable broke, dropping the ball into 3000 feet of water. HMCS ATHABASKAN returned to Halifax at the end of September as engineers reassembled to prepare the sonar for more operational evaluations off the Nova Scotia coast. Participating submarine and sonar maintenance problems brought the project to an end in October, but ATHABASKAN's Detachment Commander, Maj W.J. Reaume, noted that the trial had been an interesting and successful experience overall.

Change and Ceremony

1980 was a good year for HS 423. LCol Cook had observed on taking command that "down time" due to aircraft unserviceabilities decreased when detachments put to sea. Maintenance policies, reflecting the detachment operations principle, were adopted ashore, and proved their worth. Maintenance personnel worked for, and were able to identify with, an operational Squadron, thus becoming part of a team as opposed to another number in the Base maintenance pool.

The year also brought an assessment of the reliability of the AN/APN 117 Radar Altimeter. The result was an operational restriction, imposed early in the year, against night transitions and over-water hovering. Command was forced to speed up the acquisition programme for a new RADALT system and also to reassess the operational employment of the Sea King. At the same time, more thought was being given to operationally upgrading the aircraft prior to future replacement. These assessments aided the move toward enhancing the passive acoustics role of the Sea King, a move that would change aircraft configuration and HS outlook by the end of the decade.

The decade dawned with another new concept - the AOR detachment went operational. This concept was trialed initially with PROTECTEUR enroute to Puerto Rico in January. It worked with some minor drawbacks. The deck limits for AOR flight operations were quite specific, but no means of measuring the amount of pitch and roll existed on the ship. Another drawback was the lack of pitch and horizon bars on the ship, which complicated night operations. Despite these drawbacks, the AOR proved that it could be the "fleet garage," and operate an ASW Det. PROTECTEUR Detachment had four successful submarine prosecutions while participating in EXERCISE OPEN GATE 80 during the EASTLANT deployment that spring.

1981 saw the presentation of the Royal Standard to 423 Squadron after its accumulation of twenty-five years of active service to the Crown. It was a quadruple presentation, as the other Shearwater-based squadrons had also accumulated twenty-five years of service. The presentation took place, after much dedicated preparation for the event and associated festivities, on Saturday, 27 June. The Governor General, His Excellency Edward Shryer presented the four Standards, and among the other honoured guests and former Commanding Officers in attendance was the founding CO of 423, Air Cmdre F.J. Rump.

The Annual Historical Report of 423 Squadron for 1981 described the key day of the event:

"Saturday, 27 June 1981, was a simply gorgeous day with blue skies, just enough high cirrus to screen out the intense brightness of the sun, temperatures in the low to mid seventies, and soft gentle winds. The Chaplain General had done his stuff. Saturday morning saw a dozen or so late registrations and some others wandering through looking for and finding black coffee or a pick-me-up. At 1500 hours, with the four Squadrons already on parade, the Governor General drove up and we were off to the races. Everything went like clockwork, like we knew what we were doing, like we had been practicing for months. We had been. When the Squadrons marched past with the Standards unfurled and waving in the gentle breeze it sent shivers up most peoples spines. It was impressive!"

Not one week later, on 3 July, LCol D.G. Cook relinquished command of HS 423 to LCol J.J. Doyle in a ceremonial parade presided over by Col E.I. Patrick, Base Commander. This marked the first occasion that the Squadron Colour was paraded at an official function.

EURO PRINCESS and ROWAN JUNEAU

The year came to an end with the heroic rescue of sailors from the grounded Bulk Carrier EURO PRINCESS, and the evacuation of forty-four souls from the oil rig ROWAN JUNEAU by the detachments of HMC Ships ASSINIBOINE and ATHABASKAN.

On 26 November, the EURO PRINCESS ran aground off Sable Island. The ASSINIBOINE was notified, at 1930 hours, that four attempts to evacuate the twenty-six crewmembers by boat had failed, and that a helicopter rescue was necessary. Two hours later, the crew of "Rescue 407," LCdr Dave Cradduck (USN), Lt Dave Amberley, Capt Don MacQuarrie and MCpls Dave Hutchinson and Richard L'Archeveque, were airborne enroute to Sable Island. Approaching Sable, the Sea King established good radio contact with an on-scene Buffalo aircraft from Summerside and with the Mobile Oil rig ROWAN JUNEAU. "Rescue 407" was provided up-to-date weather information, the exact location of the EURO PRINCESS and the stricken ship's upper deck layout.

The hoist to the ship was challenging, as conditions at the time were rain showers, winds of 55-60 knots, and seas at 15-20 feet. The ship's crew spoke Yugoslavian, but understood English, which facilitated the evacuation procedures and helicopter's instructions. The sailors calmly carried out the instructions, and the helo crew effectively lifted thirteen survivors before departing for Sable to drop them off and refuel.

As the aircraft approached Sable, residents of the island illuminated the landing area with automobile headlamps and produced a hand-held windsock when the helo was on final approach. Once on the ground, the aircrew learned that a SAR helicopter, dispatched from Summerside, had begun hoisting the remaining crew members. Two hours and 2,700 pounds of hand-pumped JP-4 later, "Rescue 407" took off from Sable for Shearwater, arriving in the early morning of 27 November. As the detachment's report noted, "the hours of SAR training that had been done before this night had been well worth it."

The HMCS ATHABASKAN, which was ready duty ship and 130 miles from the scene, was also tasked to assist in the rescue of the endangered EURO PRINCESS crew. With sea state six to seven, winds in excess of fifty knots, and waves repeatedly breaking over the flight deck, ground and air crews were greatly challenged to get the two helicopters safely launched. By the time the first helicopter started engines, however, it was learned that other SAR aircraft were already on the scene, and no further helicopters were required. Accordingly, ATHABASKAN's Sea King was returned to the hangar and the crews stood down while the ship continued closing Sable Island.

At approximately 0115 hours, ATHABASKAN received a request by Mobil Oil to evacuate the crew of the oil rig ROWAN JUNEAU, which was drilling at Sable Island. It was feared that the abandoned EURO PRINCESS might drift into the oil rig, situated only 900 yards away. ATHABASKAN's Air Det crews were called out again, and the first aircraft, captained by Maj Herb Harzan, launched at 0145 hours, and arrived at the oil rig by 0215 hours. The second helicopter, commanded by Capt Alain Boyer, followed the first by only twenty minutes. An instrument approach using the helicopter's radar was devised which guided it to the rig. The helo was landed on the rig's helicopter pad, an elevated platform attached to the side of the rig, 125 feet above the water. When the AESOP and TACCO disembarked to organize and escort the passengers into the helicopter, they were nearly blown off the pad. The most frightening experience for the passengers must have been the crawl to the aircraft, hanging on to any available support. The first helicopter, having embarked eleven passengers, then departed for Sable Island and made room for the second helo to land and embark eleven more.

Each helicopter made two round trips, evacuating forty-four persons to the safety of Sable Island. The most demanding part of the trip was the landing back on ATHABASKAN, as the ship's hauldown cable used to assist the landing had snagged and been cut. Both crew commanders elected to carry out a freedeck landing, with the ship periodically exceeding thirty degrees of roll and ten degrees of pitch. Only a skeleton crew of eighteen remained on the oil rig, and ATHABASKAN was requested to standby with her helicopters to evacuate them should the situation deteriorate further.

LCdr Cradduck, Lt Amberley, Capt MacQuarrie, and MCpls L'Archeveque and Hutchinson would be awarded Chief of Defence Staff Commendations for their efforts. In addition, Maj Harzan and Capt Boyer were awarded Commander Maritime Command Commendations.