Keith-Murray, Peter: my NORAD experiences (March 7, 2016)
An interview/narrative of Peter Keith-Murray's experiences with the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Keith-Murray served with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Interview took place on March 7, 2016.
Interviewee: Keith-Murray, Peter, 1935-
ABSTRACT: Military Oral History Project Interview Summary Narrator: Peter Keith-Murray Title: NORAD, the Veterans Experience Interviewer: Alexander Morgenthaler Extent 2 sound recording (MP3) 1:41:10, 138MB Interview Date and Location 7 March 2016, British Columbia Aviation Museum, Victoria BC. Synopsis: This interview covers at the start a great range of bases and postings in Quebec, BC, and Ontario with a mention of a Christmas trip which shows the cultural landscape of the USA at the time in great detail as well as provided insight into the various clubs and bases that Keith-Murray visited. Then as a part of this there was further mention of various bases to which Keith-Murray was posted with mention of black fly postings as well as various details about the bases construction and inner workings and these areas of the interview included some life experiences while at the postings such as supply chains in the north. Then the interview moved to Keith-Murray's experiences in Europe as AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control Systems) aircraft were given to NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and Keith-Murray was posted to the Canadian branch and this section includes a swath of very useful information on the workings and operations of AWACS which is elaborated later even further in the section which covers Keith Murray’s Alaska posting and the Europe posting also includes several experiences as well as insights into the differences between NATO and NORAD and the playing of politics in the background of the organizations and also there is mention of his bush and ocean going survival training here. Then as an extension of this then the interview went towards Keith-Murray's posting in Anchorage Alaska where he was given a staff job but was also a weapons resources officer aboard a NORAD (North American Air Defence Command) AWACS as an Airborne Battle Staff officer in case the ground based battle staff was destroyed and this then led to the intercepts in which Keith Murray participated as a controller and then the interview goes into the Arctic survival training in which he participated. 0:00-0:46 lntro 0:46- 3:41 Joining the Canadian Air Force (Early Life, training) 3:41-4:39 Clinton Ont. Trade Fighter Control Operator 4:39-7:38 Hitchhike trip at Christmas after post 7:38- 13:16 More of the Trip and James Conelly AFB, Hollywood Military Club 13:16-14:27 Quebec posting, more life in Force 14:27- 17:14 Radar Business, Tu Russian Bears, Intercepts and the end of intercepts 17:14-19:25 More on Radar and Fighter Bases experiences, Fighter Ops, promotion, 19:25-21:06 Moving around from posting to posting mixed with experiences and move of Air defence command 21:06-22:24 More posting movement and life, Black Fly Posting 22:24-24:05 Commission and More on Postings-BC North Life 24:05-26:16 More on postings (Quebec, life and jobs of most time, controller school, French Course) 26:16-29:02 Even more on postings and movement, BUIC Station Experience and workings 29:02-31:34 North Bay and postings, Personnel Officer Job and officer assignment structure for crisis 31:34-34:18 Colorado Springs and Posting for Course Bio warfare (Base and Battle Staff), Secondary Job (Museum) 34:18-35:31 Ottawa almost, Back to North Bay Chief Controller 35:31-38:43 Ground Environment Office (old system) Radar Chains and NORAD Country Divisions and running of Radar 38:43-39:40 North Bay, AWAC's (NATO) 39:40-45:48 NATO AWAC's Experience (Europe), AWAC Flights and workings 45:48-54:45 NORAD Alaska Anchorage AWAC's Posting Airborne Battle Staff, Intercepts packages and bad comm, the end of intercepts and Career Clip2 0:00-6:39 Difference NATO vs. NORAD, AWAC Radar 6:39-9:23 Tactical Director of AWAC in Europe and crew of AWAC 9:23-14:33 More Alaska Experience, Staff Ops, Russia Bombers Intercepts, BEMEWS 14:33-15:45 Arctic Survival Training, Article written for staff 15:45-16:16 Joining AWACS and Supply NATO with AWACS and support 16:16-17.01 NATO AWACS details (Bases, Squadrons, 17.01-20:21 Overseas required winter bush and sea going survival training 20:21-22:53 Europe life Experiences, Training to become a Tactical Director 22:55-23:38 Tactical Director, Air Weapon Controller Wings, Flight time 23:38-26:34 AWACS aircraft and workings, experiences 26:34-28:07 NATO politics and inner workings squadrons deployment 28:07-31:54 Europe Experiences at various postings (food, Civil life, Lincoln England area, Culture) 31:54-32:48 Trondheim (Oreland, local stories) 32:48-34:16 Throughout Turkey and history in Gonia 34:16-35:23 PR in Service Trips 35:23-37:00 Anchorage Alaska, AWACS, Hunter/Killer Package Intercepts of Bears (Russia) with Tactics 37:00-37:27 Iceland Summit and no more intercepts 37:27-38:03 Communication in North 38:03-42:54 Arctic Survival Training 42:54-43:31 Russia land in Elmendorff and Airshow in Canada (Mig 29, and A225 Cargo Aircraft) 43:31-46:26 Mess Committee Chair (event), Admin changes, and the end of Career Suggested Clip(s) for Archive: 14:27- 17:14 Radar Business, Tu Russian Bears, Intercepts and the end of intercepts 26:16-29:02 Even more on postings and movement, BUIC Station Experience and workings Clip2 9:23-14:33 More Alaska Experience, Staff Ops, Russia Bombers Intercepts, BEMEWS 14:33-15:45 Arctic Survival Training, Article written for staff 15:45-16:16 Joining AWACS and Supply NATO with AWACS and support 16:16-17.01 NATO AWACS details (Bases, Squadrons, 17.01- 20:21 Overseas required winter bush and sea going survival training 20:21-22:53 Europe life Experiences, Training to become a Tactical Director 22:55-23:38 Tactical Director, Air Weapon Controller Wings, Flight time 23:38-26:34 AWACS aircraft and workings, experiences 26:34-28:07 NATO politics and inner workings squadrons deployment 35:23-37:00 Anchorage Alaska, AWACS, Hunter/Killer Package Intercepts of Bears (Russia) with Tactics I think all clips are important in one way or other. Subject Key Words NORAD, NATO, Airborne Battle Staff, Arctic Survival Training, Europe, AWACS, life in the Forces, United States, Alaska, Geilenkirchen, Bush Training, Intercepts, Radar postings, Cheyenne Mountain, North Bay, Quebec, North British Columbia, Vacations, Operations, BMEWS, BUIC, RCAF
Rank: Major.
Interviewer: Morgenthaler, Alexander
- In Collection:
- 2 sound recordings (MP3)
- 38.83388, -104.82136
- 48.4359, -123.35155
- Original sound recordings (MP3) also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- KMP_843
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- March 7, 2016
- Digital sound recording in .mp3 format at 192 kbps. Recorded in digital format by interviewer, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF. Interview recorded in digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2016. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
- DOI
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