We are undergraduate students at Nipissing University enrolled in HIST-4325 Oral History for our fourth-year seminar under Dr. Katrina Srigley that took place during the 2023/24 school year.
Our group research project involves each of us interviewing members of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) who worked at 22 Wing/CFB North Bay during the Cold War, to hear and record their stories, memories and experiences. This includes listening to their memories about their careers, the environments in which they worked, their lives after hours, and their involvement in the broader community of North Bay. We also highlight the careers of military personnel from the RCAF as a way of celebrating their upcoming 100th anniversary this year. Here you will observe our incorporation of the stories, memories and experiences of each of our narrators, along with additional outside research regarding military careers, domestic life and the North Bay community. 
Full Transcripts of our interviews can be accessed at the archives housed at the Canadian Forces Museum of Aerospace Defence. Some transcripts and interview recordings are also housed at the North Bay Public Library's Local Knowledge Library.

It wouldn't have been possible without...

Dr. Katrina Srigley

Our professor in this course has made this course impactful and facilitated us to begin the study of this discipline. She has been patient with us and spent a great deal of time and dedication into helping us become the best scholars and interviewers we can be. We are very grateful to learn from her. To learn more about Dr. Srigley go to our about page.

Bethany Aitchison

 Bethany Aitchison, the museum Curator at the Canadian Forces Museum of Aerospace Defence, and Nipissing History Alumna, has been incredibly helpful with our project. She has welcomed us to the museum, and worked with us to meet our interviewees and access archival sources that would not have been possible otherwise.

Major Gareth Carter

Bethany introduced us to Major Carter, who gave us a tour of the Ops Floor at 22 Wing/CFB North Bay, answered many of our questions, and graciously allowed us to watch Dr. Srigley interview him as our first chance to witness an oral history interview first hand. His experiences have contributed greatly to our understanding of military careers and the continuities and changes from the Cold War to now.
To learn more about Dr. Srigley, our collaborators and their contribution to our project:

​Themes

Enlistment

Work Environment

Job Detail
Here we share our narrators stories about why they enlisted into the military as pilots, Technicians, Air Weapon Controllers and civilian workers. 
Our narrators describe what life was like on Base during the Cold War. The themes related to stress, comradery and physical work environment are discussed. 
Here the different careers of our narrator's are described. Narrators describe what a day in a life looks like within their specific field. 

"The Hole"

Here we describe the Underground Complex including what it looked like, work environment underground, Brotherhood of the Underground Mushroomers. 

After Hours

Here we explore work-life balance and time spent outside of work. Our narrators describe what they got up to in their free time and how much of their life revolved around their job at the Base. 

Training

Here we describe the training it took for our narrators to develop in their RCAF careers. They touch on the different types of training they went through before and during their employment. 

Technology

Our narrators describe what it was like working with the SAGE system along with other topics such as the rapid technological advancement, electronic warfare, lack of safety and the practical benefits of working in IT. 

North Bay Community

In this section our narrators discuss what it was like living in North Bay during the Cold War. They touch on topics such as the divide between those who lived on and off Base. They also discuss what kinds of activities the town had to offer. 

Get to know their stories

Lynn Doucette

Lynn spent a short time in North Bay as an Air Weapons Controller starting in 1980, until she got reassigned in 1981.1 She then worked as a Senior Director and Flight Commander in the Underground Complex back in North Bay between 1988-1990.
Ross Brewer

Ross had a career as a backseat flyer with the 433 and 414 squadrons.2 He also worked as a tactical photo analysis and electronic weapons officer. He also spent time working within the 22 Wing’s Underground Complex before his retirement in 1994.
Peter Growen

Peter became a pilot with the RCAF in 1958.3 He spent the next 11 years moving from Base to Base. In 1969, Peter was transferred from Ottawa to North Bay, and it was here that he would stay until 1987. Some other jobs he held were a Base Flight Safety Officer and Chief Instructor on the CF-100.
Carol Norman

Carol started working in the Air Defence Command Headquarters in various departments as a civilian in the secretarial and administrative field.4 She then moved to the Underground Complex in 1977 working for the Deputy Chief of Staff Operations.
Wilbert Neal

Wilbert ("Wib") enlisted into the Air Force in 1951.5 He then did basic training to become an electrical technician working on aircraft. After ​32 years in uniform, Wib retired and began to work for the Canadian Department of National Defense for the rest of his career as a quality insurance inspector.
Loranne Arboleya

Loranne joined the RCAF in 1981 and during her career held a variety of positions in Air Defence and the Modernization of NORAD's technologies.6 She worked in North Bay in the Underground Complex for over seven years in addition to several other postings and trainings she had across the continent.Loranne loved her military career but left in 1997 because of the extent of the discrimination she faced.
David Pipke

Dave wanted a career as a pilot but later re-classified as an Air Weapons Controller in North Bay.7 He worked in the Underground Complex before taking up a position in Germany with the Luftwaffe. As of today, Dave has worked for the Canadian Armed Forces for 43 years.
Footnotes
       1. Lynn Doucette, interview with Kassandra McLellan and Sarah Tipping, Sharing Stories of 22 Wing Collection, Canadian Forces Museum of Aerospace Defence, February 28, 2024. Unless otherwise noted all interviews are archived in this collection. All information  in this section regarding Lynn Doucette comes from this interview unless otherwise stated.
         2. Ross Brewer, interview with Taylor Davis, March 1, 2024. All information in this section regarding Ross Brewer comes from this interview unless otherwise stated.
      3. Peter Growen, interview with Asha Joseph, 21 February 2024. All information in this section regarding Peter Growen comes from this interview unless otherwise stated.
      4. Carol Norman, interview with Christine Kipper, February 14, 2024. All information in this section regarding Carol Norman comes from this interview unless otherwise stated.
       5. Wilbert Neal, interview with Nelaya Boyd, no.1, February 20, 2024. All information in this section regarding Wilbert Neal comes from this interview unless otherwise stated.
       6. Loranne Arboleya, interview with Denver Prevost and Jordan Wilson, no.1, February 12, 2024. All information in this section regarding Loranne Arboleya comes from this interview unless otherwise stated.
       7. David Pipke, interview with Katrina Srigley, 15 February, 2024. All information in this section regarding David Pipke comes from this interview unless otherwise stated.
In collaboration with: