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STANDING NAVAL FORCE ATLANTIC
STANDING NATO MARITIME GROUP 1
In late November 1966, U.S. Rear Admiral Richard G. Colbert prepared a concept paper proposing a permanent Allied Command Atlantic naval contingency force based on Operation Matchmaker, an annual six-month exercise involving ships from NATO navies. The proposed contingency force was approved by NATO in December 1967 and activated in January 1968 as Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT). The force was re-designated Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 in January 2005
NATO MATCHMAKER SQUADRON
18 Jan 1965 - 14 Jul 1965
MM01 (MM01) Matchmaker Squadron Certificate
The Matchmaker Squadron entering Ponta Delgada, Azores L-R: HMCS COLUMBIA 260, HNLMS OVERIJSSEL D815, USS HAMMERBERG 1015 and HMS LEANDER F109
(MM06) The NATO emblem on the funnel of HMCS COLUMBIA 260 with USS RICHARD E. KRAUS 849 in the background during EX POLESTAR (MM07) Newspaper article on Matchmaker 1965 (MM08) Matchmaker Squadron ship's jackets. The jackets were given to all members of HMCS COLUMBIA. Note the Maple Leaf on the Canadian flag. "This was shortly after we had just raised the new Canadian flag on Feb 15, 1965 and apparently the company making the jackets did not know what a "maple leaf" looked like." (MM09-MM10) On the morning of 12 Jun 1965, HMCS COLUMBIA encountered the sailing vessel "Tinkerbelle". "I (ABRP Bob Thome) was reporting contacts that particular morning and this small unknown motionless contact kept popping up on my screen so, as we were the closest, we left our position in the convoy to check it out." Documents MM09 and MM10 are excerpts from the book "Tinkerbelle - The story of the smallest boat ever to cross the Atlantic nonstop" by Robert Manry on Tinkerbelle's encounter with HMCS COLUMBIA
Courtesy of Robert (Bob) Thome, AB.RP1, RCN, ret'd
Matchmaker Four - 1968 Zippo Lighter Ships in the Squadron: HMS BRIGHTON, USS HOLDER, HNLMS HOLLAND, HMCS GATINEAU and FGS EMDEN Courtesy of Hugh Muir
Standing Naval Force Atlantic - 17 Jul 1969
HMCS ASSINIBOINE 234 - 2nd ship from the right
Standing Naval Force Atlantic - Apr 1974
(clockwise): USS Julius A. Furer, FGS Augsburg, HNoMS Narvik, Almirante Periera da Silva, HNLMS Rotterdam, HMS Sirius, and HMCS Annapolis (flagship), centre. The squadron was in the Bay of Biscay when this was taken in April 1974 Photographer: Cpl. Dennis (Grasshopper) Mah, SNFL photographer Courtesy of Peter Magwood
Standing Naval Force Atlantic - 1974
HMCS Huron with Standing Naval Force Atlantic Courtesy of John Knudsen
Standing Naval Force Atlantic - 1975
Standing Naval Force Atlantic - 1975
HMCS ANNAPOLIS 265 conducting a RAS with RAS Hr Ms Poolster - 1975 Photo taken from Hr Ms Hr MS Poolster Courtesy of Cor van Dongen, Ttelegrafist Royal Dutch Navy 1972-1979
Standing Naval Force Atlantic - 1977
HMCS MARGAREE 230 STANAVFORLANT Sailpast - July 1977 Photo taken from Hr Ms Evertsen F815
USS MILLER 1091 STANAVFORLANT Sailpost - Jul 1977 "The Americans were very official in their sailpast" Photo taken from Hr MS Evertsen F815 Courtesy of Cor van Dongen, Ttelegrafist Royal Dutch Navy 1972-1979
Standing Naval Force Atlantic - 1977
HMCS SAGUENAY 205 STANAVFORLANT Sailpast - 29 Aug 1977 Photo taken from Hr MS Evertsen F815 Courtesy of Cor van Dongen, Ttelegrafist Royal Dutch Navy 1972-1979
Standing Naval Force Atlantic - 1979
Photo shoot off the Rock of Gibraltar USS Paul, HNLMS Evertsen, HMCS Iroquois, HMS Sheffield, HMS Ariadne, FGS Lubeck CSNFL (then) Commodore Gordie Edwards Courtesy of Ted Kendall
Standing Naval Force Atlantic - 1985
USS IOWA firing a full broadside during exercise with the Standing Naval Force Atlantic in 1985 HMCS NIPIGON front left in photo. Photo taken by one of the aircrew from the NATO Squardon Courtesy of Malcolm Peacock
USS IOWA BB61 operating with the Standing Naval Force Atlantic - 1985 From the collection of Gary Hatton Source: Facebook page - Royal Canadian Navy Yesterday and Today
Standing Naval Force Atlantic - 1985
HMCS Iroquois with NATO Squadron Courtesy of Dennis Burton
Standing Naval Force Atlantic - Aug - Dec 1985
USS BRISCOE, FGS HESSEN, HMS BATTLEAXE, HMCS OTTAWA, HNLMS TROMP
Standing Naval Force Atlantic - date unknown
HMCS NIPIGON 266 with NATO Squadron Courtesy of John Le Forte
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