Northeast Cape Air Force Station: Difference between revisions
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'''{{PAGENAME}}''' (1953-1969) - A [[Cold War]] U.S. Air Force Station, part of the Alaska AC&W Radar Network. Initially functioned as an Early Warning radar site, with a Permanent System ID of F-09. Closed in 1969. | '''{{PAGENAME}}''' (1953-1969) - A [[Cold War]] U.S. Air Force Station, part of the Alaska AC&W Radar Network. Initially functioned as an Early Warning radar site, with a Permanent System ID of F-09. Located on Saint Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, just south of the Bering Strait. Closed in 1969. | ||
{|{{FWpicframe}} | {|{{FWpicframe}} | ||
|- valign="top" | |- valign="top" | ||
|width="50%"|[[Image:.jpg|350px|thumb|left|Northeast Cape Air Force Station]] | |width="50%"|<!--[[Image:.jpg|350px|thumb|left|Northeast Cape Air Force Station]]--> | ||
|width="50%"|[[Image:.jpg|35px|thumb|right|Northeast Cape Air Force Station]] | |width="50%"|<!--[[Image:.jpg|35px|thumb|right|Northeast Cape Air Force Station]]--> | ||
|- | |- | ||
|colspan="2"|[[ | |colspan="2"|[[File:Northeast Cape AFS 1963.jpg|795px|thumb|center|Northeast Cape Air Force Station Lower Site circa 1963.]] | ||
|} | |} | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
A contract for construction of the radar site was awarded in January 1951 and construction began on a split site with a lower cantonment area and | A contract for construction of the radar site was awarded in January 1951 and construction began on a split site with a lower cantonment area and an upper main site. Detachment F-9 of the 142nd ACWS, ANG, provided security for the unfinished site late in 1951. Construction was completed and the site became operational in December 1952. The Northeast Cape Air Force Station was then manned by the 712th AC&W Squadron which had been activated in December 1952 to operate and maintain the site. | ||
Initial radar equipment on the upper site included a [[FPS-3] (SN #17) search radar. The FPS-3 radar was upgraded to a [[FPS-20|FPS-20A]] search radar in 1963. IFF/SIF equipment was [[UPX-7]]. Radar scopes included OA-99s and later UPA-35s. | Initial radar equipment on the upper site included a [[FPS-3]] (SN #17) search radar. The FPS-3 radar was upgraded to a [[FPS-20|FPS-20A]] search radar in 1963. IFF/SIF equipment was [[UPX-7]]. Radar scopes included OA-99s and later UPA-35s. | ||
In 1965 the FYQ-9 Semiautomatic Data Processing and Display System was implemented on Alaska AC&W radar sites automating the passing of track data to the direction centers. The result was reduced manpower requirements and increased efficiency. | In 1965 the [[FYQ-9]] Semiautomatic Data Processing and Display System was implemented on Alaska AC&W radar sites automating the passing of track data to the direction centers. The result was reduced manpower requirements and increased efficiency. | ||
The Northeast Cape AFS was closed in Sep-Oct 1969 and the 712th AC&W Squadron was deactivated. Operation of the site was transferred to the White Alice Communications System (WACS) contractor who had been | The Northeast Cape AFS was closed in Sep-Oct 1969 and the 712th AC&W Squadron was deactivated. Operation of the site was transferred to the White Alice Communications System (WACS) contractor who had been co-located with the AC&W Radar Site. The site was finally abandoned in 1974. | ||
== Physical Plant == | == Physical Plant == | ||
[[File:Northeast Cape AFS Top Tram.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Northeast Cape AFS Top Site Tram Terminal.]] | |||
The physical plant of | The physical plant of Northeast Cape AFS was originally divided into an upper main site and a lower cantonment site. The upper main site housed the radar towers, backup generators, communications sites and crew quarters. The cantonment area housed the lower operations area, the enlisted quarters (BAQ), the bachelor officer's quarters (BOQ), the orderly room, the dining hall, recreation facilities, and other support areas. A small airstrip provided facilities for fixed wing aircraft and helicopters. | ||
Most of the buildings on the lower site were originally wood frame construction except for the powerhouse and the majority of them were connected by enclosed weather proofed walkways. This made it possible to wear normal uniforms in most of the areas. | Most of the buildings on the lower site were originally wood frame construction except for the powerhouse and the majority of them were connected by enclosed weather proofed walkways. This made it possible to wear normal uniforms in most of the areas. | ||
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The upper and lower sites were connected by an overhead tramway and a road that was sometimes impassable during the winter. Primary electrical power for the upper site was furnished by the primary power plant on the lower site. Radar video was sent to the lower operations area via commercial Western Electric video transmission equipment. No family housing was provided as this was considered a remote unaccompanied tour (1 year). | The upper and lower sites were connected by an overhead tramway and a road that was sometimes impassable during the winter. Primary electrical power for the upper site was furnished by the primary power plant on the lower site. Radar video was sent to the lower operations area via commercial Western Electric video transmission equipment. No family housing was provided as this was considered a remote unaccompanied tour (1 year). | ||
Annual bulk supply shipments were made during the summer months under the Mona Lisa and later the Cool Barge programs. | Annual bulk supply shipments were made during the summer months under the Mona Lisa and later the Cool Barge programs. Airlift of supplies, mail and personnel was available year-round, weather providing. | ||
{{Clr}} | |||
== Air-Ground Radio Communications == | |||
Separate radio facilities housed the radio equipment for communicating with aircraft. | |||
== | == [[Northeast Cape White Alice Communications Site]] == | ||
After HF radio systems proved inadequate for command and control communications, the Air Force implemented the White Alice Communications System (WACS). This was a system of tropospheric scatter and microwave radio relay sites constructed during the mid-1950s to provide reliable communications to Alaska Air Command (AAC) AC&W system. | |||
The Northeast Cape WACS linked to Anvil Mountain (126 miles) east and to Tin City (161 miles). Two pairs of 60' tropo billboard antennas were used. The site was constructed in 1957 and went operational on 17 Feb 1958. The equipment and power building was 5,280 square-foot and POL storage was a single 500 barrel tank. This WACS site was co-located with the Northeast Cape AC&W site and shared support facilities with them. The AC&W site closed in 1969 and thereafter the WACS site served as a link between Tin City and Anvil Mountain and provided its own support under contractor operation. | |||
The Northeast Cape | The specific links from Northeast Cape (OHC), both deactivated by 1972: | ||
* TR1 Tropo to Anvil Mountain (AVM) (2-60' Tropo Billboard Antennas | |||
* TR1 Tropo to Tin City (TNC) (161 miles) 2-60' Tropo Billboard Antennas | |||
The Northeast Cape White Alice tropo site was inactivated in 1972. A pair of transportable 30' tropo dish antennas was added at [[Anvil Mountain White Alice Communications Site|Anvil Mountain WACS]] and a second pair at [[Tin City White Alice Communications Site|Tin City WACS]] to bypass their links to Northeast Cape when it closed in 1972. | |||
---- | ---- | ||
{| width=" | {| width="100%" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| valign="top" width="50%" | | | valign="top" width="50%" | | ||
| Line 47: | Line 51: | ||
|- | |- | ||
!Search Radar | !Search Radar | ||
!Data Systems | !Data Systems | ||
!IFF/SIF | !IFF/SIF | ||
| Line 54: | Line 57: | ||
* [[FPS-3]] | * [[FPS-3]] | ||
* [[FPS-20|FPS-20A]] | * [[FPS-20|FPS-20A]] | ||
| valign="top" | | | valign="top" | | ||
* [[FYQ-9]] | * [[FYQ-9]] | ||
| Line 65: | Line 67: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
* Det. F-9, 142nd ACWS, ANG (1952-1963) | |||
* 712th Aircraft Control & Warning (AC&W) Squadron (1953-1969) | * 712th Aircraft Control & Warning (AC&W) Squadron (1953-1969) | ||
|} | |} | ||
|} | |} | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|+ 712th Assignments | |+ 712th Assignments | ||
| Line 74: | Line 77: | ||
| | | | ||
* 8 Dec 1952 - Activated, 160th Aircraft Control and Warning Group. | * 8 Dec 1952 - Activated, 160th Aircraft Control and Warning Group. | ||
* 5 Feb 1953 - 548th Aircraft Control and Warning Group. | * 5 Feb 1953 - Assigned to 548th Aircraft Control and Warning Group. | ||
* 18 Apr 1953 - 11th Air Division. | * 18 Apr 1953 - Assigned to [[11th Air Division]]. | ||
* 20 Sep 1954 - 5001st Air Defense Group. | * 20 Sep 1954 - Assigned to 5001st Air Defense Group. | ||
* 1 Oct 1955 - 10th Air Division. | * 1 Oct 1955 - Assigned to [[10th Air Division]]. | ||
* 1 Nov 1957 - 5060th Aircraft Control and Warning Group. | * 1 Nov 1957 - Assigned to 5060th Aircraft Control and Warning Group. | ||
* 1 Jul 1959 - 11th Air Division | * 1 Jul 1959 - Assigned to [[11th Air Division]]. | ||
* 1 Aug 1960 - 5070th Air Defense Wing. | * 1 Aug 1960 - Assigned to 5070th Air Defense Wing. | ||
* 1 Nov 1961 - Alaskan Air Command. | * 1 Nov 1961 - Assigned to Alaskan Air Command. | ||
* 15 Sep 1969 - Deactivated. | * 15 Sep 1969 - Deactivated. | ||
|} | |} | ||
<!--{{NortheastCapeAFSCmdrs}}--> | <!--{{NortheastCapeAFSCmdrs}}--> | ||
== Current Status == | == Current Status == | ||
[[File:Northeast Cape AFS Ruins.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Ruins of Lower Site Buildings before Final Removal.]] | |||
Most of the old AC&W site buildings have been demolished. The site has also had an environmental remediation project that has further erased signs of the old AC&W site and the White Alice tropo site. | |||
{{Clr}} | |||
<!--{{NortheastCapeAFSStructures}}--> | <!--{{NortheastCapeAFSStructures}}--> | ||
---- | ---- | ||
{| | {| | ||
|- | |||
|valign="top" colspan="2"| | |||
'''Location:''' Goodnews Bay Saint on Saint Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, Nome Census Area Borough, Alaska. | |||
|- | |||
| | | | ||
{{Mapit-US-cityscale|63.29116|-168.96887}} | {{Mapit-US-cityscale|63.29116|-168.96887}} | ||
* Elevation: | * Elevation: .....' | ||
| valign="top"| | |||
'''GPS Locations:''' | |||
* {{GPSLinkLong|Lat=63.29117|Lon=168.96774}} Upper Site | |||
* {{GPSLinkLong|Lat=63.31062|Lon=168.96447}} Lower Site | |||
* {{GPSLinkLong|Lat=63.32891|Lon=-168.96780}} AFS Airstrip | |||
* {{GPSLinkLong|Lat=63.30505|Lon=-168.95720}} White Alice Site | |||
|} | |} | ||
| Line 115: | Line 120: | ||
* {{AC&WArgonne}}, page 51-53. <!--History of the Aircraft Control and Warning System in Alaska--> | * {{AC&WArgonne}}, page 51-53. <!--History of the Aircraft Control and Warning System in Alaska--> | ||
* [http://www.frontiernet.net/~marshagantz/UTO/topcover.pdf Top Cover and Global Engagement - A History of the Eleventh Air Force], page 19. | * [http://www.frontiernet.net/~marshagantz/UTO/topcover.pdf Top Cover and Global Engagement - A History of the Eleventh Air Force], page 19. | ||
* {{ReynoldsUSACE}}, page 14. | |||
* [http://cdn.loc.gov/master/pnp/habshaer/ak/ak0200/ak0213/data/ak0213data.pdf HAER No. AK-23 - Rabbit Creek White Alice Site (Contains complete system description, see page 25)] | |||
* {{GNIS2|ID=2375252}} | * {{GNIS2|ID=2375252}} | ||
'''Links:''' | '''Links:''' | ||
* [ | * [[Bad Links]] Northeast+Cape+AFS%2C+AK Northeast Cape Air Force Station] | ||
* [http://www.kadiak.org/wacs/wacs.html Kodiak Alaska Military History - White Alice Communication System (July 1977 network sites)] | |||
{{Visited|No}} | {{Visited|No}} | ||
| Line 127: | Line 136: | ||
[[Category:Alaska All]] | [[Category:Alaska All]] | ||
[[Category:Alaska Radar Sites]] | [[Category:Alaska Radar Sites]] | ||
[[Category:Alaska Nome Census Area | [[Category:Alaska Nome Census Area]] | ||
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]] | [[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]] | ||
[[Category:Alaska Not Visited]] | [[Category:Alaska Not Visited]] | ||
| Line 135: | Line 144: | ||
[[Category:FPS-20]] | [[Category:FPS-20]] | ||
[[Category:FYQ-9]] | [[Category:FYQ-9]] | ||
[[Category:GPX-7]] | |||
[[Category:UPA-35]] | |||
Latest revision as of 14:13, 25 May 2021
|
Northeast Cape Air Force Station (1953-1969) - A Cold War U.S. Air Force Station, part of the Alaska AC&W Radar Network. Initially functioned as an Early Warning radar site, with a Permanent System ID of F-09. Located on Saint Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea, just south of the Bering Strait. Closed in 1969.
HistoryA contract for construction of the radar site was awarded in January 1951 and construction began on a split site with a lower cantonment area and an upper main site. Detachment F-9 of the 142nd ACWS, ANG, provided security for the unfinished site late in 1951. Construction was completed and the site became operational in December 1952. The Northeast Cape Air Force Station was then manned by the 712th AC&W Squadron which had been activated in December 1952 to operate and maintain the site. Initial radar equipment on the upper site included a FPS-3 (SN #17) search radar. The FPS-3 radar was upgraded to a FPS-20A search radar in 1963. IFF/SIF equipment was UPX-7. Radar scopes included OA-99s and later UPA-35s. In 1965 the FYQ-9 Semiautomatic Data Processing and Display System was implemented on Alaska AC&W radar sites automating the passing of track data to the direction centers. The result was reduced manpower requirements and increased efficiency. The Northeast Cape AFS was closed in Sep-Oct 1969 and the 712th AC&W Squadron was deactivated. Operation of the site was transferred to the White Alice Communications System (WACS) contractor who had been co-located with the AC&W Radar Site. The site was finally abandoned in 1974. Physical Plant The physical plant of Northeast Cape AFS was originally divided into an upper main site and a lower cantonment site. The upper main site housed the radar towers, backup generators, communications sites and crew quarters. The cantonment area housed the lower operations area, the enlisted quarters (BAQ), the bachelor officer's quarters (BOQ), the orderly room, the dining hall, recreation facilities, and other support areas. A small airstrip provided facilities for fixed wing aircraft and helicopters. Most of the buildings on the lower site were originally wood frame construction except for the powerhouse and the majority of them were connected by enclosed weather proofed walkways. This made it possible to wear normal uniforms in most of the areas. The upper and lower sites were connected by an overhead tramway and a road that was sometimes impassable during the winter. Primary electrical power for the upper site was furnished by the primary power plant on the lower site. Radar video was sent to the lower operations area via commercial Western Electric video transmission equipment. No family housing was provided as this was considered a remote unaccompanied tour (1 year). Annual bulk supply shipments were made during the summer months under the Mona Lisa and later the Cool Barge programs. Airlift of supplies, mail and personnel was available year-round, weather providing.
Air-Ground Radio CommunicationsSeparate radio facilities housed the radio equipment for communicating with aircraft. Northeast Cape White Alice Communications SiteAfter HF radio systems proved inadequate for command and control communications, the Air Force implemented the White Alice Communications System (WACS). This was a system of tropospheric scatter and microwave radio relay sites constructed during the mid-1950s to provide reliable communications to Alaska Air Command (AAC) AC&W system. The Northeast Cape WACS linked to Anvil Mountain (126 miles) east and to Tin City (161 miles). Two pairs of 60' tropo billboard antennas were used. The site was constructed in 1957 and went operational on 17 Feb 1958. The equipment and power building was 5,280 square-foot and POL storage was a single 500 barrel tank. This WACS site was co-located with the Northeast Cape AC&W site and shared support facilities with them. The AC&W site closed in 1969 and thereafter the WACS site served as a link between Tin City and Anvil Mountain and provided its own support under contractor operation. The specific links from Northeast Cape (OHC), both deactivated by 1972:
The Northeast Cape White Alice tropo site was inactivated in 1972. A pair of transportable 30' tropo dish antennas was added at Anvil Mountain WACS and a second pair at Tin City WACS to bypass their links to Northeast Cape when it closed in 1972.
Current Status Most of the old AC&W site buildings have been demolished. The site has also had an environmental remediation project that has further erased signs of the old AC&W site and the White Alice tropo site.
See Also: Sources:
Links:
Visited: No
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