Tillamook Head WWII Radar Site
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Tillamook Head WWII Radar Site (1943-1946) - A World War II U.S. Army Signal Corps Radar Site established in 1943 as a part of the Aircraft Warning Service (AWS). Used to provide early warning and direction of intercepts of approaching enemy aircraft. Located by Tillamook Head, south of Seaside in Clatsop County, Oregon. Deactivated in the late 1940s. Also known as Station J-23. HistoryThis radar site was established in 1943 during World War II as a part of a chain of some 65 radar stations along the West Coast of the United States and Canada. These secret radar sites were built to provide early warning and interception of approaching enemy aircraft and ships but also served to assist friendly aircraft that were lost or had in-flight emergencies. This radar network was in addition to a network of search and fire control radars established at each of the West Coast harbor defenses. This chain of West Coast radar stations was established in response to the June 1942 Japanese invasion and capture of the U.S. Aleutian Islands of Attu and Kiska. The islands were both recaptured by U.S. forces and declared secured by 24 Aug 1943. The radar chain was constructed in late 1942 and early 1943 while the Japanese still had control of the islands and had conducted air raids on the U.S. bases at Dutch Harbor. The threat of further air attacks on the West Coast appeared real as did a possible Japanese invasion of the Pacific Northwest.  Two types of Air Warning Service (AWS) radar stations were built, long-range search radars (200~ mile range) and short-range Ground Control Intercept (GCI) radars (50~ mile range). The search radars would pick up and track possible enemy aircraft while the GCI radars would guide U.S. interceptor aircraft to these targets. The long-range search radar sites typically used the SCR-270 series radars while the short-range Search/GCI sites typically used the SCR-588 series radars. The Tillamook Head radar site was sited as a Search/GCI site with a SCR-588 radar set. The radar site was operational from sometime in 1943 to mid-1944 and then placed in standby status. Manning over this period of time was typically 45 to 50 men operating as a detachment of the headquarters at Portland International Airport (note: the detachment numbers and unit designation changed several times while the site was active). Post-war, the site was reactivated, upgraded and remained active for a few years into the late 1940s.
Physical PlantThe construction of the Tillamook Head radar facility in 1942-1943 required a road from Highway 101, along the route later known as “Radar Road.” At the time of road construction, the military dictated that the tall timber lining the sides of the road should be cut back to prevent the radar facility from being cut off by a winter tree fall. The result was a long, linear strip of younger forest, following the road through the old-growth, still visible today. This radar facility was a split site with the Radar Operations area separate from the Cantonment area. The Cantonment area contained 14 frame buildings which would have included a dining hall, three or four barracks, a common washroom/latrine, a headquarters building, a combination recreation hall/supply and other support buildings. The operations site was described in a surplus property report by the War Assets Administration as a single concrete Operations building, (underground), 21’ x 80’. Typically included would have been the SCR-588 antenna on four concrete support piers. The operations building housed the radar equipment, an operations area, and three generators.
ClosureThe site was deactivated in the late 1940s and by 1950, declared surplus property and offered for sale.
Current StatusCantonment Site - Now Ecola State Park property, no visible remains. Operations Site - Now Ecola State Park property, Shell of operations building remains.
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Links: Visited: No
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