Findings of Fact, Site Location, and Information on Yaak AFS, based on information provided by US Army Corps of Engineers Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) document B08MT0028 of 1985

Site Location

On Hensley Hill in the Kootenai National Forest, west of the town of YAAK, Lincoln County, MT

Site History and Findings of Fact

The former Yaak Air Force Station consisted of a total of 120.63 acres, 90 of which were obtained under a special use permit from the Forest Service in September 1950, and modified in December of the same year. Other property was obtained by condemnation, fee title, and lease in 1956.

The radar station was constructed in 1956 and 1957* as a manned radar installation containing three areas: operations, cantonment, and family housing. The site was declared excess by the Air Force to GSA in 1960 and 1961, and transferred by the Corps of Engineers to the Forest Service in 1965, but the 90.0 acre portion obtained by special use permit was transferred to the Forest service earlier in 1962.

The Forest Service used only the access road since the property was transferred to them in 1965 and 1967, for the purpose of ingress and egress to a fire lookout point not located within the bounds of the former facility.

Nothing currently remains of the former Air Force Station/Gap Filler Annex. At the time of the 1985 report, concrete and metal rubble resulting in building demolition was located throughout the area.

Site Map

No maps are included in the report, but several poor quality copies of B&W photos depicting concrete and metal rubble, and concrete foundations are included.

*Webmasters Note: The construction of Yaak AFS actually took place during 1951-52 with the site going operational in April of 1952. Source: Ray Bergen, stationed at Yaak April-June 1952