History of Klamath, CA
In 1951, this Lashup-Permanent site, LP-33, began operating an AN/TPS-1B radar. Beginning in April 1952, the 777th AC&W Squadron began operating AN/FPS-3 and AN/FPS-4 radars at this northern California coastal site. In 1956 the Air Force added an AN/GPS-3 to the facility. By 1958 an AN/FPS-20 and AN/FPS-6 had replaced the initial pair of radars. During the following year, an AN/FPS-6A height-finder radar was added, later modified to an AN/FPS-90. The AN/GPS-3 was removed. During 1960 the 777th became a SAGE radar squadron. By the end of 1961, the AN/FPS-20A had been upgraded and redesignated as an AN/FPS-66. An AN/FPS-26 height-finder radar was added in the 1963/1964 time frame. By 1966 there was an AN/FPS-27 long-range search radar in operation there, and the AN/FPS-66 was subsequently retired. The site came under TAC jurisdiction beginning in 1979. In the 1980s much property was turned over to the National Park Service. The operations area became a FAA/USAF joint-use facility. In 1995, the FAA operated an AN/FPS-66A search set in the old AN/FPS-27 tower. The site has been 'replaced' by FAA/USAF JSS site at Rainbow Ridge, CA (J-83A), operating an ARSR-4.
References: "Searching the Skies"; misc. ADCOM documents; eyewitness accounts.
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