To Tom Ballard:

My first active duty station After Tech. school was Hancock Field Sage DC FROM 1960 TO 1962. I went to the factory School at GE here in Syracuse for the 412L System. I was assigned to Freising Germany and worked at both the Manual Radar Site and the 412L Bunker.

George Wickert

I was a radar operator from 1956 until 1976 and served in many locations. My first assignment after tech school was in korea. I then went to Lockport AFS NY. From Lockport I went to Syracuse where I worked in the DC. Syracuse had the only DC/CC at the same location. The block houses were side by side and were connected. You could go from one to the other without going outside. The Control Center was eventually re-located to Stewart AFB NY. In 1964 I left Syracuse and went to the Philippines. I was in the 5th Tac Control Wing there. From there I went to Cape Charles Va where I was the weapons tech in the buic system. 11 Months later I went back to the P.I. From there I went to Otis airplane patch and got introduced to the EC121D. When Otis closed I was transferred to McClellan where we flew the D, H, and T models. While at Syracuse I spent some time at General Electric where they were developing the 412L system. After it was installed I wnt TDY to Germany for 4 months, where the system was being tested.

One little correction to the 'Guestbook' entry below --

There were actually three (3) sites where a SAGE Direction Center (DC) and a SAGE Control Center (CC) were collocated: Hancock Field, NY (as mentioned); Truax Field, WI; and McChord AFB, WA. One other combined SAGE DC-CC installation was built (i.e., Minot AFB, ND), but the CC never received the AN/FSQ-8 computer system. Two other combined SAGE DC-CC installations were planned, but the CCs were cancelled prior to construction (i.e., Richards-Gebaur AFB, MO; and Luke AFB, AZ). In at least one more case, the DC and CC were both cancelled (i.e., Fort Knox, KY). A few other planned SAGE DC sites were cancelled as well. Cancellations in all cases were due to high costs and changes in the defense mission.

By the way, several Super-SAGE Combat Centers (AN/FSQ-32 computer system) were planned -- some above-ground and some underground -- but those were likewise cancelled for the same reasons.

Served in 781st radar squadron from 62 to 65

My name is Stanton (Stan ) Richardson, I served in the A C & W 904th Squadron from 1961 - 1962. I played on the basketball(center forward) and softball (pitcher) squadrons. I would like to communicate with anyone who might have photos of me or other teamates from that time.

I was station at manassas afb around mar 58 till oct 59 before being sent to SAGE school and Kansas City 3387th training at Richards Gebaur AFB then on to seattle SAGE sector. If i ever run across some of the photos that i took i will send them to you. thanks for all the SUPER memories your picture give me.
gerry ellis

On air defense radars detecting incoming meteors, asteroids, etc.: "[I]t’s vanishingly unlikely that air defense systems would be able to even make the shot. The Chelyabinsk meteor was traveling at something like 32,000 miles per hour. (A 747′s typical cruising speed? 567 miles per hour.) By the time you notice it, it’s too late to stop it. Not that you would notice it. Meteors like the one in Chelyabinsk are going to pass through the detection systems that humans have. Telescopes pointed to space are only going to be able to see a ginormous asteroid. Missile warning and air-defense radars run via software that ignores things that aren’t planes and missiles. And the eyes of U.S. military satellites are pointed the wrong way — down toward Earth. The Defense Support Program satellite constellation, for instance, is looking for launches of things like intercontinental ballistic missiles that threaten America, using infrared. But the asteroid is cold until it enters the atmosphere." Link:

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2013/02/russia-meteor/

I am a former FUZZY-7 troop from MacDill, 82-85. I will finally be retiring from the Air Force March 1 - does anyone know of any other former FUZZY troops still in uniform? Anybody know of any reunions? Thanks.

Regarding rigid radomes vs. inflatable radomes, I believe the rigid versions caused somewhat more RF attenuation than the inflatable ones did. Does anyone know / remember?

With the help of Tom Page I have seen photos of rigid radomes for the FPS-26A at Fortuna (date unknown), North Turo (about 77 to 79), and Winston-Salem (circa 63). Of these The Fortuna and W-S rigid radomes appear to be of the same design. The rigid radome at North Turo appears to use smaller panels.

Can not confirm if any of these 3 were the CW-424 cited by RADC in their 1963 radome survey.

There is a puzzle at W-S because the rigid radome of circa 63 appears to have been replaced by 69 with an inflatable. No reason known for this change.

I also looked at the FSS-7 radar towers and either rigid or inflatable domes were used at all the locations. The rigid domes all appear to be space frame designs and the radomes.org/museum site for Mt Hebo AFS has a picture from inside the dome.

I am looking for info on the nomenclature of the inflatable or rigid radomes used for any USAF air defense radars during the Cold War. There is a RADC radome survey from 1961 that is identified online but the full text is unavailable, only an abstract is shown.

Back in 1964, RADC published a survey of ground radomes and listed a prototype rigid radome (identified as a CW-424) for the FPS-26. They did not say where it was located. Looking through photos of the sites with the FPS-26/26A it appears that there was a rigid radome on the 26 tower at Fortuna, ND. The CW-424 was 60' in diameter, 48' high and had 161 panels.

From the appearance of the Fortuna FPS-35 (no radome)hanging over the side of the radar tower, it appears that there were very strong winds and a rigid radome for the FPS-26A could have been a plus.

Did Fortuna have a rigid radome for the FPS-26A height finder? Was this the only FPS-26/26A with a rigid radome?

Steve
Mt Hebo AFS 65-67

Steve: I have seen photos of rigid radomes on a few other AN/FPS-26 height-finder radar towers. Look at our photos of North Truro AFS, MA and Winston-Salem AFS, NC. There might be others.

I was stationed with the 852nd from March of 1957 until October of 1958. The squadron logo was a flight of two jets going from right to left over an outline of the island. We wore blue baseball caps with the emblem sewn onto the cap. Our barracks had no air conditioning only louvers you opened to let some air in. In order to sleep at night you took your top sheet to the shower, soaked it, wrung it out and then laid under it. As the water evaporated, it cooled you down so you could sleep. We slept in open bays.
Our radomes on Mount Santa Rosa were rubber and were shredded when Typhoon Lola hit us. They then had the triangular plastic radomes installed. Lunch was trucked up to us. We also used Geiger counters each morning to check for radiation as nuclear bombs were still being tested in the Pacific. The island would shake with little earthquakes every once in awhile. The lockers in the bays would rock back and forth and the goose lamps at the radar site would bounce up and down.

Three Japanese soldiers surrendered in 1957. They had been living in the jungle and did not believe Japan has lost the war. They survived by stealing clothes and food from the natives.

I had a 1955 red and white Ford and dated a gal from Dededo Village.

I was stationed at the 924th AC&W Saglak, Labrador from 1965 to 1966. I worked in the Comm. Center.