History of Beausejour AS, MB, CN
Station Beausejour (site C-17, callsign Boxfile), Muskwa, Manitoba was located on Milner Ridge just off Highway 214, between Seddons Corners and Lac du Bonnet and 18 miles northeast of its namesake Beausejour. Further it was 45 air miles or 56 road miles east northeast of the Manitoba capital, Winnipeg. Construction commenced on the American early warning radar station in 1951. In November 1951, the 916th AC&W Squadron arrived at Beausejour Air Station from Grenier Field, New Hampshire. As well as its surveillance duties, the members of the 916th provided valuable intercept training for students of the Airborne Intercept School flying B-25 Mitchell Mk. III Ais from No. 2 Air Observer School located at RCAF Station Winnipeg. Graduates from this school and No. 3 All Weather OTU at North Bay (and later Cold Lake) would become part of a two man crew flying the Aver Canada CF-100 Canuck in air defence operations.
In September 1961, an official handover ceremony took place, which saw the USAF relinquish command of Beausejour Air Station to the RCAF. In October 1961, RCAF Station Beausejour and 48 Radar Squadron were stood up. Originally reporting to Grand Forks sector, 48 Radar Squadron eventually reported to Great Falls, 29th NORAD Region Duluth and finally to Canada West.
The station was fully integrated into SAGE in 1966. Also that year, the military address was changed to Muskwa, in order to avoid confusion between the station and the town of the same name. As a result of integration, the long range radar station was re-designated as a Canadian Forces Station in August 1967. In August 1984, the station became part of Canada West ROCC.
In January 1985 the word came out that CFS Beausejour's days were numbered. The last day for this prairie radar sentinel was 31 July, 1986.
--The NBC Group - Don Nicks, John Bradley, Chris Charland.
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