Veterans of the 656th Radar Squadron located near Saratoga Springs, NY recently erected a historical marker near the old radar site. Nearly 100 veterans of the 656th and others who helped us make this project happen gathered in Saratoga Springs on September 22 to dedicate the plaque. The following morning, several 656th veterans met at the marker's location and placed the plaque on its pole. To see a photo of this marker, visit our website at http://saratogaradar.org/ When the home page opens, click on the link titled "656th Historic Marker".

OK - I think I have the Patches & Emblems gallery unscrewed-up now. Please let me know if you have problems with it. - Gene

Just a note - working on another issue, I've managed to break the "Patches & Emblems" gallery. I'll get this fixed as soon as I can. - Gene

Keith Boettcher -
You have a membership package in the mail, was sent a few days ago. Now that I have an email address, I'll put a new member email out to you, which has your member ID & password in it. - Many thanks for your support! - Gene

BTW - since AFRMA is not necessarily a veterans' association, but rather a support organization for a (to be) public museum, we've dropped the "Associate" classification. All AFRMA members are "Active". GM

I am joining as an associate member. My $25 check to AFRMA (my full name is Harold K Boettcher) was recently cleared. How do I get my membership access set up? (In my youth I lived in Cambria, CA (1953-1979) and have memories of the 775th AC&W at Cambria AFS.

Re 27th Air Division Yearbook on sale, eBay item number: 321844010926 -- we have a copy of that yearbook already. It's at my residence, along with others in the Radomes, Inc., collection.

Steve Weatherly: Just F.Y.I., the FAA had no involvement at Point Arena AFS. None whatsoever. After the Air Force "Blue-Suiters" left, the site was maintained and operated by Air Force Civil Service technicians. The AN/FPS-24 radar swap-out with an AN/FPS-93A model was earlier than you listed, around 1975 or 1976. This was not part of the JSS conversion. The radar change was simply to get rid of the AN/FPS-24, problematic in high winds (as you know all too well). And the AN/FPS-93A was the final search radar. Its radome was type CW-396A. -- Tom

Gary - definitely overpriced, by a factor of about 5, IMO. We don't have this yearbook, and would love to have it. If anybody wants to pony up for a very nice donation, please do. Contact me for shipping address if you decide to donate this to us.

Gene

27th Air Division Yearbook on sale, eBay item number: 321844010926. No connection to me whatsoever. Overpriced in my view. Post for FYI only.

Daniel Evans. At Pt Arena AFS, the follow-on use of the FPS-24 radar tower included the FPS-91A installed in 79/80 for the FAA/JSS. This radar set was located on the 5th floor with the antenna and 55’ radome on the roof. There was no Radome Support Structure (RSS) like for the Mt Hebo and Cottonwood radar towers.

Photos of the Pt Arena radar tower since 99 show a circular ring structure attached horizontally to the tower roof and going almost completely around the concrete FPS-24 antenna pedestal. There are two small gaps. Was this ring used to attach the radome? Was this rigid radome the older AF CW-396A or the newer type from the FAA Fixed Ground Antenna Radome (FGAR) replacement program (initiated in the 90s)?

When and why (e.g. bearing failure) was the FPS-24 antenna and radar set removed? Some references have the FPS-93A installed in 76, and then removed for the FPS-91A. Was there a reason for the interim use of the FPS-93A?

In general terms, I know that ADC did shut down FPS-24 radars when the antenna bearing failed (the last was Port Austin in 82). A smaller search radar was sometimes used as a replacement on the tower. When TAC became the responsible MAJCOM, the transitions to FAA O&M began at selected locations when the Radar Squadron was in-activated. The FAA used some AF search radars for their ARSR mission until they were replaced by the FAA ARSR-4 that had its own radar tower.

The current end result (Sep 15) leaves some FPS-24 radar towers empty, demolished, or sold to private owners. At Oakdale, PA the FAA still uses the tower for the FPS-67B and is refurbishing the fire escape stairs which they had previously added to the tower from the 4th floor to the ground.

Steve Weatherly
Mt Hebo AFS 65-67
radar maintenance+

Last "owner" of the Point Arena RADAR, Left it in April 1999