Radar, looking North
Radar, looking East
Radar, looking South
Radar, looking West
Cantonment, looking North
Cantonment, looking East
Cantonment, looking South
Cantonment, looking West
Housing area, looking South
October 2007 photos contributed by Ryan O`Neil
Seen in the background, the water tower which was under construction in 2000 is now complete.
photos & notes taken late July, 2000 by Gene McManus
On our more or less semi-annual pilgrimmage to the Lake Erie vineyards, we pass nearby Brookfield, Ohio, former home of the 662nd. This summer we made time available for a visit & photos. I`m very glad we did, as the site is in very poor condition, and doubtless will be completely gone soon. Even my wife, who does not care a whit about old radar stations said, "Isn`t this sad?"
The site lays on a high hill at the southern edge of Brookfield, just off State Rt. 7, about a half-mile south of the intersection with U.S. 82.
The access road is distinctly marked "No Tresspassing", so we went to the Brookfield Police Department to ask about getting access to the site. I talked with Lt. Baker there, and he informed me that the site is now owned by Trumbull County, Ohio. Once he knew why I wanted access, he said "Just go on up, if anybody says anything, tell them you talked to me." While we were talking, he said that there are consistent rumors about a) hazardous waste (PCBs from transformer oil, would be my guess), and b) underground missile silos. Once on the station, I saw what I believe leads to the missile silo rumor, photo below.
The housing area along the access road. In the background is a new water
tower being built on the hill.
Rear of the club & rec hall.
Club & Rec Hall.
Inside the club. Damage & vandalism is typical of all the buildings.
Another look inside the club.
The gymnasium in the rec hall. Reeked of urine.
The barracks area was immediately across the street south of the rec hall.
Day room area in one of the barracks.
This building is just east of the rec hall, believed to be the GATR. I wasn`t
able to get close.
Just across the street from the barracks area is this building. Original use
is unknown. Now used to house some communications equipment. Surrounded by
chain link & concertina wire.
The mess hall was just south of the barracks. This is the kitchen end.
This building was across the street west of the mess hall. I`m guessing that it
was either a BOQ, or NCO barracks.
This was the admin/orderly room building. There is a garage door
at the north end, which was the supply room.
Another view of the "admin" building. Heating plant chimney in the background.
The diesel generator building. Now being used to house communications equip. This is
just across the street and south of the "admin" building. Just north (left) of this
building was one of the radar tower foundations.
Barely visible in the weeds in the lot just north of the diesel building is this
radar tower foundation.
Another view of the same tower foundation with the "admin" building in the background
for perspective.
Just south of the diesel building was Ops. This is the front door. I went inside
a short ways, but didn`t have a flashlight with me, so I stayed where there was
some light. This building is identical in layout to the Ops building at Minot (where
I was stationed) as best as I can remember.
Rear of the ops building. This door entered the darkened plot room operations area.
(I was a radar maintenance puke, and don`t remember what the `proper` name would
have been).
These quonset huts were across the street, southwest of the Ops building.
Behind the diesel building (east) was this water tank, and pump house. My guess
is that this is the structure which gave rise to the missile silo rumors.
I almost missed this radar tower foundation. It lies behind the Ops building east
a couple hundred feet. Weeds & poison ivy were hip deep getting out here for
photos.
Another view of the second radar tower.
Circa 1983 photos by Tom Page
The Brookfield GFA.