History of Puntzi Mountain AS, BC, CN

RCAF Station Puntzi Mountain (site C-19) was located in the Chilcotin area of the Cariboo, 117 rough and tumble road miles west of Williams Lake and 200 air miles due north of Vancouver. The operations area which lay seven miles from the domestic site was 4,479 feet above sea level and perched atop its namesake. The main gate was one mile away from the highway and about half way down from it was a small settlement known as Puntziville. It comprised a collection of small homes, constructed by civilian employees and numbered some forty families.

The area was opened up by prospectors, and the road leading to Williams Lake was a rebuilt pack trail. When mining became unprofitable, many stayed behind and took up cattle ranching. Puntzi Mountain was selected to become a USAF manned radar site in the late forties with construction actually commencing in 1950. A Canadian contractor, utilizing funds supplied by the US government, began construction of the USAF's Puntzi Mountain Air Station in March 1950. The construction was completed and the site was accepted by the USAF in May 1952. The 917th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, Puntzi Mountain Air Station, was assigned an early warning role and the station became operational in July 1952. Puntzi Mountain Air Station was the seventh of eleven Group II sites transferred to the RCAF.

The station remained a USAF site until 1 November 1962. On that date the RCAF's 55 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron took over all administrative duties of the station and by 1 February 1963 all operations were carried out by RCAF personnel. The RCAF carried on the same mission as their American cousins, and the unit was renamed as 55 Radar Squadron Puntzi Mountain on 1 October 1963 which was also the same day that the unit began SAGE testing. The squadron reported to the 25th NORAD located at McChord AFB, Washington. Full SAGE capability and operations commenced on 23 March 1964.

Coincidentally Puntzi Mountain was also the location of a 6,000 foot emergency landing strip that had been built for CF-100 fighters. The strip was originally used by the USAF Beaver aircraft that had been assigned to the station. On 1 February 1963, 55 AC&W Squadron was re-designated as a flying unit when they received a single Otter to be used for medical evacuations, personnel transport, search and rescue and other duties as directed by the Station Commander. When the Otter first came on strength, it was assigned to and maintained by the air and ground crew that were assigned directly to the Station. The aircraft was then taken over by No. 442 "City of Vancouver" Squadron (Auxiliary) on 21 March 1963. The Otter performed many functions including mail, small supply delivery, medical evacuation, and search and rescue. When No. 442 Squadron was disbanded on 1 April 1964, the Otter tasking to 55 AC&W was taken over by No. 418 "City of Edmonton" Squadron (Auxiliary). 418 Squadron used not only the assigned Otter, 3694, but on occasion they also used their own Otter and even one of their Expeditors.

On 9 July 1965, the station Ground Search and Rescue Team was assigned the task of assisting RCMP in recovering evidence and bodies from a downed Canadian Pacific Airlines' Douglas DC-6 that had crashed west of 100 Mile House.

Puntzi Mountain had its own radio station CFPM located in building 2, more affectionately known as Cariboo Hall. This facility also housed the various mess halls, Exchange Branch, and library. The area was considered a sportsman's paradise. It also provided spectacular views such as the 13,104 foot Mount Waddington to the southwest.

Radar reporting ceased effective 1 October 1966 and full closure of the station followed in short order.

--The NBC Group - Don Nicks, John Bradley, Chris Charland.

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