Information for Cape Charles AFS, VA

Latitude: 37-08-02 N, Longitude: 75-57-07 W

Call Sign(s): Jitney, Birdsong

Perm ID	Sage ID	Unit	Location	Early Equip.	Final Equip.	Oper. Date	Inact. Date	Notes
P-56	Z-56	771	Cape Charles AFS, VA	CPS-5; CPS-4; FPS-3; FPS-8/GPS-3; FPS-7B; FPS-6 (2); FPS-26A	FPS-7B; FPS-6; FPS-26A	1950	01-Jun-81	BUIC-II. FPS-7B shared with FAA. Site began as a Lashup site, L-15, Fort Custis, VA. Site had Airborne Long-Range Inputs (ALRI) receiver site and off-site Seaward Extension Shore Station (SESS) TX and RX sites. Site replaced by Oceana NAS, VA, JSS radar site.
M-116A, P-56C, M-117B	Z-56C / Z-117B		Elizabeth City, NC	FPS-14		Sep-57	Apr-68 *	Gap-Filler Annex. Originally was to be M-116A. Alongside Body Road (SR 1139) on its west side, south-southwest of town, on the east side of the original Elizabeth City Municipal Airport. * ADC records list the closing date as on/after ''Dec-67''; one veteran's recollections say ''Apr-68.''
P-54A, RP-63E, P-56B	Z-56B		Bethany Beach, DE	FPS-14		Sep-57	Jun-68	Gap-Filler Annex. Former U.S. Army Air Warning Station (AWS) #11. Located 2.5 miles SW of Bethany Beach, DE. Originally was P-54A.
P-56A	Z-56A		Temperanceville, VA	FPS-14		Sep-57	Jun-68	Gap-Filler Annex. Building is still extant.
P-56D, M-121A			Roxbury, VA **					Gap-Filler Annex. ** In early 1960s ADC plans, but never was built. Possibly a relocation of the earlier planned / cancelled Fort Lee GFA (P-56D).

Perm ID

Sage ID

JSS ID

Unit

Location

Early
Equip.

Final
Equip.

Oper.
Date

Inact.
Date

Notes

P-56

Z-56

771

Cape Charles AFS, VA

CPS-5; CPS-4; FPS-3; FPS-8/GPS-3; FPS-7B; FPS-6 (2); FPS-26A

FPS-7B; FPS-6; FPS-26A

1950

01-Jun-81

BUIC-II. FPS-7B shared with FAA. Site began as a Lashup site, L-15, Fort Custis, VA. Site had Airborne Long-Range Inputs (ALRI) receiver site and off-site Seaward Extension Shore Station (SESS) TX and RX sites. Site replaced by Oceana NAS, VA, JSS radar site.

M-116A, P-56C, M-117B

Z-56C / Z-117B

Elizabeth City, NC

FPS-14

Sep-57

Apr-68 *

Gap-Filler Annex. Originally was to be M-116A. Alongside Body Road (SR 1139) on its west side, south-southwest of town, on the east side of the original Elizabeth City Municipal Airport. * ADC records list the closing date as on/after ''Dec-67''; one veteran's recollections say ''Apr-68.''

P-54A, RP-63E, P-56B

Z-56B

Bethany Beach, DE

FPS-14

Sep-57

Jun-68

Gap-Filler Annex. Former U.S. Army Air Warning Station (AWS) #11. Located 2.5 miles SW of Bethany Beach, DE. Originally was P-54A.

P-56A

Z-56A

Temperanceville, VA

FPS-14

Sep-57

Jun-68

Gap-Filler Annex. Building is still extant.

P-56D, M-121A

Roxbury, VA **

Gap-Filler Annex. ** In early 1960s ADC plans, but never was built. Possibly a relocation of the earlier planned / cancelled Fort Lee GFA (P-56D).

History of Cape Charles AFS, VA

This site started in April 1950 as Lashup site L-15 using AN/CPS-5 search and AN/CPS-4 height-finder radars. This equipment was used when Fort Custis was incorporated into the lashup-permanent network as site LP-56, and then the permanent network as site P-56. The unit manning this facility, the 771st AC&W Squadron, continued operating the AN/CPS-4 and, as of April 1952, an AN/FPS-3 search radar as well; the AN/FPS-3 remained operational until 1962. In 1955 an AN/FPS-8 search radar was installed, converted to an AN/GPS-3, and operated through 1958. By the end of that year, two AN/FPS-6 height-finder radars were activated. During 1959 Cape Charles became a SAGE radar site. In 1963 the site hosted AN/FPS-7B, AN/FPS-6, and AN/FPS-26A radars. In 1963 the site also became an ADC/FAA joint-use facility. The facility came under TAC jurisdiction in 1979. The 771st Radar Squadron (SAGE) was deactivated 1 June 1981. A new JSS radar site at NAS Oceana assumed coverage for the area.

References: "Searching the Skies"; misc. ADCOM documents; eyewitness accounts.

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