Information for Empire AFS, MI

Latitude: 44-48-07 N, Longitude: 086-03-05 W

Call Sign(s): Redman; Falcon; Freak Show

Perm ID	Sage ID	JSS ID	Unit	Location	Early Equip.	Final Equip.	Oper. Date	Inact. Date	Notes
P-34	Z-34	J-58	752	Empire AFS, MI	CPS-6; FPS-7; FPS-6 (2); FPS-26A	FPS-7; FPS-26A. ARSR-3; FPS-116 (JSS).	late 1951	JSS ARSR-4 site now	Became a USAF-FAA joint-use site in 1964.
P-34A	Z-34A			Petoskey, MI	FPS-14		Nov-57	Jun-68	Gap-Filler Annex. Building is still extant.
P-34B				Grayling, MI **	(FPS-14 planned)				** Gap-Filler Annex. In early ADC plans, but never was built. Actual location is speculative.
P-34C				Manistee, MI **	(FPS-14 planned)				** Gap-Filler Annex. In early ADC plans, but never was built.
P-34E	Z-34E			Alpena, MI	FPS-18		Jun-60	Jun-68	Gap-Filler Annex. Replaced LRR site, M-105. GFA was next to the civil airport, a mile or so south of the LRR site.
P-34F				Roscommon, MI **					Gap-Filler Annex. ** In early 1960s ADC plans, but never was built. FUDS report exists, though, suggesting that land might have been procured.
P-67C / P-34G	Z-67C / Z-34G			Saugatuck, MI	FPS-14	FPS-18	Jul-58	Jun-68	Gap-Filler Annex. Both building and radar tower are still extant. Radome (with sail inside) left in place. Located atop Mount Baldhead sand dune.
P-67D / P-34H	Z-34H			Shelby, MI	FPS-18		Aug-59	Jun-68	Gap-Filler Annex. Neither the building or the radar tower are extant now.

Perm ID

Sage ID

JSS ID

Unit

Location

Early
Equip.

Final
Equip.

Oper.
Date

Inact.
Date

Notes

P-34

Z-34

J-58

752

Empire AFS, MI

CPS-6; FPS-7; FPS-6 (2); FPS-26A

FPS-7; FPS-26A. ARSR-3; FPS-116 (JSS).

late 1951

JSS ARSR-4 site now

Became a USAF-FAA joint-use site in 1964.

P-34A

Z-34A

Petoskey, MI

FPS-14

Nov-57

Jun-68

Gap-Filler Annex. Building is still extant.

P-34B

Grayling, MI **

(FPS-14 planned)

** Gap-Filler Annex. In early ADC plans, but never was built. Actual location is speculative.

P-34C

Manistee, MI **

(FPS-14 planned)

** Gap-Filler Annex. In early ADC plans, but never was built.

P-34E

Z-34E

Alpena, MI

FPS-18

Jun-60

Jun-68

Gap-Filler Annex. Replaced LRR site, M-105. GFA was next to the civil airport, a mile or so south of the LRR site.

P-34F

Roscommon, MI **

Gap-Filler Annex. ** In early 1960s ADC plans, but never was built. FUDS report exists, though, suggesting that land might have been procured.

P-67C / P-34G

Z-67C / Z-34G

Saugatuck, MI

FPS-14

FPS-18

Jul-58

Jun-68

Gap-Filler Annex. Both building and radar tower are still extant. Radome (with sail inside) left in place. Located atop Mount Baldhead sand dune.

P-67D / P-34H

Z-34H

Shelby, MI

FPS-18

Aug-59

Jun-68

Gap-Filler Annex. Neither the building or the radar tower are extant now.

History of Empire AFS, MI

In late 1951 the 752nd AC&W Squadron began operating an AN/CPS-6B radar at this site. In 1958 this radar was replaced by an AN/FPS-6. A second height-finder radar arrived a year later. In 1960 this site began operating an AN/FPS-7 radar, and joined the SAGE system. One of the AN/FPS-6 height-finder radars was supplanted by an AN/FPS-26A in 1963. In 1964 this site became an ADC/FAA joint-use site. The 752nd Radar Squadron (SAGE) was deactivated in April 1978, and the AN/FPS-26A height-finder was decommissioned in this time frame. The FAA assumed control of the radar operations area except for the AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar (now modified to the AN/FPS-116 variant). The National Park Service assumed control of the rest of the property. In December 1979, the AN/FPS-7 search radar was replaced by an FAA model ARSR-3 search radar. The AN/FPS-116 height-finder radar was removed circa 1988. The ARSR-3 was replaced by an ARSR-4 in June 1996.

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

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