Information for Fort Fisher AFS, NC

Latitude: 33-58-51 N, Longitude: 077-55-01 W

Call Sign(s): Abundance, Fogerty, Bush Coral, Manlove

Perm ID	Sage ID	JSS ID	Unit	Location	Early Equip.	Final Equip.	Oper. Date	Inact. Date	Notes
M-115	Z-115	J-02	701; Det. 5, 14 MWS	Fort Fisher AFS, NC	MPS-7; MPS-11/GPS-3; MPS-8 (FPS-4); FPS-7C; MPS-14; FPS-26	FPS-107; MPS-14; (FSS-7). FPS-91A; FPS-116 (JSS)	1955	ARSR-4 site now	BUIC-III. FPS-7C became FPS-107V2. FPS-26A modified to FSS-7. Had ALRI receiver. JSS plans had called for site to be replaced by Benson, NC FAA site. Was then to remain a blue-suit site, but is shared JSS site now; ARSR-4 is located at old GATR site.
M-115A	Z-115A			Myrtle Beach, SC	FPS-14		May-58	circa Jun 68 *	Gap-Filler Annex. * ADC records list deactivation in 1962; however, a veteran of the site verified it was still in use in 1968. Located just north of town, off Lake Arrowhead Road. Building is still extant but in very poor condition.
M-115B	Z-115B			Fort Bragg, NC	FPS-18		Aug-59	circa Jun 68 *	Gap-Filler Annex. Both building and radar tower are still extant. * ADC records list deactivation as 1962; however, a veteran of the site verified it was still in use in 1968. Located on Coolyconch Mountain.
M-116C / M-115C	Z-115C			Holly Ridge, NC	FPS-14		Feb-59	Jun-68	Gap-Filler Annex. Building is no longer extant. Changed from M-116C to M-115C in 1963 when 614th AC&W Sq. at Cherry Point MCAS (M-116) deactivated. Site located 0.3 mile NW of US 17, ~ 1 mile north of town, on the grounds of former Camp Davis (a WWII coastal defense installation).

Perm ID

Sage ID

JSS ID

Unit

Location

Early
Equip.

Final
Equip.

Oper.
Date

Inact.
Date

Notes

M-115

Z-115

J-02

701; Det. 5, 14 MWS

Fort Fisher AFS, NC

MPS-7; MPS-11/GPS-3; MPS-8 (FPS-4); FPS-7C; MPS-14; FPS-26

FPS-107; MPS-14; (FSS-7). FPS-91A; FPS-116 (JSS)

1955

ARSR-4 site now

BUIC-III. FPS-7C became FPS-107V2. FPS-26A modified to FSS-7. Had ALRI receiver. JSS plans had called for site to be replaced by Benson, NC FAA site. Was then to remain a blue-suit site, but is shared JSS site now; ARSR-4 is located at old GATR site.

M-115A

Z-115A

Myrtle Beach, SC

FPS-14

May-58

circa Jun 68 *

Gap-Filler Annex. * ADC records list deactivation in 1962; however, a veteran of the site verified it was still in use in 1968. Located just north of town, off Lake Arrowhead Road. Building is still extant but in very poor condition.

M-115B

Z-115B

Fort Bragg, NC

FPS-18

Aug-59

circa Jun 68 *

Gap-Filler Annex. Both building and radar tower are still extant. * ADC records list deactivation as 1962; however, a veteran of the site verified it was still in use in 1968. Located on Coolyconch Mountain.

M-116C / M-115C

Z-115C

Holly Ridge, NC

FPS-14

Feb-59

Jun-68

Gap-Filler Annex. Building is no longer extant. Changed from M-116C to M-115C in 1963 when 614th AC&W Sq. at Cherry Point MCAS (M-116) deactivated. Site located 0.3 mile NW of US 17, ~ 1 mile north of town, on the grounds of former Camp Davis (a WWII coastal defense installation).

History of Fort Fisher AFS, NC

This site near Cape Fear became operational in 1955 when the 701st AC&W Squadron activated AN/MPS-7, TPS-10D (or FPS-4), and AN/MPS-8 search radars. By 1958 the AN/MPS-8 had been converted into an AN/GPS-3, and an AN/MPS-14 height-finder radar had been added. In 1962 an AN/FPS-7C search radar and AN/FPS-26A height-finder radar were placed in operation along with the AN/MPS-14 (which was moved to a different location). Fort Fisher AFS began feeding into the SAGE system in 1963. In 1966 the AN/FPS-26A was converted into an AN/FSS-7 SLBM detection-and-warning radar for Detachment 5, 14th Missile Warning Squadron (ADC). Later, the search radar was modified to an AN/FPS-107V2. Around 1969, the 701st had the first operational BUIC-III system. Circa 1977 the AN/MPS-14 was modified to the AN/FPS-116 configuration. The site came under TAC jurisdiction in 1979. The AN/FSS-7 radar was retired circa Sep 1980. Upon deactivation of the 701st Radar Squadron (SAGE), the FAA continued to run the radar station as part of the JSS network using an AN/FPS-91A search radar (installed in the old AN/FPS-26A / AN/FSS-7 tower). The AN/FPS-116 height-finder radar was then moved into the former AN/FPS-107 tower; it was retired circa 1988. In the mid 1990?s, the original site was deactivated altogether when a new ARSR-4 radar was installed at the former GATR site a mile to the north off Davis Beach Road.

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

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