Information for Houma AFS, LA

Latitude: 29-33-45 N, Longitude: 090-40-30 W

Call Sign(s): Educate, Big Burly

Perm ID	Sage ID	JSS ID	Unit	Location	Early Equip.	Final Equip.	Oper. Date	Inact. Date	Notes
M-126	Z-126		657	Houma AFS, LA	TPS-1D; TPS-10D; MPS-7; MPS-14; FPS-20/67; FPS-90; FPS-28*	FPS-67B; FPS-90	1955	30-Sep-70	Site was originally part of Houma NAS. * FPS-28 search radar here was the prototype, and the only one of its kind. The Welcome brochure states that the -28 was put into operation in late 1959, and operated until May, 1965.
TM-196A / M-126A	Z-126A			New Orleans, LA	FPS-14	FPS-18	Oct-57	1 July 1970	Gap-Filler Annex. The radar site was located at Camp Leroy Johnson (next to Lake Pontchartrain).

Perm ID

Sage ID

JSS ID

Unit

Location

Early
Equip.

Final
Equip.

Oper.
Date

Inact.
Date

Notes

M-126

Z-126

657

Houma AFS, LA

TPS-1D; TPS-10D; MPS-7; MPS-14; FPS-20/67; FPS-90; FPS-28*

FPS-67B; FPS-90

1955

30-Sep-70

Site was originally part of Houma NAS. * FPS-28 search radar here was the prototype, and the only one of its kind. The Welcome brochure states that the -28 was put into operation in late 1959, and operated until May, 1965.

TM-196A / M-126A

Z-126A

New Orleans, LA

FPS-14

FPS-18

Oct-57

1 July 1970

Gap-Filler Annex. The radar site was located at Camp Leroy Johnson (next to Lake Pontchartrain).

History of Houma AFS, LA

In 1955 the 657th AC&W Squadron began operations using AN/MPS-14, AN/TPS-1D, and AN/TPS-l0D radars. In 1958 an AN/FPS-20 search radar was in operation along with AN/MPS-14 and AN/MPS-7 units. The prototype AN/FPS-28 FD search radar was placed at Houma AFS in late 1959 for field testing. In 1960 an AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar was added. In 1961 Houma AFS joined the SAGE system. In 1962 the search radar was upgraded to an AN/FPS-67, and the AN/FPS-6B height-finder radar was upgraded to an AN/FPS-90. The AN/FPS-28 was deactivated in May 1965 (according to the squadron welcome brochure). The AN/FPS-67 search radar was then upgraded to an AN/FPS-67B in 1966. In 1968, the AN/MPS-14 was removed from service, and the AN/FPS-90 was deactivated a year later. The 657th Radar Squadron was deactivated in September 1970.

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

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