History of Lake Charles AFS', LA

In 1958 the 812th AC&W Squadron activated AN/FPS-3A and AN/FPS-6 radars. On 1 September 1961, the 812th was deactivated, and the Lake Charles site was converted into a gap-filler radar site (M-125D) operating an AN/FPS-18. By 1963 this AN/FPS-18 radar was no longer in service. In 1972 the Air Force constructed five buildings at the Lake Charles site. In the following year, TAC set up an AN/TPS-43 unit on the newly constructed search tower. Eventually, the Aerospace Defense Command assumed control of the site, and placed AN/FPS-93 and AN/FPS-6 radars at the site. These radars were operated briefly by a detachment (OLAD) of the Houston-based 630th Radar Squadron, then by the 634th Radar Squadron, then as OLAD 678th ADGp, and finally as OLBD 23rd ADS. This unit subsequently was deactivated in July 1974, and activities were assumed by an element of the Southeast Air Defense Sector (SEADS). The site continued operations over the next two decades with approximated twenty Air Force and civilian personnel as operating location OLAD 678th ADG tracking aircraft attempting to illegally enter the country. The final radars were an AN/FPS-91A search radar and an AN/FPS-116 height-finder radar (retired circa 1988). Lake Charles AFS closed for good in the mid/late 1990s, replaced by a new ARSR-4 JSS site on the northwest side of town.

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


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