Information for McChord AFB, WA

Latitude: 47-07-27 N, Longitude: 122-29-32 W

Call Sign(s): Mercury

Perm ID

Sage ID

JSS ID

Unit

Location

Early
Equip.

Final
Equip.

Oper.
Date

Inact.
Date

Notes

P-1

Z-1

635

McChord AFB, WA

CPS-6B (2); FPS-6

1951

01-Apr-60

Plans for an AN/FPS-28 FD search radar were cancelled. Squadron relocated to Fort Lawton Army Base (RP-1. Z-1), Seattle, WA, in 1960, where it operated until 1963. The 635th was later reactivated at Dauphin Island AFS, AL (1972).

P-1A

Wiley City, WA **

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

P-1B

Greenwater, WA **

** Gap-Filler Annex. In original ADC plans, but never was built. Possible planned location might have been Sun Top where the lookout had been used during World War II in the U.S. Army Aircraft Warning System (according to sources).

P-1C / RP-1C

Chehalis, WA

Gap-Filler Annex. Located on Crego Hill, southwest of Chehalis. Never operational. Building and radar tower are still extant.

History of McChord AFB, WA

McChord was the top-priority site for the permanent network. The 635th AC&W Squadron operated the site. Occupancy of the buildings on site occurred in the fall of 1950 and the Air Force completed installation of two AN/CPS-6B medium-range search and height-finder radars in February 1951. The Lashup site at McChord was subsequently shut down. Performance of these new radars was deemed inferior to the World War II vintage models and the calibration process delayed operational readiness at this and other sites. An AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar was installed in the mid 1950s. An AN/FPS-28 FD search radar was planned, but was subsequently cancelled. The radar site was deactivated 1 April 1960 and repositioned to Fort Lawton (RP-1), accompanied by the 635th Radar Squadron (SAGE), to support the Army's Nike 'Missile Master' operations for the Seattle Defense Area.

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

Hide