Information for Oakdale AI, PA

Latitude: 40-23-50 N, Longitude: 080-09-40 W

Perm ID	Sage ID	Unit	Location	Early Equip.	Final Equip.	Oper. Date	Inact. Date	Notes
RP-62	Z-62	662	Oakdale AI, PA	ARSR-1; FPS-20; FPS-24; [FPS-6A (2) Army]; FPS-6B (2) AF	FPS-24; FPS-90; FPS-26A; FPS-67B (FAA), now Common ARSR (CAR	1959	31-Dec-69	Original site was to have been the South Park Military Reservation. Sq transferred from Brookfield AFS, OH (P-62). Plans for an AN/FPS-28 FD search radar were cancelled; an AN/FPS-24 FD search radar was installed instead. Shared Army radar site for Nike Missile air-defense system (PI-70DC). The Army continued operating this site until circa 1974 (when Nike missile air-defense operations ceased for the Pittsburgh Defense Area). FAA site now; still uses FPS-67B, now CARSR (on the old FPS-24 tower).
P-30H / RP-62F	Z-62F		Claysburg, PA					Gap-Filler Annex. Former LRR site, P-63. GFA was the former G/A radio transmitter bldg. Reportedly was never activated (ADC records give no operational dates, although this gap-filler site is shown on a 1966 map as site ''Z-62F''). Site was atop Blue Knob.
P-43E / P-62B / RP-62B	Z-62B		Lewisville, OH	FPS-14		Aug-57	Jun-63	Gap-Filler Annex.
P-55F / RP-62G	Z-55F / Z-62G		Thomas, WV	FPS-14	FPS-18 *	Feb-58	circa 1968 (?)	Gap-Filler Annex. * Radar type reportedly changed to FPS-18 circa 1963. Control of site reportedly changed from Manassas AFS, VA (Z-55), to Oakdale AI, PA (Z-62). GFA radar site located on Backbone Mtn., west of town.
P-62A / RP-62A	Z-62A		Thompson, OH	FPS-18		Sep-58	Jun-68	Gap-Filler Annex. Building is no longer extant.
RP-62E	Z-62E		Brookfield, OH	FPS-18		Feb-64	Jun-68	Gap-Filler Annex. Located at former LRR site, P-62. The gap-filler radar tower was torn down some time in the mid 1990's; it had been left in place with its radome (and presumably the radar equipment, too).

Perm ID

Sage ID

JSS ID

Unit

Location

Early
Equip.

Final
Equip.

Oper.
Date

Inact.
Date

Notes

RP-62

Z-62

662

Oakdale AI, PA

ARSR-1; FPS-20; FPS-24; [FPS-6A (2) Army]; FPS-6B (2) AF

FPS-24; FPS-90; FPS-26A; FPS-67B (FAA), now Common ARSR (CAR

1959

31-Dec-69

Original site was to have been the South Park Military Reservation. Sq transferred from Brookfield AFS, OH (P-62). Plans for an AN/FPS-28 FD search radar were cancelled; an AN/FPS-24 FD search radar was installed instead. Shared Army radar site for Nike Missile air-defense system (PI-70DC). The Army continued operating this site until circa 1974 (when Nike missile air-defense operations ceased for the Pittsburgh Defense Area). FAA site now; still uses FPS-67B, now CARSR (on the old FPS-24 tower).

P-30H / RP-62F

Z-62F

Claysburg, PA

Gap-Filler Annex. Former LRR site, P-63. GFA was the former G/A radio transmitter bldg. Reportedly was never activated (ADC records give no operational dates, although this gap-filler site is shown on a 1966 map as site ''Z-62F''). Site was atop Blue Knob.

P-43E / P-62B / RP-62B

Z-62B

Lewisville, OH

FPS-14

Aug-57

Jun-63

Gap-Filler Annex.

P-55F / RP-62G

Z-55F / Z-62G

Thomas, WV

FPS-14

FPS-18 *

Feb-58

circa 1968 (?)

Gap-Filler Annex. * Radar type reportedly changed to FPS-18 circa 1963. Control of site reportedly changed from Manassas AFS, VA (Z-55), to Oakdale AI, PA (Z-62). GFA radar site located on Backbone Mtn., west of town.

P-62A / RP-62A

Z-62A

Thompson, OH

FPS-18

Sep-58

Jun-68

Gap-Filler Annex. Building is no longer extant.

RP-62E

Z-62E

Brookfield, OH

FPS-18

Feb-64

Jun-68

Gap-Filler Annex. Located at former LRR site, P-62. The gap-filler radar tower was torn down some time in the mid 1990's; it had been left in place with its radome (and presumably the radar equipment, too).

History of Oakdale AI, PA

The site designation and the 662nd AC&W Squadron were transferred to the Oakdale Army Installation (near Pittsburgh) from Brookfield, Ohio (P-62) in 1959 and 1960. The Oakdale site had an FAA ARSR-1A search radar providing air-traffic-control data, as well as a pair of Army AN/FPS-6A height-finder radars. The Air Force added a pair of AN/FPS-6B height-finder radars. SAGE system operations started in 1961. An FAA AN/FPS-20 search radar was installed in 1962. An AN/FPS-28 FD search radar was planned, but was subsequently cancelled. In 1963 this radar site operated with AN/FPS-24 FD search radar, as well as AN/FPS-26A and two Air Force AN/FPS-90 height-finder radars, plus two Army AN/FPS-6A height-finder radars (removed circa 1966). The AN/FPS-20 was retired in 1966. The 662nd Radar Squadron (SAGE) was deactivated on 31 December 1969. However, the site still appeared on SAGE maps through at least 1975, so might have remained a SAGE data-tie until then. The FAA retained the radar site, and replaced the AN/FPS-24 with an AN/FPS-67B (now CARSR) search radar, still in use today.

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

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