Information for Wadena AFS, MN

Latitude: 46-30-55 N, Longitude: 095-06-53 W

Call Sign(s): Rip-Rap, Origin

Perm ID	Sage ID	Unit	Location	Early Equip.	Final Equip.	Oper. Date	Inact. Date	Notes
P-17	Z-17	739	Wadena AFS, MN	FPS-3/-20/-64; FPS-4; FPS-6; FPS-90	FPS-64; FPS-6	Jun-52	30-Sep-70	Located north of town. First was home to the 132nd AC&W Squadron (Minnesota ANG) which operated radar at this site from 1950 until 1952. Plans for an AN/FPS-27 FD search radar were cancelled.
P-17A	Z-17A		Elbow Lake, MN	FPS-18		Nov-58	Dec-67	Gap-Filler Annex. The building and part of radar tower are still extant; top of the tower lies on the ground nearby.
P-17B	Z-17B		Bagley, MN	FPS-18		Oct-58	Jun-68	Gap-Filler Annex.
P-17C			Twin Valley, MN **					** Gap-Filler Annex. In early ADC plans, but never was built.
P-17F			Pierz, MN **					** Gap-Filler Annex. In original ADC plans, but never was built.

Perm ID

Sage ID

JSS ID

Unit

Location

Early
Equip.

Final
Equip.

Oper.
Date

Inact.
Date

Notes

P-17

Z-17

739

Wadena AFS, MN

FPS-3/-20/-64; FPS-4; FPS-6; FPS-90

FPS-64; FPS-6

Jun-52

30-Sep-70

Located north of town. First was home to the 132nd AC&W Squadron (Minnesota ANG) which operated radar at this site from 1950 until 1952. Plans for an AN/FPS-27 FD search radar were cancelled.

P-17A

Z-17A

Elbow Lake, MN

FPS-18

Nov-58

Dec-67

Gap-Filler Annex. The building and part of radar tower are still extant; top of the tower lies on the ground nearby.

P-17B

Z-17B

Bagley, MN

FPS-18

Oct-58

Jun-68

Gap-Filler Annex.

P-17C

Twin Valley, MN **

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

P-17F

Pierz, MN **

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

History of Wadena AFS, MN

The 132nd AC&W Squadron (Minnesota ANG) operated radar at this site from May 1950 until June 1952. Then, the 739th AC&W Squadron began operating AN/FPS-3 and AN/FPS-4 sets at this site in June 1952. The AN/FPS-4 unit was superseded in 1956 by an AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar. In 1958 this site was operating an AN/FPS-20 radar. 1959 saw the integration of Wadena into the SAGE system and the arrival of a second height-finder radar (AN/FPS-6A). An AN/FPS-27 FD search radar was planned, but was subsequently cancelled. In 1961 the AN/FPS-20 search radar was upgraded and redesignated as an AN/FPS-64. During 1963, the AN/FPS-6A height-finder radar was modified to an AN/FPS-90. In 1967 the search radar was upgraded to an AN/FPS-64A. The AN/FPS-90 was removed in 1969. The Air Force deactivated the 739th Radar Squadron (SAGE) in September 1970.

References: "Searching the Skies"; misc. ADC and ADCOM documents; 23AD Duluth IAP "Patriot", September 28, 1979; eyewitness accounts.

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