Aiken Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located north-northeast of Aiken, South Carolina. It was closed in 1975. During World War II, the site was originally constructed by the United States Army Air Forces as Aiken Army Air Field.

History

Aiken Army Air Field

The facility was originally constructed during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces and named Aiken Army Air Field. The airfield was constructed with three 5'000 foot bituminous runways in an "A" pattern. No known auxiliary airfields were constructed. The airfield and station opened on 24 December 1942 as a satellite airfield of Morris Army Airfield, North Carolina. On 23 June 1943 the airfield was formally activated and the

66th Tactical Reconnaissance Group The 66th Air Base Group is a non-flying United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Force Materiel Command Electronic Systems Center. It is stationed at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. The group is also the host unit at Hanscom Ai ...

arrived. Two subordinate units, the

97th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron The United States Air Force's 97th Intelligence Squadron is an intelligence unit located at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. The squadron was first organized at Kelly Field, Texas in the summer of 1917 as the 97th Aero Squadron. It maintaine ...

and

19th Liaison Squadron The 19th Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the USAF Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nevada. The squadron was first activated as the 19th Observation Squadron in March 1942. The 19th originally flew antisubmarine mi ...

arrived the previous day. The 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron replaced the 97th on 29 August 1943. The

Warner Robins Air Service Command Warner can refer to: People * Warner (writer) * Warner (given name) * Warner (surname) Fictional characters * Yakko, Wakko, and Dot Warner, stars of the animated television series ''Animaniacs'' * Aaron Warner, a character in ''Shatter Me ...

(WRASC) established a service group training center at the field in the fall of 1943. The training was conducted under the auspices of the 387th Air Service Group, Daniel Field, Georgia.Osbourne, Richard E (1997), World War II Sites in the United States: A Tour Guide & Directory, In May 1944 the 359th Army Air Force Base Unit was assigned host unit. It was assigned to Third Air Force, III Tactical Air Command 13 September 1944 as a group training airfield for reconnaissance units. The airfield became a replacement training airfield for single-engine fighter pilots, training on P-40 Warhawk and

P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...

aircraft, beginning on 19 October 1944. Active flying at the airfield ended on 28 February 1945, and jurisdiction of the base was transferred from Third Air Force to

Air Technical Service Command The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...

for disposition on 31 March 1945.AFHRA Document 00188116
/ref> It is also known that Aiken AAF held a branch prisoner of war camp holding about 300 POWs who worked in the local forests. The dates of the POW camp are uncertain. The airfield was turned over to local government authorities afterward and was converted into Aiken Municipal Airport.

Aiken Air Force Station

In 1955 the United States Air Force exercised a return right to Aiken Municipal Airport and established Aiken Air Force Station as an

Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was est ...

(ADC) general surveillance radar station. This site was initially part of Phase II of the Mobile Radar program. Radars in this network were designated “SM.” Designated as SM-159 Aiken AFS was the first Phase II Mobile Radar system to achieve operational status. During December 1955 the 861st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron began activating AN/FPS-3,

AN/MPS-14 The AN/FPS-6 Radar was a long-range height finding radar used by the United States Air Force's Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for c ...

, and

AN/TPS-10 The AN/FPS-4 Radar was a Height-Finder Radar used by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air ...

D radars. Initially the station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) and warning station. As a GCI station, the squadron's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes. In 1958 an AN/FPS-20 and an

were operational. The site subsequently received an

AN/FPS-7 The AN/FPS-7 Radar was a Long Range Search Radar used by the United States Air Force Air Defense Command Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continenta ...

C search radar and an

AN/FPS-26 The Avco AN/FPS-26 Radar was an Air Defense Command height finder radar developed in the Frequency Diversity Program with a tunable 3-cavity power klystron for electronic counter-countermeasures (e.g. to counter jamming). Accepted by the Rome Ai ...

heightfinder radar. During 1961 Aiken AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, initially feeding data to DC-09 at Gunter AFB, Alabama. After joining, the squadron was redesignated as the 861st Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 November 1961. The radar squadron provided information 24/7 the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range, direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile. On 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-159. In addition, Aiken AFS was incorporated into BUIC I, a manual back-up interceptor control system. BUIC I provided limited command and control capability in the event the SAGE system was disabled. Over the years, the equipment at the station was upgraded or modified to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the information gathered by the radars. The 861st was inactivated in June 1975. The FAA continued to operate the AN/FPS-7C search radar for a few years, while the cantonment area was converted into a minimum-security prison. Dissatisfied with the prison setting, the FAA relocated to Lincolnton, Georgia, where today they continue to operate an ARSR-3 search radar. The prison was shut down in the mid / late 1990s, and the entire site has since been dismantled.

Air Force units and assignments

Units

Aiken Army Air Field * 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Group : Moved from Camp Campbell, Ky on 22 June 1943 departed for Lebanon, TN ''ca''. 25 October 1943 :: 19th Liaison Squadron :: Moved from Camp Campbell, KY on 23 June 1943, departed for India on 26 February 1944 :: 97th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron :: Moved from Camp Campbell, KY on 23 Jun 1943, departed for Morris Field, NC on 29 August 1943 :: 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron :: Moved from

Statesboro Army Air Field Statesboro is the largest city and county seat of Bulloch County, Georgia, United States, located in the southeastern part of the state. Statesboro is home to the flagship campus of Georgia Southern University and is part of the Savannah–Hines ...

, GA on 29 August 1943, departed for Key Field, MS on 25 October 1943 * 25th Service Group : Moved from

Greenville AAB Donaldson Air Force Base is a former facility of the United States Air Force located south of Greenville, South Carolina. It was founded in 1942 as Greenville Army Air Base; it was deactivated in 1963 and converted into a civilian airport. It ...

, SC in September 1943, departed for India on 13 January 1944 :: 35th Service Squadron :: Moved from Greenville AAB, SC in September 1943, departed for India on 13 January 1944 :: 349th Service Squadron :: Moved from Greenville AAB, SC in September 1943, departed for India on 13 January 1944 * 1332d Guard Squadron : Activated on 25 June 1943, disbanded ''ca''. 1 April 1944 *

127th Liaison Squadron The 127th Command and Control Squadron (127 CACS) was a unit of the Kansas Air National Guard 184th Intelligence Wing stationed at McConnell Air Force Base, Wichita, Kansas. The 127th was a non-flying squadron operating the Distributed Common ...

(Commando)/2d Air Commando Group : Moved from Statesboro Army Air Field, GA on 18 May 1944, moved to Dunnellon Army Air Field, FL on 10 June 1944 * 155th Liaison Squadron (Commando)/2d Air Commando Group : Activated on 10 June 1944, moved to Dunnellon Army Air Field, FL on 12 June 1944 * 156th Liaison Squadron (Commando)/2d Air Commando Group : Moved from Statesboro Army Air Field, GA on 18 May 1944, moved to Dunnellon Army Air Field, FL on 12 June 1944 * 162d Liaison Squadron/III Tactical Air Division : Activated on 15 May 1944, moved to

Lafayette Airport Lafayette Regional Airport(French: Aéroport régional de Lafayette) is a public use airport two miles (4 km) southeast of Lafayette, in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is owned and operated by the City Parish of Lafayette. ...

, LA on 13 July 1944 * 349th Army Air Forces Base Unit : Organized ''ca''. 1 April 1944, discontinued ''ca''. 28 February 1945 * 4184th Army Air Forces Base Unit : Organized ''ca''. 28 February 1945, discontinued ''ca''. 31 March 1945 Aiken Air Force Station * Constituted as the 861st Aircraft Warning and Control Squadron : Activated at Dobbins AFB (M-87), GA on 8 April 1955 (not manned or equipped) : Assigned to Aiken Air Force Station, SC, 1 December 1955 : Redesignated as 861st Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 November 1961 : Inactivated on 30 June 1975

Assignments

* Third Air Force, 24 December 1942 *

First Air Force The First Air Force (Air Forces Northern; 1 AF-AFNORTH) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. Its primary mission is the air defense of the Co ...

, 1 May 1944 *

, 28 February 1945 - 31 March 1945 *

35th Air Division The 35th Air Division (35th AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, assigned to First Air Force, at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, Hancock Field, New York. It was inac ...

, 1 December 1955 *

32d Air Division The 32d Air Division (32d AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was last active with Air Defense Command, assigned to First Air Force at Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama, where it was inactivated on 31 December 1969. The di ...

, 15 November 1958 * Montgomery Air Defense Sector, 1 July 1961 * 32d Air Division, 1 April 1966 *

33d Air Division The 33rd Air Division (33d AD) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Air Defense Command, assigned to First Air Force, being stationed at Fort Lee Air Force Station, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 ...

, 14 November 1969 *

20th Air Division The 20th Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Tactical Air Command at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida where it was inactivated on 1 March 1983. During most of the division's history it ...

, 19 November 1959 - 30 June 1975

References

* Cornett, Lloyd H. and Johnson, Mildred W.,
A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980
', Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson AFB, CO (1980). * Maurer, Maurer (ed.),
Air Force Combat Units of World War II
, Office of Air Force History, Washington, DC, 1961 (reprint 1983) . * Maurer, Maurer. (ed.),
Combat Squadrons of the Air Force
' Office of Air Force History, Washington, DC, 1969 (reprint 1982) . * Winkler, David F. & Webster, Julie L.,
Searching the Skies
', The Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program, US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories, Champaign, IL (1997).

External links

Information for Aiken AFS, SC
* {{USAAF 3d Air Force World War II Installations of the United States Air Force in South Carolina Buildings and structures in Aiken County, South Carolina Airports in South Carolina Radar stations of the United States Air Force Aerospace Defense Command military installations 1955 establishments in South Carolina Military airbases established in 1955 1975 disestablishments in South Carolina Military installations closed in 1975