Charleston Air Force Station
Encyclopedia
Charleston Air Force Station is a defunct Air Force Station that operated from the 1952 until 1980. It was located in Charleston, Maine
. It is the site of a radar station and other buildings. It was redeveloped into the a jail for the state of Maine.
, on July 11, 1950, the Secretary of the Air Force asked the Secretary of Defense for approval to expedite construction of the second segment of the permanent network. Receiving the Defense Secretary’s approval on July 21, the Air Force directed the Corps of Engineers to proceed with construction.
Completed in early 1951, and fully manned and operational when the 765th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron brought Charleston AFS to life in April 1952 and assumed coverage that had been provided by a temporary Lashup radar site at Dow AFB (L-l). The site initially had AN/FPS-3 and AN/FPS-5 radars, and initially the station functioned as an aircraft control and warning station.
In 1957 an AN/FPS-6 replaced the AN/FPS-5 height-finder radar. Another height-finder radar came in 1958 along with an AN/FPS-20 search radar that replaced the AN/FPS-3. During 1959 Charleston AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
(SAGE) system, feeding data to DC-05 at Topsham AFS, Maine. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 765th Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 October 1959. 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.
In 1963 the site became the first in the nation to receive an AN/FPS-27 radar and on 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-65. This radar subsequently was upgraded to become an AN/FPS-27A. The AN/FPS-26A was then converted into an AN/FSS-7 submarine-launched ballistic missile radar in 1966 for Detachment 6, 14th Missile Warning Squadron to monitor for Ballistic Missile launches by submarines.
In addition to the main facility, Charleston operated two unmanned Gap Filler sites:
Topsfield was equipped with an AN/FPS-18; Control of Sedgwick was transferred to Charleston AFS after Brunswick AFS (Z-13) closed in 1965 and was equipped with the AN/FPS-14.
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 765th Radar Squadron was deactivated on 29 September 1979 as part of a general draw down of anti-aircraft forces by Aerospace Defense Command
and the transfer of ADC to Tactical Air Command
. The 14th MWS detachment was inactivated a year later.
After the base closed, the radar site was abandoned, with several radar towers still standing. The station area was transformed into the Charleston Correctional Facility, which opened in 1980. The family-housing area has been entirely demolished.
Assignments:
Charleston, Maine
Charleston is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It is part of the Bangor, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,397 at the 2000 census. Home to the Higgins Classical Institute, Charleston includes the village of West Charleston.-History:It was first settled as...
. It is the site of a radar station and other buildings. It was redeveloped into the a jail for the state of Maine.
History
In late 1950, construction began on Charleston Air Force Station. Known as Bull Hill for its location in the town, the station was one of twenty-eight stations built as part of the second segment of the permanent Air Defense Command national radar network. Prompted by the start of the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, on July 11, 1950, the Secretary of the Air Force asked the Secretary of Defense for approval to expedite construction of the second segment of the permanent network. Receiving the Defense Secretary’s approval on July 21, the Air Force directed the Corps of Engineers to proceed with construction.
Completed in early 1951, and fully manned and operational when the 765th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron brought Charleston AFS to life in April 1952 and assumed coverage that had been provided by a temporary Lashup radar site at Dow AFB (L-l). The site initially had AN/FPS-3 and AN/FPS-5 radars, and initially the station functioned as an aircraft control and warning station.
In 1957 an AN/FPS-6 replaced the AN/FPS-5 height-finder radar. Another height-finder radar came in 1958 along with an AN/FPS-20 search radar that replaced the AN/FPS-3. During 1959 Charleston AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
Semi Automatic Ground Environment
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment was an automated control system for tracking and intercepting enemy bomber aircraft used by NORAD from the late 1950s into the 1980s...
(SAGE) system, feeding data to DC-05 at Topsham AFS, Maine. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 765th Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 October 1959. 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.
In 1963 the site became the first in the nation to receive an AN/FPS-27 radar and on 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-65. This radar subsequently was upgraded to become an AN/FPS-27A. The AN/FPS-26A was then converted into an AN/FSS-7 submarine-launched ballistic missile radar in 1966 for Detachment 6, 14th Missile Warning Squadron to monitor for Ballistic Missile launches by submarines.
In addition to the main facility, Charleston operated two unmanned Gap Filler sites:
- Topsfield, ME (P-65A/Z-65A) 45°23′18"N 067°47′50"W
- Sedgwick, ME (Z-6BB) 44°18′51"N 068°38′22"W
Topsfield was equipped with an AN/FPS-18; Control of Sedgwick was transferred to Charleston AFS after Brunswick AFS (Z-13) closed in 1965 and was equipped with the AN/FPS-14.
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 765th Radar Squadron was deactivated on 29 September 1979 as part of a general draw down of anti-aircraft forces by Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command is an inactive United States Air Force Major Command. Established in 1946 under the United States Army Air Forces, its mission was to organize and administer the integrated air defense system of the Continental United States , exercise direct control of all active...
and the transfer of ADC to Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command
Tactical Air Command is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 being headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia...
. The 14th MWS detachment was inactivated a year later.
After the base closed, the radar site was abandoned, with several radar towers still standing. The station area was transformed into the Charleston Correctional Facility, which opened in 1980. The family-housing area has been entirely demolished.
Air Force units and assignments
Units:- 765th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Assigned 1 January 1951
-
- Activated at Dow AFB (L-1), ME, 1 June 1950
- Redesignated 765th Radar Squadron (SAGE), 1 October 1959
- Upgraded to 765th Air Defense Group, 1 March 1970
- Redesignated 765th Radar Squadron, 1 January 1974
- Inactivated 29 September 1979
Assignments:
- 540th Aircraft Control and Warning Group540th Aircraft Control and Warning GroupThe 540th Aircraft Control and Warning Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was assigned to the 32d Air Division, stationed at Stewart Air Force Base, New York...
, 1 January 1951 - 32d Air Division, 6 February 1952
- 4711th Air Defense Wing, 16 February 1953
- 32d Air Division, 1 March 1956
- Bangor Air Defense SectorBangor Air Defense SectorThe Bangor Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the Air Defense Command 26th Air Division, being stationed at Topsham Air Force Station, Maine...
, 15 August 1958 - 36th Air Division, 1 April 1966
- 35th Air Division, 15 September 1969
- 21st Air Division, 19 November 1969
- 21st ADCOM Region, 8 December 1978-29 September 1979