RCAF Station Puntzi Mountain
Encyclopedia
RCAF Station Puntzi Mountain (ADC ID: C-19) is a closed General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 202.6 miles (326.1 km) north-northwest of Vancouver, British Columbia. It was closed in 1966.
It was operated as part of the Pinetree Line
network controlled by NORAD.
and with the expansion of a North American continental air defence system, The site at Puntzi Mountain was selected as a site for a United States Air Force
(USAF) radar station, one of the many that would make up the Pinetree Line of Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) radar sites. Construction on the base began in 1950 and was completed in 1953.
The base was manned by members of the USAF's Air Defense Command (ADC) 917th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
, being known as Puntzi Mountain Air Station. On 8 November 1952, operations began at the unit's permanent home. The station was equipped with the following radars:
As a GCI base, the 917th's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes. These interceptors were based at the 26th Air Division, McChord Air Force Base in Washington.
In the early 1960's, the USAF relinquished control of the base to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). This was part of an arrangement with the United States that came as a result of the cancellation of the Avro Arrow. Canada would lease 66 F-101 Voodoo
fighters and take over operation of 12 Pinetree radar bases.
On 1 February 1963, the station was turned over to the Royal Canadian Air Force
. The operating unit was re-designated 55 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron and the base became RCAF Station Puntzi Mountain.
Radar operations at 55 Squadron were automated on 1 October 1963 by the Semi Automatic Ground Environment
(SAGE) system, and the station became a long-range radar site. It would no longer guide interceptors but only look for enemy aircraft, feeding data to the Seattle Air Defense Sector SAGE DC-12 Direction Center of the 25th NORAD Region at McChord AFB, Washington.
RCAF Station Puntzi Mountain closed on 1 October 1966. The closure was not expected and the community was shocked. When no agencies of the Canadian or BC governments could be persuaded to take over the bases buildings for use by such groups as the RCMP, Medical Services, the Department of Highways or Meteorological Service, the base was, in time, systematically destroyed.
A very few buildings survived the razing. The mobile equipment garage was left standing, destined to become a community hall for those who remained in the area. The guard/gate house, which went into service as a pump house, was left intact and the domestic site water distribution system was left undisturbed. Flattened and cleared area are, along with storm sewer manhole access points and the odd bit of ancient pavement, the only other signs left to mark the location of the installation.
It was operated as part of the Pinetree Line
Pinetree Line
The Pinetree Line was a series of radar stations located across the northern United States and southern Canada at about the 50th parallel north, along with a number of other stations located on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Run by NORAD , over half were manned by United States Air Force...
network controlled by NORAD.
History
As a result of the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and with the expansion of a North American continental air defence system, The site at Puntzi Mountain was selected as a site for a United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
(USAF) radar station, one of the many that would make up the Pinetree Line of Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) radar sites. Construction on the base began in 1950 and was completed in 1953.
The base was manned by members of the USAF's Air Defense Command (ADC) 917th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
917th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
The 917th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the Seattle Air Defense Sector, Air Defense Command, stationed at Puntzi Mountain Air Force Station, British Columbia...
, being known as Puntzi Mountain Air Station. On 8 November 1952, operations began at the unit's permanent home. The station was equipped with the following radars:
- Search Radars: AN/FPS-3C, AN/FPS-502, AN/FPS-7C, AN/FPS-107
- Height Radars: AN/TPS-502, AN/FPS-6B, AN/FPS-26
As a GCI base, the 917th's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes. These interceptors were based at the 26th Air Division, McChord Air Force Base in Washington.
In the early 1960's, the USAF relinquished control of the base to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). This was part of an arrangement with the United States that came as a result of the cancellation of the Avro Arrow. Canada would lease 66 F-101 Voodoo
F-101 Voodoo
The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military jet fighter which served the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force...
fighters and take over operation of 12 Pinetree radar bases.
On 1 February 1963, the station was turned over to the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
. The operating unit was re-designated 55 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron and the base became RCAF Station Puntzi Mountain.
Radar operations at 55 Squadron were automated on 1 October 1963 by 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, and the station became a long-range radar site. It would no longer guide interceptors but only look for enemy aircraft, feeding data to the Seattle Air Defense Sector SAGE DC-12 Direction Center of the 25th NORAD Region at McChord AFB, Washington.
RCAF Station Puntzi Mountain closed on 1 October 1966. The closure was not expected and the community was shocked. When no agencies of the Canadian or BC governments could be persuaded to take over the bases buildings for use by such groups as the RCMP, Medical Services, the Department of Highways or Meteorological Service, the base was, in time, systematically destroyed.
A very few buildings survived the razing. The mobile equipment garage was left standing, destined to become a community hall for those who remained in the area. The guard/gate house, which went into service as a pump house, was left intact and the domestic site water distribution system was left undisturbed. Flattened and cleared area are, along with storm sewer manhole access points and the odd bit of ancient pavement, the only other signs left to mark the location of the installation.