Guthrie Air Force Station

Brookfield Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-43, NORAD ID: Z-43) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located north-northeast of South Charleston, West Virginia. It was closed in 1968.

History

Guthrie Air Force Station was one of twenty-eight stations built as part of the second segment of the permanent Air Defense Command network. Prompted by the start of the Korean War, 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.

The 783d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron began operating an AN/FPS-3 search radar and an AN/FPS-4 height-finder radar from this site on 16 April 1951, and 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 these units were replaced by an AN/FPS-20 search radar and an AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar, respectively.

During 1962 Guthrie AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, initially feeding data to DC-06 at [[Custer AFS], Michigan. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 783d Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 July 1962. 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 1962 the search radar was upgraded and redesignated as an AN/FPS-67. A second AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar was added in 1963, and on 31 July, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-43. One AN/FPS-6 was then retired in 1966.

In addition to the main facility, Guthrie operated four unmanned AN/FPS-18 Gap Filler sites:

• Bainbridge, OH (P-43A)
• Hellier, KY (P-43B)
• Owingsville, KY (P-43C/P-82B)
• Lewisville, OH (P-43E)

The Air Force discontinued the 783d Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 18 June 1968; the station was inactivated on 30 June. Today most of the installation was still in use by various state organizations, mainly the Guthrie Agricultural Center of the WV Department of Agriculture, Forestry Service, and Health Department. Although the radar towers had been removed, the foundations of the AN/FPS-67 and the AN/FPS-6 are quite visible. Most of the buildings are well-maintained, and many now have vinyl siding on them. The houses of the original housing area are occupied as family residences; however, a second housing area on the adjacent hilltop are abandoned and deteriorating.

Air Force units and assignments

Units:

• 783d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Activated on 16 April 1951 at Guthrie AFS, WV

Re-designated 783d Radar Squadron (SAGE), 1 July 1962

Discontinued on 18 June 1968

Assignments:

• 541st Aircraft Control and Warning Group (30th Air Division), 16 April 1951
• 541st Airborne Early Warning and Control Group (30th Air Division), 6 February 1952
• 4708th Defense Wing, 16 February 1953
• 58th Air Division, 1 March 1956
• 35th Air Division, 1 September 1958
• 32d Air Division, 15 November 1968
• Detroit Air Defense Sector, 1 July 1961
• 34th Air Division, 1 April 1966-18 June 1968

See also

• List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations

References

• A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
• Winkler, David F. (1997), Searching the skies: the legacy of the United States Cold War defense radar program. Prepared for United States Air Force Headquarters Air Combat Command.
• Information for Guthrie AFS, WV