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Wadena Air Force Station | |
|---|---|
| Part ofAir Defense Command (ADC) | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Air Force Station |
| Controlled by |  United States Air Force |
| Location | |
  Wadena AFS Location of Wadena AFS, Minnesota | |
| Coordinates | 46°30′55″N095°06′46″W / 46.51528°N 95.11278°W /46.51528; -95.11278 (Wadena AFS P-17) |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1952 |
| In use | 1952–1970 |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | 739th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron |
Wadena Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-17, NORAD ID: Z-17) is a closedUnited States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 7 miles (11 km) north-northeast ofWadena, Minnesota. It was closed in 1970.
In late 1951Air Defense Command selected Finland, Minnesota site as one of twenty-eight radar stations built as part of the second segment of the permanent radar surveillance network. Prompted by the start of theKorean War, on 11 July 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 21 July, the Air Force directed the Corps of Engineers to proceed with construction.
Wadena Air Force Station began at Leaf River, Minnesota when theMinnesota Air National Guard 132d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was federalized during theKorean War and began operations on 1 June 1951 under the 543d Aircraft Control and Warning Group; 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. The Guardsmen operatedAN/FPS-3 andAN/FPS-4 radars until relieved from active duty and returned to control of the State of Minnesota on 1 February 1953.
The 739th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron began the radars in June 1952, the site being re-designated as Wadena AFS on 1 December 1953. The AN/FPS-4 unit was superseded in 1956 by anAN/FPS-6 height-finder radar. In 1958 this site was operating anAN/FPS-20 radar.
During 1959 Wadena AFS joined theSemi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, initially feeding data to DC-11 atGrand Forks AFB, North Dakota. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the739th Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 15 January 1960. 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, Wadena was switched to the SAGE DC-10 Data Center atDuluth AFS, Minnesota. 1959 also saw the arrival of a second height-finder radar (AN/FPS-6A). In 1961 the search radar was upgraded and redesignated as anAN/FPS-64. During 1963 the AN/FPS-6A height-finder radar was modified to anAN/FPS-90, and on 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-17. In 1967 the search radar was upgraded to anAN/FPS-64A. The AN/FPS-90 was removed in 1969.
In addition to the main facility, Wadena operated the followingAN/FPS-18 Gap Filler sites:
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 Air Force inactivated the 739th Radar Squadron (SAGE) in September 1970 due to budget reductions. Today, the former Wadena Air Force Station is now the Bell Hill Recovery Center. Many former USAF buildings in-use.
Units:
Assignments:
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
