Lake City Air Force Station
 | This article includes a improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (December 2012) ) |
| Lake City Air Force Station Air Defense Command (ADC) | |
|---|---|
  Lake City AFS Location of Lake City AFS, Tennessee | |
| Coordinates | 36°11′54″N 084°13′50″W / 36.19833°N 84.23056°W |
| Type | Air Force Station |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by |  United States Air Force |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1952 |
| In use | 1952–1960 |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | 663d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron |
Lake City Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-42) is a closed
Lake City, Tennessee
. It was closed in 1960.
History
Originally designed as Cross Mountain Air Force Station, Lake City AFS 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 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.
The
Tennessee National Guard Armory in nearby Maryville, Tennessee
in November 1951.
With construction at Cross Mountain AFS finishing in March 1952, the 663d AC&W Squadron began operating a pair of
AN/FPS-6
height-finder radar was added in 1958. One AN/FPS-10 was removed in 1959.
In addition to the main facility, Lake City operated three unmanned
AN/FPS-18
Gap Filler sites:
- Aquone, NC (P-42A) 35°10′39″N 083°33′49″W / 35.17750°N 83.56361°W, now a parking/hiking base for Wayah Bald
- London, KY (P-42B) 37°09′03″N 083°59′32″W / 37.15083°N 83.99222°W
- Melvin Hill, NC (P-42C) 35°12′27″N 081°59′21″W / 35.20750°N 81.98917°W
This site ceased operations on 1 June 1961 due to budget constraints. Today the site is the location for the WCYQ & WDVX radio transmitters and several towers including a Television station.
Air Force units and assignments
Units:
- 663d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Assigned 6 February 1952
- Activated by 30th AD at Willow Run AFS(P-23), MI, 1 January 1950 (Not manned or equipped)
- Assigned to McGhee-Tyson Airport, TN, 1 January 1951
- Activated by 30th AD at
- Discontinued on 1 June 1961
Assignments:
- 541st Aircraft Control and Warning Group (30th Air Division), 1 January 1951
- Transferred to 30th Air Division, 6 February 1952
- 35th Air Division, 5 August 1952
- 58th Air Division, 1 March 1956
- 32d Air Division, 15 November 1958 – 1 June 1961
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- 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 Lake City AFS, TN
