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Miscellaneous Mobile Radar Information
World War II
Note: In many of the official unit histories, the "Battalion," "Battalion Headquarters," and/or the company that was the "Headquarters Company," are not always easy to separate. Entries that refer to Battalion or Battalion Headquarters have been lumped together for the most part under the Battalion heading. When entries were found that mentioned a specific company being the Headquarters Company, I have tried to make those annotations as appropriate. (Gene)
Note: The SAW Bns frequently designated teams that operated the single radar units with letters. Single units like LW, 584, 582. Type 14, Type 15 etc. all required a team of about 35 people to operate 24 hrs , feed, guard, do paperwork and transport themselves. By using letters they did not have to change designations if they changed equipment. The only thing constant about the SAW business was "Change". (Courtesy of Bill Freienmuth 573rd SAW Bn)
Note: During WW II (and beyond for a while) AAF did not receive all of its support from Air Corps units. Other branches provided support, just as today in the Army an Armored Division would include Ordnance units. These units were called Arms & Services with the Army Air Forces Units (ASWAAF) units, and included units from the Signal Corps, assigned to various AAF units. Typical ones included:
Service Groups had a Signal Company, Service Group (numbered starting around 1000)
Air Depot Groups had a Signal Depot Company, Aviation (numbered starting around 900)
Wings had a Signal Company, Wing or Signal Company, Troop Carrier Wing (numbered starting around 300 and another series in the 1300s)
Higher Headquarters had a Signal Company, Aviation (numbered starting in the high 300s) (at the start of the war these were Signal Company (Air Wing), at the end of the war they started being replaced by Signal Service Companies and Battalions, Aviation, numbered in the 1700s)
A typical Fighter Command had assigned to it a Signal Headquarters & Signal Aircraft Warning Service early in the war. Signal Aircraft Warning units would be assigned to it. Later on, the air defense SAW units were more typically assigned directly to the Fighter Command or to Fighter Wings and Air Defense Wings, while tactical SAW units were assigned to Tactical Air Commands. At the very beginning of the war, there were a handful of SAW Regiments, (numbered from 500) but these were broken up or reduced. Later on there were both SAW Battalions (numbered from about 550) with integral companies, and separate SAW Companies (numbered from about 600).
Although Task Forces could result in the assignment of SAW units to a ground headquarters, essentially all SAW units were assigned to the AAF. (Courtesy of Bernie Shearon)
A Review of Theoretical Considerations for Radar Calibration, 1942
Note: Signal Radar Maintenance Units, 1 per 3 Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, plus 1 per Searchlight Battalion, for the invasion of France, 1944
What did the WW II Signal Aircraft Warning Battalions do in the ETO?
Note: A colleague and I have been having a discussion about the use of personnel for radar operations during WWII. We agree that it looks like the Signal Corps operated the "majority" of the radars, and that the Army Air Force, supplied personnel for the Fighter Control Squadrons, Headquarters and possibly to man the GCI radars. I asked Sy Bosworth (a veteran of the 555th SAW Battalion), and his reply was:
"I'd like to help, but all I can do is add to the confusion.
I took my basic training with the Air Force in Atlantic City. When I was sent to Fort Monmouth and then to Florida, I was issued Signal Corps lapel pins. During the two years in the ETO, we changed these pins several times when high-ranking officers visited with us. If we were wearing flags, we were ordered to change to wings. If we were wearing wings, we were ordered to change to flags. The only things constant were the 8th AF patches in England, and the 9th AF patches on the invasion and afterwards.
When the patches and buttons did not match, we were told that we were Signal Corps attached to the Air Force. Other times, we were Air Force attached to Signal Corps attached to infantry, or armor. After a while, we gave up, and just wore whatever we were last ordered to.
From time to time, I served in headquarters as a radio repairman, but mostly I was assigned to Company A, operating mobile radars and a plotting table for GCI and close support - sometimes as Signal Corps, and sometimes as Air Force. Finally, after being discharged, I received a testimonial thanking me for my Air Force service."
Klamath Radar Station
Target Invisible
Invention of Radar Part I
Invention of Radar Part II
Invention of Radar Part III
WWII & Korean War Radar Site Mobile Ops
Cape Perpetua SCR-270B Radar Site
SCR - Radar being assembled on LST
Filter Centers, Unit number unknown, or Not numbered |
Note: At the Beginning of World War II, Air Defense comprised three major areas, Interceptor Aircraft, Aircraft Warning and Communications facilities, and Antiaircraft Artillery and searchlights. A Control Group combined Aircraft Warning and fighter Control into one organization, affording simplicity and efficiency. Thus a Control Group provided not only Early Warning of an Air Attack, but also centralized communication for directing Fighter Defense.
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Albany Air Region
Activated: 1 January 1943
Deactivated: 10 April 1944
Note: Albany Air Region stood for both a geographical area and for the military organization charged with the Air Defense of the Region.
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Bend Filter Center
Located: Bend, Oregon 1956
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Charleston Air Region
Subordinate to: 3rd Air force
Note: Information and Filter Center, Savannah, Georgia, Filter Center Columbia, South Carolina
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Eugene Filter Center
Located: Eugene, Oregon
Subordinate to: 2nd Air Force, Fort George Wright, Washington
1st Lt. Jakey T. Sparks
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Greenland Signal Aircraft Warning Company
Activated: 22 September 1941
Note: Personnel obtained from First Aircraft Warning Company, Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York
Arrived: 25 July 1941, Bluie West, Greenland
Relocated: May 1942, Florida
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Houston Air Region
Note: Filter Center, Shreveport, Louisiana
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Island Air Command
Activated: October 1942 in Fiji
Subordinate Units:
35th Fighter Control Squadron
578th Signal Air Warning Battalion
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Los Angeles Control Group (Provisional) (410th Army Air Force Base Unit)
Activated: Hollywood, California (San Pedro, California)
Mission: Improvement of coordination of Fighter Control Squadrons and Signal Aircraft Warning Companies; Maintaining Air Defense of Los Angeles against possible air attack.
Subordinate Units:
37th Fighter Control Squadron
303rd Fighter Control Company
654th Signal Aircraft Warning Company
658th Signal Aircraft Warning Company
Former Designations:
Los Angeles Information Center, established 1941
Los Angeles Air Defense Wing, redesignated August 1942
Los Angeles Fighter Wing, redesignated July 1943
Los Air Defense Region, redesignated 7 June 1944
Disbanded: 28 February 1947
Note: 28 February 1947, personnel and equipment transferred to Squadron D of the 412th AAF Base unit.
Commanders:
(?) To 2 June 1944, Major Lewis
2 June 1944, Captain Fitzgerald
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Mobile Air Region
Note: Filter Center, Birmingham, Alabama
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Portland Air Region Control Group/Wing
Activated: 3 January 1943 (10 January 1944)
Mission: Provide Aircraft Warning service for the Portland Air Region and Seattle Fighter Wing
(AFHRA A0398)
Subordinate Units:
655th Signal Air Warning Company
602nd Signal Air Warning Company
329th Fighter Control Squadron
Ground Observer Corps, Portland Air Region
Filter Centers
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Roseburg Filter Center
Roseburg, Oregon
Subordinate to: 2nd Air Force, Fort George Wright, Washington
1st Lt. William J. James
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Sacramento Filter Area
October 1942
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San Antonio Air Defense Region
Organized: 1 February 1943
Mission: Organizing and training of volunteers for the Group Observer System.
Note: Filter Center, Dallas, Texas
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San Diego Control Group (Provisional)/Group
Activated: 10 January, San Diego, California
Mission: to provide Air Defense for San Diego, California, area
Disbanded: 31 March 1944
Commanders:
July 1942, Major Kenneth R. martin
October 1943, Lt. Colonel John O. Zahn
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San Francisco Control Group (Provisional) (411th Army Air Force Base Unit)/Wing
Established: 20 August 1942
Activated: 28 December 1943, San Francisco, California
Subordinate to: 4th Air Force
Mission: To provide aircraft warning service, operation of fighter control systems and installation and operation of essential communications and signal service functions
Redesignated: 1943, San Francisco Fighter Wing
Relocated: 1 July 1944, 411th AAF unit relieved of mission of Defense of coast, and operations were from San Francisco to Berkeley.
Mission: 11 September 1944, Wing charged with responsibility of providing active air defense of San Francisco Air Defense Region, relieving existing San Francisco Air Defense Region.
Disbanded: 31 March 1944
Disbanded: 28 February 1947 (B0721 pt 11 page 267)
Note: 28 February 1947, Personnel and equipment of the 411th AAF Base Unit transferred to Squadron B of the 412th AAF Base Unit.
Inactivated: 1963
Commanders:
20 August 1942, Colonel Ira C. Eaker
Colonel Griswold (Assumed command from Colonel Eaker
28 December 1943, Major Otis B. Hocker
1945 Colonel Towel
26 July 1945, Colonel Oliver B. Taylor assumed temporary command of Wing August 1945, Colonel Towle reassumed command of Wing.
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Seattle Control Group (Provisional) (412th Army Air Base Unit)/Wing
1935 - 1947
Activated: Everett, Washington
Note: 1939, Derived from Air Warning Service
Mission: To provide air warning service and fighter control
Organized: as Advance Echelon, 4 Interceptor Command 1 March 1942 at Seattle, Washington.
Redesignated: Seattle Region, 4 Interceptor Command 22 April 1942
Redesignated: and activated: as Seattle Air Defense Wing, IV Fighter Command 14 August 1942.
Redesignated: Seattle Fighter Wing, IV Fighter Command 24 July 1943
Subordinate Units:
605th Signal Air Warning Company (Regional)
651st Signal Air Warning Company
652nd Signal Air Warning Company
55th Fighter Control Squadron
98th Fighter Control Squadron
Mission: 1944/45, To train for control of Navy Fighter Aircraft, development of emergency rescue program.
Redesignated: 1947, 412th Army Air Forces Base Unit, Western Aircraft Control and Warning Group.
Mission: 1947, Maintain and guard Control Centers, Very High Frequency Direction finders, Radio relays and Radar stations, train personnel in technical specialties and coordinate and utilize local Night Fighter Squadrons in training.
Note: Derived from Seattle Control Group, San Francisco Control Group, Los Angeles Control Group
Redesignated, Reorganized : 28 February 1947, as Western Aircraft Warning and Control Group (412th Army Air Force Base Unit). The 412th AAF Base Unit reorganized to consist of a group headquarters and Squadrons A, B, and D with station assignments as follows:
Group Headquarters, McChord Field, Washington
Squadron A, McChord Field, Washington
Squadron B, Hamilton Field, California
Squadron D, Long Beach Army Air Field, Long Beach, California
Relocated: 1947, McChord Field, Tacoma, Washington
Commanders:
Colonel R. C. Moffat assumed command of Wing 1 March 1942.
Colonel J. W. McCauley assumed command 20 August 1942
Brig. General E. M. MORRIS assumed command 5 December 1942
Colonel J. W. McCauley assumed command 18 December 1942
Sunset Project - WWII To protect the strategic installations surrounding Seattle, the Army initiated "Sunset Project," an integrated radar warning and fighter control system.
See 412th AAF Base Unit for more information
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Signal Company Aircraft Warning Alaska
Arrived: 14 March 1941, Fort Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska
Mission: Training and planning for Air Defense of Alaska
Redesignated: 25 March 1942, 691st Signal Aircraft Warning Reporting Company (Frontier)
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Signal Company Aircraft Warning Panama
Activated: December 1939
Note: Became the 559th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion (Separate) on 15 March 1942. Disbanded and activated into the 516th Signal Aircraft Warning Regiment
Note: Established two Aircraft Warning Stations, one at Taboga Island and the other at Fort Serman. They were mostly a Ground Observer Unit until after the war started and the first six months of 1942, there were 26 stations added.
Equipment: SCR-270, SCR-271 and SCR-588
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Signal Aircraft Warning Regiment of Hawaii
Note: The First Signal Aircraft Warning Company of Hawaii was activated at Schofiled Barrack, Oahu, Territory of hawaii on 14 April 1940. It was redesignated 15 February 1942 as Signal Aircraft Warning Regiment of Hawaii. On 17 April 1942, it became the 515th Signal Aircraft Warning Regiment. On 1 April 1943, it was split into the 580th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion (Special) and the 581st Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion.
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Willimington Communications Repair Detachment
Redesignated: 18 September 1944, From 10th Signal Maintenance Shop
Mission: Performed Third and Fourth Echelon maintenance of ground radar and ground VHF Fighter Control Equipment.
Commander:
Lt. Christos M. Manitsas
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Post World War II
Project AC&W - Effective 20 January 1949, strengths of units were severly reduced and personnel were sent to the Zone of Interior, the United States (A0531A page 12).
Korean War Era
Abbreviations - for travel orders
WP - Will Proceed
RTA - Rail Trans Auth
TDN - Tvl Directed Necessary
TCNT - Trans Corps Will furnish Necessary Tans
OCWR - On completion of TDY of DS will ret proper sta
Air Force Ingenuity - 613th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Site 16 
Education - While reading through various Aircraft Control and Warning Groups of the early 1950's, I have noted the great amount of emphasis that was placed on getting high school degrees for personnel. I was especially surprised to note that so many of the personnel that got their degrees at their radar sites were radar, radio and other maintenance personnel. With the complexities of the radar and radio equipment, one would have though a high school education would have been necessary.
Minimum Discernible Signal (MDS) - Detachment 14, 511th Aircraft Control and Warning Group constructed a delay multi-vibrator which enabled radar maintenance personnel to perform a minimum discernible signal (MDS) check on the AN/TPS-1B or AN/TPS-1C at any time without interrupting operations. A policy was then set up whereby an MDS reading would be taken every 6 hours instead of once daily, in order to keep a closer check on performance (105 db).
Training - In 1948 radar Groups were receiving personnel straight from basic training. This required the radar Groups to set up classes to train incoming personnel in all career fields. (AFHRA B0722 pg. 108)
Post Korean War Era
Vietnam Era
Korean Tactical Air Control System (KTACS)
As of 1977
Mission: Support to the 314th Air Defense and Joint Command functions
51st Composite Wing Tactical Control
Subordinate Units:
603rd Tactical Air Control Center
621st Tactical Control Squadron
Note: 2 March 1977, Air support radar teams of 621 Tactical Control Squadron commence first live ordnance drops in Korea.
Detachment
Detachment
Detachment
Exercises:
1977
Combat Sage
Cope Strike Alpha
Cope Diamond
Cope Thunder
Team Spirit 77 |
Modern Era
Hurlburt Honors TACPs: More than 250 persons came together June 26 at Hurlburt Field, Fla., for the dedication of a memorial to those who have served as tactical air control party (TACP) airmen. The front of the memorial, which is located outside of the base's TACP schoolhouse, is dedicated to all those who have served in this battlefield airman capacity; the back side honors those controllers who have fallen in the line of duty. Two names currently are etched in the back of the memorial: Air National Guardsman SSgt. Jacob Frazier, killed in action March 29, 2003, in Afghanistan, and A1C Raymond Losano, killed in action April 25, 2003, also in Afghanistan. "These men gave the ultimate sacrifice. … The reason memorials are important is that it's our obligation to recognize that sacrifice and to honor them," said Brig. Gen. Michael Longoria, commander of the 93rd Air Ground Operations Wing at Moody AFB, Ga., who presided over the ceremony. CMSgt. David Devine, Headquarters Air Force TACP career field manager, noted: "It's more than a group of men who are physically fit, technically and tactically competent, and brave enough to jump out of airplanes, repel out of helicopters, and run around the front lines of a fight looking for action. It's men who truly love what they're doing and will do whatever it takes to take care of their buddies and get the job done." Today the Air Force has 1,045 active duty and 302 Air National Guard TACPs, according to service figures. These airmen advise ground commanders on the best use of airpower, direct close air support and naval gunfire. (Hurlburt report by Dawn M. Hart) Air Force Special Operations Command 6/30/2009
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