Gypsumville, MB

1997 - General History - The NBC Group

Station Gypsumville (site C-49) was the last CADIN/Pinetree site to be brought on line. It was located on Pine Ridge, 867 feet above sea level and 150 miles northwest of the Manitoba capital, Winnipeg. The village of Gypsumville dates back to 1888 and eventually became a great source of Gypsum. Construction of RCAF Station Gypsumville began in May 1961 and was completed in just over a year in November 1962. The station became a self-accounting unit by January 1963. Prior to becoming operational in January 1964, the station often referred to as "Charlie-49" or simply "Gyp", was SAGE-capable. On 23 January 1964 at 1400 hours, "Charlie-49" was declared operational. From the outset the unit was a SAGE site and was equipped with the FPS-27 Search, FPS-26 Height Finder and the FPS-507 Height Finder radars, the FST-2 Data Processor, a secondary search beacon radar known as the UPX-14 and the GATR site with the FRT-49 Transmitter and GKA-5 Data Link System. Long range radar services were provided by personnel of 49 Radar Squadron (also known as the "Up the Hill Gang"; the only thing missing was the hill). The station's postal address was originally Pine Ridge but ti was later changed to Pineimuta, an Indian name meaning partridge crop.

Prior to becoming a Canadian Forces Station in1967, the station was known as 47 Radar Squadron Gypsumville. In early 1969, the station was operationally phased into the BUIC II program. Also that year Pineimuta International Airport (as it was dubbed) was constructed at the station. This arrangement was better than blocking off a portion of the gravel Highway 6 that separated the domestic from the operations site. The local government District of Grahamdale is still using the 2,700 by 45 foot gravel runway today as a municipal airport.

Gypsumville initially served the 23rd NORAD Sector at Duluth, then transferred to the 24th NORAD at Malmstrom in December 1969. In August 1984, the radar site number changed to R-26 to reflect its association with the Canada West ROCC. At the end of December 1986, the height finder was shut down for good, followed the search radar in March 1987 and the station was closed out by 17 July, 1987. The height finder had been part of the former CFS Falconbridge radar site.

One other unit that had its origins at Gypsumville was 733 Communications Detachment. The unit was originally formed as part of 47 Radar Squadron. A portion of No. 3 Communications unit was re-designated 733 Communications Squadron in April 1965 and took over functional control of 47 Radar Squadron. The historical role of Gypsumville is perpetuated through a FPS-507A Height-Finder, officially dedicated as a Radar Monument on 19 September 1986.

--The NBC Group - Don Nicks, John Bradley, Chris Charland.