What Who and What?
With the completion of station construction in 1952, Baldy Hughes was manned by USAF and operated as a manual intercept control site under the designation 918th AC&W Squadron. The 918th was recalled from the National Guard to active service on 16 April 1952 at Geiger Field, Washing, USA. Transferred to Baldy Hughes, the 918th AC&W Squadron became operational on 1 April 1953.
The RCAF took over the station on 1 March 1963, just as it was about to be integrated into the SAGE system in the Seattle Sector, 25th NORAD Region. This integration was completed by the end of June 1963, at which time the USAF operations personnel returned to the United States. The unit was known as 54 AC&W Squadron while under RCAF control. With the integration of the RCN, RCA and RCAF in 1967, the unit was re-designated Canadian Forces Station Baldy Hughes.
The Domestic Site for the station is located at the eastern base of Mount Baldy Hughes on the land which was originally the Baldy Hughes homestead. Operational facilities were located in three areas: (Hill 1) a Transmit/Receive Air-Ground-Air (AGA) Communications Complex on a lower spur of the mountain about 0.5 km to the north (Hill 2) and a Receive A/G/A Communications site (now abandoned) on another volcanic mountain peak a further 1 km to the north (Hill 3).
Commanding Officers
918th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, USAF
|
Effective Date |
Commanding Officer |
|
16 Apr 52 |
2nd Lt. Wesley W McBride |
|
29 May 52 |
Lt. Col. William E Pitcher |
|
23 Aug 52 |
Captain Theodore T White |
|
14 Oct 52 |
Captain Richard R Calvin |
|
1 Nov 52 |
Captain Robert E Rice |
|
Jun 54 |
Major Harold E Plain |
|
Apr 55 |
Major Ben M Hagan |
|
Feb 56 |
Major Orvil G Gransee |
|
Dec 57 |
Major James D Lessley |
|
1 Aug 59 |
Major Kenneth Coleman |
|
Apr-May 61 |
Major (later Lt. Col.) Alfred J Nash |
NOTE: - Records from 1953-1958 and 1961-1963 are incomplete
Commanding Officers
54th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, RCAF
|
Effective Date |
Commanding Officer |
|
1 Mar 63 |
W/C RD Sloat |
|
10 Sep 65 |
W/C D Warren |
Commanding Officers
Canadian Forces Station Baldy Hughes
|
Effective Date |
Commanding Officer |
|
27 Jul 67 |
LCol DJ Ackert |
|
20 Aug 69 |
LCol JF Edwards |
|
29 Aug 71 |
LCol GW Duguid |
|
6 Jul 73 |
LCol HK Olsen |
|
16 Jul 75 |
LCol DF McIntosh |
|
28 Jul 77 |
LCol GL Walker |
|
10 Jul 79 |
LCol WR Scott |
|
3 Jul 81 |
Major LC Stanners |
MAJOR OPERATIONAL EQUIPMENTS
|
Date |
Equipment |
|
1952 |
FPS-3C Search Radar and TPS-502 Height Finder Radar installed |
|
Mar 59 |
FPS-20 Search Radar installed to replace FPS-3. SIF also installed |
|
Aug 59 |
A/G/A RX site closed down and both RX and TX A/G/A radios located on Hill 2 |
|
Jul 60 |
FPS-6 Height Finder Radar made operational, replacing TPS-502 |
|
Feb 61 |
Second FPS-6 Height Finder is operational |
|
Dec 61 |
SAGE GATR facility is operational |
|
Jul 62 |
FST-2 Data Processor is installed |
|
May 63 |
FPS-27 Search Radar is installed |
|
Jul 63 |
Unit is SAGE operational |
|
Aug 63 |
FPS-26 Height Finder is installed, replacing one FPS-6 |
|
Jul 64 |
UPX-14 Selective Identification Feature radar is operational |
|
Dec 71 |
FYQ-47 Data Processor replaces the FST-2 |
|
Apr 75 |
FPS-26 Height Finder is shut down |