Penhold's history dates back to the early days of World War II. In August 1941, when an RCAF Manning Depot was formed. The Royal Air Force took over the station as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan with No. 36 Service Flying Training School which operated the twin-engine Airspeed Oxford. With victory in Europe achieved, the school closed down in October 1944, having trained 1,555 students. The airfield lay dormant until 1951 when it was reactivated as RCAF Station Penhold, to support No. 4 Flying Training School. The first class of Canadian and foreign students from member NATO countries flying the North American Harvard commenced in June 1952.
Construction of the radar station (site C-54) began on 14 August 1961, 14 miles east of Penhold. The 12 acre range radar facility was built atop a glacial esker some 1,000 feet higher in elevation than RCAF Station Penhold. It was one of the last radar stations to be completed as part of the Pinetree Line. The major equipment installation was complete by mid June 1963.
During this time the radar station was SAGE-capable and 43 Radar Squadron commenced limited operations in February 1964. The unit was supported by RCAF Stations Penhold and Namao (Edmonton). Flying operations ceased at RCAF Station Penhold on 19 May 1965, and the station subsequently transferred from Training Command to Air Defence Command. From the outset the squadron was a SAGE unit with the FPR-27 Search, FPS-26 and FPS-506 Height Finder radars as well as the FTS-2 Data Processor and the GATR site.
The station became a Canadian Forces Base in 1967 due to unification. During 1973-74, an Air Defence Command school was formed to administer the Junior Leadership Course offered to Non Commissioned Officers within ADC. In August 1984, the squadron became part of Canada West ROCC. Later the station added the FPS-27 School which taught the intricacies of the FPS-27A Search Radar and UPA-62 Display Console. The last FPS-27A course to run through this school graduated on 20 February 1986 and the last UPA-62 course graduated on 5 June 1986. The school was closed on 23 June 1986.
On a much lighter note, the nearest adequate lecture room for members of 43 Radar was 14 miles back at Station Penhold. Radar personnel decided to improvise, so a large common area, that had been used for relaxation during breaks and lunch hours, was made into a lecture room by careful use of clothing lockers and backs from metal shelves. Consequently, this was not the most attractive lecture room in the world; nevertheless, 43 Radar Squadron had the distinction of having the only "armor-plated" lecture room in Air Defence Command.
43 Radar was declared non-operational on 1 January 1986 and by 31 July 1986 the station was declared closed and placed into caretaker status. 43 Radar Squadron was then officially disbanded as of 1 August 1986.
--The NBC Group - Don Nicks, John Bradley, Chris Charland.