Naval Security Group Station History Updated: 13 Jul 08 ======================================================================================== Station Opened Closed/Disestablished ======================================================================================== Naval Security Group Command Headquarters (COMNAVSECGRU) Code and Signal section, Naval Communications Service 1917 Jul 1922 Navy Security, Cryptologic Element, DNC OP-20-G Jul 1922 11 Mar 1935 Code and Signals Section Navy Security Group, Washington DC 11 Mar 1935 10 Jul 1946 Navy Department building, Washington DC Feb 1943 18th St. & Constitution Ave. Communication Security Group 11 Mar 1935 15 Mar 1939 Radio Intelligence Section 15 Mar 1939 01 Oct 1939 Communication Security Section 01 Oct 1939 10 Jul 1946 Moved to 3801 Nebraska Ave, Washington DC Feb 1943 Communications Supplementary Activity 10 Jul 1946 28 Jan 1950 Navy Security Group (OP-202), Washington DC 28 Jan 1950 1956 Security Branch, Naval Communications Division OP-202 redesignated OP-302 0l Jun 1954 OP-302 redesignated OP-30G 03 Jan 1955 Naval Security Group Headquarters Activity 1956 07 Jul 1961 OP-30G redesignated OP-94G 05 May 1959 Naval Security Group Headquarters, Washington DC 07 Jul 1961 0l Jul 1968 Naval Security Group Command, Washington DC 0l Jul 1968 30 Nov 1995 OP-94G redesignated OP-944, 15 Mar 1971 Signals Exploitation and Security Division Naval Security Group Command, Ft. Meade, MD 01 Dec 1995 30 Sep 2005 COMNAVNETWARCOM IOD Ft. Meade, MD 01 Oct 2005 Present Commander, Naval Network Warfare Command, Information Operations Directorate The Naval Security Group Command was disestablished on September 30, 2005; and all functions and missions were transferred to the Naval Network Warfare Center (NNWC), located at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base (NAB) in Norfolk, VA. The COMNAVSECGRU offices and personnel were reassigned as the Naval Network Warfare Command, Information Operations Directorate, Ft. Meade, MD on October 1, 2005. NAVNETWARCOM Little Creek, Norfolk VA: http://www.netwarcom.navy.mil/. NETWARCOM IOD Ft. Meade MD: http://www.nnwc-ftmeade.navy.mil/, =================================================================================== Naval Security Station (NAVSECSTA), 3801 Nebraska Avenue NW, Washington DC The facility at 3801 Nebraska Avenue has quite a history. Located five miles from downtown Washington, the site lies in the historic NW area of the District of Columbia, just across Ward Circle from the American University. In an effort to break WWII Japanese (and later) German codes, early cryptologists and cryptanalysts spent thousands of hours in those myriad rooms. They were codebreakers. In February, 1943, over 1,100 men and women worked on the complex problems associated with codebreaking. By the end of WWII, there were over 5,000 persons employed as codebreakers at the Navy's Nebraska Avenue facility. Those of you who have ever been stationed at, or visited NAVSECSTA, surely have fond memories of all the hidden nooks and crannies in the CNSG HQ facility. Rooms and entrances that cascaded down otherwise hidden stairwells. Circular stairways and hidden entrances. The maze of narrow corridors that seemed like the secret passageways ripped from the pages of some mystery novel; or from a medieval castle. Why all the unusual architecture? Because the buildings were previously the campus of the Mount Vernon Seminary (1917-1942), a private school for girls, including dormitories and classrooms. Mount Vernon Seminary (1917-1942). Before the Navy acquired the land in 1942, it was the campus of the Mount Vernon Seminary. With 14 contributing buildings, Mount Vernon was a nonsectarian private school for girls. In 1868, Mrs. Elizabeth J. Somers accepted private pupils in her home at 204 F Street, NW., Washington, D.C. She began teaching private students at the request of prominent statesmen. She officially opened Mount Vernon Seminary in 1875 as a "Family and Day School for Young Ladies". Mrs. Somers was named the 1st President of the seminary in 1913 and retired in 1914. The school moved to Nebraska Avenue on November 5, 1917. November 5th is the school's Founder's Day, which was instituted to honor Mrs. Somers' eightieth birthday. The new building had the capacity to house 130 resident students. Mrs. Somers died on June 8, 1924. In 1928, the Nebraska Avenue campus was enlarged from 15 to 31 acres. In 1942, the U.S. Navy took over the Mount Vernon Seminary campus on Nebraska Avenue "in the interest of the war effort". In 1944, Mount Vernon College was granted "just compensation for school property" that was acquired by the U.S. Navy. In 1945, the College purchased 21 acres on Foxhall Road, then purchased an additional 5 acres of the adjoining property. On November 5, 1945, Founder's Day, ground was broken for the new school on Foxhall Road; where the campus remains today. In May of 1999, the 124-year-old women's college was affiliated with the George Washington University and officially became the George Washington University at Mount Vernon College. Source: George Washington University, Washington D.C., University Archives -- Virtual Tours. Mount Vernon Seminary and College: A Chronology. . In July 1922, the U.S. Navy formally established a cryptologic element, known as the Communication Security Unit, or DNC OP-20-G; a part of the Office of the Director of Naval Communications. The unit was located at the Main Navy Building, commonly referred to as "Main Navy", 18th St. & Constitution Ave. In October, 1928, the Navy also established a school for enlisted Navy and Marine Corps intercept operators at the Navy Department in Washington, D.C. In a specially constructed blockhouse, a classroom and eight intercept positions were erected on the roof of "Main Navy"; probably as much for the sake of privacy as for the lack of space. Student graduates became known as the "On the Roof Gang." The first instructor was Chief Radioman Harry Kidder, who had taught himself to recognize and intercept Japanese radio communications, while previously serving in the Philippines. On March 11, 1935, the unit was redesignated as the Communications Security Group (CSG). This date is observed as the birth of the Naval Security Group. In February, 1943, the CSG transferred to a new facility at 3801 Nebraska Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The facility at 3801 Nebraska Avenue was known as the Communications Supplementary Annex from February, 1943. It was renamed NAVCOMMSTA Washington (NCSW) on July 7, 1948, and redesignated as the Naval Security Station (NAVSECSTA) on September 21, 1950. In September, 1950, the Communications Security Group (CSG) and the Communications Supplementary Activity Washington (CSAW), were merged to officially form the establishment of the Naval Security Group, headquartered at NAVSECSTA. In 1994, the "Naval Security Station District" was identified as a historic property, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, administered by the National Park Service. The COMNAVSECGRU headquarters staff officially moved from NAVSECSTA to Fort George G. Meade, MD in November, 1995. NAVSECSTA was not officially disestablished until October 16, 1998, almost three years after the last NAVSECGRU office had moved. Besides COMNAVSECGRU HQ, other activities that resided at 3801 Nebraska Avenue included: the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Command (NCTC), the Director, Communications Security Material Systems (DCMS) (see below), a Personnel Support Detachment (PSD), and the Naval Electronic Systems Security Engineering Center (NESSEC). The site at 3801 Nebraska Avenue, NW was renamed in January, 2003, as the Nebraska Avenue Complex (NAC), a Field Support Activity of the Naval District Washington (NDW), headquartered at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington DC. Commencing on March 1, 2003, the Offices of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) called the Nebraska Avenue Complex home. On May 1, 2006, the Director, Communications Security Material System (DCMS) changed locations to Andrews AFB, in Clinton MD. The command name was also realigned to Naval Communications Security Material System (NCMS) Washington DC. Current tenant commands at the Nebraska Avenue Complex in 2007 include: the Naval Center for Cost Analysis, the Naval District Washington Public Safety, the Director of Strategic Systems Programs, the Office of Civilian Personnel Management, and the Navy International Programs Office. Naval Communications Supplementary Annex, Feb 1943 07 Jul 1948 (AKA) Naval Communications Annex Naval Communications Station, Washington DC 07 Jul 1948 21 Sep 1950 Naval Security Station (NAVSECSTA) Washington DC 21 Sep 1950 16 Oct 1998 Nebraska Avenue Complex 16 Oct 1998 Present =================================================================================== DCMS/NCMS Washington DC DCMS responsibilities included ensuring the proper security, distribution, handling, and accounting of COMSEC material in the COMSEC Material System. The Director, Communications Security Material System (DCMS) Washington was located at the Naval Security Station (NAVSECSTA), 3801 Nebraska Ave NW, Washington DC. DCMS was co-located with the Commander, Naval Security Group Command (COMNAVSECGRU); and the Commander, Naval Telecommunications Command (COMNAVTELCOM). On December 1, 1995, the Naval Security Group Headquarters moved from NAVSECSTA to Ft. Meade, MD. DCMS was subordinate to the Commander, Naval Telecommunications Command (COMNAVTELCOM), which was renamed the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Command (NAVCOMTELCOM). On July 9, 2001, NAVCOMTELCOM was renamed the Naval Network Operations Command (COMNAVNETOPSCOM) (NNOC). COMNAVNETOPSCOM was disestablished on May 1, 2002; when the Naval NETWARCOM command was formed. On May 1, 2002, the Naval Network Warfare Command (NAVNETWARCOM) was established and DCMS Washington DC became subordinate to NAVNETWARCOM. On May 1, 2006, DCMS Washington DC moved from the Nebraska Avenue Complex to Andrews Air Force Base, in Clinton, MD. Also on May 1, 2006, the command's name was changed from DCMS Washington DC (Director, Communications Security Material System) to NCMS Washington DC (Naval Communications Security Material System). The Naval Communications Security Material System (NCMS Washington DC), is located at Andrews AFB, in Clinton, MD. NCMS is a shore-based fleet activity subordinate to the Commander, Naval Network Warfare Command. NCMS is the single authoritative source and primary provider for Communications Security (COMSEC), Electronic Key Management System (EKMS) and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) material throughout the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command and National COMSEC Community. NCMS publishes policies, develops and provides training tasks and procedures, and distributes hardware. In addition, NCMS monitors all procedures and actions required to ensure the physical security of COMSEC material, including prevention of compromise and compromise recovery. DCMS Washington DC at Naval Security Station (3801 Nebraska Ave) Jan 2003 DCMS Washington DC at Nebraska Ave Complex (343 Intelligence Way) Jan 2003 01 May 2006 NCMS Washington DC 01 May 2006 Present at Andrews AFB, Clinton, MD (1560 Colorado Ave) ================================================================================== Adak, Clam Lagoon, Zeto Point, Aleutian Islands, Alaska Adak is located on Kuluk Bay on Adak Island in the Andreanof Islands group of the Aleutian Islands. It lies 1,300 miles southwest of Anchorage and 350 miles west of Dutch Harbor (Unalaska), near the Russian end of the arc that makes up this volcanic island chain. Flight time to Anchorage is four hours or longer depending on weather. Adak is the southern-most community in Alaska and on the same latitude as Vancouver Island in Canada. At the 2000 census the population was 316. A State of Alaska demographer in 2004 estimates the population at 69. Other than Attu Station, Adak is the westernmost town in the U.S. and the southernmost city in Alaska. The Aleutian Islands were historically occupied by the Unanga more commonly known now as the Aleuts. The first inhabitants of Adak Island were the Aleuts. Archaeological evidence reflects occupation as early as 9,000 years ago. The Aleuts hunted whales, seals, otters and sea lions, as well as island birds, and fished Adak’s freshwater streams and the surrounding seas. They lived in large, communal, subterranean structures of grass and earth built over driftwood or whalebone frames. The Aleuts developed technologies such as sophisticated kayaks and waterproof clothing to deal with the cool marine environment. Aleut settlements were often located in coves along freshwater streams. Remnants of prehistoric Aleut settlements remain on Adak today. The once heavily-populated island was eventually abandoned in the early 1800s as the Aleutian Island hunters followed the Russian fur trade eastward, and famine set in on the Andreanof Island group. However, they continued to actively hunt and fish around the island over the years, until World War II broke out. Russians first visited the Aleutian Islands in the early 1740s and were trading with the Aleuts by the 1750s. As recently as 1827, Adak was a busy trading settlement with a population of 193 Aleuts. By 1830, Russian settlers had occupied Adak and relocated the Aleuts to Russian settlements in Kodiak, the Pribilof Islands, and Sitka. Adak Island became part of the Alaska Territory, which was subsequently purchased from Russia by the U.S. in 1867. Since the early 1940s, the northern half of Adak Island has been used for military operations. In the early days of World War II, the Japanese bombed Dutch Harbor, located on Unalaska Island, east of Adak, near the mainland, and occupied the Aleutian Islands of Attu and Kiska, located to the west of Adak. Naval activities began on Adak with the establishment of Albert Mitchell Field in March, 1943. The Navy established two major Naval installations on Adak Island to counter the Japanese threat, Naval Air Station was established on May 15, 1943; and the Naval Operating Base was established on July 14, 1943. The U.S. Army Air Corps established a base on Adak Island at the same time. In the spring of 1944, Adak’s population included at least 32,000 military personnel. In preparation for a major offensive on the Japanese occupied islands of Kiska and Attu, as many of 90,000 troops on ship or shore were mobilized to the Aleutian arena. During World War II, Adak Army and Navy installations allowed U.S. forces to mount a successful offensive, and the islands of Kiska and Attu were returned to U.S. control. In September, 1943, the Naval Communications Supplementary Activity (COMSUPACT), Adak was established to provide communications support to the local forces. COMSUPACT was NSGA Adak's progenitor organization. The original activity consisted of eight (8) men, and operated out of quonset huts through the War's conclusion. In June, 1948, a new communications facility was constructed to replace the temporary wartime structures. After WWII, Adak was developed as a Naval Air Station, playing an important role during the Cold War as a submarine surveillance center. Large earthquakes rocked the island in 1957, 1964 and 1977. After WWII, the base on Adak Island was transferred to the U.S. Air Force and renamed Davis Air Force Base. After the Air Force withdrew, the Navy assumed all facilities on Adak Island. Three Naval commands operated on the island, including the Naval Air Facility (NAF), Naval Facility (NAVFAC), and Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA). In 1953, 15 officers and fewer than 200 enlisted men were assigned to the base. COMSUPACT Adak was decommissioned in October, 1951, and immediately replaced by the Naval Communications Station (NAVCOMMSTA) Adak, as a seperate command on the island. The CT complement became the Naval Security Group Dept of NCS Adak. The U.S. Naval Security Group Dept (and later NSGA) Adak maintained and operated a high frequency direction finding (HFDF) facility and provided communication support to Navy and other Department of Defense elements. The communications facility located on the island included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FRD-10A Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. The initial phase of construction on the AN/FRD-10A CDAA began in 1962, and the HFDF equipment was installed in 1963. The CDAA was operational in December, 1964. The CDAA ceased operations in December, 1994, and the CDAA was removed. The property remains under Navy control. The Navy presence on Adak Island was authorized by Public Land Order No. 1949, dated August 19, 1959, which withdrew the northern half of Adak Island (approximately 79,200 acres) from the National Wildlife Refuge for the Navy’s military use. By 1966, military and civilian personnel totaled almost 1,000, a number that stayed fairly steady through the 1970s. By 1981, the population had doubled by 2,000. In 1984, the Adak Naval Station was renamed Naval Air Station (NAS) Adak. By 1990, over 5,000 people were at the base, almost 3,000 of whom were military, the remainder composed of military dependents and civilian employees. In 1994, NAS Adak was designated as Naval Air Facility (NAF) Adak. Since World War II, the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard developed outstanding facilities and recreation opportunities at Adak. Adak had in its heyday a college, movie theater, roller skating rink, swimming pool, ski lodge, bowling alleys, skeet range, auto hobby shop, photo lab, and racquetball and tennis courts. A new $18-million hospital was built in 1990 just seven years prior to the closure of the station. On April 1, 1977; after nearly twenty six years as an active telecommunications, and cryptologic site, NAVCOMMSTA Adak was decommissioned, and the Naval Security Group Activity Adak was commissioned. During the next ten years, NSGA Adak's mission and scope were significantly increased. NSGA Adak grew into a major command of over 700 military personnel. The end of the Cold War, coupled with the high cost of sustaining operations, placed NSGA Adak under consideration for downsizing. NSGA Adak began downsizing by terminating the Manual Morse Collection operations in November, 1993. Full scale drawdown efforts took place throughout 1994, including the closing of the Naval Telecommunications Center in January, 1994; and the termination of Special Communications and High Frequency Direction Finding (HFDF) operations in December, 1994. The command closure effort peaked in 1995, with the U.S. Army's 743rd Military Intelligence Brigade detachment departing in June, 1995. Classic Wizard operations ceased in September, 1995. The Telecommunications Department became a detachment of Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station, Puget Sound, on September 30, 1995. NSGA Adak achieved final facilities closure, detached all remaining personnel, and formally decommissioned on January 31, 1996. At its peak, the station housed over 6,000 Naval and Coast Guard personnel, and their families. In 1994, family housing and schools were closed after severe cutbacks related to national military base closures. The station officially closed on March 31, 1997, and currently houses civilians. The Aleut Corporation acquired Adak's facilities under a land transfer agreement, between the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Navy/Department of Defense. Properties are currently under lease. About 30 families with children relocated to Adak in September 1998, most of them Aleut Corp. shareholders, and a school was reopened. Aleut Corp. is currently developing Adak as a commercial center. The community incorporated as a second-class city in April 2001. By March 2003, just six years after the closure of the station, most of these facilities had closed. Resulting in the city of Adak turning into a virtual ghost town with its buildings showing little signs of wear or disuse as if the people left just the year before. In 2004, the former base was traded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to the Aleut Corporation. A southern portion of the island remains within the National Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The former base has two areas with extensive development. The first is the "downtown" area of Adak, where NAF was located and which includes the airfield, port facilities, landfills, sewage treatment facilities, light industrial, administration, commercial, recreational, and residential areas. The second main developed area, formerly used by NSGA, includes the northern part of the island and areas around Clam Lagoon. The NSGA area is no longer used; the downtown area is being used under an interim lease to the Adak Reuse Corporation, a subsidiary of the Aleut Corporation. Adak currently provides a fueling port and crew transfer facility for a mostly Seattle based fishing fleet, including an airport, docks, housing facilities, restaurant, grocery, and ship supply store. Norquest-Adak Seafood Co., an employer of a large seasonal staff, processes Pacific cod, pollock, mackerel, halibut, snow and king crabs. Commercial fishing vessels based out of Seattle and other parts of Alaska provide most of the work for the fish plant by regularly offloading their catch in Adak. Because of its Naval aviation past, Adak has a surprisingly large and sophisticated airport for the Aleutian Islands. Complete with a Instrument Landing System. Alaska Airlines operates passenger and cargo jet service from Anchorage to Adak with a stopover usually in King Salmon. The number of flights are dependent on the demand of the fishing season. Hunting and fishing are bountiful sports in Adak. Hunters particularly prize Adak caribou, the largest of which can exceed 700 pounds. There is no bag limit, but you do need to get to the south side of the island where the caribou are (local boat charters are available for about $2,500 per day). Anglers can find large to enormous halibut in the Kagalaska Straits. The Naval Security Group Department, Naval Communications Station Adak activated in October, 1951. On April 1, 1977, the NSG Dept was re-established as the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Adak, Alaska. By 1994, all military dependents had been transferred from Adak. By February 1996, following a military draw down, approximately 500 military and 50 civilian personnel were stationed on Adak. Adak was slated for closure under the Base Realignment and Closure Act in July 1995. NSGA Adak was closed and deactivated on January 31, 1996. The military mission at Adak was ended on March 31, 1997, and the station was officially closed. COMSUPACT, Adak, AK Sep 1943 Oct 1951 NSG Dept, NCS Adak, AK Oct 1951 01 Apr 1977 NSGA Adak AK 01 Apr 1977 31 Jan 1996 The Navy manages approximately 79,200 acres of the northern portion of the island which is owned by the Department of the Interior and includes the former NSGA site. =================================================================================== Alice Springs, Pine Gap, North West Cape, Northern Territory, Australia Alice Springs is a town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Its estimated population of 26,486 (in 2005) makes it the second-largest settlement in the Territory (the only other towns of significant size are Darwin, the capital, and Katherine). It is popularly described as "the Alice" or simply "Alice". Almost in the exact center of the continent, Alice Springs is located in the scenic Macdonnell ranges, some 1200 kilometers from the nearest ocean and 1500 kilometers, almost equidistant between the nearest major cities, Darwin and Adelaide. Alice Springs was originally established, under the name of Stuart, named for the explorer John McDouall Stuart, who first crossed the continent near there in 1860. The town of Stuart's main importance was as a telegraph station linking Adelaide and Port Darwin, which was completed in 1872. Stuart, the site of the original white settlement was, from 1926 to 1931, the capital of the short-lived territory of Central Australia. Alice Springs, the name given to the Telegraph Station and the water hole discovered in 1871, which made the town's existence possible; was named after the wife of Sir Charles Todd, then superintendent of telegraphs. However, this dual naming created such confusion for administrators in Adelaide, that on August 31, 1933, after much debate, the town of Stuart was officially renamed Alice Springs. The north-south road between Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide is still called the Stuart Highway. In the 1960's, the U.S. Government entered into talks with the Australian Government to construct a Satellite Relay Station in Australia's inland. In 1964-65, central Australia was selected as the region to construct the facility. The Australian Government proposed a 25 acre piece of land. The site, owned by the Australian Air Force, was located 19 kilometers from the town center of Alice Springs. On December 16, 1966, an announcement was made that a Joint Australian-American facility would be constructed near Alice Springs. The Pine Gap facility became operational in 1970, and consisted of a U.S.-Australian NAVDET Combined Support Group. The facility initially employed 25 Americans and about 60 Australians. In 1989, the NAVDET Combined Support Group at Pine Gap was renamed the Joint Defense Space Research Facility, Pine Gap. American influence in Alice Springs comes primarily from the proximity to Pine Gap, a U.S. satellite tracking station, located 19 kilometers southwest of Alice Springs. While Pine Gap employs 700 American and Australians, there are currently 2,000 people in the Alice Springs district who carry U.S. citizenship. There is also a large influence of American culture in sport, including baseball, basketball, and American football competitions, alongside more Australian sports of cricket, Australian rules football and rugby. The U.S. Naval Security Group Detachment, Alice Spring was established in October, 1998. On September 30, 2005, NSG Det Alice Springs was administratively closed and was re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Alice Springs, Australia. NIOD Alice Springs is subordinate to, and a detachment of, NIOC Ft. Meade, MD. NIOD Alice Springs, AS: http://www.niocmd.navy.mil/alicesprings/ (under construction). NSG Det Alice Springs, Australia Oct 1998 30 Sep 2005 NIOD Alice Springs, Australia 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Amagansett, Long Island, New York U.S. Coast Guard Station Amagansett (#68) was built in 1849 at a site given as "abreast of the village" of Amagansett, on the ocean side of Long Island. The station was rebuilt in 1880-1881, and rebuilt again in 1902. In the 1924 U.S. Coast Guard Register, the station is listed as "discontinued as an active unit," but in the 1925 Register, Amagansett is again listed as an active unit. The station was disestablished in 1937 and a revocable permit was granted to the U.S. Navy to use the station site as a Naval Radio Direction Finder station. In the 1938 U.S. Coast Guard Register, the station is listed as an inactive station. In August 1940, the U.S. Navy had six sites with diplomatic targets, which were all linked directly, or indirectly through U.S. Army communication circuits, to Washington DC via radio and landline communications. Twelve netted sites (six Navy and six Army) were authorized to intercept Japanese diplomatic traffic. The six Navy sites were Winter Harbor, ME (Station W) (February, 1935 to February, 1944; Amagansett, NY (station G) (November, 1939 to 1956); Cheltenham, MD (Station M) (September, 1939 to August 1953); Jupiter, FL (Station J) (September, 1939 to July, 1945); Heeia, HI (Station H) (June, 1934 to December, 1941; and Fort Ward, Bainbridge Island, WA (Station S) (August, 1939 to March, 1953). The six Army sites were Fort Monmouth, NJ (Station 1); Presidio, CA (Station 2), Fort Sam Houston, TX (Station 3), Corozal, CA (Station 4), Fort Shafter, HI (Station 5) and Fort Hunt, VA (Station 7). An Army Station #6 was proposed, but never activated. In March 1941, seeking to improve the interception efforts of the HFDF stations, a direct commercial teletype service link was authorized, procured and inaugurated between the installations at Winter Harbor, ME (Station W), Amagansett, NY (Station G), Fort Ward, Bainbridge Island, WA (Station S) radio intercept facilities; and the Net Control Station at Cheltenham, MD (Station M). This development allowed the stations to forward intercepts immediately to Washington upon receipt. While the primary emphasis was on Japanese diplomatic traffic other "messages of unusual nature appearing to be of sufficient importance to warrant attention" would also be forwarded. The result was improving coverage of radio circuits and minimizing delays in getting the intercepts to the cryptanalysts. In 1942, the Amagansett Incident (landing of German spies by submarine) took place. See the following link for the full story. . World War II Naval communications activities at Amagansett, Long Island, NY included a Naval Radio Direction Finder Station, a Naval Radio Station, and a Naval Supplementary Radio Station. In addition, there was also an active Navy Radio Monitoring Station at Bellmore on Long Island. By far, the largest Naval activity on Long Island was the Naval Torpedo Testing Range, Montauk, Long Island; the Navy's massive torpedo testing plant. The plant was designed to help develop and test the new generation of torpedoes that would win the war. The plant was located in Lake Montauk Harbor, at Fort Pond Bay, along Navy Road. In June, 1945, the Naval Radio Station at Amagansett was closed and the buildings and properties were returned to the U.S. Coast Guard. COMSUPACT, Naval Radio Station Amagansett, NY Nov 1939 1956 Communications Radio Intelligence Unit (Station "G" in 1940) Station was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard Jun 1945 =================================================================================== Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage is located in south-central Alaska. To the east, the Chugach Mountains serve as the backdrop for the city’s magnificent skyline. To the west are the expansive, steel-colored waters of Cook Inlet, named after the explorer Captain James Cook, who sailed into the area in 1778. Anchorage was founded in 1915, as a port for the Alaska railroad, whose headquarters were there. Row upon row of tents popped up in the Ship Creek area as the construction of Alaska’s railroad got under way. Anchorage was incorporated as a city in 1920. The number of people living in Anchorage by 1929 had grown to 2,736. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Anchorage found itself on the front lines of the conflict. Airfields, roads, and other infrastructure were hastily constructed during the war. Concrete and steel buildings crowded out the frontier shacks. The arrival of troops to Anchorage in 1940 marked a decade of growth based on military expansion. By the outbreak of World War II the threat of Japanese invasion prompted a continuous influx of military personnel, aircraft and equipment. During the war, Anchorage’s population exploded from around 8,000 to more than 43,000. After World War II the pressures of the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union ensured a continued heavy military investment in the Anchorage area. Another benefit after WWII was the boom of aviation that spread throughout Alaska. Along with the construction of many airfields during the war, the military equipped its pilots with the finest in electronic equipment and devices for flying safely. These enhanced facilities made life easier for the bush pilots who, beginning in the 1920s, had become a critical part of life in Alaska. By 1964, Anchorage had become a regular stop on the Seattle- Tokyo transpolar air routes, and air, rail and truck transportation provided a basic civilian industry. Oil was discovered on the Kenai Peninsula in 1957. Seventeen oil companies set up headquarters in Anchorage and spent more than $30 million dollars on exploration. On January 3, 1959, Congress voted Alaska into statehood. Anchorage again experienced tremendous change when the earth cracked open on Good Friday, March 27, 1964. The strongest earthquake ever to hit North America, measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale, ripped through Anchorage. In 1968, oil was discovered on the Arctic Slope, north of the Brooks Mountain Range. The Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) was proposed in 1969. It met with tremendous opposition from environmentalists and other groups. On September 26-27, 1971, a particularly unique moment in history occurred at Elmendorf Air Force Base, when then President Richard Nixon met with Emperor Hirohito of Japan. This remarkable meeting marked the first time in Japan’s 2,000 year old history that their reigning monarch set foot on foreign soil. Today a monument on the site commemorates the event. In May of 1972, Congress granted authorization for construction of the oil pipeline. Construction began in 1974, with oil flowing from the North Slope to the ice-free port of Valdez in 1977. Today, Anchorage is a thriving city with more than 260,000 residents. Elmendorf Air Force Base, located adjacent to Anchorage, is the largest Air Force installation in Alaska and home of the Headquarters, Alaskan Command (ALCOM), Alaskan NORAD Region (ANR), Eleventh Air Force (11th AF) and the 3rd Wing. Construction on Elmendorf Field began on June 8, 1940. The first Air Corps personnel arrived on August 12, 1940. On November 12, 1940, the War Department formally designated what had been popularly referred to as Elmendorf Field as Fort Richardson. The air facilities on the post were named Elmendorf Field in honor of Capt Hugh M. Elmendorf, killed in 1 933 while flight testing an experimental fighter near Wright Field, Ohio. After World War II, the Army moved its operations to the new Fort Richardson and the Air Force assumed control of the original Fort Richardson and renamed it Elmendorf Air Force Base. The first Air Force unit to be assigned to Alaska, the 18th Pursuit Squadron, arrived in February 1941. The 23d Air Base Group was assigned shortly afterwards to provide base support. Other Air Force units poured into Alaska as the Japanese threat developed into World War II. The 11th Air Force was formed at Elmendorf AFB in early 1942. The field played a vital role as the main air logistics center and staging area during the Aleutian Campaign and later air operations against the Kurile Islands. The communications facility located on Elmendorf AFB included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FLR-9 Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. Following World War II, Elmendorf assumed an increasing role in the defense of North America as the uncertain wartime relations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union deteriorated into the Cold War. The 11th Air Force was redesignated as the Alaskan Air Command (AAC) on December 18, 1945. The Alaskan Command was established on January 1, 1947, also headquartered at Elmendorf. The late 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s brought about a gradual, but significant decline in air defense forces in Alaska due to mission changes and the demands of the Vietnam War. The Alaskan Command was disestablished in 1975. Alaska's air defense force was further enhanced with the assignment of two E-3As to Elmendorf AFB in 1986. The Alaskan Command was reestablished at Elmendorf in 1989. The F-15E Strike Eagle equipped 90th Tactical Fighter was reassigned to Elmendorf Air Force Base from Clark Air Base in the Philippines, in May 1991. The NSGA located a Cape Chiniak, Alaska relocated to Elmendorf AFB, near Anchorage, Alaska on April 11, 1966; and the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Anchorage, AK was established. NSGA Anchorage was disestablished on February 28, 1998. NSGA Cape Chiniak AK May 1946 11 Apr 1966 Moved to Anchorage, AK at Elmendorf AFB. NSGA Anchorage AK (at Elmendorf AFB) 11 Apr 1966 28 Feb 1998 Part of Elmendorf Air Force Base. =================================================================================== NSG Support Det Anchorage, AK 22 Nov 1991 NSG Support Det Seven, Anchorage, AK 1993 NSG Support Det One, Anchorage, AK 1995 NSG Support Det, Anchorage, AK 30 Sep 2005 NIOD Anchorage, AK (at Elmendorf AFB) 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Astoria, Fort Stevens, Oregon See Bainbridge Island, Washington =================================================================================== Athens, Greece Athens is located in the southwestern Aegean Sea on the southernmost peninsula of mainland Greece. Athens, the capital of Greece, lies toward the southern end of the central plain of Attica. Athens is the political, economic and cultural center of Greece. The city's name was derived from the patron goddess Athena. The modern city was build around the ancient Acropolis. Athens faces the islands of Salamis and Aegina, directly to the south, and the island of Crete lies about 150 miles to the south. Greece was ruled by the Turks from 1458 until 1833, at which time the Kingdom of Greece was declared, and Athens was chosen as the new capital. During WWI, Athens was the site of the deposition of King Constantine, by the allies. During WWII, Athens was occupied by the Germans from April 27, 1941 to October 12, 1944. Athenai Air Force Base (later Hellenikon Air Base) was located 5 miles (7 km) south of Athens, and just west of the city of Komnina. During the Cold War, the Greek government allowed the U.S. Air Force to use the airport from 1945 until 1991, as a staging field for Air Transport Command on flights between Rome and the Middle East; and to process U.S. aid to Greece and Turkey with cargo and transport aircraft, under the Marshall Plan. The 7206th Air Base Squadron (7026th ABS) was activated as the host unit at Athenai Airfield on April 1, 1954. The 7026th ABS unit was renamed as the 7026th Air Base Group (7026th ABG) on May 15, 1955. Athenai Airfield was shared with Athenai International Air Port. The 7206th Air Base Group provided airlift evacuation operations from the Middle East (1967), Cyprus (1975), Ethiopia (1977), and Iran (1979, 1981). The 7026th ABG also provided administrative and logistical support to U.S. units and organizations in Greece, the Middle East, Eastern Mediterranean, and parts of Africa. The Athenai Airfield was renamed Hellenikon Air Base on February 25, 1976. Hellenikon Air Base was closed June 28, 1991. Civilian operations at Hellenikon came to an end in March 2001, after 60 years, when the new Athenai Airport opened at Sparta. The northern half of the old airport was redeveloped as one of the sites for the 2004 Summer Olympics. As of August 2004, most of the buildings on the grounds of the former U.S. air base were still standing. Hellinikon (or Ellinikon) International Airport was the international airport of Athens for sixty years up until 2001, when it was replaced by Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport. It was named after the Greek city Elliniko (Elleniko). The primary mission of NSG Det and NSGA Athens was the direct support (DIRSUP) of VP and VQ aircraft on Mediterranean Sea patrols. VQ-2 aircraft and crews, homebased out of Rota, Spain were supported by operations at NSGA Athens. NSG Det Athens was established on August 17, 1973; redesignated as NSGA Athens on May 19, 1980; and was disestablished and closed on October 1, 1990. NSG Det, Athens, Greece (at Athenai Air Force Base, 17 Aug 1973 19 May 1980 Hellenikon International Airport) NSGA Athens, Greece 19 May 1980 01 Oct 1990 At Hellenikon Air Base, Athens, Greece To: NSG Dept, Rota, Spain =================================================================================== Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture, Honshu, Japan Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi is the largest Naval Air Facility in the Pacific and home to Carrier Air Wing Five. NAF Atsugi is located in Kanagawa Prefecture in Ayase (ah-ya-sey) City, which is about 16 km due west of Yokohama and about 36 km southwest of Tokyo. On December 1, 1950, Naval Air Station, Atsugi was commissioned with Captain R. C. Sutliff as the first Commanding Officer. On board were three officers and 50 enlisted men. Patrol Squadron Six became the first squadron to operate from the station in January, 1951, followed shortly thereafter by a detachment of Fleet Aircraft Service Squadron 120. Commander Fleet Air, Japan moved his headquarters from Tokyo to Atsugi in April, 1951, with Captain Sutliff assuming the additional hat. At the same time, Commander Fleet Wing Six moved his headquarters from the USS Pine Island to the station. Commander, Fleet Air Western Pacific was established and headquartered at Atsugi in November, 1954. That position still exists and is the senior U.S. billet aboard Atsugi. In April 1969, Atsugi was involved in an international confrontation when an EC-121 reconnaissance plane assigned to VQ-1 (Atsugi) was reportedly shot down over the Sea of Japan by two North Korean MIGs. All 31 Navy men aboard the plane were killed. The base became a bustling community almost overnight when President Richard Nixon ordered an armada of Navy vessels to assemble in the Sea of Japan. Many Atsugi personnel toiled long hours to provide the 29 ships with logistic support. Gradually the tense situation abated, and the ships and Atsugi Base personnel returned to normal duties. By early 1970, the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) began moving in. Since then, the base has been shared by aviation elements of both nations. Although the U.S. forces continued to have access to the runway, the actual control of the runway was turned over to the JMSDF. Atsugi officially became a Naval Air Facility on July 1, 1971, with it's primary mission becoming maintenance of aircraft belonging to other units and facilities. For a time, U.S. flights were limited to aircraft belonging to the detachments maintained at Atsugi by VQ-1 and VRC-50. When carriers pulled into Naval Station (NS) Yokosuka, the pace quickened as many of the embarked aircraft flew to Naval Air Field Atsugi for maintenance. When the USS Midway was homeported in Yokosuka, NAF Atsugi became the home of Carrier Air Wing 5, the first carrier air wing to be permanently forward deployed. In 1991 the USS Independence replaced the decommissioned Midway, but CVW-5 remained to support the newer carrier. CVW-5 again cross-decked to the USS Kitty Hawk, as it replaced the USS Independence. With the closing of NAS Cubi Point in the Philippines in 1991 and NAS Agana in Guam in 1995, NAF Atsugi became the primary base for support of Naval aviation in the Western Pacific. In August, 1991, Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1) closed its permanent detachment in Atsugi, Japan after 30 years, and moved it to Misawa, Japan. The Naval Security Group Detachment at Atsugi was disestablished on August 1, 1991. NSG Det Atsugi's support mission, functions and direct support personnel were transferred to the Naval Reconnaissance Support Detachment (VQ-1 Det), a Detachment of VQ-1 Misawa; which activated on August 1, 1991. VQ-1 Det remained at Atsugi until September 30, 1994; when the parent VQ-1 squadron moved it's homeport from NAS Agana, to NAS Whidbey Island. The VQ-1 Detachments at Atsugi and Misawa were disestablished. Support personnel were transferred to NSGA Misawa. U.S. Naval Telecommunications Center Atsugi was located on board Naval Air Facility Atsugi. The base was originally commissioned on April 1, 1943 by the Japanese Naval Air Force. The Atsugi based Air Group constituted the principle air defense force for the Kanto Plain against U.S. B-29 air strikes during World War II. In 1944, the leaders at Atsugi developed a system of 12 caverns with connecting tunnels; parts of this system still exist today. Following the outbreak of hostilities in Korea in 1950, the U.S. chose Atsugi to become the principal Naval Air Station for the Far East. On December 1, 1950, Naval Air Station Atsugi was commissioned. In 1971, the base converted to a joint use program with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force and the base was renamed Naval Air Facility Atsugi. NTCC Atsugi, commissioned in February, 1991 as a part of NAVCOMTELSTA Yokosuka, Japan. Base Communications Officer (BCO) Atsugi transferred to NAVCOMTELSTA Yokosuka, Japan in 1993 and provided base telecommunications service. NTCC Atsugi was disestablished in 1994 however the BCO functions still remain under NAVCOMTELSTA Far East Yokosuka. NSG Det, Atsugi, Japan 15 Dec 1971 01 Aug 1991 Naval Reconnaissance Support Det (VQ-1 Det), 01 Aug 1991 30 Sep 1994 Atsugi, Japan To NSGA Misawa, Japan =================================================================================== Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany Augsburg is in the German Federal State of Bavaria. It is located about 30 km west-north-west of Munich, Germany, and lies at the junction of the Wertach and Lech rivers, and extends over the plateau area between the two rivers. Situated on the Frankfurt-Salzburg autobahn, Augsburg is an industrial center in southern Germany. Though considerably damaged during WWII, Augsburg retains much of its former stature. The post WWII arrival of U.S. Forces in Augsburg occurred on April 28, 1945, just prior to the German surrendered on May 7, 1945. In July, 1968, a U.S. Army Security Agency (USASA) Provisional Command was established at Augsburg and a cadre assigned. U.S. Army Security Agency Field Station (USASAFS) Augsburg was officially established on April 14, 1970, with an initial strength of 68 personnel and five companies: A, B, C, D & E Companies. Formal activation of USASAFS Augsburg took place on January 12, 1972; when mission operations commenced. The AN/FLR-9 (Wullenweber) antennae array was installed at Gablingen, Kaserne, a WWI German air base near Augsburg; in 1970 by the U.S. Army, to compliment and work in conjunction with the unit at San Vito, Italy and other stations in Europe. The AN/FLR-9 at Augsburg was deactivated in 1993, The Augsburg array was turned over to the Bundesnachrichtendienst, the German Intelligence Service known as the BND, in 1998; and it is no longer believed to be in service. Also in 1972, the 6910th USAF Security Group moved from Darmstadt to Augsburg. The 6910th Security Group was home to Air Force men and women from the 1950s to the 1970s. The 6910th was subsequently closed at Augsburg on June 30, 1974. On March 1, 1972, the Naval Security Group Detachment was established at Augsburg, with an initial complement of 64 sailors. CTRCS Thomas E. "Tom" Mosher was the first Officer-in-Charge. Most of initial cadre transferred from NSGA Bremerhaven. According to CTR1 Terry Swann, the DF section at Augsburg was known as the Bremerhaven Orphans, because most of the CTR Brancher augmentees had been stationed at NSGA Bremerhaven prior to being stationed at NSG Det Augsburg. On December 31, 1972, NSGA Bremerhaven, Germany was disestablished and closed. Most personnel, and all mission and functions were transferred to NSG Det Augsburg, Germany. NSGA Bremerhaven was formally disestablished on June 30, 1972, but operations continued beyund that date. During the period from May to December 1972, most sailors assigned to NSGA Bremerhaven were reassigned to NSGA Bremerhaven's detachment at Augsburg, Germany. As a result of NSGA Bremerhaven's disestablishment, the detachment at Augsburg was redesignated as NSGA Augsburg. Of the 700 Navy and Marine Corps billets allocated to NSGA Bremerhaven, approximately half were transferred to NSGA Augsburg; with the remainder transferred to NSGA Edzell, Scotland or NSGA Rota, Spain. As a consequence of the formation of Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) in October 1976, U.S. Army Security Agency Field Station, Augsburg was redesignated U.S. Army Field Station Augsburg in May, 1977. The 6910th USAF Security Group at Augsburg was deactivated in May 1977. In October, 1982, USAFSS manpower strength was at 1,811. In 1988, the U.S. Army Field Station Augsburg (USAFS) was redesignated as the 701st Military Intelligence Brigade and Field Station Augsburg; composed of four subordinate battalions. The field station hosted elements from the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force, as well as allied elements from Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom. The discontinuance ceremony for Field Station Augsburg was conducted on January 12, 1993. The station closed after 21 years of service. NSGA Augsburg continued operations until disestablishment on March 15, 1996, when personnel and mission functions were transferred to NSGA Bad Aibling. The station grounds were ultimately turned over to the German government, National Forest Administration. In December, 1999 the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) and the U.S. Army Europe (USAEUR) returned the 66th Military Intelligence Group's Augsburg base to the German government. The 66th MI Group and its 527 MI Battalion completed their move to a new headquarters in the Darmstadt suburb of Griesheim. The move started in 1995. NSG Det, Augsburg, Germany 01 Mar 1972 31 Dec 1972 Detachment of NSGA Bremerhaven, Germany At U.S. Army Security Agency Field Station, Augsburg, Germany 01 Mar 1972 May 1977 At U.S. Army Field Station, Augsburg, Germany May 1977 12 Jan 1993 U.S. Army Field Station, Augsburg, Germany closed: 12 Jan 1993 NSGA Augsburg, Germany 01 Jan 1973 15 Mar 1996 Moved to NSGA Bad Aibling 15 Mar 1996 =================================================================================== Bad Aibling, Bavaria, Germany Bad Aibling is located in southeastern Germany at the foot of the Bavarian Alps, 35 miles southeast of Munich, and about 20 miles north of the Austrian border. Bath Aibling-Mietraching was originally established by the German government in 1936, as a German Air Base utilized for flight training. In all probability, Adolph Hitler had made plans as early as 1934-1935 for the annexation of Austria and the Sudentenland to the Third Reich. A part of this plan was the construction of airfields in southern Germany to provide air support for these operations, and the Bad Aibling airfield was one of these. Plans for the camp were drawn up in February 1936. Highly skilled architects were selected from all over Germany to collaborate on these plans. An indication of their importance is the fact that actual construction was begun in May 1936, only three months after planning commenced. Although the last buildings were not finished until the Spring of 1941, the first troops arrived in February, 1937 and the first planes were delivered in July, 1937. The "peacetime" strength of the camp as defined in that turbulent era, was 1,000 officers and men. This figure was tripled when the large scale actual war began in 1939. The famed Messerschmidt fighter (ME-109) was based here at first, giving the camp the nickname of "Jaegerplatz" (Hunter's Place). Even in that short period from May until September, 1939; the design and development of aircraft had progressed to such an extent that the newer fighters were too heavy for the field. As a consequence, the camp was converted to a primary flight training base and remained such until the cessation of hostilities. The development of jet trainers overtaxed the field to the extent that a plan was under consideration to utilize the center strip of the autobahn as a field, but the war ended before this plan could be realized. The camp was built at a cost of 20 million reichsmarks and employed 3,000 people in its construction. An interesting historical sidelight is the fact that during the initial stages of excavation, graves were found which dated back to the 30 Years War with Sweden in 1618. This created an appreciable furor in historical and archaeological circles. The field was strafed and bombed in the latter stages of the war, but no damage was done to the camp proper. After the war ended in 1945, U.S. Army troops occupied the military airfield at Bad Aibling, which was located in the American Zone of Occupation. The camp was utilized as a Prisoner of War camp. The majority of the prisoners were from the German southern Army Group in Italy, plus local political prisoners. This number was increased when several German Generals came from Northern Germany to avoid capture by the Russians. After this period, it was utilized by UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency), IRO (International Refugee Organization) and as a combination displaced persons camp and orphanage. Field Station Bad Aibling was created in 1947 as a communications monitoring station, and monitored Soviet and Eastern European communications during the Cold War. The U.S. Army took over the station in 1952. After the Cold War, the station's mission evolved into an integral part of the Department of Defense communications network, providing rapid radio relay & secure communications support to DOD and Unified commands, including medium & long haul communications, HF & satellite communications. In 1971, mission activities of Field Stations Rothwesten, Bad Aibling and Herzogenaurach were consolidated and ultimately transferred to Field Station Augsburg. In 1972, U.S. Army Security Agency Field Station (USASAFS) Bad Aibling disestablished and all U.S. Army personnel transferred elsewhere, or were moved to USASAFS Augsburg, Germany. The grounds and assets were turned over to the NSA Station Chief. The Department of Defense (DoD) assumed control from 1972 to 1994. In 1994, the U.S. Army once again assumed control; and the U.S. Army Field Station, Bad Aibling was re-established. NSGA Bad Aibling commenced operations on the U.S. Army Field Station on October 1, 1994. On March 15, 1996, personnel, assets and mission functions from NSGA Augsburg were transferred to NSGA Bad Aibling. On January 9, 2003, NSGA Bad Aibling was redesignated as NSG Detachment, Bad Aibling. NSG Det was closed and disestablished on August 26, 2004; and assets, personnel and mission functions were transferred to NSG Detachment, Griesheim, Germany. The 66th Military Intelligence Group, 105th Military Intelligence Battalion, based at Bad Aibling Station, moved to Griesheim (Darmstadt) in April/July, 2004; and was co-located with the NSG Det in Griesheim, at the August-Euler Airfield; which is located just west of the Darmstadt city limits. the U.S. Army Field Station, Bad Aibling closed on September 30, 2004; and the Field Station was turned over to the German government. It was redesignated as a German Federal Armed Forces Base, and is now the home of the German Federal Information Service. NSGA Bad Aibling, Germany 01 Oct 1994 09 Jan 2003 At U.S. Army Field Station (USAFS) Bad Aibling, Germany NSG Det, Bad Aibling, Germany 09 Jan 2003 26 Aug 2004 Moved to NSG Det Griesheim, Germany =================================================================================== Bahrain, Juffair, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is a borderless island country in the Persian Gulf and is the smallest Arab nation. Saudi Arabia lies to the west and is connected to Bahrain by the King Fahd Causeway (officially opened on November 25, 1986), and Qatar is to the south across the Persian Gulf. The Qatar-Bahrain Friendship Bridge currently being planned, will link Bahrain to Qatar as the longest fixed link in the world. Manama is the capital city of the Kingdom of Bahrain and is the country's largest city with a population of approximately 155,000, roughly a quarter of the country's entire population. Manama was conquered by the Portuguese in 1521 and then by the Persians in 1602. Since 1783 it has been under the control of the Al-Khalifa dynasty. Manama was declared a free port in 1958, and in 1971 became the capital of independent Bahrain. The city is located in the far north-eastern corner of Bahrain island on a small peninsula. The port and Navy base are southeast of downtown, distant from the rest of the island. The U.S. Navy base at Juffair, about 5 miles southeast of Manama, provides onshore offices for the Navy's 5th Fleet, which has aircraft carriers, destroyers and other ships stationed in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. The U.S. has increased its access and its forward presence since the Gulf War, while trying to keep its footprint to a minimum. Bahrain and the U.S. signed an agreement in October 1991, granting U.S. forces access to Bahraini facilities and ensuring the right to pre-position material for future crises. U.S. forces include a naval component, organized as the U.S. Fifth Fleet, under the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Central Command (COMUSNAVCENT), headquartered in Bahrain, which regularly includes a Carrier Battle Group (CVBG), an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), surface combatants, submarines, maritime patrol, reconnaissance aircraft, and logistics ships. Maritime intercept operations enforce the UN sanctions on Iraq, and a Marine Expeditionary Force has pre-positioned equipment in the Gulf. The Air Force has an air wing conducting Operation Southern Watch in southern Iraq. The U.S. also has forward-deployed Patriot batteries and special operations teams. The vast majority of NAVCENT's operating forces are rotationally deployed to the region, from either the Pacific Fleet or the Atlantic Fleet. Once in theater, they fall under the U.S. Fifth Fleet. Providing a continuous Naval presence, the ships of Commander, Task Force Fifty (CTF 50) work closely with other coalition participants to enforce UN sanctions against Iraq, and conduct the majority of all maritime intercept boardings in the Arabian Gulf. The British Navy established a Naval installation known as HMS Juffair on April 13, 1935 in the area where NSA is located today. The U.S. Navy has maintained a permanent presence in the Gulf since the establishment of the Middle East Force (MIDEASTFOR) in 1949. For the next 20 years, three or four ships at a time were assigned to MIDEASTFOR, generally a command ship and two or three small combatants, such as destroyers or frigates. In 1950, the U.S. Navy leased office space aboard HMS Juffair from the British. In 1971, after the British treaty with Bahrain expired, the British left Bahrain, granting the island total independence. Bahrain became a sovereign state. In 1971, the U.S. Navy worked out an agreement to take over piers, radio transmitters, warehouses, and other facilities left vacant by the departing British at HMS Juffair, renaming it Administrative Support Unit (ASU) Bahrain. USS LaSalle (AGF-3), an amphibious transport ship converted for Gulf duty, began to serve as the permanent MIDEASTFOR flagship on August 24, 1972. In 1977, the agreement establishing Bahrain as the home port for the U.S. Navy's Middle East Force was terminated, and the command functions were transferred to the U.S. Navy Central Command (USNAVCENT), located in Tampa, FL. Operations Desert Shield & Desert Storm brought together the largest force of Navy warships assembled in a single theater, since World War II. Bahrain played a limited but active role in the Gulf War, serving as the primary coalition Naval base, and the point of origin for coalition air operations against Iraqi targets. After the Persian Gulf War, Bahrain held negotiations with Washington that culminated in 1992 in the signing of a defense cooperation agreement. The terms of this agreement permit the U.S. to pre-position military supplies and equipment in Bahrain and to use its military facilities. ASU Bahrain's command title was changed to Administrative Support Unit, Southwest Asia (ASU SWA) in 1992, to reflect the new mission to support ships and remote sites throughout the COMUSNAVCENT Area of Responsibility (AOR). By the mid-1990s, Administrative Support Unit Southwest Asia (ASU SWA) Bahrain covered the busiest 22 acres in the world. Located in the middle of the Middle East, the facility provides services and support to ships at sea, remote sites throughout the region, and military and civilian personnel living in Bahrain. ASU SWA underwent a huge construction program that more than doubled the size of the base. The current ASU bears little resemblance to the small, 10-acre compound it was, as recently as 1991. During the period ending in 1998, this "sleepy hollow" has expanded to 62 acres with $36.5 million worth of new construction underway, including new transient bachelor quarters, a medical and dental clinic, a racquetball court, a chapel, a post office and several multi- purpose sports fields. In 1999, ASU SWA became the Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain. Juffair is the boomtown of the Bahraini capital. Across the flat, dusty plain outside Naval Support Activity Bahrain, a jungle of glass and concrete has sprouted. Newly paved roads crisscross in an expanding checkerboard, between the base and the bay. Armies of construction workers swarm over half-finished apartments, restaurants and hotels as the white sun bakes the desert. Some of the construction workers sleep in the open shells at night. Major commands located in Bahrain include: Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Central Command; Commander Logistics Forces, USNAVCENT (CTF-53); Naval Support Activity; Commander Destroyer Squadron Fifty, and 30 tenant commands, including NIOC and NCTS Bahrain. On September 30, 2005, NSGA Bahrain was administratively closed and was re- established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Bahrain, Manama, Bahrain. NSGA Bahrain, Manama, Bahrain 01 Oct 1998 30 Sep 2005 NIOC Bahrain, Manama, Bahrain 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Bainbridge Island, Fort Ward, Port Blakely, Washington Bainbridge Island is one of the larger islands in Puget Sound, and is an incorporated city in Kitsap County, Washington. Bainbridge Island is located within the Central Puget Sound Basin, east of the Kitsap Peninsula and west of the City of Seattle. The Island is approximately five miles wide and ten miles long, encompassing nearly 17,778 acres, or 28 square miles. Eagle Harbor lies on the eastern side of Bainbridge Island, which is located in central Puget Sound directly west of Seattle. Until 1990 the community situated on the harbor was named Winslow. In 1990, Winslow voted to annex the entire island and the following year it voted to change its name to Bainbridge Island. The town on the harbor began in the 1870s as a handful of white settlers in a community called Madrone. Farming formed the foundation of the town's economy and fueled its growth, with the most notable crop eventually becoming strawberries grown by Japanese American farmers. In 1902 Hall Brothers Shipbuilding moved their operation to Eagle Harbor, and Madrone changed its name to Winslow (after Winslow Hall). The firm became the predominate industry. During the latter half of the twentieth century the easy ferry commute to Seattle spurred residential development, which continues today. The area around Eagle Harbor where settlers took up homesteads has attracted human settlement for generations. The harbor, beaches, and forests all held resources utilized by people known as the Sakh-tahbsh band of the Suquamish tribe. They had encampments at Wing Point and Bill Point on either side of the entrance to the harbor as well as at Midden Point and the area behind where a Washington State Ferry facility is located today. Captain George Vancouver, an English explorer for King George, anchored off the Island's south shore at today's Bean's Bight in 1792, where he met the Suquamish, led by Chief Kitsap (d. 1860), who was to become one of the most powerful Indian Chiefs on Puget Sound (1825). On May 19, 1792, the British sloop-of-war Discovery dropped anchor between Bainbridge and Blake islands. The following morning, Capt. George Vancouver (1757-1798) dispatched Lt. Peter Puget and Master Joseph Whidbey to conduct a detailed survey of the waters to the south. This is the first penetration of "Puget's Sound" by white men. Lt. Puget shoved off at 4 a.m. on May 20 in a launch, escorted by Whidbey in a cutter, on a six-day tour of the southern sound. The Vancouver expedition charted and named numerous landmarks, including Mt. Rainier (for British Admiral Peter Rainier), Whidbey Island, Hood Canal, and of course, Puget Sound (which originally denoted only the waters south of Bainbridge Island). Contacts with the natives were cordial if mutually wary, and legend maintains that a very young Chief Seattle (178?-1866) witnessed Vancouver's arrival on Puget Sound. The Suquamish ceded Bainbridge Island and their other lands to the U.S. government as part of the Treaty of Point Elliott in on January 22, 1855, signed by Chief Sealth (Seattle), and 81 other leaders of Puget Sound tribes. in the signing of the treaty with Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens (1818-1862), the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes surrendered their lands for cash, relocation to reservations, and access to traditional fishing and hunting grounds. They continued to use the beaches, for their own economic and subsistence activities while the Americans proceeded to clear the land of timber and claim homesteads. The agreements did not secure a durable peace, and the Puget Sound area experienced several bloody clashes over the next few years. Nine settlers were killed in the White River valley in October, 1855 and Seattle itself was attacked on January 26, 1856. The Suquamish called the harbor The Home of the Eagles, but today’s name for it comes from Charles Wilkes who arrived by sea in 1841, as part of the U.S. Exploring Expedition. Although Wilkes often named places after members of his crew or others in the Nvy, historian Edmund S. Meany argues that Eagle Harbor was named for the shape of the harbor. This contention is bolstered by the names he gave the two points, Bill and Wing. However, given the Suquamish name, it is possible it was named for the presence of eagles. In 1841, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Max J. Anderson visited the island while surveying the Northwest. LT Anderson named the island after Commodore William Bainbridge (1774-1833), a U.S. Naval officer who was the Captain of the frigate USS Constitution, during the War of 1812. LT Anderson also named several other areas of the Island and these names are still in use today. Bainbridge Island was originally a center for the logging and shipbuilding industries. The island was known for huge and accessible cedars, which were especially in demand for ships' masts. The Territory of Washington was created on March 2, 1853. In 1857, a new county was formed and eventually named Kitsap in honor of the Suquamish Chief. The first county seat was at Port Madison. Business was conducted from the office of Commissioner George Meigs, owner of the Port Madison Mill. By the late 1800s, Port Blakely boasted the world's largest sawmill. Mill workers came from many nations. Japanese and Hawaiian communities and an Indian village were located nearby. Many Filipinos emigrated to Bainbridge Island during the 1920s; others came as shipyard workers during World War II. The original county seat of Kitsap County was at Port Madison on the north end of the island. Both towns, Port Blakely and Port Madison, had large hotels, schools, foundries, and substantial shipbuilding enterprises. The Hall Brothers shipyard built 88 vessels, most of which were large schooners for hauling lumber. The economic depression of 1893 helped close the Madison Mill. Port Blakely Mill closed in the mid 1920s, 57 years after it began. With few interior roads, most early Island travel was by water. Mosquito Fleet steamers carried freight and passengers between Island landings and Seattle and Kitsap destinations. Communities grew around some 30 mosquito fleet landings, and residents knew their captain's whistle signature. Car ferry service began by barge from Point White to Retsil. Regular car service to Seattle began in 1923 from Port Blakely. In 1937, Seattle car ferry service moved to Eagle Harbor. In 1890, the U.S. Army built Fort Ward at Bean's Point. Fort Ward is a former Army coastal artillery fort, and later, a Navy installation located on the southwest side of Bainbridge Island, Washington along Rich Passage. Fort Ward was originally known as Bean's Point and was established in 1890 as one of several U.S. Army Coastal Artillery Corps installations, including Fort Flagler, Fort Casey and Fort Worden, built to defend Puget Sound from enemy warships. Its primary objective was to protect the nearby Bremerton Naval Shipyard. In 1903, the U.S. Army officially designated Bean's Point as a seacoast fort and named it Fort Ward in honor of Colonel George H. Ward. Activity in and around the fort continued as new buildings were constructed and new troops arrived. Four gun batteries and a minefield in Rich Passage provided coastal defenses, until the gun batteries at the Fort became obsolete, in the 1930s. The coastal artillery batteries located at Fort Ward were: Battery Nash (1903-1918), three 8" DC, hidden along the bluff, now on private property; Battery Warner (1903-1925), two 5" P, now on private property; Battery Thornburgh (1903-1920), four 3" MP; and Battery Vinton (1903-1920), two 3" MP. In the 1920s, Fort Ward was placed on inactive status, but a small number of men were still stationed there. In 1928, the fort was essentially left abandoned. The fort remained abandoned for several years, until 1935, it served as a state-operated fresh air camp for inner city children from Seattle. In 1930, OP-20-G planners selected the 13th Naval District, which included Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, as well as Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, as a prospective location for two new intercept sites: one, a large site to cover Japanese point-to- point traffic with Europe and China on low and high frequencies during wartime; the other, a small site in Alaska ("but not in the islands") to cover Japanese ship-to- shore communications in both peace and war. Because of budgetary restrictions, Admiral Pratt, CNO, was forced to wait until May 1932 before directing Rear Admiral E.H. Campbell, Commandant 13th Naval District, to establish the first of these sites at Astoria, Fort Stevens, Oregon; where the Navy had a DF station providing navigation assistance to commercial vessels. Rather than build and equip a new site, OP-20-G planners were by then reduced to postponing delivery of the new equipment and asking Admiral Campbell to accept a plan in which a communications intelligence mission against Japanese targets was to be conducted using idle communications equipment. The initial communications intelligence mission was to copy Japanese diplomatic traffic on a commercial RCA circuit between Salinas, California, and Tokyo using idle DF receivers, which had been tuned to the commercial band. In 1938, the U.S. Navy took over Fort Ward from the Army, confiscating several surrounding properties and evicting their owners. The U.S. Navy found the fort to be attractive after tests had shown that it was an outstanding location to eavesdrop on radio communication transmitted from the Far East, chiefly Japan. In August 1939, the U.S. Navy relocated the COMSUPACT Astoria OR intercept site (which had been established in May, 1932 at Fort Stevens, OR) to Fort Ward. This was the beginning of the development of Fort Ward as a military listening post. Large acreages were made into antenna fields overnight as an international radio listening station was built. Radio communication and code schools were established that lasted through the Korean War. COMSUPACT Fort Ward, Bainbridge Island WA was commissioned as the U.S. Naval Security Activity (NSGA) Bainbridge Island, WA in September, 1939. In August 1940, the U.S. Navy had six sites with diplomatic targets, which were all linked directly, or indirectly through U.S. Army communication circuits, to Washington DC via radio and landline communications. Twelve netted sites (six Navy and six Army) were authorized to intercept Japanese diplomatic traffic. The six Navy sites were Winter Harbor, ME (Station W) (February, 1935 to February, 1944; Amagansett, NY (station G) (November, 1939 to 1956); Cheltenham, MD (Station M) (September, 1939 to August 1953); Jupiter, FL (Station J) (September, 1939 to July, 1945); Heeia, HI (Station H) (June, 1934 to December, 1941; and Fort Ward, Bainbridge Island, WA (Station S) (August, 1939 to March, 1953). The six Army sites were Fort Monmouth, NJ (Station 1); Presidio, CA (Station 2), Fort Sam Houston, TX (Station 3), Corozal, CA (Station 4), Fort Shafter, HI (Station 5) and Fort Hunt, VA (Station 7). An Army Station #6 was proposed, but never activated. Rhombic antennas were installed on the Fort Ward Parade Ground, and the old post exchange/gymnasium building was converted into a listening post, code-named Station S. Men and women worked 24 hours a day, listening in on Japanese naval communications, which were transmitted in the Japanese Morse Code. The listening post activities were so sensitive that personnel on the base were instructed not to look at the building when they walked by it. An article in the Seattle Times on January 11, 1941, showed pictures of Sailors copying Morse code in a classroom, and setting up a Morse Code sending machine. This building is now a private home. In March 1941, seeking to improve the interception efforts of the HFDF stations, a direct commercial teletype service link was authorized, procured and inaugurated between the installations at Winter Harbor, ME (Station W), Amagansett, NY (Station G), Fort Ward, Bainbridge Island, WA (Station S) radio intercept facilities; and the Net Control Station at Cheltenham, MD (Station M). This development allowed the stations to forward intercepts immediately to Washington upon receipt. While the primary emphasis was on Japanese diplomatic traffic, other messages of unusual nature were also forwarded. The result was improved coverage of radio circuits and minimized delays in getting the intercepts to the cryptanalysts. Communications between Washington, DC and its far-flung resources in the Pacific continued to be primitive. Messages and intercept logs, reports and professional correspondence, if classified, were painstakingly enciphered by the Radio Intelligence Officer himself using special equipment and instructions. If transmitted as messages on manual Morse code circuits or landlines, they were delivered to the communications center where they were again enciphered. The Fort Ward command also oversaw the construction of the Navy's largest radio transmitter at Battle Point, with a tower 300-feet taller than the Space Needle. This was used to send messages to Navy Command at Pier 91 in Seattle. The Fort Ward, Bainbridge Island Radio Intelligence Unit intercepted the communication from Tokyo to the Japanese Ambassador in the U.S. that instructed him to break off negotiations with the U.S., just before the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. You can read an exerpt from David Kahn's book, History of Secret Communication from Ancient Times to the Internet, at this link: . An excellent read. In November 1942, Fort Ward also assumed control of Naval intelligence assignments previously tasked to the Royal Canadian Navy. During World War II, the U.S. Navy Radio Station operations at Bainbridge Island, Port Blakely, Washington were comprised of Supplementary Station (School, D/F and Intercept); Naval Radio Transmitting Station, located at Battle Point; U.S. Naval Radio Direction Finder Station; Naval Training School (Radio-Special); Naval Radio Activities; and a Supplementary Radio Station. After World War II, personnel on the base (which was transferred back to the U.S. Army in 1956) continued to listen in on radio transmissions, first Korean and then Soviet. With the attack on Pearl Harbor and the beginning of the World War II in the Pacific, the Island was hit hard. In March, 1942, Bainbridge Island became one of the first communities required to respond to Executive Order 9066 which uprooted those of Japanese ancestry, most of whom were U.S. citizens, and forced them to move inland. 220 Japanese-Americans were sent to Manzanar on the edge of the Mojave Desert, and then to Minidoka in Idaho. Editors of the Bainbridge Review, the Woodwards, kept Islanders informed on the activities of displaced residents during the war, and regular columns appeared from the internment camps. Editorials pointed out violations of the Bill of Rights inherent in the Executive Order. Many Islanders were appalled at this treatment of their friends and neighbors. They supported the Japanese- Americans, and welcomed them home at the end of the war. U.S. Naval School, Communications Technician (Supplementary Training) was established at Bainbridge Island, WA in October, 1951 and was closed in December, 1953; shortly after NSGA Bainbridge Island was decommissioned. Communications Technician training "A" school had commenced in U.S. Naval School, Imperial Beach, CA, on October 1, 1949. When the school closed at Bainbridge Island, only the Imperial Beach Communications Technician school remained open. On July 1, 1957, the Communications Technician school at Imperial Beach was redesignated NAVCOMMTRACEN Imperial Beach, CA. NAVCOMMTRACEN moved from Imperial Beach and became NAVCOMMTRACEN Corry Field, Pensacola in March, 1960. The town of Winslow (incorporated on August 9, 1947), around 1.5 square miles; developed water and sewer utilities, and became the Island's urban center. The Agate Pass Bridge was built in 1950 and with it the Island's first state highway. The U.S. Army returned in 1956 to install a Nike missile base and radar station. The Washington State Ferries took over the old shipyard and Winslow became a busy connection to the Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas. The U.S. Army abandoned all operations in 1958. Upon this second deactivation, the Washington State Park System negotiated for acquisition of part of the fort in 1960, which became Fort Ward State Park. The Naval radio transmitting station located at Battle Point was deactivated on March 31, 1959, and the equipment was removed in 1971. Over the years, some of the buildings have been converted into homes, and the area, the parade ground of the community of Fort Ward, has been designated a National Historic Site, the only one of its kind on Bainbridge Island. Many of the homes are also listed on the City of Bainbridge Island's Historic Register. Some Islanders felt they were paying an undue portion of the county's taxes and receiving indifferent county services. Others were concerned that major decisions affecting the Island were made with little input from Islanders. In 1969, a bid for incorporation of the area outside Winslow failed at the polls. Another effort in the early 80s did not reach the polls. But in 1988, a citizens' Home Rule organization became active, culminating in the 1990 vote to allow the City of Winslow to annex the remainder of the Island. This vote was so close that a recount was needed. On February 28, 1991, residents voted to change the City's name to Bainbridge Island. Bainbridge Island's claim to fame is that it is the birthplace of the sport of pickleball. Pickleball is a sport described as "a combination of Ping-Pong, tennis, and badminton", played in schools, parks and recreation centers, correctional facilities, camps, and retirement communities mostly in North America. It uses a simplified combination of tennis rules and strategies. The United States of America Pickleball Association (USAPA) calls it the "fastest-growing sport in America", although this claim is disputed by some. Pickleball is officially labeled as a "paddle sport," invented in Bainbridge Island, Washington by Bill Bell, Barney McCallum and former Washington State politician Joel Pritchard. The sport was named after the Pritchard's dog, Pickles, who used to run away with the ball during the initial trial-runs of the game. The island is quite hilly, and is known for its popular Chilly Hilly bicycle ride held every year in February. This ride has been the unofficial start to the bicycling season in the Pacific Northwest since 1992. Since the 1960s, Bainbridge Island has become a bedroom community of Seattle, Bainbridge Island is connected to the Kitsap Peninsula by a bridge carrying WA-305 over Agate Passage, and to Colman Dock in downtown Seattle by Washington State Ferries service from Bainbridge Island in Eagle Harbor. COMSUPACT Astoria, OR May 1932 Aug 1939 at U.S. Naval Radio Station, Astoria, OR located at Fort Stevens, OR Moved to Bainbridge Island, WA Aug 1939 The facility at Astoria, Oregon closed on 26 Dec 1939. COMSUPACT Fort Ward, Bainbridge Island, WA Aug 1939 Sep 1939 NSGA Bainbridge Island, WA Sep 1939 15 Mar 1953 Communications Intelligence Unit (Station "S" in 1940) To NSG Det Marietta, WA 15 Mar 1953 Fort Ward and the former NSGA and Naval Radio Station are now Kitsap County park and private homes and buildings. =================================================================================== Barbers Point, Oahu, Hawaii Barbers Point was named for Henry Barber, master of Arthur, a 100-foot British brigantine that ran aground on the point of Oahu during a storm in 1796. The Barbers Point tale first emerged from vintage Pacific lore, when a vicious tropical depression battered the southwest coastline of Oahu. Captain Henry Barber, determined to get underway despite the storm, hoisted anchor on his 100-foot brig Arthur on October 31, 1796. All other captains held their ships in port while Arthur was deluged by wind, rain and pounding surf. The ship went down taking with it all but six crewmembers and its captain. The seven survivors struggled ashore near a tract of land referred to by native Hawaiians as "Kalaeloa" (long cape or headland), a legendary birthplace of Hawaiian Kings. Kalaeloa later became known as Barbers Point. In the early 1930’s, the Navy leased a 3,000 square foot piece of land from the estate of James Campbell. This tract was to be used as a mooring location for the dirigible, Akron. During the 1930s, the Navy leased a section of the James Campbell estate, building a 1,500-foot Outlying Field (OLF) near the mooring mast that had been erected for use by U.S. Navy airships, none of which ever cruised to Hawaii. Once the original lease expired, in September 1940, an additional 3,500 acres were acquired from the Campbell estate for the enlargement of the OLF, which became Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Ewa. The site, chosen for its ideal peacetime air training atmosphere, was completed in early 1941. Concurrently with the groundbreaking, plans were already being developed for an expansion of naval aviation facilities at Barbers Point. Construction of an airfield west of Ewa began in November 1941, but was temporarily suspended after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor so that construction crews could rapidly complete Ewa. Base construction was well underway by December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked U.S. forces in Hawaii, marking the United States’ entrance into World War II. Although much of the attack was concentrated at Pearl Harbor, Wheeler Air Force Base and Hickam Field, the Ewa Marine Corps Air Station (and its supporting equipment) sustained a great deal of damage. Nine of 11 total Wildcats, 19 of 32 scout bombers and all six utility aircraft were rendered inoperable. The Pearl Harbor attack, along with the increasing need for additional facilities to train pilots, led to an extensive construction project. Barbers Point, originally intended as an OLF for NAS Ford Island in Pearl Harbor, was still not complete when it was established as a Naval Air Station on April 15, 1942 with 14 officers and 242 enlisted personnel. The Naval Air Station quickly became a busy hub of aviation activity as the Navy amassed forces in Hawaii to carry the war across the Pacific. Base operations centered on working up Carrier Air Groups (CAGs) and squadrons for deployment to combat theaters farther west. As World War II raged in the Pacific theater, the troop and equipment capacity of the yet unfinished base more than doubled. Barbers Point's level of activity grew steadily during the war. By the end of World War II, Barbers Point was home to almost 13,000 personnel. After the Japanese surrender, Barbers Point served as a demobilization center for more than 6,000 personnel leaving for civilian life. By the end of 1947, the future of the station was uncertain in the face of post-war budget constraints. During the late 1940s the station was the beneficiary of a consolidation of Naval aviation facilities on the leeward side of the island. The role of NAS Barbers Point was solidified in 1949, when it began supporting all aviation operations on leeward Oahu. Barbers Point absorbed MCAS Ewa in 1952 as Marine Corps units were shifted to Kaneohe Bay, which had been closed as an NAS in 1949. NAS Honolulu was reduced to an OLF for seaplanes and operations at Ford Island were reduced. The Coast Guard aircraft at Kaneohe Bay were moved to Barbers Point. When the war in Korea began in 1950, NAS Barbers Point again became a critical staging area for supplies, equipment and forward deploying squadrons. Eight hundred additional Sailors were assigned to the station. New construction included weapons and jet engine test sites, a survival equipment shop and more than 1,000 housing units. With state of the art equipment and facilities, NAS Barbers Point was one of the most modern VP homeports in the world. The outbreak of the war in Korea in 1950 and the beginning of the cold war increased activity at Barbers Point, which became a main base for patrol plane operations and, later, airborne early warning barrier patrols. P-2 and P-3 maritime patrol aircraft assigned to the "Rainbow Fleet" based at Barbers Point tracked Soviet submarines in the Pacific and supported fleet operations during the Vietnam War. In 1981, Barbers Point became the center of Pacific Fleet strategic communications operations when Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Three (VQ-3) moved from NAS Agana, Guam. Throughout WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War; with more than 3,800 acres and up to 6,500 military, family members and civilian employees; Naval Air Station (NAS) Barbers Point served as the largest Naval Air Station in the Pacific theater. Barbers Point provided homeport services for numerous Naval and defense organizations, including maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft squadrons, a U.S Coast Guard Air Station, the Defense Investigative Service, a Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office (DRMO), a Hawaii Air National Guard (297th Air Traffic Control Squadron) air traffic control facility, a Fleet Imaging Facility and Commander, Patrol Wings, U.S. Pacific Fleet. In the 1960’s, NAS Barbers Point provided support to operations in Vietnam while concurrently supporting the patrol community’s training and operational readiness. Coast Guard aviation first arrived in the Hawaiian archipelago in 1945 when Lieutenant G.W. Girdler received command of eighteen enlisted men and five officers at what was then Naval Air Station Kaneohe. With aviation assets consisting solely of two Consolidated PBY-5 "Catalina’s" and one Grumman JRF "Goose", the air unit maintained a proctorship for the windward side of Oahu, in addition to making periodic visits to the Philippines, China and Japan. In March, 1949, the Navy and the Coast Guard moved to Naval Air Station Barbers Point; the Coast Guard as an NAS tenant. In 1965, the USCG unit received its current designation as Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point. The U.S. Coast Guard Air Station continues to reside at Barbers Point, and now serves general aviation on Oahu and hosts units of the Hawaii National Guard. The end of the cold war eventually brought about the closure of NAS Barbers Point. Congress accepted the recommendation of the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure Commission that Barbers Point be closed. Naval aviation still maintains a formidable presence in Hawaii. Commander Patrol and Reconnaissance Force, Pacific and the last five Navy squadrons at Barbers Point, Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light 37 (HSL-37); Special Projects Patrol Squadron 2 (VPU-2), and Patrol Squadrons VP-4, VP-9, and VP-47 were transferred in early 1999 to Marine Corps Air Facility (MCAF) Kaneohe Bay, part of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, located on the windward side of Oahu. The return to Kaneohe is a homecoming of sorts for the patrol squadrons. Kaneohe was a prominent patrol aviation base before and during World War II. The Navy's last Naval Air Station in the Hawaiian Islands was disestablished during a July 1, 1999 ceremony, closing out 57 years of service. NAS Barbers Point, the "Crossroads of the Pacific", carved out of brush and coral on the leeward side of Oahu early in World War II, has been turned over to the state of Hawaii. The Hawaii Museum of Flying and Naval Air Museum, Barbers Point was established on January 19, 1999 at the former Naval Air Station Barbers Point, now known as Kalaeloa Airport (PHJR). The mission of the Museum is to save aircraft that are historical to NAS Barbers Point and other aircraft that are relevant to Naval aviation history in Hawaii. The Museum's goal is to restore these aircraft and to educate the public. The biggest highlight is that children, as well as adults, can actually climb into the cockpit of a real fighter jet, don flight gear and take pictures. The Museum has four retired Navy fighter and attack jets, one UP-3A Orion (an older version of the P-3C's used at NAS Barbers Point for ASW missions for over 40 years), a Marine Corps CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopter, and numerous military ground vehicles and equipment. The first two aircraft acquired from the Navy were an F-4N Phantom II and an A-4E Skyhawk. Both aircraft were in Defense Reutilization Marketing Organization Hawaii (DRMO Hawaii) and slated to be cut up for scrap. Subsequently, the Museum added two more A-4E Skyhawks, a UH-1H Huey, and two UH-3H Sea Kings to the Museum’s growing fleet. As of 2007, the Museum was anxiously awaiting the delivery of four WWII-era aircraft. The Navy retained 1,100 acres for military housing and family support facilities. The Department of Defense declared approximately 2,150 acres of land at the Barbers Point Naval Air Station to be surplus to its needs and under a base realignment conveyed those surplus lands to the various end users identified by the community reuse plan. The 2,150-acre section was ceded to Hawaii and the city and county of Honolulu on June 28, 2002; and was officially designated as the Kalaeloa Community Development District. The goal of the Hawaii community development authority is to attract private sector investment. NSG Det Barbers Point, HI Jul 1983 01 Jul 1999 Moved to NSG Det Kaneohe Bay, HI =================================================================================== Bar Harbor, Maine See Winter Harbor, Maine. =================================================================================== Biloxi, Keesler AFB, Mississippi Keesler Air Force Base (AFB), in Biloxi, MS, is located approximately 83 miles east of New Orleans, LA; approximately 65 miles west of Mobile, AL; and 4 hours south of Jackson, MS; on Mississippi's "Gulf Coast". Keesler is part of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC), and its primary mission since 1941 has been training. The emphasis is on high-technology training in a number of fields, primarily in the electronics specialties. Keesler AFB is home to the 81st Training Wing, one of Air Force's largest technical training wings. In early January 1941, Biloxi city officials invited the U.S. Army Corps to build a base to support the WWII training buildup. The package included an early airport, the old Naval Reserve Park, and parts of Oak Park sufficient to support a technical training school with a population of 5,200 people. On March 6, 1941, the War Department selected Biloxi as the site for a Technical Training base. Army Air Corps Station No. 8, Aviation Mechanics School, was activated in Biloxi, Mississippi, on June 12, 1941. In late June, the new school was named in honor of 2d Lt Samuel Reeves Keesler, Jr., of Greenwood, Mississippi. Lieutenant Keesler had died of wounds during World War I, while serving in France as an aerial observer assigned to the 24th Aero Squadron, U.S. Army Air Service. On August 25, 1941, Army Air Corps Station No. 8 was officially designated as Keesler Army Airfield. On June 14, 1941, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded contracts totaling $10 million to build Biloxi's technical training school. Captain Samuel A. Mundell arrived in Biloxi on June 12, 1941. He was joined two days later by a start up cadre from Scott Field, Illinois, consisting of a second lieutenant and 20 enlisted personnel. They established a temporary headquarters at the Biloxi Armory. Lieutenant Colonel William J. Hanlon arrived on June 16, 1941 to assume command from Captain Mundell. The same Colonel Arthur W. Brock who had first examined the site in January, 1941, arrived on July 17, 1941 to become the base's first permanent commander. On September 8, 1941, the 310th Technical School Squadron (the mess unit) became the first squadron to move to the new barracks. Before the end of the month, three basic training units, the 301st, 303rd, and 304th Technical School Squadrons, had also moved into permanent quarters. Not only was Keesler to house a technical training center, but it would also host one of the Army's newest replacement, or basic training centers. Keesler's population almost doubled overnight. The first shipment of recruits arrived at Keesler Field on August 21, 1941. During World War II, the Army's basic training program was little more than a reception process. At Keesler, basic training lasted four weeks. ools. Trains passed through Keesler daily, dropping off new trainees and picking up graduates. By September 1944, the number of recruits had dropped. Basic training wound down drastically after the end of World War II, and it was finally discontinued at Keesler on 30 June 1946. Technical training school officers and staff began arriving at Keesler Field in mid July 1941, primarily from Chanute Field, Illinois. The new academic buildings were still under construction when the Airplane and Engine Mechanics School opened. Basic Branch students received instruction in five barracks buildings; Instructor Branch students were assigned to temporary classrooms set up in commandeered circus tents. In mid-1942 the Army Air Forces directed Keesler to focus upon the training of mechanics for B-24 Liberator heavy bombers. The school received its first B 24 in late September 1942. Six more arrived shortly thereafter, and specialized B 24 maintenance training began on 19 October. Over time, Keesler gradually replaced them with civilian instructors, including many women. Women began training here in 1943, as did international students. Students from more than 50 countries have received aviation, personnel and electronics training at Keesler. Generally unknown to most was the role that the Tuskegee Airmen and other black troops played on Keesler. In fact, more than 7,000 Tuskegee Airmen were stationed at Keesler Field by the autumn of 1943. These soldiers included pre-aviation cadets, radio operators, aviation technicians, bombardiers, and aviation mechanics. After the war, Keesler continued to grow, acquiring courses for helicopter mechanics, supply officers and military police. Also added were schools for air chemical, pre-meteorology, cooks and meat-cutters. November 14, 1947, the Radar School moved to Keesler from Boca Raton, FL., making Keesler responsible for operating the two largest military technical schools in the U.S. Thereafter, shrinking budgets forced the base to reduce its operating costs: the Airplane and Engine Mechanics School and the Radar School were consolidated on April 1, 1948. In September 1947, the U.S. Air Force became an independent branch of the armed services. As a result, Keesler Field was officially redesignated as an Air Force base on January 13, 1948. In early 1949, Air Training Command decided that Keesler AFB should focus its efforts on teaching radar, radio, and electronics maintenance and repair. To make room, the airplane and engine mechanics courses had to be moved elsewhere. Especially since the Air Force also planned to transfer the Radio Operations School to Keesler from Scott AFB, Illinois. In addition to training radio operators, Keesler was to begin teaching air traffic service technicians; aircraft approach controllers, ground radar mechanics, and radar repairman/ground controlled approach specialists. The last mechanics training courses had moved to Sheppard AFB, Texas, by November, and it was at this point in the base's history that Keesler became known as the "Electronics Training Center of the Air Force." In August 1950, Keesler embarked on a major rebuilding program to upgrade its facilities, including construction of a new electronics laboratory, barracks, and a dining hall. Construction of four two-story academic buildings (later named Allee, Dolan, Thomson, and Wolfe Halls), a 352-bed hospital, modern family housing units, and a three-story dormitory complex dubbed "the triangle" because of its distinctive layout; were completed In 1951. Since August 1948, the 3380th Technical Training Wing controlled all base activities. On January 1, 1959, the Air Training Command redesignated the wing as Headquarters, Keesler Technical Training Center (KTTC). Keesler began using television instruction methods as early as June 1953. In 1950, Keesler offered only 14 generalized courses, but by December 1959 that number had grown to 116, including vital USAF programs such as the aircraft warning and control system. The base gained even more responsibilities in 1958, when the Air Force announced that Scott AFB would relinquish its training mission. As a result, all control tower operator, radio maintenance, and general radio operator courses moved to Keesler AFB. During the 1960's, the school at Keesler had earned a solid reputation for high technology training, offering courses in radar, communications, and electronics; becoming the country's main supplier of electronics technicians. In 1968, the personnel and administration courses moved to Keesler from Amarillo AFB, TX. That same year, astronautics and space systems courses were added, and Keesler graduated its one millionth student. Beginning in 1984, school officials worked with Air Force Communications Command's 1872nd School Squadron to develop prototype-training programs using interactive videodisc (IVD) technology, which soon supported a variety of Keesler interactive course offerings. Keesler's Wall Studio IVD production capability was one of only two in the entire Air Force, and supported many organizations Air Force wide. The congressionally mandated base realignment and closure process significantly impactied Keesler's training mission. Base closure forced an end to technical training at Chanute AFB, IL, and Lowry AFB, CO. In 1990, Keesler acquired Chanute's weather forecasting courses; and Lowry's metrology and precision maintenance electronics laboratory training program was acquired in 1992-1993. In February 1992, Air Training Command redesignated the Keesler Technical Training Center host unit as the Keesler Training Center (KTC); and on July 1, 1993, Keesler Training Center was inactivated. On the same day, the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, formerly located at RAF Bentwaters UK, was redesignated the 81st Training Wing (81st TRW) and concurrently activated to serve as Keesler's host organization. At the beginning of the 21st Century, the 81st TRW, at Keesler AFB was one of the largest technical training wings in the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) claimancy, and in the U.S. Air Force. Throughout 2002, the 81st TRW trained thousands of airmen, and hundreds of Air Force officers as well as military members form the Navy, Army, Marines, Coast Guard and allied nations. The 81st TRW trained civilian and military members in specialized skills ranging from avionics maintenance, comptroller, radio and radar systems maintenance, communications electronics, computer systems, air traffic control, weather, personnel, command and control systems. Keesler AFB also trained pilots in C-21 aircraft, as well as doctors, nurses and technicians in medical specialties. Naval Technical Training Unit (NTTU) Keesler was established on October 1, 1992; a training command of the Chief of Naval Technical Training (CNTECHTRA), Millington, TN. NTTU Keesler AFB was subordinated to the Naval Technical Training Center (NTTC), Corry Station, Pensacola, FL. In September, 2002, as a result of the Navy's "Revolution in Training", the organizational structure of Navy training was realigned, and NTTU Kessler AFB was resubordinated from NTTC Corry Station, Pensacola FL to the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT) in Pensacola, FL. In February, 2004, as a result of the reorganization of the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), formerly known as Commander, Naval Education and Training (CNET); the Naval Technical Training Unit (NTTU) Keesler AFB was renamed as the Center For Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit (CNATTU) Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS. The Center for Information Dominance (CID) Corry Station, Pensacola, FL maintains a Learning Site at LS Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS. CNATTU Keesler continues to train over 1000 service members annually in a variety of disciplines. Training includes the electronic calibration of afloat and aviation equipment, physical dimensions, meteorological and oceanographic observing and forecasting, maintenance and repair of meteorological equipment, operation and repair of critical communications equipment, management and control of the radio frequency spectrum and air space management and control. Naval Technical Training Unit (NTTU) 01 Oct 1992 Feb 2004 Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS. Center For Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit Feb 2004 Present (CNATTU) Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS. ================================================================================== Bremerhaven, Bremen, Germany Bremerhaven is located in the state of Bremen, northwest Germany, at the mouth of the Weser River, near the North Sea. It is one of the largest fishing ports in Europe and is a major freight port. Founded in 1827, Bremerhaven was incorporated in 1939 by the town of Wesermünde. In 1947 the combined municipality was renamed Bremerhaven and returned to the state of Bremen. During WWII, Bremerhaven suffered heavy damage, especially on September 18, 1944 when the central town area was completely demolished. Germany surrendered unconditionally on May 7, 1945. On June 1, 1945, Drew 4 and Drew 6 (Drews were units ready to establish overseas harbor facilities) were decommissioned and then recommissioned as Naval Advanced Base (NAB) Bremerhaven and NAB Bremen, respectively. On June 1, 1945, the Naval Advance Base (NAB) was established under the command of Captain Harold R. Holcomb, for the purpose of providing security for former German fighting craft tenders and merchant marine vessels, tied up in Bremerhaven dock area. The NAB also operated the Weser River Patrol and provide minesweeping training. On July 1, 1945 Commander Naval Forces Germany assumed operational command of all U.S. Naval forces in the European Theater of Operations (ETO), and reported to the Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force. On November 11, 1945, the NAB headquarters was moved to Bremerhaven. Approximately 256 officers and 1,495 Naval personnel were on board. NAB Bremerhaven consisted of the advance base, a salvage group, a Construction Battalion Unit, and a fifty-bed dispensary. On November 1, 1946 the U.S. Navy Port Director, Bremerhaven, was disestablished and port control was transferred to the Office of the Military Government (OMG). As of January 1, 1948, the mission of the Naval forces command, through the OMG for Germany, was to maintain former German Naval vessels until they were disposed of; to dispose of certain former German merchant vessels assigned to the U.S.; to dispose of German captured war materials; to support and assist U.S. shipping; and to furnish logistic support to Commander, Naval Forces Germany (COMNAVFORGER), Commander in Chief, Naval Forces Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean (CINCNELM) in London and, as required, to support fleet units visiting the Enclave (foreign units on German soil) and local in waters. In 1950, Headquarters COMNAVFORGER was moved to Heidelberg, Germany. On March 24, 1950, a Rhine River Patrol Unit was established as a separate command with its own commanding officer. The 12 officers, 193 men, and 57 German civilians conducted training in boat handling, river navigation, and demolition, and patrolled between Bergen and Karlsruhe. On November 11, 1950, the Chief of Naval Operations directed the disestablishment of NAB Bremen and the establishment of Naval Activities Bremen Enclave, effective July 1, 1951; with military control vested in COMNAVFORGER and management control under the CNO. A new mission statement issued at this time directed that the activity be prepared, organized, trained, and equipped for combat operations, incident to the establishment and conduct of port operations, in any port on the continent of Europe. In addition, to train officers and men to perform military demolition, radiological safety, and artificer duties; and to provide logistics support to other Naval activities in Europe. Other Naval activities in Europe included the staff of COMNAVFORGER in Heidelberg; a Naval Technical Unit in Berlin; CINC NELM in London; the NAB at Bremerhaven, Communications Unit 8 at Bremerhaven, fleet units visiting the Enclave, and Naval forces in the Eastern Atlantic. Authorized personnel complement was 20 officers, 199 men, and 186 German civilians. On June 29, 1951, the Naval Security Group began its first operations in Germany, with the arrival of five Communications Technicians at the Herzog, Germany base. In the Fall of 1951, the team moved to Bremerhaven and was attached to the 23rd Detachment of the 2nd Radio Squadron Mobile (RSM). As of March 1952, the Bremerhaven Enclave had the following activities onboard: the U.S. Naval Advance Base; Communications Unit 8 and Communications Unit 32 (half team); a Minesweeping Readiness Unit; the Weser River Patrol and Security Unit; Ship Maintenance and Repair Facility; and Special Projects (the USS Northwind and USS Westwind). Prior to the establishment of the NSG Dept, NCS Todendorf, Germany (July 20, 1956), Naval Advanced Base Bremerhaven maintained a SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) Van that deployed to the U.S. Army Firing Range at Todendorf, and other locations along the East-West German Border. On February 9, 1953, the Naval Security Group Detachment, Naval Forces Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean (NSGD NELM) was established at Bremerhaven, under an officer in charge. The detachment was composed of seven officers and 107 enlisted men, and was administratively and logistically subordinate to the Naval Advanced Base. The station was designated Navy Communications Unit Thirty Two Dog (NCU-32D) On June 11, 1956, NSGA Bremerhaven, Germany was commissioned, and on December 31, 1972, NSGA Bremerhaven, Germany was disestablished and closed, most personnel, and all mission and functions were transferred to NSG Det Augsburg, Germany. The command was formally disestablished on June 30, 1972, but operations continued beyond that date. During the period from May to December 1972, most sailors assigned to NSGA Bremerhaven were reassigned to NSGA Bremerhaven's detachment at Augsburg, Germany. As a result of NSGA Bremerhaven's disestablishment, the detachment at Augsburg was redesignated as NSGA Augsburg. Of the 700 Navy and Marine Corps billets allocated to NSGA Bremerhaven, approximately half were transferred to NSGA Augsburg; with the remainder transferred to NSGA Edzell, Scotland or NSGA Rota, Spain. Company "F" Marine Support Battalion was relocated to the Naval Station at Rota, Spain. At the time of official disestablishement (June, 1972), NSGA Bremerhaven was the largest overseas NSGA, by billets and manpower. Naval Advance Base (NAB) established 01 Jun 1945 Naval Reserve Unit activated 25 Mar 1950 NSG Detachment (5 CT's) arrive at Herzog Base 29 Jun 1951 Naval Activities Bremen Enclave established 01 Jul 1951 NSG Detachment (5 CT's) move to Bremerhaven, Germany Fall 1951 Attached to the 23rd detachment of the 2nd Radio Squadron Mobile (RSM). NAVCOMMUNIT 32D (NSG Ops began) Fall 1951 NSG Det, Bremerhaven, Germany 09 Feb 1953 11 Jun 1956 NSG Det, Naval Forces Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean (NSGD NELM) NSGA Bremerhaven, Germany 11 Jun 1956 31 Dec 1972 Naval Advance Base (NAB) Bremerhaven closed. 01 May 1957 NSGA Bremerhaven disestablished and closed. 31 Dec 1972 Moved to NSG Det, Augsburg, Germany =================================================================================== Brunswick, Maine The Naval Air Station in Brunswick, Maine is located 26 miles northeast of Maine's largest city, Portland, and 31 miles south of the capital city of Augusta. Brunswick is the largest town of a tri-town area made up of Brunswick, Topsham, and Bath. The total population of the 3 towns is approximately 37,000. Brunswick is situated on the Androscoggin River, which flows into Merrymeeting Bay, and then into the Atlantic Ocean, only a few miles away. The town of Brunswick was originally settled in 1628, and was known as Pjepscot, along the falls of the Androscoggin River. It was incorporated as a township in 1717, and as a town in 1738. Brunswick was named to honor the British House of Brunswick, derived from the German House of Brunswick- Wolfenbuttel, Dukes of Brunswick. Constructed on the 1,487-acres of land, which from the 1700's has been used only for the purpose of growing blueberries, Naval Air Station, Brunswick, Maine, was commissioned on April 15, 1943. The primary purpose was to train Canadian and British Air Force pilots of the British Naval Command. This activity continued until the end of WWII. The base was deactivated in 1947 and reactivated in 1951 with the primary mission of anti-submarine warfare. On July 1, 1971, Commander Patrol Wings U.S. Atlantic Fleet/Commander Patrol Wing Five established his headquarters at NAS Brunswick. Changes have occurred on the base since 1971, so that at present, three patrol squadrons flying the P3 Orion perform their duties at the NAS. NAS also provides support for the ships located at Bath ME, the Naval Communication & Telecommunication Station at Cutler, ME; the U.S. Naval Survival School at Rangley, ME; and prior to it's closure in 2002, the Naval Security Group Activity at Winter Harbor. NAS Brunswick has 29 tenant commands, including a Reserve P-3 squadron and a Reserve Fleet Logistics Support Squadron flying C-130 "Hercules" transports. In addition, over 1,600 Naval Reservists travel from throughout New England to drill at Naval Air Reserve Brunswick, SeaBee Battalion and numerous other reserve commands. With the BRAC-driven closure of NAS South Weymouth, NAS Brunswick became the only large scale DoN flight installation in New England, and in fact stands alone as a full service active duty DoD airfield in the region. NAS Brunswick supports operations by three active duty and one special mission P-3C and EP-3 squadrons (VPU-1, VP-8, VP-10 and VP-26, one reserve C-130 squadron (VR-62) and one reserve VP squadron (VP-92). NAS Brunswick is also the host for Commander Patrol Reconnaissance Wing 5 (CPRW-5). Northeast Air Defense Sector, a 1st Air Force (USAF) unit also utilizes the airfield. Approximately 20 percent of NAS Brunswick's activities, facilities and services are in direct support of the AEGIS Destroyer shipbuilding program at nearby Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Bath and the Bath Iron Works Corporation. Also, the Navy's only cold weather Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) school is taught at Brunswick and on 12,000 acres near Rangeley in northwestern Maine. NAS Brunswick is scheduled for closure in 2011, per a 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) committee decision on August 24, 2005, the BRAC committee voted to close NAS Brunswick and move its aircraft operations to Jacksonville, FL. On September 15, 2005, the final list was approved by the President. By law, the base must be closed before September 15, 2011. Relocation of the first squadron to depart (to Jacksonville) is scheduled for 2008. Originally a Detachment of NSGA Winter Harbor, NSG Det Brunswick was located on- board the Naval Air Station Brunswick, about 120 miles south of Winter Harbor. The detachment supported patrol aircraft operations along the eastern seaboard, and over the Atlantic Ocean. On September 30, 2005, NSG Det Brunswick was administratively closed and was re- established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Brunswick, ME. NSG Det Brunswick, ME Jan 1974 30 Sep 2005 NIOD Brunswick, ME 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Cape Chiniak, Kodiak Island, Alaska The Kodiak main island in an archipelago about the same size as the state of Connecticut, the island was discovered in 1763 by Stephan Glotov, a Russian fur trader, and known as Kikhtak, also Cadiack. The U.S. renamed it Kadiak in 1890 and Kodiak in 1901. The first settlement was made in 1784 by Grigory Shelekhov (Shelikof) at Three Saints Bay, on the island's southeastern part. During the 19th century the island was a base for seal and sea otter hunting and whaling. Russian control ended in 1867 with the U.S. purchase of Alaska. In the early 1900s the U.S. Department of Agriculture established an experimental cattle station, but the eruption (1912) of Novarupta Volcano near Mount Katmai blanketed the island with ash, which interrupted agricultural activities. In 1964 a violent earthquake lowered the island by 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m), accompanied by a tidal wave (tsnaumi) that caused widespread devastation. Patrick Saltonstall of the Alutiiq Museum in Kodiak says: Kodiak is an Aleut (Unangan) word for Kodiak. It means something like land of our enemies. The Russians who first went to Kodiak heard about Kodiak from the Aleuts and used their word for the place. The local people on Kodiak are known today as the Alutiiq - they called themselves Sugpiat. They are not the same people as the Aleuts from the Aleutians and did not speak the same language. The community of Chiniak is located 45 miles southeast of the City of Kodiak, on the easternmost point of Kodiak Island. Chiniak is an Alutiiq (Russian-Aleut) name first reported in 1888 by Lt. Comdr. Tanner, USN, of the steamer Albatross. It was named Cape Greville in 1778 by Capt. Cook. Fort Kodiak was established in 1898. During the mid-1950s, an Air Force White Alice Radar Tracking Station was constructed at Chiniak. The U.S. Navy HFDF station at Cape Chiniak, located on Kodiak Island, was often referred to as "Kodiak". Kodiak Island is located near the southern mainland of Alaska, opposite Katmai National Park. The city of Kodiak was located northeast of the Naval Station. Cape Chiniak was located to the southeast of the Naval Station. It was a long, bumpy and winding 40 mile dirt road from the Naval Station to the Cape. The U.S. Navy established a radio facility on Woody Island in 1911. The CAA and later the FAA had extensive facilities on Woody Island. The Woody Island faciity was an Anti-submarine Loop Station. Woody Island is about 2.6 miles east of Kodiak, mid-way along the southern coast of Alaska. The Russians used Woody Island as an agricultural colony as early as 1792. In 1911 the U.S. Navy built a wireless station on the island and with Japanese expansion in the Aleutian Island Chain, the island's importance increased. In 1939, the U.S. Navy occupied quarters on West Woody Island and the Federal Aviation Agency shifted its facilities from West Woody to East Woody Island. In December, 1942, anti-submarine magnetic indicator loop stations were installed on the island. Two sets of loop cables were laid. The smaller loop was laid between Woody Island and Kodiak Island, about midway along the channel between the two islands; the larger loop ran between the tip of Cliff Point and the southern tip of Woody Island. In November 1943, anti-torpedo nets, 30' deep, for protection against the torpedo, rather than the submarine, were substituted for the heavier nets laid in October 1942. After the war, Woody Island continued to serve as a navigational station, but in 1973 the station became unmanned. A Naval Base was established on Kodiak Island, to guard the approaches to the Gulf of Alaska and to constitute an intermediate point between Dutch Harbor and Sitka. The group of islands, of which Kodiak is by far the largest, lies off the western shore of the Gulf of Alaska, at the base of the Alaskan Peninsula. The island of Kodiak, with an area of 3588 square miles, has a coastline of about 1500 miles, with numerous deep bays and channels. The terrain is mountainous, with many high peaks and numerous lakes and streams. The heavy rainfall is evenly distributed. Major obstacles encountered in the construction of the station were stormy weather and bad ground. The climate, in general, is not severe, for the island of Kodiak lies in the path of a warm current, which gives it mild and equitable climate. However, during the long, dark, winter months, the weather is often very inclement. Construction of facilities on the Kodiak Naval Reservation was authorized by an act of Congress, April 25, 1939. A general order, dated November 8, 1939, withdrew public land and water on "the eastern portion of Kodiak Island" for Naval purposes. The first ground was broken on September 23, 1939. On June 15, 1941, Naval Air Station, Kodiak, Alaska, was established. The Department of Defense acquired property from the Bureau of Land Management in August, 1941 for use as part of the former Kodiak Island Defense Area. Fort J. H. Smith was built on the property at Cape Chiniak, Kodiak Island, in 1941, and was abandoned in 1945. Prior to World War II, there were only trails from the Olds River to Chiniak. In 1942, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers surveyed the present road and were the architects of the rather complex military installations scattered throughout Chiniak. Actual construction of the entire complex was done by civilians working round-the- clock. There were between 7,500 and 8,000 Army troops stationed at the Kodiak complex. In April 1943, the Army erected a permanent 8-inch gun battery north of Kodiak and established it as a sub-post of Fort Greely, naming it Fort Abercrombie. Harbor defense batteries located at Fort Smith on St. Peter's Head (Battery 403, (1944-1945) included four 155mm guns on Panama mounts, which are still intact. The Coast Artillery called "Round Top" stands atop a hill about a mile southwest of Cape Chiniak. Installations there included a model SCR-296 fire control radar, an observation tower, a transmitter building, two small electrical power buildings and various support buildings. The radar at Round Top provided fire control support to Battery 403 at nearby Fort Smith. The tower is one of only two towers of this type in Alaska, that remain standing at their original locations. In December 1952, the Fort Smith property was relinquished to the Bureau of Land Management and subsequently transferred to Lesnoi Inc., (later Lesnoi Corp.) of Kodiak, AK. The original plans called for the construction of a Naval Operating Base, to include a Naval Air Station, a submarine base, a net depot, a dispensary, docks, ammunition and fuel storage facilities, provisioning, administration, and personnel facilities. The Air Station was to include facilities for both landplanes and seaplanes, to consist of ramps, runways, maintenance and repair shops, storehouses, and housing units. The submarine base was to provide repair service for small ships and boats with a floating drydock, shops, and additional housing. Naval Air Station, Kodiak, Alaska, was commissioned on June 15, 1941. The NAS was located on Women's Bay, on the eastern end of Kodiak Island, about seven miles northwest of the city of Kodiak. The Submarine Base at Kodiak was established on April 15, 1942. The Naval Operating Base (NOB), Kodiak, was commissioned on June 9, 1942, comprising the Naval Air Station, Submarine Base, and Section Base (outlying areas). A Marine Barracks was established at NOB Kodiak on January 1, 1943. Administration facilities, including offices, radio station, hospital and instruction space, were built. Offices, including those of the Air Station, submarine base, and the civilian contractor, were established in five buildings with a total area of 65,000 square feet. Radio facilities included a 32-by-82-foot transmitter building, a 16-by-72 foot receiving station and three small direction-finding buildings. The U.S. Navy chose Kodiak for their principal base because of the ice-free waters. It was defended by the U.S. Army. A joint operations center was located at Kodiak Island, and directed Alaskan operations from 1942 to 1943. Naval Station Kodiak Island was the principal advance Naval Base in Alaska and the North Pacific when World War II broke out. Kodiak’s ships and submarines played a critical role in the Aleutian campaign. On April 15, 1944, Commander, Alaskan Sea Frontier (COMALSEAFRON) (VADM F. J. Fletcher) with headquarters at Adak, Aleutian Islands, and Seventeenth Naval District (RADM F. E. M. Whiting) with temporary headquarters in Adak and permanent headquarters at Kodiak, Alaska; were established. Fort Greely, with its coast artillery and infantry troops, stood ready to repel the Japanese invader, but in the end the enemy did not come. The base at Kodiak was never developed beyond the original plan. This was mainly due to the fact that many projects originally planned for Kodiak were moved farther west or were reduced as the scene of action shifted. Installations at Naval Operating Base (NOB) Kodiak were started, and a large portion completed, under the civilian contract. Navy Seabees took over unfinished projects and improved some finished ones. In June 1945, the submarine base was decommissioned and the net defense facilities on Woody Island were disestablished. Cape Chiniak, located on the Island of Kodiak southeast of NAS Kodiak, was originally operated and maintained by the U.S. Army, and was established in June, 1941. Fort Smith, an Army Cantonment Camp, was set up there with about 500 men. An Auxiliary Air Field was constructed and a $15,000 air warning and surface radar unit installed. This unit burned in April, 1944, and was replaced by a radar unit for harbor defense. After Fort J. H. Smith was abandoned in 1945, the property at Cape Chiniak, on Kodiak Island, came into the possession of the U.S. Coast Guard. From 1945 to 1946, the U.S. Coast Guard operated a facility at Cape Chiniak as a direction finding station. The Coast Guard also maintained a local CW communications net, which included the following stations: Cape Chiniak (callsign NNF), Middleton Island (callsign NNG), Biorka Island, Sitka (callsign NNH), Navy Base Kodiak (callsign NHB), Army Base Kodiak (callsign WXR) and Coast Guard District 17 HQ, Ketchikan (callsign NMJ). In May 1946, the Cape Chiniak site was turned over to the U.S. Naval Security Group. In May 1946, the U.S. Naval Security Group (Communications Security Unit) moved from Bells Flats to Chiniak (also known as Little Navy Annex). The Little Navy Annex at Chiniak was originally part of Miller Field. Enlisted men used an abondoned log cabin (still standing) on Chiniak Lake, during their off-hours as a recreation cabin. "It was an abandoned cabin. We used it one summer to board horses and one of the guys kept his pet raven there. We also used it to dress out some deer we shot that had wondered onto the antenna fields, which were also used by a local rancher to graze cattle." Narrative by CTR2 Richard Kivi, stationed at Cape Chiniak in 1956. U.S. Coast Guard Base Bells Flats (now abandoned) was located adjacent to the town of Bell's Flats, now known as Womens Bay; about 10 miles from downtown Kodiak city. The Womens Bay community is located on the site of a ranch once owned by the Bell family. There are remains of WWII warehouses and Quonset huts on the site. On October 1, 1950, the Naval Air Station Kodiak was redesignated as the Naval Station Kodiak, with the Commanding officer also serving as the Commander, Naval Operating Base, Kodiak; Commander Naval Air Bases, Seventeenth Naval District; Commander Search and Rescue Area Two; and Commander Forces Kodiak Sector. In 1956, the U.S. Naval Station Kodiak personnel and their families were allowed to occupy the quonset huts adjacent to the Miller Field recreation area. Also in 1956. the U.S. Air Force started construction of an Advance Communication and Warning Site (AC&W). A year later, it was decided to convert the AC&W Site into a deep space tracking station. The mission of the Tracking Station was to collect and record tracking and telemetry data. Upon the launch of Sputnik on October 4, 1957, the U.S. Air Force established the satellite tracking and control facility, not far from the WWII Army guns at Chiniak. In 1960. the Tracking Station became operational. Technical and maintenance support was provided by 121 civilians. Two (2) U.S. Air Force officers performed the command functions. The U.S. Air Force tracking facility operated until 1975. In March 1975, the U.S. Air Force announced that the Tracking Station would be closed. Most of the Air Force families were gone by the fall of 1975, although a few stayed until the following summer, charged with the task of closing and inventorying the Station. Closure of the Tracking Station resulted in approximately $5.5 million in annual savings to the Air Force. After the Air Force announcement that the Tracking Station would be closed, the Department of Defense declared the installation (buildings and property) excess to its needs. Leisnoi, Inc., acquired control of the excess real and personal property of the Tracking Station on December 30, 1975. Sometime later Shelikof Net established a crab pot construction business at the Tracking Station. At 5:36:14 P.M. local Alaska time, on Good Friday, March 27, 1964, an earthquake occurred in Prince William Sound, registering 9.2 on the Richter scale. It was said that Kodiak Island sank an estimated 5-1/2 feet. The quake created a devastating tidal wave which slammed into many coastal cities in it's path and range, including Kodiak City, during the early morning hours of Saturday, March 28, 1964. About $10 million damage was done to the Naval Station facilities and nearly $1 billion in all of Kodiak Island. The city of Valdez "burst into flames" and was almost completely obliterated. The town was flattened and the dock "disappeared". The village of Chenega was completely wiped out by the tidal wave, with only one building left standing. Coast Guard Loran Station Sitkinak suffered severe damage. The village of Kaiugnak Bay was also wiped out. Coast Guard Loran Station Hinchinbrook reported tremors every ten to fifteen minutes, that they were leaving the station and would return "when the shaking stops". The city of Kodiak lost fifty percent of their fishing industry and docks, and seventy- five percent of the city's buildings. As to the earthquake, the ensuing tidal wave from the earthquake hit the Naval Station and flooded out the power plant causing the base to lose all but emergency power. Water rose to about six feet in buildings located near the water, that included the power plant. All personnel had been moved to higher ground prior to arrival of the tidal wave. Many of the base facilities including the mess hall, family quarters, and personnel barracks, despite being at higher levels and not affected by the tidal wave, were without heat because of the loss of steam heat that had been provided by the power plant. Many other older family quarters that were still being heated by oil from tanks located behind the buildings were able to continue with heat and these families made their homes available to the others for warmth and at least heating some food products on top of the oil heaters. As is usual with military families, all joined together outside and built campfires where all could make use in preparing meals. Kerosene space heaters were flown in for use of all, and emergency power enabled the mess hall to continue meals. All families could go to the mess hall for meals during the early days following the tidal wave, and many Aleut families from outlying communities were brought to the base for temporary shelter and food. The SeaBees, as usual, were johnny-on-the-spot flown in to support getting things back in order and a Navy ship arrived with enough power to provide electricity to the base while the SeaBees removed and replaced power equipment in the plant. The bowling alley was destroyed and the road at that end of the base was under water with every high tide. As the result of the earthquake, the island actually tilted with many areas now under water and others now higher above sea level, particularly at high tide. Wide cracks and deep fissures were found throughout the area, most noticeable around the many streams leading to the ocean. The change in levels of some areas of the island resulted in salmon unable to access what had been their normal streams when returning to spawn. Amazingly, life seemed to go on with little interruption or inconvenience because everyone joined together to look after each other. The road to Cape Chiniak was destroyed by the tidal wave and travel to and from as well as supplies was provided by base helicopters. Narrative from CTOCM Charles (Chuck) Maack, USN, retired in December, 1976, Wichita, KS. The Chiniak Road was virtually impassable. For a time, Navy families could not get to their quonset hut quarters on Kodiak Island. While there was considerable loss of life in the surrounding villages and towns (131 people died), there was no loss of life nor injury at Cape Chiniak. The site's relatively high elevation saved it from water damage. In 1965, the U.S. Navy ordered all families out of the quonset area. Later that year, the village of Chiniak was born. The Navy closed the Cape Chiniak site shortly thereafter, and moved NSGA operations to Elmendorf Air Force Base at Anchorage. The U.S. Navy HFDF station at Cape Chiniak, located on Kodiak Island, utilized an AN/GRD-6 array of HFDF antennas. In 1964/65, the complement of NSGA Cape Chiniak was one Officer-in-Charge (OIC/LT/LCDR), one Assistant Officer in Charge (AOIC/LTJG), and approximately 50 enlisted personnel. HFDF operations ceased in 1966. A small detachment team of CTO branchers was assigned to the Communications Department of Naval Station Kodiak Island. The cadre was assigned specifically under a Naval Intelligence (ONI) Captain, on the staff of Commander, Alaskan Sea Frontier (COMALSEAFRON). A special communications center and conference room were located in a vault in the basement of COMALSEAFRON headquarters to provide the Admiral with SIGINT information. The team consisted of a supervisor (CTOC or CTO1) and four to five CTO watchstanders. Maintenance was provided by a cleared ET from the Communications Department. Staff members from ONI were also cleared. Special Intelligence communications was probably provided from the time that COMALSEAFRON was established, until its ending with the transfer of Navy functions from Kodiak to Anchorage in 1971. Although the team had no operational connection to NSGA Cape Chiniak, the CTO's travelled to Cape Chiniak for advancement examinations. CTOC Chuck Maack served as supervisor from 1963 to 1966. He reported to Navy CAPT Cook Cleland and provided support to COMALSEAFRON Commanders RADM R. E. Riera and RADM White. Narrative from CTOCM Charles (Chuck) Maack, USN, retired in December, 1976, Wichita, KS. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Cape Chiniak, Alaska activated in May, 1946 and was disestablished and closed on April 11, 1966. Most NSGA personnel and functions (including HFDF operations) were transferred to Anchorage, at Elmemdorf AFB, and the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Anchorage, AK was established on April 11, 1966. The Naval Station on Kodiak Island was disestablished on July 1, 1971; and the Navy turned all airport runways and areas to the north over to the State of Alaska for operation and maintenance. On April 25, 1972 the order establishing Coast Guard Base Kodiak and Coast Guard Radio Station (RADSTA) Kodiak was issued by the Commandant of the Coast Guard. The order read "The base will be established upon satisfactory turnover of Naval Station Kodiak to the Coast Guard." The U.S. Coast Guard Station at Kodiak is now the largest U.S. Coast Guard base. The Kodiak Military History Museum at Ft. Abercrombie State Historical Park is located in the Ready Ammunition bunker at Miller Point in Fort Abercrombie. The building is several feet thick concrete and is covered with soil. It was completed on December 30, 1943 by Navy SeaBees of NMCB-43. Located adjacent to the building are remains of two eight inch gun mounts. Portions of the gun barrels are displayed. Some parts of the guns are to be found quite some distance from the original positions as they were destroyed by explosive charge around Thanksgiving 1948, when the Army caretakers left the area. In 1999, the Alaska State Park Service restored the bunker. It was excavated, waterproofed, and reburied. New exterior doors, that almost perfectly matched the originals, were constructed. The interior was repainted in original colors, after many years of grafiti was sandblasted off. Recently the interior doors were restored using original doors salvaged from the similar bunker at Chiniak. According to the Harbor Defenses of Kodiak, 1944, this was gun battery No. 6, listed as number three in importance. Castle Bluffs on Long Island was number one, and St. Peters Head at Chiniak was number two. NSG COMSEC Unit Jul 1944 May 1946 At USCG Base, Bell's Flats, Alaska NSGA Cape Chiniak AK May 1946 11 Apr 1966 Moved to Anchorage, AK at Elmendorf AFB. Entire area is owned by the Lesnoi Corp. of Kodiak, AK, a native-people's organization. =================================================================================== Cavite City, Luzon, Philippines See Corregidor, Sangley Point and Subic Bay, Philippines =================================================================================== Charleston, North Charleston, South Carolina Charleston AFB, home of the 437th Airlift Wing. The base is located about 10 miles from downtown Charleston on approximately 3400 acres of land within the North Charleston city limits. Interest in aviation grew significantly following Charles Lindbergh's solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in May 1927. The tremendous potential of air travel for commercial and private enterprises created an "air madness" among Charleston officials. This awareness resulted in the city leasing land in 1928 north of the city to build an airfield. In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a $313,000 Works Progress Administration grant to improve the Charleston Airport. In 1937, the city purchased another 300-plus acres for airport improvements. With the U.S. entry into World War II on December 8, 1941, Army Air Forces (AAF) units deployed to the airport within several days to establish coastal defense operations. The need to use the airport indefinitely resulted in the city signing a lease with the War Department on March 23, 1942, whereby the AAF gained full control of the facility. It was not until October 22, 1942, that the AAF officially named the airport as Charleston Army Air Base. This designation remained until June 5, 1943, when the base was renamed Charleston Army Air Field. On June 1, 1953, the Air Force officially named its facility as Charleston Air Force Base. In January 1966, the 437th Military Airlift Wing (redesignated as the 437th Airlift Wing on October 1, 1991) was activated at Charleston Air Force Base and assumed host unit responsibilities. Charleston AFB was the first fully operational C-17 base in the Air Force. The 437th Airlift Wing, together with the Reserve 315th Airlift Wing, provide a large part of Air Mobility Command's global reach airlift capability. Their mission is to fly C-17s and provide airlift of troops and passengers, military equipment, cargo and aeromedical equipment and supplies. Charleston AFB is a joint-use airfield, sharing two intersecting runways with Charleston International Airport. NWS Charleston is located in Goose Creek SC, and encompasses more than 17,000 acres of land with 10,000 acres of forest and wetlands, 16-plus miles of waterfront, and four deep water piers. There are more than 1,661 buildings on the Station, which encompass more than 42 million square feet. NWS has an 11,500 workforce including military, civil service and contractors. The Naval Weapons Station (NWS) Charleston was commissioned in 1941, and is the home of two strategic submarine squadrons, a submarine tender, and an ordnance station, with capacity for more than 60 million pounds conventional ordnance. NWS Charleston is also a training center, with the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command, Nuclear Power Training Unit and Border Patrol satellite academy; an engineering center, with the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center and nearby Southern Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command; and as the Army logistics hub, the busiest CONUS surface port in the defense transportation system. The Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center, Charleston provides command, control, computers, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) engineering and integrated solutions to the warfighter. Located in North Charleston, SC; SPAWAR Systems Center, Charleston is a center of excellence for Naval shore Air Traffic Control (ATC) systems worldwide. In 2004, the SPAWAR Systems Center became the largest employer in the Charleston metropolitan area. On January 9, 1994, Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance, In-Service Engineering, East Coast Division (NISE East) was commissioned. The command consolidated four former naval activities along the East Coast, including: the Naval Electronic Systems Engineering Center (NESEC) in Charleston; the Naval Electronic Systems Engineering Center (NESEC) in Portsmouth, VA; the Naval Electronic Systems Engineering Activity (NESEA) in St. Inigoes, MD; and the Naval Electronic Systems Security Engineering Center (NESSEC) in Washington DC. The consolidation was the result of the 1993 Base Closure and Realignment Commission's (BRAC) decision. On October 1, 1995, a 1995 BRAC decision merged the Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center (NCCOSC) into its parent command, the Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Command. As a result, the field activities were renamed and NISE East became SPAWAR Systems Center, Charleston. The U.S. Army is also represented in Charleston, co-located with the NWS; the Army Field Support Battalion - Afloat (AFSBn-A), a division of the U.S. Army Materiel Command; resides in a facility which includes 51 buildings sited on 330 acres, formerly occupied by the Polaris Missile Maintenance Facility, Atlantic (POMFLANT). AFSBn-A's established a provisional unit at NWS Charleston in May, 1994. AFSBn-A activated on October 12, 1995; adding to the historic military presence of both the U.S Navy and U.S Air Force. Charleston Navy Yard was a U.S. Navy ship building and repair facility located along the west bank of the Cooper River, in North Charleston, South Carolina. It began operations in 1909 as a drydock, and continued as a navy facility until 1996 when it was leased to Detyens Shipyards, Inc. during down-sizing. Today, a 340-acre section of the former base is being revitalized as a sustainable, mixed-use urban hub for the city of North Charleston, SC. The new development is called "The Navy Yard". Ground broke in 2005. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Charleston, SC activated on April 21, 1965; and was disestablished and closed on September 30, 1995. NSGA Charleston, SC 21 Apr 1965 30 Sep 1995 =================================================================================== Cheltenham, Maryland The 372-acre Cheltenham, Maryland facility is located 15 miles from downtown Washington, DC, just south of Andrews AFB, Camp Springs, MD and east of Clinton, MD in Prince George's County. Cheltenham served as a U.S. Navy communications station from 1938 to 1998. The Naval Radio Station (T), Arlington, VA was the first component of the later command, NAVCOMMSTA Washington DC. NAVRADSTA (T) Arlington, VA was officially commissioned on February 13, 1913. The station was built on part of the Fort Myer Military Reservation. The land was transferred from the War Department to the Department of the Navy by an Act of Congress in 1912. NAVRADSTA (T) Annapolis was first conceived in 1917. The station's location was selected because it was owned by the U.S. Navy and was sufficiently distant from Washington so as not to interfere with reception, and sufficiently near so as not to make the cost of control lines excessive. The property originally was known as Hammonds Inheritance and was acquired by the Navy in 1909 for use as the Naval Academy Farm. On August 6, 1919, NAVRADSTA Annapolis, MD was established. The receiver site at Cheltenham, MD was purchased in 1935. The facility was located on a wide expanse of wooded trees and farms that originally encompassed more than 559 acres of land the Navy bought from a local farmer. Early in 1938, the station was put into commission as NAVRADSTA (R) Cheltenham, MD, with a complement of two officers and 45 men. A Naval Security Group Detachment (later becoming an NCS Department) was organized on the NAVRADSTA Cheltenham station in the fall of 1939. In August 1940, the U.S. Navy had six sites with diplomatic targets, which were all linked directly, or indirectly through U.S. Army communication circuits, to Washington DC via radio and landline communications. Twelve netted sites (six Navy and six Army) were authorized to intercept Japanese diplomatic traffic. The six Navy sites were Winter Harbor, ME (Station W) (February, 1935 to February, 1944; Amagansett, NY (station G) (November, 1939 to 1956); Cheltenham, MD (Station M) (September, 1939 to August 1953); Jupiter, FL (Station J) (September, 1939 to July, 1945); Heeia, HI (Station H) (June, 1934 to December, 1941; and Fort Ward, Bainbridge Island, WA (Station S) (August, 1939 to March, 1953). The six Army sites were Fort Monmouth, NJ (Station 1); Presidio, CA (Station 2), Fort Sam Houston, TX (Station 3), Corozal, CA (Station 4), Fort Shafter, HI (Station 5) and Fort Hunt, VA (Station 7). An Army Station #6 was proposed, but never activated. In March 1941, seeking to improve the interception efforts of the HFDF stations, a direct commercial teletype service link was authorized, procured and inaugurated between the installations at Winter Harbor, ME (Station W), Amagansett, NY (Station G), Fort Ward, Bainbridge Island, WA (Station S) radio intercept facilities; and the Net Control Station at Cheltenham, MD (Station M). This development allowed the stations to forward intercepts immediately to Washington upon receipt. While the primary emphasis was on Japanese diplomatic traffic other "messages of unusual nature appearing to be of sufficient importance to warrant attention" would also be forwarded. The result was improving coverage of radio circuits and minimizing delays in getting the intercepts to the cryptanalysts. On August 15, 1953, NAVCOMMSTA Washington DC was established. At that time, NCS Washington consisted of the Communications Center, the RPIO; NAVRADSTA's Cheltenham, Annapolis and Arlington. On July 1, 1956, NAVRADSTA, Arlington, VA was disestablished after more than 43 years of operation. On March 7, 1961, NAVCOMMSTA Washington officially began operation as a DCS Station. On June 22, 1961, NAVRADSTA (R) Cheltenham was disestablished and administratively merged with NAVCOMMSTA Washington DC. In June 1963, NAVRADSTA Lewes in Delaware was activated. On May 10, 1969, NAVRADSTA (R) Sugar Grove, WV was activated. Both of these units were components of NCS Washington DC. In July 1975, NCS Washington was redesignated as Naval Communications Unit, Washington, DC. In 1980, 200 acres were transferred to the State of Maryland for a Wetlands Park. And in 1997, 124 acres were transferred to the Department of Energy. In 1996, the operational telecommunications message center was relocated to the Washington Navy Yard, leaving Cheltenham, for the first time, without an operational communications function. The installation was redesignated as Naval Communications Detachment, Cheltenham, MD in 1996; and was disestablished on December 30, 1998. On May 10, 2001, GSA transferred the former U.S. Naval Communications site at Cheltenham, MD to the Department of the Treasury, to become the site of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. NAVRADSTA Cheltenham, MD Jan 1938 22 Jun 1961 NSG Detachment, Cheltenham MD Sep 1939 15 Aug 1953 Communications Radio Intelligence Unit (Station "M" in 1940) NAVCOMMSTA Washington DC, Cheltenham, MD 15 Aug 1953 Jul 1975 NSG Dept, NCS Washington DC, Cheltenham, MD 15 Aug 1953 08 Apr 1970 NAVCOMM Unit, Washington DC, Cheltenham, MD Jul 1975 1996 NAVCOMM Detachment, Cheltenham, MD 1996 30 Dec 1998 Federal Law Enforcement Training Center 10 May 2001 and U.S. Capitol Police Training Academy. =================================================================================== Chesapeake, Virginia Located in rural southern Chesapeake, Virginia on the border of North Carolina; NSG Support Det is a tenant command of Naval Support Activity, Northwest Annex, Chesapeake, VA. Chesapeake is located approximately 40 miles southwest of Virginia Beach, 35 miles south of Norfolk and Portsmouth, 70 miles south of Williamsburg and Yorktown, 35 miles north of Elizabeth City, NC and 60 miles northwest of the Outer Banks. For the earlier history of Chesapeake, Virginia, please see the article on Northwest, Chesapeake, Virginia. On September 30, 2005, NSG Support Det Chesapeake was administratively closed and was re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Chesapeake, VA. NIOD Chesapeake is subordinate to, and a detachment of, NIOC Norfolk, VA. NSG Support Det, Chesapeake, VA. ???? 30 Sep 2005 NIOD Chesapeake VA 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Chitose, Hokkaido, Japan Chitose is located in the mid-western part of the Japanese island of Hokkaido. To the west is the mountainous Shikotsu portion of Shikotsu-Toya National Park. To the east are hills utilized for agriculture and forestry. From 1946, the host site was the U.S. Army 12th Security Agency Field Station (USASAFS) Chitose, Hokkaido, Japan. in September 1937, Chitose Airport was established as a Flying Corps Base for the Japanese Navy. From 1939, Chitose was a Japanese Imperial Navy auxiliary airfield; until Japan's surrender in 1945, ending World War II. In September, 1945, the first U.S. troops, the U.S. Army's 77th Infantry Division, (fought on Okinawa) arrived on Hokkaido. During the period 1945-1949, U.S. Army Security Agency (USASA) operational units arrived at Wakkanai, on the island of Hokkaido, the northernmost city in Japan. The Army Security Agency took over 184 acres, and antennas began sprouting from a 1229-acre stretch of southern Hokkaido, four miles southwest of Chitose. Beginning in 1946, The 12th USASAFS, was located on the island of Hokkaido under various U.S. Army unit designations. From 1946, the predecessors of the 12th were located at Chitose I, which was occupied successively by elements of the 11th Airborne Division, the 7th Infantry Division, the 45th Infantry Division and the 1st Cavalry Division. In April, 1951, USASA operations moved to Kuma Station on Chitose I. In November 1951, the USASAFS unit was billeted at Chitose II, an area five miles from the Chitose Air Base. This area was a quonset hut development, constructed for the 45th Infantry Division. During 1952, the 45th Infantry Division replaced the 1st Cavalry Division in Korea, and the latter became the 12th's new neighbor. In the spring of 1954 the 1st Cavalry Division was transferred to Honshu, the main island of Japan, and the Japanese Ground Self Defense Forces occupied this area. In 1954, with the departure of the 1st Cavalry Division, the U.S. Air Force took over support functions for all U.S. forces on Hokkaido. On November 15, 1956, the USASA unit on Kuma Station was redesignated the 12th USASA Field Station (USASAFS). In 1958, there was a draw down of the U.S. Air Force forces at Chitose AB, and The 12th USASAFS assumed support functions for all U.S. forces on Hokkaido. In December, 1967, the 12th USASAFS was redesignated as USASAFS Chitose. On June 30, 1972, the Kuma Station at Chitose was closed and the U.S. Army 12th Security Agency Field Station (USASAFS) at Chitose was disbanded. Chitose Air Base is now a Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) base located adjacent to the New Chitose Airport. It is the JASDF's primary base in northern Japan and tasked with monitoring Japan's maritime borders with Russia. It was also Hokkaido's primary civilian airport until the opening of New Chitose Airport in 1988. The new airport began operating on July 20, 1988. NSG Det Chitose, Japan 1953 Sep 1965 at U.S. Army Kuma Station =================================================================================== Clark AB, Pampanga Province, Luzon, Republic of the Philippines Clark Air Base is a former U.S. Air Force base on Luzon Island in the Philippines, now known as the Clark Special Economic Zone. It nestles against the northwest side of Angeles City in the province of Pampanga, and is about 40 miles (60 km) northwest of Manila. Clark Air Base was arguably the most urbanized military facility in history. A large flight operations area was just west of the airfield, comprising the core of the base. Housing and commercial areas were further west. At the foothills of Mount Pinatubo were two major housing areas bisected by a large golf course. The base was crisscrossed by about five major boulevards, one measuring six miles (10 km) long. Clark AB was named for Major Harold M. Clark, of the U.S. Army Signal Corps. Born in Minnesota and raised in Manila, Clark was commissioned a second lieutenant of Cavalry in 1913. In 1916, he transferred to the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps, and in 1917 was rated a Junior Military Aviator. He went to Hawaii to command an air service station and was the first U.S. airman to fly in Hawaii. Clark later became an Executive Officer with the Aviation Section in Panama. Major Clark died on May 2, 1919 in a seaplane crash in the Miraflores Locks, Panama Canal Zone and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery. Fort Stotsenberg was named for Colonel John M. Stotsenberg who died April 23, 1899 in a battle in Bulacan province, and is also buried in Arlington National Cemetery. On February 6, 1899, the U.S. Senate voted to annex the Philippines. The first permanent U.S. Army presence was in the Talizundoc area of Angeles City, in order to establish control over the central plains of Luzon. In 1902, the U.S. Army studied relocating their post from Angeles City to a fertile plain, on what was later Clark Air Base, which supposedly had better grass for their horses. President Roosevelt signed an executive order on September 1, 1903 establishing 7700 acres as Fort Stotsenberg, with Camp Wallace (later Wallace Air Station) and Camp John Hay (later John Hay Air Base) being established in November, 1903. The U.S. Army's Fort Stotsenberg cavalry post was centered on what was later to become Clark's parade ground in modern years. Fort Stotsenberg was commissioned on September 16, 1906. In 1908, an executive order expanded Fort Stotsenberg from 7700 to 156,204 acres, making the future Clark AB the largest overseas U.S. military base in the world. Most of that acreage was unoccupied fields and jungle. On December 8, 1941, the Japanese launched an attack on Clark Field, destroying dozens of aircraft. Clark was evacuated on December 24, 1941. On January 31, 1945, American forces regained possession of Clark Field after three years of Japanese control. However, a few Japanese soldiers still held tough in the nearby mountains, and sometimes sneaked onto the base at night to sabotage American planes. Japan surrendered in 1945, ending World War II. In January, 1946, the 13th Air Force transferred to Clark Field. During the brief period between May, 1946 and August, 1947, the 13th AF was stationed at Fort William McKinley, on Luzon. The U.S. and Philippines signed the Military Bases Agreement on March 14, 1947; which guaranteed American possession of U.S. bases in the Philippines for 99 years. In May, 1949 the facilities at Fort Stotsenberg and Clark Field were transferred to the U.S. Air Force, and from then on, the entire base became known as Clark Air (Force) Base. In March, 1964, Clark entered the Vietnam War effort, as KC-135 tankers staged from Clark and refueled fighters enroute to Laos. In August 1968, late-night attacks against American servicemen led to both Clark and Angeles City being placed on curfew. This was at a time when anti-American sentiment was at a peak. In 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law, which also acted to suspend elections. Martial law remained in place until 1981. Clark Air Base, a huge logistical hub that could handle any aircraft in the U.S. inventory, possessed immense parking space, POL storage capacities (approximately comparable to those of Kennedy International Airport in New York City), 34 ammunition igloos, and superlative communication links. Aviators of all U.S. Services sharpened their skills under simulated combat conditions at Clark's Crow Valley gunnery range. The communications facility located on Clark AB included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FLR-9 Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. In 1997, the AN/FLR-9 at the former Clark AB in the Philippines was converted into a 35,000-seat fabric-covered amphitheatre. In 1975, Clark AB served as a staging area for Vietnamese fleeing the North Vietnamese invasion. The first planeload, consisting of orphans, arrived on April 5. As many as 2,000 refugees at a time were housed in a tent city in the Bamboo Bowl during April and May, 1975. A total of 30,082 refugees and 1,565 orphans were processed through Clark AB. On the evening of May 21, 1977 at 1:35 am, a mild magnitude 5.7 earthquake hit just northeast of Clark AB, and was felt by many. This was a harbinger of things to come for Clark AB. On January 7, 1979, a revised 1947 Military Bases Agreement was ratified and executed at Clark Air Base on February 16, 1979 to transfer command and security of Clark AB, and other American bases, to the Philippine government. The size of the Clark AB reservation was reduced from 156,204 acres to 131,000 acres, with the base itself remaining at 9155 acres. On March 31, 1980 a magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit about 80 miles northeast of Clark at 8:41 pm, but was distinctly felt at the base. On the evening of April 23, 1985; a magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit just northeast of Clark at 12:15 am. On August 21, 1983; Ninoy Aquino, one of President Marcos' political opponents, returned from ten years of exile and was shot on his arrival in Manila, precipitating a gradual collapse of the Marcos administration and the economy. On the evening of April 23, 1985; a magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit just northeast of Clark at 12:15 am. On February 25, 1986; after massive outcry over a rigged election, President Marcos is forced out of office, and exiled from the Philippines. On December 29, 1986; at 11:49 pm a mild magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck along the coast west of Clark. On April 25, 1987; at 8:16 pm a strong earthquake, at magnitude 6.5, hit just north of Clark. On July 16, 1990, Clark's worst earthquake occurred at 3:26 pm. It registered magnitude 7.6 and was centered about 80 miles northeast of the base. Baguio was devastated, with over 2000 killed and a million homeless. On April 2, 1991; pilots reported seeing smoke and steam explosions emanating from Mount Pinatubo. By June, it was clear that a major volcanic eruption was imminent. Clark Air Base was completely evacuated of all but security personnel on June 10, 1991, two days before Mount Pinatubo began the summer-long series of eruptions, which destroyed the upper 1000 feet of its peak. The first "big" eruption hit on June 12. On June 14, the base was drenched in a sea of ash, and the biggest eruption followed at 5:55 am on June 15. Tens of thousands of Filipinos fled the eruption of Mount Pinatubo, along ash-clogged roads, while the U.S. began evacuating all 20,000 dependents at Clark Air Base. 700 people died in the eruption. The Philippine Senate rejected an extension of the Military Bases Agreement, and it expired on September 16, 1991. The U.S. Air Force formally transferred Clark AB in its entirety to the Philippines on November 26, 1991; ending its century-long presence in the region. On October 1, 1992; the U.S. Navy withdrew from Subic Bay Naval Base. Subic Bay was the last of the U.S. Military Bases in the Philippines, which were handed over to the Philippine Government. The U.S. presence in the Philippines ended. In 1995, following years of neglect, cleanup and removal of volcanic ash deposits began at the former Clark AB. The base re-emerged as Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (Clark International Airport) and Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ). The airfield infrastructure was improved to make it one of the most modern in Asia, and a second parallel runway was built. The former base is now home to a golf resort, a number of industrial buildings, landmarks, and retail establishments. It also hosts the annual Balikatan exercises between the U.S. and Philippines Armed Forces. NSGA Clark AB, Philippines 15 Aug 1965 28 Oct 1991 Evacuated due to Mt. Pinatubo volcano eruption. Relocated to Subic Bay, Philippines Merged with NSG Det Subic Bay to form NSGA Subic Bay. Clark AB officially closed by the U.S. Air Force: 26 Nov 1991 =================================================================================== Corregidor, Luzon, Philippines Corregidor is an island in the entrance of the Philippines' Manila Bay. Due to its position in the bay, it has served as a vital defense structure to Naval actions against the capital city of Manila. During World War II, Corregidor was the site of several battles and its fall to the Japanese forces was instrumental in the subsequent capture of the Philippines and the retreat of the U.S in the early stages of the war. Currently, it is an important historic and tourist site and is managed under the jurisdiction of Cavite City. Under the Spanish era, Corregidor served not only as a fortress of defense and a penal institution, but also as a signal outpost to warn Manila of the approach of hostile ships, and as a station for customs inspection. Corregidor comes from the Spanish word corregir, meaning "to correct." One story states that, due to the Spanish system wherein all ships entering Manila Bay were required to stop and have their documents checked and corrected, the island was called Isla del Corregidor (literally, Island of Correction). Another version claims that the island was used a penitentiary or correctional institution by the Spanish and came to be called El Corregidor. In 1902, the island was organized as an American military reservation. In 1903, a convalescent hospital was established by the U.S. Army. In 1908, a Regular U.S Army post was established on the island, designated as Fort Mills, in honor of Brigadier General Samuel M. Mills, Chief of Artillery of the U.S. Army from 1905 to 1906. By early 1909, H Company of the 2nd Battalion of the Corps of Engineers was assigned to Corregidor and started on the construction of concrete emplacements, bomb-proof shelters, and trails at various parts of the island. This pioneer engineer company left Fort Mills on March 15, 1912. The Communications Radio Intelligence units monitoring the Japanese fleet maneuvers were at Libugon, Guam; Olongapo, Philippines (July, 1930 to February, 1935, when the unit moved to Los Banitos, Mariveles, Philippines); Peking (Peiping), China (1927 to July, 1935, when the unit moved to Shanghai, China); Los Banitos, Mariveles, Philippines (March 1, 1935 to January, 1936), the USS Goldstar (AG-12), and the USS Augusta (CA-31) (Asiatic Fleet Flagship from November 9, 1933 to November 22, 1940). Mobile detachments from shore stations in the Philippines and Guam manned communications radio intelligence positions onboard the USS Augusta and USS Goldstar. In late 1929, the U.S. Navy opened an intercept station at a small Naval base at Olongapo in the Philippines on Subic Bay, facing the South China Sea. The site (Station C) was officially opened in July, 1930. Unfortunately, Station C personnel were delayed by having to assume primary responsibility for all regular Navy communications in and out of the base at Olongapo. As a result, they did not really get on with intercept duties until August. 1932, as Station C (Cast). Station C was destined to move three times in ten years in an attempt to find secure operating spaces, living quarters, and antenna sites where Japanese Navy signals could be heard consistently; including Olongapo, 1930-35; Mariveles, 1935-36; Cavite, 1936-40; and Corregidor, 1940-42. Station C was transferred from Olongapo to Mariveles and then to the Navy Yard in Cavite. In mid-October 1940, Station C would finally establish itself in a special tunnel built for the Navy at Monkey Point on Corregidor. Two months later, Station C absorbed the mission and the personnel of Station Able in Shanghai, China; which was closed. The Battle for Corregidor was the culmination of the Japanese campaign for the conquest of the Philippines. The fall of Bataan on April 9, 1942, ended all organized opposition by the U.S. Army Forces to the invading Japanese forces on Luzon in the northern Philippines. The island bastion of Corregidor, with its network of tunnels and formidable array of defensive armament, along with the fortifications across the entrance to Manila Bay, was the remaining obstacle to the 14th Japanese Imperial Army. The Japanese had to take Corregidor; as long as the island remained in American hands, they would be denied the use of the Manila Bay, the finest natural harbor in the Orient. Corregidor, officially named Fort Mills, was the largest of four islands protecting the mouth of Manila Bay from attack and was fortified prior to World War I with powerful coastal artillery. At 3.5 miles long and 1.5 miles across at its head, the tadpole-shaped island lay two miles from Bataan. Its widest but elevated area, known as Topside, contained most of its 56 coastal artillery pieces and installations. Middleside was a small plateau containing more battery positions as well as barracks. Bottomside was the low ground where a dock area and the civilian town of San Jose was located. American servicemen alternately dubbed it as "The Rock" or the "Gibraltar of the East", in comparison to the peninsular fortress that guards the main entrance to the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Africa. The tunnel system under Malinta Hill was the most extensive construction on Corregidor. It consisted of a main east-west passage 826 feet long with a 24 foot diameter and had 25 lateral passages, each about 400 feet long, branching out at regular intervals from each side of the main passage. A separate system of tunnels north of this main tunnel housed the underground hospital and had its own 12 laterals and space for 1,000 beds. The facility could be reached either through the main tunnel or by a separate outside entrance on the north side of Malinta Hill. The Navy tunnel system, which lay opposite the hospital, under the south side of Malinta was connected to the main tunnel by a partially completed low passageway through the quartermaster storage lateral. East of this was Malinta Tunnel, location of Geneal Douglas MacArthur's headquarters. Reinforced with concrete walls, floors, and overhead arches, blowers to furnish fresh air, and a double-track electric tramway line along the east-west passage, the Malinta Tunnel furnished bombproof shelter for the hospital, headquarters, and shops, as well as a maze of underground storehouses. On December 29, 1941, the defenders got their first taste of aerial bombardment on Corregidor. The attack lasted for two hours as the Japanese destroyed or damaged the hospital, Topside and Bottomside barracks, the Navy fuel depot and the officers club. Three days later, the island garrison was bombed for more than three hours. Periodic bombing continued over the next four days and with only two more raids for the rest of January, the defenders had a chance to improve their positions considerably. To the amusement of the beach defenders on Corregidor, the Japanese dropped only propaganda leaflets on January 29. On March 12, 1942, under cover of darkness, General MacArthur was evacuated from Corregidor on four PT boats for Mindanao, where he was eventually flown to Australia. Henceforth from December 29, 1941, to the end of April 1942, despite incessant Japanese aerial, naval and artillery bombardment, the garrison on Corregidor, consisting mainly of the 4th Marine Regiment and combined units from U.S. Navy, Army units and Filipino soldiers, resisted valiantly, inflicting heavy enemy losses in men and planes. The defenders were living on about thirty ounces of food per day. Drinking water was distributed only twice per day, but the constant bombing and shelling often interrupted the ration. When the bombardment killed the mules in the Cavalry, they would drag the carcasses down to the mess hall and cook them. The continued lack of proper diet created problems for the Corregidor garrison, as men grew weakened and lacked reliable night vision. From Cebu, seven private maritime ships under orders from the army, loaded with food supply, sailed towards Corregidor. Of the seven ships, only one was able to reach Corregidor, the MV Princessa commanded by 3rd Lt. Zosimo Cruz. Japanese bombing and shelling continued with unrelenting ferocity. Japanese aircraft flew 614 missions dropping 1,701 bombs totaling some 365 tons of explosive. Joining the aerial bombardment were nine 240 mm howitzers, thirty-four 149 mm howitzers, and 32 other artillery pieces, which pounded Corregidor day and night. It was estimated that on May 4 alone, more than 16,000 shells hit Corregidor. From April 28, a concentrated aerial bombardment by the 22nd Air Brigade, supported by ground artillery on Bataan from May 1 to May 5, 1942, preceded landing operations. On May 5, Japanese forces boarded landing craft and barges and headed for the final assault on Corregidor. Shortly before midnight, intense shelling pounded the beaches between North Point and Cavalry Point. The initial landing of 790 Japanese soldiers quickly bogged down from surprisingly fierce resistance from the American and Filipino defenders whose 37 mm artillery tolled heavily on the landing fleet. The Japanese struggled because of the strong sea currents between Bataan and Corregidor and from the layers of oil that covered the beaches from ships sunk earlier in the siege, and they experienced great difficulty in landing personnel and equipment. However the overwhelming number of Japanese infantry equipped with 50 mm heavy grenade dischargers ("knee mortars") forced the defenders to pull back from the beach. The second battalion of 785 Japanese soldiers were not as successful. The invasion force did not prepare for the strong current in the channel between Bataan and Corregidor. This battalion landed east of North Point where the defensive positions of the 4th Marines were stronger. Most of the Japanese officers were killed early in the landing, and the huddled survivors were hit with hand grenades, machine guns, and rifle fire. Some of the landing craft did however make it to the location of the first invasion force and found themselves moving inland enough to capture Denver Battery by 1:30 a.m. on May 6. A counterattack was initiated to move the Japanese off of Denver Battery. This was the location of the heaviest fighting between the opposing forces, practically face to face. A few reinforcements did make their way to the frontline 4th Marines, but the battle became a duel of obsolete World War I grenades versus the accurate Japanese knee mortars. Without additional reinforcements, the battle would quickly go against the defenders. By 4:30 a.m. Colonel Howard committed his last reserves, some 500 Marines, sailors and soldiers of the 4th Battalion. These reserves tried to get to the battle as quickly as possible, but several Japanese snipers had slipped behind the front lines to make movement very costly. An additional 880 reinforcements for the Japanese arrived at 5:30 a.m. The 4th Marines were holding their positions at the same time losing ground in other areas. The Japanese were facing problems of their own: several ammunition crates never made the landing. Several attacks and counterattacks were fought with bayonets. The final blow to the defenders came about 9:30 a.m. when three Japanese tanks landed and went into action. The men around Denver Battery withdrew to the ruins of a concrete trench a few yards away from the entrance to Malinta tunnel, just as Japanese artillery delivered a heavy barrage. Particularly fearful of the dire consequences should the Japanese capture the tunnel, where lay 1,000 helpless wounded men, and realizing that the defenses outside Malinta tunnel could not hold out much longer, and expecting further Japanese landings that night, General Wainwright decided to sacrifice one more day of freedom in exchange for several thousand lives. In a radio message to President Franklin Roosevelt, Wainwright said, "There is a limit of human endurance, and that point has long been passed." Colonel Howard burned the 4th Regiment's and national colors to prevent their capture by the enemy. Lt. General.Jonathan Wainwright finally surrendered the Corregidor garrison at about 1:30 p.m. on May 6, 1942, with two officers sent forward with a white flag to carry his surrender message to the Japanese. The Japanese losses sustained from January 1 to April 30 and from the initial assault landings from May 5 to May 6, resulted in losses of about 900 dead and 1,200 wounded, while the defenders suffered 800 dead and 1,000 wounded. Corregidor's defeat marked the fall of the Philippines and Asia, but Imperial Japan's timetable for the conquest of Australia and the rest of the Pacific was severely upset, and her advance was ultimately checked at the battles for New Guinea, to the turning point in the Pacific War at Guadalcanal. About 4,000 of the 11,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war from Corregidor were marched through the streets of Manila to incarceration at Fort Santiago and Bilibid Prison, criminal detention centers turned POW camps. The rest were sent off in trains to various Japanese prison camps. General Wainwright was incarcerated in Manchuria. Over the course of the war, thousands were shipped to the Japanese mainland as slave labor. Some were eventually freed at Cabanatuan and during the battle for Manila's liberation. Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Olongapo, Jul 1930 Feb 1935 Luzon, Philippines Moved to Mariveles, Los Banitos, Luzon, Philippines Feb 1935 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Mariveles, 01 Mar 1935 05 Jan 1936 Los Banitos, Bataan Province, Luzon, Philippines Moved to Cavite City, Luzon, Philippines 05 Jan 1936 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Cavite, 05 Jan 1936 Oct 1940 Luzon, Philippines DF station established Sep 1936 Moved to Corregidor Oct 1940 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Corregidor, Oct 1940 Apr 1942 Luzon, Philippines Evacuated to Melbourne, Australia Apr 1942 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Melbourne May 1942 01 Nov 1945 at Naval Supplementary Radio Station Moorabbin, Melbourne, Australia =================================================================================== Corry Station, Pensacola, Florida The original Corry Field had its beginning in 1923 in a remote area north of Pensacola, Florida. By 1926 it became apparent that the meager facilities of this site would no longer suffice. The number of pilots being trained was on the increase, and a growing City of Pensacola began to encircle the flying field. In 1927 a 530- acre tract of land was acquired by the government, the gift of Escambia County, for relocation of the landing field. The present site was dedicated Corry Field November 1, 1928. Construction of permanent buildings began in 1933; and on December 8, 1934, the field was commissioned as an Auxiliary Base Field under the Naval Air Training Center. The station's name honors the memory of Medal of Honor winner Lieutenant Commander William M. Corry Jr., who died as a result of burns received while attempting to rescue a fellow officer from a crashed and burning aircraft. Lieutenant Commander Corry was one of Naval aviation's pioneers, having been among the first aviators to receive the Navy's "Wings of Gold." Communications Technician training "A" school commenced in U.S. Naval School, Imperial Beach, CA, on October 1, 1949. U.S. Naval School, Communications Technician (Supplementary Training) was established at Bainbridge Island, WA in October, 1951 and was closed in December, 1953. When the school closed at Bainbridge Island, only the Imperial Beach Communications Technician school remained. On July 1, 1957, the Communications Technician school at Imperial Beach was redesignated NAVCOMMTRACEN Imperial Beach, CA. NAVCOMMTRACEN moved from Imperial Beach and became NAVCOMMTRACEN Corry Field, Pensacola in March, 1960. In the beginning, Corry Field was an active aviation training complex, where advanced fighter plane techniques were taught. In 1943, the field was re-designated as Naval Auxiliary Air Station, continuing to serve as a training center for aviators through World War II and during the Korean War, until its decommissioning in 1958. Naval Communications Training Center (NCTC), Imperial Beach, CA (near San Diego) moved to Corry Station, and Naval Communications Training Center (NCTC), Corry Station, Pensacola, FL was established in March, 1960. The site saw its metamorphosis from flight training to technical training, when the first class of Communications Technicians (later known as Cryptologic Technicians) arrived. Hangars were converted to classrooms and laboratories were stocked with communications training equipment. NCTC Corry Station was changed to Naval Technical Training Center (NTTC), Corry Station, Pensacola, FL in September, 1973. NTTC Corry Station was among the first Navy technical schools to be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This accreditation certified the courses of instruction offered at NTTC, and students could receive college level credit for completed courses. By 1982, Corry Station had become the largest command in the Pensacola Naval Complex, and its change from air facility to technical training was reflected by a change of appearance in the form of new buildings and facilities. The facility's mission became more diversified with the addition of the Naval Schools of Photography and the Consolidated Navy Electronics Warfare School. In January, 1990 the center's training capability expanded even further, as the first classes convened at the Opticalman/Instrumentman school (which closed in 1996), Instructor and Information Systems School. From 1995 to 1999, Corry Station served as host of multi- service electronic warfare training, with the addition of the Joint Aviation Electronic Warfare School. On November 19, 2002, Naval Technical Training Center, Corry Station became the Center for Cryptology, Corry Station, as part of the Chief of Naval Operations establishment of Navy Learning Centers. The official recommissioning date was in July, 2003. On January 10, 2005, the Center for Cryptology, Corry Station in Pensacola, FL and the Center for Information Technology in San Diego, CA merged to become the Center for Information Dominance, Corry Station, Pensacola, FL. The Center for Information Dominance, Corry Station, Pensacola, FL (and all Detachments and Learning Centers) are now subordinate to the Naval Personnel Development Command (NPDC), Norfolk, VA. The current mission of Corry Station is to provide technical and military training in Cryptology, Information Technology, Electronic Warfare, and Instructor Training to produce well-trained, motivated and disciplined personnel in support of U.S. and Allied operational forces. In 2007, CID Corry Station had detachments located at three U.S. sites and managed eleven Learning Sites (LS) in the U.S. and overseas. CID graduates approximately 5,600 students annually. CID Corry Station maintains Detachments at CID Det Ft. Gordon, GA; CID Det Goodfellow AFB, San Angelo, TX; and CID Det Monterey, CA. See separate entries for the history of the three detachments, under the headings Ft. Gordon, Monterey and San Angelo. See also a historical article on the Detachment that was located at Ft. Huachuca, AZ. CID Corry Station also maintains Learning Sites at LS Ft. Meade, MD; LS Groton, CT; LS Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, HI; LS Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS; LS Kings Bay, GA; LS Mayport, FL; LS Medina, San Antonio, TX; LS Norfolk, Virginia Beach, VA; LS PACNORWEST, Silverdale, WA; LS San Diego, CA; and LS Yokosuka, JA. In support of Sea Power 21 Force Net objectives, the Center for Information Dominance (CID) Corry Station exists to provide the fleet with optimally trained Sea and Joint Force Warriors, who will create a tactical advantage for mission success in the information domain. CID's mission is to deliver the right training, at the right time and place, utilizing technology, innovation, and science of learning. CID aligns the training responsibilities for the key disciplines of information dominance -- exploit, attack, defend, and operate. CID develops Information Warfare and Information Professional officers, and enlisted career specialists in Cryptology and Information Technology. With a staff of more than 700 military, civilian and contracted staff members, CID oversees the development and administration of more than 225 courses at 17 Learning Sites throughout the U.S. and in Japan. CID provides training for nearly 16,000 members of the U.S. armed services and allied forces each year. CENINFODOM Corry Station, Pensacola, FL: https://www.npdc.navy.mil/ceninfodom/. U.S. Naval School, Imperial Beach, CA 01 Oct 1949 Jul 1957 NCTC Imperial Beach, San Diego, CA Jul 1957 Mar 1960 NCTC Corry Field, Pensacola FL Mar 1960 Sep 1973 NTTC Corry Station, Pensacola, FL Sep 1973 Jul 2003 Center for Cryptology, Corry Station, Pensacola, FL Jul 2003 10 Jan 2005 Center for Information Dominance, Corry Station, 10 Jan 2005 Present Pensacola, FL ================================================================================== Crane, Indiana Formerly the Naval Security Group (NSG) Repository at Crane, Indiana. The base at Crane, Indiana now houses the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division; a U.S. Navy installation located approximately 70 miles (113 km) southwest of Indianapolis, Indiana and predominantly located in Martin County. It was originally established in 1941 under the Bureau of Ordnance as the Naval Ammunition Depot for production, testing, and storage of ordnance under the first supplemental Defense Appropriation Act. The base is named after William M. Crane. The base is the third largest Naval installation in the world, by geographic area, comprising approximately 100 square miles (259 square kilometers) of territory. Lake Greenwood, an 800-acre lake, is entirely encompassed by the base. In the late 1940s an ammunition quality evaluation unit was added by the Bureau to expand its quality control system. As the complexity and sophistication of weapons increased in the 1950s and 1960s, Crane’s activities, capabilities and expertise expanded in scope under the newly formed Bureau of Weapons to include small arms, sonobuoy surveillance, microwave tubes, POLARIS missiles and other scientific and engineering support to the Bureau. In the 1960s, Crane came under the command of the newly established Naval Ordnance Systems Command and began providing technical support for weapons systems including logistics, in-service engineering, repair, overhaul, and design. In the 1970s Crane’s support began to include batteries, rotating components, electronic components, failure analysis, and standard hardware and new technologies related to night vision systems. In 1974, Crane came under the Naval Sea Systems Command, which was established from the merger of the Naval Ordnance Systems Command and Naval Ship Systems Command. Shortly after, in 1975, Crane’s name was changed to the Naval Weapons Support Center that more accurately reflected the true function of the installation. In 1992, Crane was renamed as the Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, when the warfare centers were established under the related systems commands. Today grown from its ordnance roots, Crane is recognized world wide as a modern and sophisticated leader in diverse and highly technical product lines. NSG Det Crane, IN 13 Apr 1953 30 Jun 1997 At NAVWPNSTA Crane, IN NSG HQS Det Moved to NAVSECGRU HQ, Ft. Meade, MD. =================================================================================== Dam Neck, Virginia The name Dam Neck became firmly established in 1881 when it was given to a life- saving station built where the Bachelor Officer Quarters are now located. The Coast Guard purchased the life-saving station in 1930, and used it as a signal station until the Navy bought the land during World War II. On November 6, 1941, Lieutenant Phillip D. Gallery received orders to report to the "Anti-Aircraft Range, Norfolk." No one could tell him anything about his new duty station, so Gallery did some checking. He discovered that District Public Works was in the process of constructing two small frame buildings near a Coast Guard station about five miles south of Virginia Beach on the Atlantic coast. This was the beginning of Anti-Aircraft Range, Norfolk On April 4, 1942, the activity was commissioned as the Anti-Aircraft Training and Test center with Lieutenant Gallery as Commanding Officer. Lieutenant Gallery solicited trainees from ships at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and the Naval Base Piers. By 1944, Lieutenant Gallery was promoted to the rank of Commander, and was awarded the Legion of Merit for his initiative and service to the Anti- Aircraft Range. He went on to become Commanding Officer of USS Pittsburgh during the Korean conflict, and retired as a Rear Admiral. After World War II, the fate of Dam Neck was in question for several years. All of the anti-aircraft training centers in the U.S. were closing, but somehow Dam Neck survived. Between the years 1945 and 1949, the center rested uneasily in a stagnant period expecting each year to be its last. Then a Fire Department was established at the center in March 1947, giving hope to the staff that the base would remain commissioned. Operational training continues today on all major weapons systems. As newer systems have been introduced to the fleet, they have been added to an ever- expanding curriculum, keeping the training tradition alive at Dam Neck. On September 30, 2005, NSG Support Det Dan Neck was administratively closed and was re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Dam Neck, VA. NIOD Dam Neck is subordinate to, and a detachment of, NIOC Norfolk, VA. NSG Support Det, Dam Neck, VA ???? 30 Sep 2005 At NAS Oceana, Dam Neck Annex. NIOD Dam Neck, VA 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Danang, South Vietnam, Republic of Vietnam Naval Support Activity DaNang, grew to be the U.S. Navy's largest overseas shore command. Danang Air Base was the busiest airport in the world in 1968, with more landings and takeoffs than even Chicago's O'Hare. By 1970, DaNang was home to 65 South Vietnamese and 45 U.S. military installations, including U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard units. DaNang was the second largest city in South Vietnam during this era. As refugees swarmed into it from the embattled countryside, the population grew to 400,000 in the city itself and to approximately 1 million for the city and the surrounding area. The 3rd Marine Division was the first major U.S. ground force in Vietnam. When its advance units landed at Red Beach in Danang in March 1965, its original mission was to protect the DaNang Air Base. NSG Detachment Alfa, Danang, South Vietnam was a detachment of NSG Dept, NCS Philippines, San Miguel, Philippines. Danang was one of the busiest military areas in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. NSG Detachment Alpha was housed and flew with VQ-1 Det Danang, a detachment of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1), homebased at NAF Atsugi, Japan. VQ-1 Det's operated from Danang, South Vietnam, Cubi Point, Philippines and Bangkok, Thailand from August, 1964 until 1973. VQ-1 Det Danang operated EC-121/EC-121M Constellation aircraft, which carried a crew of 32. In 1968, a VQ-1 EC-121M Super Constellation, flying from Atsugi, Japan to Danang, South Vietnam crashed at Danang with a burned out engine, resulting in numerous killed and injured crewmen. NSG Detachment Alpha (COMSEC Unit 705) Danang and VQ-1 Det Danang were both in operation from August, 1964 until October, 1972. The Naval Support Activity in Danang closed in June, 1970; and all units stationed at Danang were evacuated on October 6, 1972. All U.S. ground forces were gradually withdrawn and the defense of the area was turned over to ARVN troops by the end of 1972. Danang was the third city to fall to the North Vietnamese Army during the final offensive of the war. It fell without bloodshed in March, 1975; only a few days after the 10th anniversary of the Marines' landing at Red Beach. Special Reference: Thomas F. Hahn, CAPT, USN (Retired, 1972), Commander, Head of the NSG Dept, NCS Philippines, San Miguel, RP (1964 - 1966). Captain, CO of NSGA Winter Harbor, ME (August, 1966 - August, 1968). Thomas Hahn Collection - A Military Chronology . NSG Det Alpha, Danang, South Vietnam Aug 1964 06 Oct 1972 COMSEC Unit 705 Jan 1968 06 Oct 1972 at U.S. Naval Support Activity, Danang, South Vietnam Co-located with VQ-1 Det Danang, South Vietnam. See also: NSG Det PhuBai, South Vietnam =================================================================================== Denver, Aurora, Colorado Denver is the capital of Colorado, and the largest North American city between the Missouri river and the pacific states. Denver was founded during the "Pikes Peak or Bust" gold rush era of 1859-1860, in which 150,000 persons crossed the plains in search of gold. The first settlements in 1858 were called Placer Camp and Montana. These gave way to rival towns straddling Cherry creek, Auraria on southwest, and St. Charles on the northeast. St. Charles, which was in the westernmost reaches of Kansas territory, was renamed Denver City for James W. Denver, then Governor of the Kansas Territory. Auraria and Denver consolidated in 1860. Colorado became a Federal Territory in 1861, and Denver was designated as the permanent capital in 1867. Buckley AFB is located within the eastern city limits of Aurora, Colorado. Initially activated in July 1943, the 460th Bomb group "Black Panthers" flew B-24 liberator bombers from Spinazolla, Italy supporting combat missions throughout Europe during World War II. Activated a second time during the Vietnam, War, the 460 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing supported the Air Force reconnaissance mission in Vietnam from 1966 to 1971. The largest in-theater Air Force wing performed day and night visual, radar, electronic, and thermographic reconnaissance from five distinct aircraft platforms. Renamed and reactivated a third time and flying the F-4 Phantom, the 460 Tactical Reconnaissance Group performed reconnaissance missions at the Taegu Air Base, Korea for one year starting in the fall of 1989 and inactivating October 1990. The 460 Air Base Wing (ABW) reactivated on 1 Oct 2001. On 19 Aug 2004, the 460th Air Base Wing was redesignated the 460th Space Wing. Tasked to build the newest base in the Air Force, the 460 Space Wing supports varied space missions and 28 tenant units totaling over 88,000 Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corp active duty, National Guard, Reserve members and missions, their families and a large retired community. The 460th Space Wing is responsible for providing space-based missile warning data to Cheyenne Mountain Air Station, Colorado, and the 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. NAVSECGRUACT Denver was located in the Joint Service Admin Facility (JSAF) on Buckley Air National Guard Base in Aurora, Colorado. NSGA Denver stood up as an activity on November 1, 1995, growing out of a small Navy Detachment with less than 30 Sailors. On September 30, 2005, NSGA Denver was administratively closed and was re- established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Denver, Aurora, CO. NSGA Denver, Aurora, CO 01 Nov 1995 30 Sep 2005 At Buckley AFB, Aurora, CO NIOC Denver, Aurora, CO (AKA NIOC Colorado) 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) is located at 7 Degrees South Latitude, off the tip of India. It is the largest of fifty-two coral atoll islands, which form the Chagos Archipelago, located in the heart of the Indian Ocean, 960 miles south of India and 7 miles south of the equator. The 6,700 acre, heavily vegetated atoll wis horseshoe-shaped with a perimeter of approximately 40 miles and average elevations of 3 to 7 feet. The annual rainfall was approximately 100 inches. The island's name is believed to have come from either the ship's captain or the navigator of the earliest voyage of discovery. In 1965, with the formation of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), Diego Garcia was under the administrative control of the British government of the Seychelles. In 1976, the Seychelles gained independence from England and the BIOT became a self-administering territory under the East African Desk of the British Foreign Office. The Crown's representative on island, the British Representative (BRITREP), acts as both Justice of the Peace and Commanding Officer of the Royal Naval Party. On October 24, 1970 the U.S. and British governments signed an agreement concerning the construction of a U.S. Naval Communication station on Diego Garcia. The purpose of the facility was to provide a necessary link in the U.S. defense communications network and furnish improved communications support in the Indian Ocean for ships and aircraft of both governments. The Diego Garcia base was initially planned as an austere communication station with all necessary supporting facilities, including an airstrip. On January 23, 1971 a nine-man Seabee reconnaissance party from landed on the atoll to confirm planning information and carry out a preliminary survey of the beach landing areas. In early March, 1971 a 50-man party from the same battalion and from Amphibious Construction Battalion 2 as well as other specialist personnel arrived by LST, and was followed by an advance party of 160 men from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 40. These men were to construct a temporary Seabee camp, water and electrical distribution systems, a dining hall, laundry, refrigeration and storage facilities. Finally, they were to build an interim 3,500-foot airstrip. On March 24, 1971 construction began on a U.S. Naval Communication Facility. In October and November, 1971, Detachment Chagos of NMCB 71 and the whole of NMCB 1 arrived, marking the beginning of large-scale construction. NMCB 1 built the transmitter and receiver buildings and placed the base course for the permanent runway and parking apron. In July, 1972 NMCB 62 relieved NMCB-1 and took over the departing battalion's projects. On December 25, 1972, the first C-141J transport landed on the newly completed 6,000 foot runway with the Bob Hope Christmas Troupe. Naval Communications Station Pre-commissioning Detachment arrived to prepare for operations in December of 1972. The full 8,000 foot permanent runway with adjoining taxiway and parking apron was completed by March, 1973. On March 20, 1973 the U.S. Naval Communications Stations, Diego Garcia, was commissioned and officially established. In 1973, work commenced on the second construction increment, a $6.1 million project which involved the construction of a ship channel and turning basin in the lagoon. This project, was contracted to a Taiwanese firm. Seabees, however, continued to work on support and personnel facilities in the cantonment area at the northern tip of the atoll. The second major area of construction was the airfield and its supporting facilities. Revised requirements called for the extension of the original 8,000-foot runway to 12,000 feet and additions were made to the parking apron and taxiways. New hangars and other support facilities were also built. In addition, construction of extensive petroleum, oil and lubricant storage facilities was initiated. The Navy required 480,000 barrels of storage to support ship and aircraft needs and the Air Force required an additional 160,000 barrels. During 1973 and 1974 Seabee units worked on all these projects. Because the final mission of Diego Garcia was still evolving, it was clear that further construction was needed. In 1975 and 1976 Congress authorized $28.6 million to expand the Diego Garcia facilities to provide minimal logistics support for U.S. task groups operating in the Indian Ocean. This mission expansion called for construction of a fuel pier, airfield expansion, and more petroleum, oil and lubricant storage, and personnel support facilities. On October 1, 1977, the Navy Support Facility (NSF) was established. It was originally anticipated that the Diego Garcia project would be completed in 1980. World events in 1979 and 1980, however, forced a reevaluation of the U.S. defense posture in the Indian Ocean Area which indicated the need for pre-positioned materials to support a rapid deployment force and a more active U.S. presence in the area. It was decided to further expand the facilities at Diego Garcia in order to provide support for several pre-positioned ships, loaded with critical supplies. By the end of 1980 the Naval Facilities Engineering Command had advertised a $100 million contract for initial dredging at Diego Garcia to expand the berthing facilities. What began as simply a communication station on a remote atoll became a major fleet and U.S. armed forces support base by the 1980s. When the Seabees arrived in January, 1971; they lived in tent camps, when they departed they left a fully developed, modern military facility, capable of supporting thousands of U.S. personnel. In 1986, Diego Garcia became fully operational. The U.S. Naval Security Group Dept Diego Garcia maintained and operated a high frequency direction finding (HFDF) facility and provided communications support to Navy and other Department of Defense elements. NSG Dept Diego Garcia maintained a AN/AX-16 Pusher Wullenweber, which is a 2-band Circularly Disposed Dipole Array (CDDA) HFDF collection system. The AN/AX-16 Pusher is a miniaturized version of the Navy's AN/FRD-10 antenna. The outer ring of elements is about 400 feet in diamter, half the diameter of the AN/FRD-10 CDAA Wullenweber Antenna Array. The CDDA has since been removed. The 1990, Iraqi invasion of Kuwait marked the most intense operational period in Diego Garcia's history. NAVSUPPFAC Diego Garcia supported the Strategic Air Command Bombardment Wing and other aviation detachments, which deployed to Diego Garcia during the period 01 August 1990 to 28 February 1991. Diego Garcia became the only U.S. Navy base that launched offensive air operations during Operation Desert Storm. In October of 1991, NCS Diego Garcia was redesignated as the Naval Computer and Telecommunication Station (NCTS) Diego Garcia. NSG Dept, NCS Diego Garcia, BIOT 20 Mar 1973 30 Sep 2001 Later at U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Oct 1991 Station, Diego Garcia NSG Det Diego Garcia, BIOT 01 Oct 2001 30 Sep 2005 Currently NCTAMS PAC Far East Det Diego Garcia. =================================================================================== Digby, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom Naval Security Group Detachment Digby was the Security Group's newest detachment, located onboard Royal Air Force (base), Digby. RAF Digby is about 17 miles south of Lincoln and just west of Ashby de la Launde, in the county seat of Lincolnshire. The nearest town of any size is Sleaford which is about nine miles away to the south. Digby is a small village, with a population of around 500, located in the district of North Kesteven. The village is on the B1168 road, and is about six miles west of the National Cycle Network's National Route 1. Three miles to the south there is a local railway station at Ruskington, on the Sleaford to Lincoln line. About sixteen miles from Digby is Grantham, which has a regular East Coast Main Line express train to London (about 70 minutes). The village lies in the vale of the Digby Beck watercourse, six miles north of the town of Sleaford and twelve miles south of the city of Lincoln. Lincoln is famous for its magnificent cathedral and castle. Today the village of Digby has a school, the Digby Church of England School, for children aged 4 to 11. There is also a Post Office. The pub is the Red Lion. There are allotments, and the village hall is Digby War Memorial Hall in Church Street. Although nominally an RAF station, over the last thirty years it has been used by the British Army, Navy, Air Force and more recently, by U.S. military personnel. Flying ended in 1953, and RAF Digby currently has no airfield. Digby's main function is as a communications base and is home to two RAF Signals Units. RAF Digby is the oldest RAF station. The station initially opened as RAF Scopwick on March 28, 1918 with the arrival of 3 Handley Page aircraft, three days before the formation of the RAF. The station had been active since late 1917, as a satellite airfield for RNAS Cranwell. RAF Scopwick was renamed RAF Digby in April, 1920. The tale is related that this was due to RAF Scopwick aircraft parts being lost in the system; while RAF Shotwick in Flintshire had a surplus of very similar parts. The more likely reason for the name change was to halt radio miscommunications. Both station's names were changed. RAF Scopwick became RAF Digby and RAF Shotwick became RAF Sealand. After the WWI, RAF Digby specialised in flying training from 1920 - 1937, except a period of "care and maintenance" from 1922 to 1924. Lincolnshire hosted two flying training bases at RAF Digby and RAf Spitalgate, FTS 2 and FTS 3 respectively. Both bases had a variety of training aircraft including Sopwith Snipes, Bristol F2Bs, Siskins, DH9s and Vickers Vimy's. Digby eventually closed in December 1933, and Spitalgate was renamed Grantham in the mid 1930's. 1937 saw Germany emerge as the european threat and Lincolnshire became the front line geographically. The FTS's were moved to Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire respectively to allow room for operational squadrons. RAF Digby took on an operational role in the ramp-up to WWII becoming Sector Fighter Airfield of the 12th Group Fighter Command in August, 1937. The first two Fighter Command squadrons to arrive in Lincolnshire were the 46th Squadron and the 73rd Squadron, at Digby. Initially equipped with outdated Gladiators, these were replaced with Hurricanes in 1938. The first operational war sortie scrambled at 2134 hours on September 3, 1939, only 34 minutes after Digby was ordered by the 12th Group to take on the responsibility for defending its sector area. After war broke Digby was augmented by a third Hurricane squadron, 504th Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Later, Digby day and night fighters operated from RAF Wellingore and RAF Coleby Grange satellite airfields. The Digby fighter sector stretched from the Midlands to beyond the coast and operations were generally mounted by 2 two day fighter sqadrons and a night fighter sqadron coordinated by a fighter controller. Mainly known for bombers, Lincolnshire had a small number of bases under Fighter Command control. Digby recieved a third squadron of Hurricanes, but one squadron was sent in a force to France and another went off to Essex being replaced by a squadron of Spitfire I's and Blenheim IF's. An attack on Hull and Immingham docks, on September 21, 1939, was intercepted by Digby aircraft and seven enemy planes were shot down. Otherwise, Digby's role was of convoy patrols over the North Sea. Digby was a quiet base as far as Fighter Command was concerned and during the 1940's Battle of Britain, southern squadrons were rotated to Digby for rest. For a great part of 1942, day fighter squadrons rotated through on rest periods or as preparation for patrols abroad. In December, 1942, Typhoons arrived at Digby. In September, 1942, the station became a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Station, with a RCAF Group Captain as Station Commander. Operating Mosquito aircraft, the first RCAF squadron had arrived in December, 1940. During World War II, a total of 50 squadrons operated from RAF Digby and its satellite airfields at RAF Coleby Grange and RAF Wellingore. The 50 Squadrons were: thirty Royal Air Force (RAF) Squadrons, thirteen Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Squadrons, four Polish Squadrons, two Belgian Squadrons and one Czech Squadron. The aircraft flown by these Squadrons were Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, Boulton Paul Defiant, Bristol Blenheim, Bristol Beaufighter, Hawker Typhoon, DH Mosquito, North American Mustang, Avro Anson, Airspeed Oxford, Lockheed Hudson and Vickers Wellington. After the war, there followed a brief period as a Technical Training Unit (1946-1953). Units included the 19the Flying Training School from January, 1946 to February, 1948 (Tiger Moths); the 1st Initial Training School from October 1948 until 1950; the 2nd Initial Training School from 1950 to September, 1951; and from 1951 to February, 1953, the 2nd Air Grading School (Tiger Moths). The role of the station changed yet again in January, 1955, with the arrival of the RAF 399th Signals Unit. This unit was joined in July, 1955 by the RAF 591 Signals Unit and the Aerial Erectors School arrived in September, 1959. The 54th Signals Unit was stationed on RAF Digby from February, 1969 to 1980. The 399th Signals Unit changed its name to the Joint Service Signals Unit on September 15, 1998. On April 1, 2005, the Unit merged with the rest of the station to become the Joint Service Signals Wing (JSSW) Digby. NAVSECGRU DET Digby inherited the unique relationship established at Edzell with the Royal Navy as equal members of the first Combined Cryptologic Shore Support Activity (CCSSA). Part of the Joint Service Signals Unit (JSSU), along with members of the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy; NSG Det personnel were fully integrated with, and served alongside, RAF, British Army and Royal Navy personnel. This newest NAVSECGRU presence in a remote location is charged with providing direct support to deployed U.S. Navy and Royal Navy units, Royal Air Force NIMROD operations and other allied missions as assigned; while providing the analysis support in the Joint Service Signals Unit. Additionally, a small number of ELINT-smart "T" branchers and linguists serve in the JSSU watch organization providing support to the fleet. "M" branchers maintain a diverse series of systems, including the Royal Navy's Link Control Facility (1997), which provides communications support to all deployed Royal Navy ships. On September 30, 2005, NSG Det Digby was administratively closed and was re- established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Digby, UK. Also located on RAF Digby is the Lima Sector Operations Room, a wartime Operations Room now restored as a Museum in a tribute to all the men and women who served at RAF Digby during World War II. The museum has been restored to resemble its appearance at the start of World War II. The display centers on the main operations room, complete with plotting table, state boards, period furniture and equipment and contemporary side offices. The remaining rooms contain photographic and documentary archives, equipment displays, an exhibition of RAF roundels, wartime radios, model displays and a restored example of a "Pipsqueak Table" that was used to plot friendly fighters by the use of Radio Direction Finding (RDF). NSG Det Digby, UK Oct 1996 30 Sep 2005 at Royal Air Force (RAF) base, Digby NIOD Digby, UK 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Dupont, South Carolina The city of Dupont was named for Commodore/Rear Admiral Samuel Francis DuPont, (1803-1865) U.S. Navy; who served as a Flag officer during the Civil War. Commodore Dupont commanded the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron in September of 1861. Rear Admiral Dupont led the expedition that captured Port Royal, South Carolina on November 7, 1861. DuPont became a national hero with his victory at Port Royal. Following the occupation of Hilton Head Island, he was directed by the Navy Department to attack Charleston with ironclads. Having little faith in success, he carried out a failed attack on Fort Sumter, April 7, 1863. Widely criticized, he was relieved of command on July 5, 1863. A dispute between DuPont and the Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, as to the responsibility for this defeat, continued until DuPont's death. He was in line for an appointment within the Navy Department, but died in Philadelphia, of a respiratory ailment in June, 1865 before it came through. DuPont circle and fountain in Washington DC were named in his honor. U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Dupont, SC activated in August, 1942 and was disestablished on December 1, 1957. Personnel, mission and functions were transferred to NSGA Northwest, VA. Supplementary Naval Radio Station, Dupont, SC (WWII) NSGA Dupont SC Aug 1942 01 Dec 1957 Moved to Northwest, VA Department of Agriculture Experiment Station. =================================================================================== Edzell, Angus, Scotland, United Kingdom Edzell is a village in Angus, Scotland. The attractive village of Edzell lies about six miles north of Brechin and the A90 Dundee to Aberdeen dual carriageway. A mile to its west is Edzell Castle, perhaps better known than the village itself. Edzell Castle is older than the village, which in its current form and name dates back only to 1839. The main street retains a useful collection of shops and services and a relaxing atmosphere. Coupled with a range of accommodations, from B&Bs to significant hotels, Edzell is an excellent touring base for eastern Scotland. Towards the north end of Edzell is the main road junction, overlooked from the south east by the large Panmure Arms Hotel, and from the northwest by the Parish Church of Edzell and Lethnot, set amid surrounding parkland. The church was built here in 1819, after being moved from its previous location near Edzell Castle, which remains standing today, in its attractively ruinous state, one mile west of Edzell. RAF (Royal Air Force) Edzell is located in northeastern Scotland at the foot of the Grampian mountains, approximately 37 miles south of Aberdeen and 35 miles north of Dundee. Edzell, the village from which the base takes its name, is about 3 miles from the base in the Tayside region. The base consisted of 490 acres. The airfield at RAF Edzell had operated through two world wars, with 85 years of RAF service. RAF Edzell was built at the start of WWI in 1912. During WWII, the airfield was used by Spitfires, Hurricanes, Mosquitoes and bombers. Established in February, 1960; NSGA Edzell commenced operations, and was officially commissioned on July 6, 1960. NSGA Edzell maintained and operated a high frequency direction finding (HFDF) facility and provided communications support to the Navy and other Department of Defense and NATO elements. The communications facility located at Edzell included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FRD-10A Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. The CDAA ceased operations in September, 1997; and the CDAA was removed. The property was returned to the UK. NSGA Edzell and its tenant activities encompassed approximately 807 military personnel and 900 family members. NSGA Edzell was closed in October, 1997 after 37 years of U.S. Navy HFDF operations. The station was closed by the CO of NSGA Edzell, LCDR Sharon Chamness and the RAF base commander, Squadron Leader Steve Bowen. At the end of the closing ceremony, the RAF Ensign was slowly lowered by U.S. Navy Petty Officer Adam Caudell. A few feet away, the American Stars and Stripes flag was lowered by RAF Lieutenant Sean McLaren. The silence was broken by the bagpipes of Lieutenant Tom George, who played a bagpipe version of "Going Home". As the audience departed, We're No' Awa' Tae Bide Awa' arose over the parade ground. (Originally published in the Dundee Courier on Wednesday, October 1, 1997) The U.S. Air Force 17th Space Surveillance Squadron was located at RAF Edzell, Scotland. The activity closed in October 1996. Mission and functions were transferred to the 5th Space Surveillance Squadron, at Royal Air Force (RAF) Feltwell, UK. Detachment 5, U.S. Air force 18th Intelligence Squadron, (the 18th IS is located at Falcon Air Force Base, CO), 544th Intelligence Group (the 544th IG is located at Peterson Air Force Base, CO) was integrated with NSGA Edzell. Detachment 5 was established on January 1, 1995; and officially activated on December 8, 1995. Detachment 5 deactivated on September 30, 1997; when the station closed. The site is currently owned by DM Carnegie, of Steelstrath Laurencekirk and is used for manufacturing oil services and storage. NSGA Edzell, Scotland, UK 06 Jul 1960 30 Sep 1997 =================================================================================== NSG Support Det Two, Edzell, Scotland, UK 1996 1999 NSG Support Det Four, Edzell, Scotland, UK 1996 1999 =================================================================================== Finnegayan, Guam, Marianas Island See Guam =================================================================================== Ft. Gordon, Georgia (NSGA/NIOC) The Ft. Gordon Military Reservation is located just a few miles southwest of Augusta, GA. The host command is the U.S. Army Signal Center, "The Home of the Signal Corps"; which is the largest communications-electronics facility in the world. Throughout the years, the Signal Corps has been on the cutting edge of communications technology. Adapting the telephone to military usage, facilitating the standardization of the vacuum tube, developing RADAR and FM radio during World War II and incorporating satellite communications and computer technology are just some of the Signal Corp's many accomplishments. The post is located in Richmond County and Gate 2 is only a few hundred yards from Columbia County. You'll hear the local area referred to as the "CSRA", which stands for the Central Savannah River Area, a group of 13 Georgia and South Carolina counties along the Savannah River which forms the state border. Fort Gordon is 139 miles from Atlanta, GA. Ft. Gordon is also 138 miles from Charleston, SC, 211 miles from the beaches, of Myrtle Beach, SC and 122 miles from Savanna, GA. Camp Gordon, named for Confederate Lieutenant General John Brown Gordon, was activated for infantry and armor training during World War Two. After the war, over 85,000 officers and enlisted personnel were discharged from Camp Gordon. Camp Gordon, almost deserted after June 1948, came to life in September 1948 with the establishment of the Signal Corps Training Center. The base's training mission grew with the addition of the Military Police School in September of 1948. The Korean conflict again placed Camp Gordon center stage in preparing soldiers for combat. In addition to communications personnel, MPs trained for combat assignments while the 51st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Brigade formed three detachments. During the decade, Camp Gordon was also home to the only Army Criminal Investigative Laboratory in the continental U.S. as well as Rehabilitation Training Center and a U.S. Disciplinary Barracks. Camp Gordon became a permanent Army installation and was redesignated Fort Gordon on March 21, 1956. The U.S. Army Training Center (Basic) was activated here in 1957. During the Vietnam war, infantry, military police, and signal soldiers trained at Fort Gordon. While Signal Corps training continued to expand throughout the 1960s, other activities ceased through postwar deactivations and the MP school's move to Fort McClellan, Alabama. In June 1962, all activities of the Signal Corps Training Center were reorganized under the U.S. Army Southeastern Signal School. On November 30, 1967, Headquarters, U.S. Army School/Training Center and Fort Gordon were organized to direct overall post operations and coordinate service school and advanced individual training. The Army consolidated its communications training at Fort Gordon with the relocation of the Signal School from Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. Fort Gordon was redesignated the U.S. Army Signal Center, Fort Gordon on October 1, 1974. The Gordon Regional Security Operations Center (GRSOC) is a Joint tenant unit that performs a real-world strategic intelligence mission primarily in support of U.S. Central Command and U.S. European Command. There are only three such units worldwide, GRSOC at Ft. Gordon, GA (Army), MRSOC at Medina, San Antonio, TX (Air Force), and KRSOC at Kunia, HI (Navy). The approximate size of the GRSOC is 1750 U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Army personnel; as well as DOD civilians. Company D, Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion transferred from NSGA Galeta Island, Panama to its current location at Fort Gordon, GA on May 1, 1995. Navy Information Operations Command, Ft. Gordon, GA began life as Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Fort Gordon. NSGA Fort Gordon was commissioned on November 1, 1995. NSGA provided cryptologic personnel to support the Fort Gordon Regional Security Operations Center (GRSOC). NIOC Ft. Gordon perform functions required to accomplish Shore Support Activity related tasks and direct support deployments, in support of fleet operations in various areas of the world. NIOC Ft. Gordon, GA: http://www.gordon.army.mil/niocga/. NSGA Ft. Gordon, GA 01 Nov 1995 30 Sep 2005 At Fort Gordon Army installation. Supporting the Fort Gordon Regional Security Operations Center (GRSOC). GRSOC also known as NSACSS Georgia. Summer 2005 NIOC Ft. Gordon, GA (AKA NIOC Georgia) 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Ft. Gordon, Georgia (NTTC/CFC/CID Det) For the history of Ft. Gordon, see the article on NSGA/NIOC Ft. Gordon, GA. The Navy Detachment Fort Gordon Satellite Communications (SATCOM) School is a tenant command of the Navy Supply Corps School in Athens, GA. The Navy SATCOM School is exclusively responsible for training all Navy satellite communications operators and maintainers operating through the eight Navy SATCOM sites and various NATO sites around the world. The school's mission on Fort Gordon is to provide instructor support in satellite communications and communication security training. The Navy Detachment Fort Gordon SATCOM School also provides career and administrative management support for assigned personnel. The U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps detachments are responsible for satellite tactical switching training, and are provided administrative support by the U.S. Army 551st Signal Battalion, Ft. Gordon, GA. On November 19, 2002, Naval Technical Training Center, Corry Station officially became the Center for Cryptology, Corry Station, as part of the Chief of Naval Operations establishment of Navy Learning Centers. The NTTC Detachment at Ft. Gordon also realigned the command name to Center for Cryptology Det, Ft. Gordon, GA. The official recommissioning date was in July, 2003. In January 10, 2005, the Center for Cryptology, Corry Station in Pensacola, FL and the Center for Information Technology in San Diego, CA merged to become the Center for Information Dominance, Corry Station, Pensacola, FL. The Center for Cryptology Detachment at Ft. Gordon also realiged the command name to the Center for Information Dominance Detachment, Ft. Gordon, GA. The Center for Information Dominance, Corry Station, Pensacola, FL (and all Detachments and Learning Centers) are now subordinate to the Naval Personnel Development Command (NPDC), Norfolk, VA. Naval Technical Training Center Det Ft. Gordon, GA. Jul 2003 Center for Cryptology Det, Ft. Gordon, GA. Jul 2003 10 Jan 2005 Center for Information Dominance Det, Ft. Gordon, GA. 10 Jan 2005 Present =================================================================================== Ft. Huachuca, Arizona (NTTC/CFC/CID Det) Fort Huachuca is a U.S. Army installation. It is located in Cochise County, in the Southeastern part of the state of Arizona, approximately 15 miles north of the border with Mexico. The base is bordered by Sierra Vista, located south and east of the base, and Huachuca City, located to the north and west. Its major tenant is the United States Army Intelligence Center. Libby Army Airfield is located on post and shares the location with Sierra Vista Municipal Airport; it is on the list of alternate landing locations for the space shuttle, though it has never been used as such. Fort Huachuca is also the headquarters of Army Military Affiliate Radio System. Other tenant agencies include the Joint Interoperability Test Command and the Electronic Proving Ground. The fort is also home to a radar-equipped aerostat, one of a series maintained for the Drug Enforcement Agency by Lockheed Martin. The aerostat is based northeast of Garden Canyon and, when extended, supports the DEA drug interdiction mission by detecting low-flying aircraft attempting to penetrate the U.S. Following the Gadsden Purchase, prospectors and ranchers began moving to the new southern portion of the Arizona Territory in increased numbers. The Chiricahua Apache, who had battled fiercely against the Spanish and Mexicans in the area, posed a threat to Americans in the area. The U.S. Army decided a new installation was needed to counter the Chiricahua threat and to help secure the border with Mexico. In February 1877, Colonel August B. Kautz, commander of the Department of Arizona, ordered that a camp be established in the Huachuca Mountains. This camp would offer protection to settlers and travel routes in southeastern Arizona, while simultaneously blocking the traditional Apache escape routes through the San Pedro and Santa Cruz valleys to sanctuary in Mexico. Camp Huachuca, a temporary camp, was established at the base of the Huachuca Mountains at the post’s current location, on March 3, 1877, by Captain Samuel Marmaduke Whitside, accompanied by two Troops (Companies) of the 6th Cavalry. The site was selected because it had fresh running water, an abundance of trees, excellent observation in three directions, and protective high ground that offered sheltering hills for security against Apache tactical methods. Camp Huachuca was redesignated a fort in 1882. In 1886, General Nelson A. Miles designated Fort Huachuca as his advance headquarters and forward supply base for the Geronimo campaign. Geronimo’s surrender in August 1886 practically ended the Apache danger in southern Arizona, as the Apache threat was essentially extinguished. The Army closed more than 50 camps and forts in the territory, but Fort Huachuca was retained because of its strategic border position and continuing border troubles involving renegade Indians, Mexican bandits, and American outlaws and freebooters. In 1913, the 10th Cavalry "Buffalo Soldiers" of the U.S. 10th Cavalry arrived and the base was home to the 10th Cavalary Regiment for twenty years. You can read more about the Buffalo Soldiers of Fort Huachuca at the following link: . The Fort was used as a forward logistics and supply base, when the 10th Cavalry joined General John J. Pershing in the Pancho Villa Expedition of 1916-1917 into Mexico. During World War I, it was assigned the mission of guarding the U.S.-Mexico border. By 1933, the 25th Infantry Regiment had replaced the 10th Cavalry as the main combat unit for the fort. The 25th, in turn, was absorbed by the 93rd Infantry Division during World War II. When the 93rd departed for the Pacific in 1943, the 92nd Infantry Division arrived at the fort for training and subsequent assignment to the European Theater. During the war years, the troop strength reached 30,000 men at the fort, which in the 1930s had been described as suitable for a brigade- sized unit of about 10,000 men. At war’s end, the fort was declared surplus and transferred to the State of Arizona. It was reactivated during the Korean War by the Army Engineers. A new era began in 1954 when control passed to the Chief Signal Officer, who found the area and climate ideal for testing electronic and communications equipment. The importance of the fort in the national defense picture grew steadily from that moment. In 1967, Fort Huachuca became the headquarters of the U.S. Army Strategic Communications Command. Then, in 1971, the post became the home of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and School, bringing with it the School Brigade. The Strategic Communications Command became the U.S. Army Communications Command in 1973, subsequently changing to the U.S. Army Information Systems Command in 1984. In October 1990, the post changed hands with the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command became the new host command; the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca now operates the post. Today, Fort Huachuca is the major military installation in Arizona, and one of prominence throughout the Southwest. In addition to the U.S. Army Intelligence Center, Fort Huachuca is the home of the 111th Military Intelligence Brigade, which conducts Military Intelligence (MI) MOS-related training for the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines. The Military Intelligence Officer Basic Leadership Course Phase Three, Military Intelligence Captain's Career Course, and Warrant Officer Basic and Advanced Courses are also taught on the installation. The Army's MI branch also held the proponency for unmanned aerial vehicles due to their intelligence gathering capabilities, until April 2006, when the Aviation branch took control of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Training Battalion. Additional training in human intelligence (e.g. interrogation, counter-intelligence), imagery intelligence, and electronic intelligence and analysis is also conducted within the 111th. Fort Huachuca is also home of the 11th Signal Brigade, which is one of the Army's tactical Signal Brigades. It is a major subordinate command of the Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM)/9th Army Signal Command, which is also located in Greely Hall on Fort Huachuca. The 11th Signal Brigade has the mission of rapidly deploying worldwide to provide and protect Command, Control, Communications, and Computer support for Army Service Component Commanders and Combatant Commanders as well as, Joint Task Force and Coalition Headquarters across the full range of military operations. The "Thunderbirds" constantly train in and around the desert conditions of southeast Arizona and were deployed to provide signal operations during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The U.S. Army Information Systems Engineering Command (USAISEC) is also located at Fort Huachuca, AZ. The ISEC has the primary mission of system engineering and integration of information systems for the U.S. Army. This mission includes the design, engineering, integration, development, sustainment, installation, testing, and acceptance of information systems. The U.S. Army Information Systems Engineering Command (ISEC) is headquartered in Greely Hall at Fort Huachuca. This command carries out important roles in the Army's information mission area. These functions include engineering, installing, quality assurance testing, and developing software for the diverse communications and automation systems throughout the Army. The Software Development Center Huachuca (SDC-H) is one of several software development centers within the ISEC. This center performs as the principal Army developer of automated telecommunications software and special communications support systems. The SDC-H supports approximately 800 Army, Air Force, and Navy telecommunications sites around the world. The Naval Air Maintenance Training Group (NAMTRAGRU) Detachment at the Fort Huachuca Maintenance Training Unit (MTU) conducts all training associated with the Pioneer Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) System, including maintenance and operator, for both officer and enlisted personnel. The Pioneer UAV System is a joint Navy and Marine Corps program involved in the production, deployment, and operational support of the Pioneer UAV Weapon System Acquisition Process. Pioneer UAV's are deployed by Marine Air Ground Task Forces (MAGTFs) or Navy Battle Group Commanders and provide real-time tactical intelligence services. In July, 1993, the Naval Technical Training Center at Corry Station, Pensacola, FL opened a Detachment at the U.S. Army Intelligence Center, Fort Huachuca, AZ; where Manual Morse Code training was conducted. On November 19, 2002, Naval Technical Training Center, Corry Station officially became the Center for Cryptology, Corry Station, as part of the Chief of Naval Operations establishment of Navy Learning Centers. The NTTC Detachment at Ft. Huachuca also realigned the command name to Center for Cryptology Det, Ft. Huachuca, AZ. The official recommissioning date was in July, 2003. In October, 2004, CFC Pensacola Commanding Officer, CAPT Kevin R. Hooley announced that the Navy would cease participation in two of the three courses offered at Ft. Huachuca, resulting in a reduction of the annual student load of approximately 100-180 per year to 30. The transfer of cryptologic courses from Ft Huachuca to Pensacola Learning Site was directed, commencing in March, 2005. In January 10, 2005, the Center for Cryptology, Corry Station in Pensacola, FL and the Center for Information Technology in San Diego, CA merged to become the Center for Information Dominance, Corry Station, Pensacola, FL. The Center for Cryptology Detachment at Ft. Huachuca also realiged the command name to the Center for Information Dominance Detachment, Ft. Huachuca, AZ. In March 2005, cryptologic courses were moved from Ft. Huachuca to Corry Station, Pensacola. The move aligned the "A" School course and the follow-on morse code training at a single site (Corry Station), and provided a seamless training experience. The first students attended training in Pensacola in the summer of 2005. The Center for Information Dominance Detachment, Ft. Huachuca, AZ was officially closed on March 31, 2005. Chief Warrant Officer Mark Countryman was the last Officer- in-Charge of the Fort Huachuca detachment. His comments: "The Army has taken good care of our needs and has been an excellent host. Additionally, the local community support has been overwhelming, especially the Military Affairs Committee. We will miss the close-knit community and outstanding Army support. However, closing the detachment and moving Manual Morse training back to Pensacola will save the Navy millions of dollars in the long run, and will reduce the number of personnel required to conduct this training." Naval Technical Training Center Det Ft. Huachuca, AZ. Jul 1993 Jul 2003 Center for Cryptology Det, Ft. Huachuca, AZ. Jul 2003 10 Jan 2005 Center for Information Dominance Det, Ft. Huachuca, AZ 10 Jan 2005 31 Mar 2005 ================================================================================== Ft. Huachuca, Arizona (DCMS/NCMS Det) For the history of Ft. Huachuca, see the article on NTTC/CFC/CID Det Ft. Huachuca. NCMS Det Ft. Huachuca is a detachment of the Naval Communications Security Material System (NCMS Washington DC) located at Andrews AFB. NCMS is a shore-based fleet activity subordinate to the Commander, Naval Network Warfare Command. NCMS is the single authoritative source and primary provider for Communications Security (COMSEC), Electronic Key Management System (EKMS) and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) material throughout the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command and National COMSEC Community. NCMS publishes policies, develops and provides training tasks and procedures, and distributes hardware. In addition, NCMS monitors all procedures and actions required to ensure the physical security of COMSEC material, including prevention of compromise and compromise recovery. On May 1, 2006, DCMS Washington, DC moved from the Nebraska Avenue Complex (3801 Nebraska Ave.) to Andrews Air Force Base, in Clinton, MD. Also on May 1, 2006, the command's name was changed from DCMS Washington DC (Director, Communications Security Material System) to NCMS Washington DC (Naval Communications Security Material System). DCMS Det Ft. Huachuca's command name was realigned to DCMS Det Ft. Huachuca, AZ. DCMS Det, Ft. Huachuca, AZ. 01 May 2006 NCMS Det, Ft. Huachuca, AZ. 01 May 2006 Present ================================================================================== Ft. Meade, Maryland (NSGA/NIOC) Fort George G. Meade is located 5 miles (8 km) northeast of the city of Laurel, MD. Ft. Meade became a U.S. Army installation in 1917, authorized by an Act of Congress in May 1917, when the U.S. War Department acquired 19,000 acres of land west of Odenton to develop a training camp. First known as Camp Annapolis Junction, the fort was renamed Camp Admiral at its opening in 1917. It was one of 16 cantonments built for troops drafted for WWI. The present Maryland site was selected on June 23, 1917. Actual construction began in July, 1917. The first contingent of troops arrived in September, 1917. Other name changes occurred after construction of 1,460 buildings on the site, when it became Camp George Gordon Meade. During World War I, more than 100,000 men passed through Fort Meade, a training site for three infantry divisions, three training battalions and one depot brigade. In 1928, when the post was renamed Fort Leonard Wood, Pennsylvanians registered such a large protest, that the installation was permanently named Fort George G. Meade on March 5, 1929. The post was named for Major General George Gordon Meade, whose defensive strategy at the Battle of Gettysburg proved a major factor in turning the tide of the Civil War in favor of the North. Fort Meade was used as a basic training post and a prisoner of war camp during World War II. Its ranges and other facilities were used by more than 200 units and approximately 3,500,000 men between 1942 and 1946. The wartime peak-military personnel figure at Fort Meade was reached in March, 1945, 70,000. With the conclusion of World War II, Fort Meade reverted to routine peacetime activities. on June 15, 1947, the Second U.S. Army Headquarters transferred from Baltimore, MD to Ft. Meade. This transfer brought an acceleration of post activity because Second Army Headquarters exercised command over Army units throughout a then seven-state area. In the 1950s, the post became headquarters of the National Security Agency (NSA). On January 1, 1966, the Second U.S. Army merged with the First U.S. Army. The consolidated headquarters moved from Fort Jay, N.Y. to Fort Meade to administer activities of Army installations in a 15-state area. In August 1990, Fort Meade began processing Army Reserve and National Guard units from several states for the presidential call-up in support of Operation Desert Shield. In addition to processing reserve and guard units, Fort Meade sent two of its own active duty units--the 85th Medical Battalion and the 519th Military Police Battalion--to Saudi Arabia. In all, approximately 2,700 personnel from 42 units deployed from Fort Meade during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Today, Fort Meade provides support and services for 114 tenant units which include Headquarters, First U.S. Army-East, and the National Security Agency. Due to its location near Washington, DC, it is increasingly being used by government and military tenants, including the Department of Defense's Defense Information School, the headquarters of the Defense Courier Service, the United States Army Field Band, and an Environmental Protection Agency facility. As part of the U.S. Defense Department's 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process, several additional activities will move to Fort Meade in 2010, including Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), Adjudication and Office of Hearing and Appeals Offices, and several DoD media activities. Several parcels of land have been made available for commercial lease. The National Cryptologic Museum is located on Fort Meade. Fort Meade is virtually a city in itself. It consists of 5,415 acres with 65.5 miles of paved roads, 3.3 miles of secondary roads, and about 1,300 buildings. There is a modern exchange mall, bank, credit union, post office, chapels and many other facilities. Ft. Meade has a total of 2,862 sets of quarters, of which 488 are allocated to officers and 2,374 to enlisted personnel. These quarters are located in five major housing areas on post. Fort Meade has numerous historic and prehistoric sites; and historically significant structures. Fort Meade is also home to eleven State Endangered Species. NSGA Ft. Meade was established on July 17, 1957, by the Secretary of the Navy, under the auspices of the Commander, Naval Security Group. The command was subject to the area coordination of Commandant, Naval District Washington. The command's founding mission was to provide administrative and logistic support to Department of Navy personnel assigned to the Fort Meade area; to include cryptologic support to Commander, Naval Security Group; the National Security Agency; the Headquarters Company, Marine Support Battalion; the Program Operations Group (PCOG); Atlantic Fleet operating forces; and to support worldwide fleet, joint and national commanders. NSGA Ft. Meade was the largest Naval Security Group Activity in the world, with a complement of over 2500 officer, enlisted, and civilian personnel. NSGA Ft. Meade was, and NIOC Ft. Meade is, a tenant command on Fort George G. Meade Army installation, which is located midway between the cities of Baltimore, Washington DC, and Annapolis; four miles east of Interstate 95 and a half mile east of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, between Maryland state routes 175 and 198, in Anne Arundel County. The closest communities are Odenton, Laurel, Columbia and Jessup, Maryland. On October 1, 2005, NSGA Ft. Meade was renamed as the Naval Information Operations Command (NIOC) Ft. Meade, MD. NIOC Ft. Meade, MD: http://www.niocmd.navy.mil/. NSGA Ft. Meade, MD 17 Jul 1957 30 Sep 2005 At Fort George G. Meade Army installation. NIOC Ft. Meade, MD (AKA NIOC Maryland) 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Ft. Meade, Maryland (NIWA) The Naval Information Warfare Activity (NIWA) at Ft. Meade was the Navy's principal technical agent to research, assess, develop and prototype Information Warfare (IW) capabilities. NIWA supports the development capabilities encompassing all aspects of IW attack, protect and exploit. A key focus of efforts in this line is providing tactical commanders with an IW Mission Planning, Analysis, and Command and Control Targeting System (IMPACTS) tool. An aggressive program is required to maintain, acquire and analyze state-of-the-art technologies (software and hardware), evaluate fleet applicability and prototype developmental capabilities. NIWA was the Navy's interface with other Service and National IW organizations, working closely with the Fleet Information Warfare Center (FIWC) Norfolk, VA to develop of IW technical capabilities for Navy and Joint Operations. The Navy has possibly more personnel engaged in "nuts and bolts" IW/IO than any other Service and has (perhaps more than any other Service) for decades practiced some of the elements of Command and Control Warfare (C2W), defined as "the military strategy that implements information warfare on the battlefield." While still exploring the broader ramifications of IO, the Navy is exercising and practicing IW/C2W increasingly in its daily operations. While the Naval Information Warfare Activity (NIWA) at Fort Meade is a geographical reflection of the Navy's long history of cryptology, the Fleet Information Warfare Center (FIWC) at Little Creek Amphibious Base near Norfolk and Atlantic Fleet HQ, and its several branches around the country, are heavily involved in developing and refining concepts for fleet IW/C2W operations. The Navy also established the Fleet Information Warfare Center (FIWC) at Little Creek, Virginia from existing Fleet Deception/C2W Group assets. The FIWC serves as the link between the NIWA and the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets; with personnel deployed on carrier battle groups throughout the world, The Navy established the Navy Information Warfare Activity (NIWA) in August, 1994 to serve as their focal point for IW activities. Directly subordinate to the Naval Security Group, NIWA was headquartered at Fort Meade, Maryland and was closely linked to the National Security Agency. Many of its personnel and offices were housed at the National Maritime Intelligence Center (NMIC) in Suitland, MD. NIWA served as the technical agent for the Chief of Naval Operations in pursuit of technologies useful in information warfare. In particular, NIWA was responsible for threat analysis and assessment of vulnerabilities. It evaluated and assessed new forms of information technology, and other concepts relating to Naval defensive information warfare systems. NMIC was formed in 1994 as a joint operating center for ONI (Office of Naval Intelligence), NIWA, MCIA (Marine Corps Intelligence Agency, which has facilities at Quantico, VA) and the ICC (Coast Guard Intelligence Center). Given the rapid pace of advancing technology the Navy had given the NIWA special authority to generate requirements and procure systems. Traditionally there has been a sharp separation in the Navy between organizations responsible for setting requirements and those charged with overseeing their acquisition. However, with new generations of computers and information systems unveiled on average about every 18 months, the Navy has adopted a more streamlined approach. On October 1, 2005, NIWA Ft. Meade was renamed as the Naval Information Operations Command (NIOC) Suitland, MD; and officially moved to the NMIC in Suitland, MD. The Naval Security Group was disestablished on September 30, 2005; and all functions and missions were transferred to the Naval Network Warfare Center (NNWC), located at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base (NAB) in Norfolk, VA. NIWA Ft. Meade, MD Jul 1994 30 Sep 05 NIOC Suitland MD 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Futenma, Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa (Ryukyu) Prefecture, Japan Okinawa (Ryukyu Islands) is composed of the island groups stretching from Japan to Taiwan. The northern island groups, Osumi, Tokara and Amami, reverted to Japan by 1954. The southern groups, Okinawa and the Sakishima islands remained under U.S. control until 1972. The largest island, Okinawa (454 square miles) has 80% of the Ryukyu population. Naha is the principal city, and is the capital of the Japanese Okinawa (Ryukyu) Prefecture. Following the end of World War II and the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, for 27 years Okinawa was under U.S. administration. During this time the U.S. military established numerous bases on Okinawa. On May 15, 1972, Okinawa once again became part of Japan, although to this day the U.S. maintains a large military presence there. Over 15,000 Marines, in addition to contingents from the Navy, Army and Air Force, are stationed there. Okinawa supports roughly 75% of all U.S. troops in the country of Japan. In 2006, the U.S. announced plans to move a few of its bases on Okinawa to Guam over a span of several years. The NSGA Futenma and NSGA Hanza progenitor commands were located on Kadena AFB. A Naval Supplementary Radio Station (NAVSUPPRADSTA) was established on Kadena Air Force Base in July, 1945. The NAVSUPPRADSTA was redesignated as a Naval Communications Support Activity (NAVCOMSUPPACT) in January, 1947. In November, 1949, the NAVCOMSUPPACT was redesignated as the Naval Communications Unit (NAVCOMMUNIT) 37, Tegan, Okinawa, Japan. In 1955, NAVCOMMUNIT 37 moved to MCAS Futenma, and was redesignated as NAVCOMMUNIT 37, Futenma, Okinawa, Japan. In June, 1957, the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Futenma, Okinawa, Japan was commissioned. NSGA Futenma was Located on the U.S Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS), in Okinawa, Japan. MCAS Futenma is a U.S. Marine Corps base located in the city of Ginowan on the island of Okinawa. MCAS Futenma occupies a fourth of the total area of Ginowan City, and it is right in the center of the city. It is home to approximately 4,000 Marines of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and has been a U.S. military airbase since the island was occupied following the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. Marine Corps pilots and aircrew were assigned to the base for training and providing air support to other land based Marines in Okinawa. Marine Corps Air Station, Futenma began in 1945 as a bomber base. Construction of hangars and barracks began in 1958. The airfield was commissioned as a "Marine Corps Air Facility" in 1960 and became an Air Station in 1976. The Air Station is tasked with operating a variety of fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, and serves as the base for Marine Aircraft Group 36, Marine Air Control Group 18, and Marine Wing Support Squadron 172. The Air Station provides support for the III Marine Expeditionary Force and for Marine Corps Base, Camp Butler. Since January 15, 1969, MCAS Futenma serves as a United Nations air facility and a divert base for Air Force and Naval aircraft operating in the vicinity of Okinawa. The base includes a 2,800 meter-long runway as well as extensive barracks, administrative and logistical facilities. The governments of the U.S. and Japan agreed on October 26, 2005 to move the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma base from its location in the densely populated city of Ginowan to the more northerly and remote Camp Schwab. Under the plan, thousands of Marines relocated. The move is partly an attempt to relieve tensions between the people of Okinawa and the Marine Corps. The U.S. Naval Security Group Futenma, Okinawa, Japan was commissioned in August, 1957. In August, 1960, NSG Det Hanza (a detachment of NSGA Futenma) was established. The first AN/FRD-10A wullenweber CDAA was built at Hanza, and was completed in 1962. In October, 1962, NSGA Futenma was disestablished. All functions and personnel moved to Torii Station, and NSG Det Hanza was officially re-commissioned in October, 1962, as the Naval Security Group Activity Hanza, Okinawa, Japan. NAVSUPPRADSTA at Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan Jul 1945 Jan 1947 NAVCOMMSUPPACT at Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan Jan 1947 Nov 1949 NAVCOMMUNIT 37, Tegan, Okinawa, Japan Nov 1949 1955 NAVCOMMUNIT 37, Futenma, Okinawa, Japan 1955 Jun 1957 NSGA Futenma, Okinawa, Japan Jun 1957 Aug 1960 NSG Det Hanza, Okinawa, Japan (COMSEC UNIT 704) Aug 1960 Oct 1962 NSGA Futenma merged with NSG Det Hanza and became: NSGA Hanza, Okinawa, Japan Oct 1962 01 Jun 1998 =================================================================================== Galeta Island, Panama Canal Zone Galeta Island, Panama Canal Zone is an island located on the Atlantic side of the Republic of Panama, just east of the city of Colon, Panama. During the Cold War, major military installations in the Panama Canal Zone included: the U.S. Southern Command at Quarry Heights; an infantry brigade at Forts Amador, Clayton, Kobbe, and Davis; Rodman Naval Station, Howard Air Force Base and Albrook Field; a jungle warfare training center at Fort Sherman; a Marine barracks and the communications facilities at Galeta Island. Rodman Naval Station (U.S. Naval Station Rodman, Panama Canal) was, until 1999, the hub for all naval activities in Central and South America and supported fleet units transiting the Panama Canal. Built in 1943 at a cost of over $400 million, the Naval Station provided fuel, provisions and other support to U.S. and allied military ships passing through the Panama Canal. It was also responsible for providing security for U.S. Naval Forces transiting the Canal (including submarines and other high-value transits) and for temporary maintenance and refueling for U.S. and allied warships. Rodman carried out many vital missions over the years, including defense of the Panama Canal and refueling during World War II, round-the-clock logistical support during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, regional operations, and defense fuel management (at Gatun and Arraijan tank farms). It was home to U.S. Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School (NAVSCIATTS), the only school in the Navy that taught riverine operations and small craft maintenance in Spanish to Latin American navies and coast guards and trained U.S. experts who deploy throughout the Americas to advise their counterparts in establishing similar programs. Rodman also hosted several other small Navy commands in Panama including: Naval Special Warfare Unit 8 (Navy SEALS), Naval Small Boat Unit 26, and the Southern Detachment of the Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT Detachment South) -- the Naval component of the U.S. Southern Command. Rodman was transferred to the Government of Panama April 30, 1999. Galeta Island was the site of a U.S. military communications facility from the 1930's (NAVRADSTA) to September 17, 1999; at which time Galeta Island was turned over to the government of the Republic of Panama. The island was shared with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), which still maintains a research facility on the island. U.S. military activity ceased on the island after 1999, while tropical research continues in a separate facility located just east of the former communications facility. Galeta Point was the site of a highly sophisticated U.S. Navy satellite communications system, and an important location for defending the Atlantic sector of the Panama Canal. The U.S. Navy constructed several of the buildings currently occupied by STRI; including the visitor’s center, built by the Navy in the 1950’s. The STRI lab building was once the NAVRADSDTA Galeta Island receiver site. These buildings were transferred to STRI in the late 1960’s, after a new receiver site building was built for, and occupied by, NSGA Galeta Island. Since 1999, STRI maintains its facilities there under a separate agreement with the Panamanian government. The Navy has been present on the Atlantic side of Panama since 1913, when the first division of the U.S. Navy submarine flotilla arrived in Colón Harbor from Guantanamo, Cuba. The flotilla consisted of five "C" type submarines and the tender, USS Severn, a three-masted bark, some 224 feet long. The airfield at Coco Solo Station was established in July, 1917 and commissioned as Naval Air Station Coco Solo on May 6, 1918, for patrol operations by seaplane and lighter-than-air (LTA, airship, or blimp). The Coco Solo site was placed in reserve in 1922. The U.S. Naval Radio Station (NAVRADSTA) (R) disestablished and closed on February 12, 1923. Coco Solo was reactivated as a Fleet Air Base on July 1, 1931. NAS Coco Solo was re-established on September 30, 1939. Following active use during World War II, operations ceased on February 15, 1950 and final disestablishment came on July 1, 1950. Coco Solo was also a U.S. Navy submarine base established in 1918 on the Atlantic Ocean (northwest) side of the Panama Canal Zone, near Colón, Panama. Coco Solo later expanded to a Naval Station, adding the Naval Air Station in 1920, and the Naval Magazine in 1937. In 1925, the Department of the Navy and the Panama Canal Company (PCC) jointly developed a radio compass station, to provide lines of bearing to commercial and Naval ships approaching the Atlantic terminus of the Panama Canal. The selected site was Toro Point on the approaches to the western breakwater of Limon Bay, then controlled by the PCC, within the confines of Fort Sherman. A radio compass house, barracks, married quarters for the Chief-in-Charge and a concrete seawall were constructed, and the Radio Compass Station at Toro Point was commissioned on May 18, 1925. In December, 1940, the Chief of Naval Operations ordered the laying and tending of a net and boom defense at Cristobal, to prevent the enemy from entering the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal by submarine of surface craft. During World War II, Coco Solo additionally served as a Naval Aviation Facility housing a squadron of P-38 Lightning aircraft. Naval Station, Coco Solo, Pannama Canal Zone, was established on May 27, 1943. In December of 1952, Toro Point Radio Compass Station was redesignated as Naval Communications Unit (NAVCOMMUNIT) Number 33, and was moved to Galeta Point, where an operations building was built, and an AN/GRD-6 direction finding antenna system was installed. The Fort Randolph Reservation had been increased to 3,691 acres in 1933; and in 1940, the Secretary of War transferred a tract of land containing approximately 1,250 acres to the Navy Department, which included a portion of Fort Randolph. Following World War II Fort Randolph was placed on standby basis. In 1953, part of the Fort Randolph Reservation was transferred to the Navy, to be used by the Naval Security Group Activity; including barracks, family housing and administrative facilities. In December, 1958, the station was redesignated and commissioned as the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Galeta Island; and established as a separate activity under the control of the Commandant, Fifteenth Naval District. The Coco Solo Naval Reservation, near Fort Randolph and Colon, was officially established by Executive Order on April 9, 1920, under control of the U.S. Secretary of the Navy. Construction of the original Coco Solo Submarine Base began in 1918. By 1955, the base population at Coco Solo had grown to 1,760, with the relocation of VP-34 from Trinidad. By the 1960s, only some support staff and housing remained. By 1957 (as part of a series of name changes), the U.S. Naval Station, Coco Solo became the Coco Solo Annex of the U.S. Naval Station, Rodman. In May, 1962, the PCC began clearing and filling the site for a new radio facility, one mile west of the Galeta Point site, then located in the center of a mangrove swamp forest. The prime contractor began work on the new operations building and the AN/FRD-10A Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA) (also known as a Wullenweber antenna array) in October, 1962. HFDF equipment installation within the new building was completed in October, 1965; and on October 23, 1965, the new operations site became fully operational. In March, 1966, the NSGA was redesignated under a Commanding Officer, CDR K. L. Robinson. The Coco Solo Annex of the U.S. Naval Station Panama Canal was transferred to NSGA Galeta Island on July 1, 1968. The Coco Solo Annex had been maintained in a caretaker status by the Rodman Naval Station, since the closure of the Coco Solo Naval Air Station, in 1958. Many of the Annex facilities were already being used by NSGA Galeta since 1952, under an interservice support agreement. The Coco Solo complex was transferred in 1968 to the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Galeta Island. On November 20, 1968, under Project Bullseye, the NSGA Galeta Island High Frequency Direction Finding (HFDF) equipment was upgraded to include the capability for fully computerized and semi-automatic HFDF operations. NSGA Galeta Island became a dual net HFDF station, through its capability to participate in both the U.S. Navy's Atlantic and Pacific HFDF nets. Over the next several years, NSGA was assigned an ever increasing cryptologic mission. By October, 1973, the NSGA station personnel complement included 15 officers, 238 enlisted and 51 civilians. It was the largest Navy command in the Canal Zone, however, because of fiscal constraints imposed during FY 1974, NSGA Galeta Island underwent a severe decrement, reducing station mission and manpower allowance drastically, to 35 total military and civilian billets. The Coco Solo support base was transferred to U.S. Army control on July 1, 1974. Interservice support agreements agreements were negotiated with the U.S. Army, the PCC, the U.S. Naval Station and several other agencies, to ensure continued support for the Navy contingent remaining at Galeta Island. NSGA Galeta Island HFDF facility provided communication support to the Navy and other Department of Defense elements, until the NSGA closed. The FRD-10A ceased opeations on March 13, 1995 and was transferred to the U.S. Army on June 30, 1995, and was operated as remote site by a civilian defense contractor, who maintained it as an automatic U.S. Coast Guard relay station. When the U.S. gave the site to Panama in 1999, all equipment was removed and only the CDAA and operations building remained. The Panamanian Government gave the site to the Panamanian Technological Insitute Initially, the site was guarded by Panamanian police, to prevent looting and vandalism. The antenna was not maintained, and there are several sections where the CDAA has fallen. The CDAA has since been abandoned, but was still partially standing in 2006. During the 1980's, NSGA Galeta Island enjoyed a resurgence. The total military and civilian personnel presence on Galeta Island included three tenants: the 747th Military Intelligence Battalion, Company D Marine Support Battalion and the Marine Corps Security Force, Company Panama. Additionally, Galeta Island hosted a field laboratory of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, commencing in 1967. Company D, Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion transferred from NSGA Hanza, Okinawa to NSGA Galeta Island, Panama on October 1, 1985. Company D moved from Panama to its current location at Fort Gordon, GA on May 1, 1995. From the early 1980s through the mid-1990s, Coco Solo was utilized by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Army as a residential and administrative location supporting operations at the nearby Galeta Island facility. Part of the Coco Solo complex transferred to Panama on October 1, 1979 (including the four piers, wharf, and some buildings in Coco Solo North and some buildings in Coco Solo South), while the remaining housing units remained with the Panama Canal Commission. The Coco Solo elementary school remained with the U.S. Forces until transferred to Panama in 1990. The Coco Solo health clinic complex transferred to Panama May 31, 1992. Headquartered in Building 17, on Fort Davis, the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Galeta Island was decommissioned on June 30, 1995. From 1995 until before the island was transferred to Panama, the facility was operated as a remote site by a civilian defense contractor to maintain it as an automatic U.S. Coast Guard relay station. Galeta Island was transferred to Panama on September 17, 1999. Under the terms of the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977, Galeta Island had been designated as a DOD contractor site for the length of the treaty, providing continuous support to the fleet until December 31, 1999; when full and final proprietorship of the Panama Canal and its support and defense systems passed to the Republic of Panama. The Panama Canal Treaty required the U.S. to leave at the end of 1999. Southern Command started pulling out troops in 1994. The U.S. turned over about 4,700 buildings and about 93,000 acres to the Panamanian government. The military gradually vacated Quarry Heights, Fort Clayton, Fort Kobbe, Howard Air Force Base, Albrook Air Force Station and Rodman Naval Station on the Pacific side, and Fort Sherman and Galeta Island on the Atlantic side. These military facilities were well-tended oases of red tiled roofs, white tropical buildings, manicured lawns and palm tree-lined streets; located in the lush green countryside, edged by jungle-covered mountains. After the return of the Panama Canal to Panamanian Control on December 31, 1999, all U.S. Military activity ceased. Radio Compass Station, Toro Point, Panama 18 May 1925 Dec 1952 NAVRADSTA Galeta Island, Panama 1930's Dec 1952 NAVCOMMUNIT 33, NAVRADSTA Galeta Island, Panama Dec 1952 Dec 1958 NSGA Galeta Island, Panama Dec 1958 30 Jun 1995 Galeta Island to the Republic of Panama 17 Sep 1999 All bases in the Panama Canal Zone to the 31 Dec 1999 Republic of Panama To: Panamanian Technological Institute. Not in use. =================================================================================== Goodfellow AFB, Texas See San Angelo =================================================================================== Griesheim, Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany Griesheim (Griesheim bei Darmstadt), Germany is located just west of the Darmstadt city limits. The bases or 'kasernes' in Darmstadt are located in the southwest portion of the city. The Darmstadt/Babenhausen area is located in the south central area of Germany in the southern portion of the state of Hessen. Frankfurt is approximately 20 miles to the north and Heidelberg approximately 30 miles to the south. Darmstadt is the headquarters for the U.S. Army Garrison Darmstadt, which includes the communities of Darmstadt, Babenhausen, Griesheim, Langen and Aschaffenburg. The U.S. Army Garrison Darmstadt falls under the umbrella of the U.S. Army Garrison Heidelberg, approximately 30 miles south of Darmstadt. The bases or 'kasernes' in Darmstadt are located in the southwest portion of the city. There are three: Cambrai Fritsch kaserne, headquarters for the USAG Darmstadt; Kelley Barracks; and Nathan Hale Depot. Outlying kasernes east of Darmstadt include Babenhausen, approximately 30 miles; and Aschaffenburg, approximately 50 miles; both sharing the name of the German town they are located in. Aschaffenburg no longer maintains a military mission, however, the community continues to be used to provide housing and limited logistical support to military families. All U.S. Army units fall under the major command of U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR). There are two brigade headquarters in Darmstadt, the 22d Signal Brigade and the 66th Military Intelligence Group, housed on either the Cambrai Fritsch or the Kelley kasernes. The U.S. Army Garrison Darmstadt maintains a population of approximately 3,550 soldiers, 4,042 family members, 268 retirees, and 774 civilian employees. The history of Darmstadt kasernes dates back to the early 1900's. Cambrai Fritsch was built in 1936 and was originally two kasernes. Both Kelley Barracks and Ernst Ludwig kaserne were constructed in 1934 as cavalry barracks. In 1945 the U.S. Army took possession of Nathan Hale Depot, which was built in 1936 as a food supply depot and bakery. The Griesheim Airfield area was used as far back as 1850 to train Hessian (German) troops. The construction of Babenhausen kaserne began in 1900. The Detachment at Griesheim was located at August-Euler Airfield, which is managed by the U.S. Army’s 233rd Base Support Battalion. The Detachment was co-located with the U.S. Army's 66th Military Intelligence Group, 105th Military Intelligence Battalion; and the European Headquarters of the Stars & Stripes newspaper. On October 1, 1991, the former USMCA Darmstadt became the 233d Base Support Battalion (233d BSB) under the auspices of the 103d Area Support Group (ASG) headquartered in Frankfurt. On October 1, 1993, the 103d ASG deactivated and the 233d BSB was placed under the 104th ASG in Hanau; until September 30, 1998, when it became part of the 26th ASG headquartered in Heidelberg. On October 1, 2005, the 233d BSB began another phase by becoming the U.S. Army Garrison, Darmstadt. In 1999, the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM) Europe (European Headquarters) completed its move from Augsburg, Germany, to Griesheim, a suburb of Darmstadt. Some $18 million was spent on renovation for the Griesheim complex, which contained buildings dating from the 1930's. Some 50 functional intelligence areas were phased in at Griesheim, while being simultaneously phased out at Augsburg. NSG Detachment Bad Aibling, Germany was closed and disestablished on August 26, 2004; and assets (including satellite systems and domed antenna arrays), personnel and mission functions were transferred to NSG Detachment Griesheim, Germany; which was officially established on that date. On September 30, 2005, NSG Det Griesheim was administratively closed and was re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Griesheim, Germany. NIOD Griesheim was disestablished on September 30, 2006. From: NSG Det Bad Aibling, Germany 26 Aug 2004 NSG Det Griesheim, Germany 26 Aug 2004 30 Sep 2005 Colocated with U.S. Army 66th Military Intelligence Group at the U.S. Army Base (kaserne) on the August-Euler Airfield, on the outskirts of Darmstadt, Germany. NIOD Griesheim, Germany 01 Oct 2005 30 Sep 2006 =================================================================================== Groton, Connecticut On the east bank of the Thames River near Groton, CT, New London Naval Submarine Base was the birthplace of the submarine force. It was originally a Navy yard, converted to a submarine base in 1916, and greatly expanded in World War II. The advent of nuclear power required an improvement in training and support facilities. By 1959, New London had become the largest submarine base in the world with 8,210 active personnel. In 1969, the base also took on logistical and training responsibilities for fleet ballistic missile submarines. In 1974, the Naval Submarine Support Activity was established. By 1979, the base supported the new Los Angeles and Ohio class submarines. Major units included Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, and Naval Submarine Support Facility. The base was recommended for closure by the DoD in the 2005 BRAC recommendations. NSG Det, NSGA and NIOD Groton were/are located on board the Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, in Building 106 on lower base just inside Gate 8. In 1868, Connecticut gave the Navy land and, in 1872, two brick buildings and a "T" shaped pier were built and officially declared a Navy Yard. This new yard was primarily used as a coaling station by Atlantic Fleet small craft. On October 13, 1915, the monitor Ozark, A tender, and 4 submarines that accompanied her arrived at SUBASE. Future submarines and tenders followed and in 1916 the Navy established it as a submarine base. Following World War I the Navy established schools and training facilities at the SUBASE. All submariners in today's Navy are stationed at Naval Submarine Base New London (SUBASE NLON) for training and perhaps a tour onboard a fast attack submarine or with a pre-commissioning crew while their new submarine is under construction. SUBASE NLON is home to more than 40 tenant commands including the submarines and crews of Submarine Group Two, the faculty and students of the Submarine School, and the Naval Submarine Support Facility (NSSF). In January, 1959, the Naval Security Group Detachment, Groton was established. In October, 1959, the Naval Security Group designated its first Special Assistant for Naval Security Group matters and assigned him additional duty as Officer in Charge, Naval Security Group Detachment, Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. One year later, the Chief of Naval Operations designated that position as Officer in Charge, Naval Detachment and Director of Intelligence Special Security Officer for Deputy Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. In October 1972, the Detachment was designated Naval Security Group Detachment Groton under the command of Commander, Naval Security Group Command. The Detachment was commissioned a Naval Security Group Activity on May 1, 1980. The official recommissioning date recorded in NAVSECGRU records was October, 1, 1980. NSGA Groton was re-established as NSG Detachment Groton in July, 2005. The base supports twenty one attack submarines and the Navy's nuclear research deep submersible NR-1. The base occupies approximately 500 acres and has over 400 buildings, with the housing and support facilities for 10,000 active duty and civilian workers and their families. The Base Realignment and Closure commission of 2005 recommended closing the Naval Submarine Base at New London, CT. The commission also recommended relocating the assigned submarines, along with their dedicated personnel, equipment and support, to Submarine Base Kings Bay, GA and Naval Station Norfolk, VA. In addition, it recommended consolidation of the Naval Security Group Activity Groton, CT, with Naval Security Group Activity Norfolk, VA, at Naval Station Norfolk, VA. On September 30, 2005, NSG Det Groton was administratively closed and was re- established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Groton, CT. NIOD Groton provides cryptologic direct support systems suite installations and removal evolutions, maintenance, and personnel augmentation support to U.S. Atlantic Fleet submarines. NIOD Groton CT: http://www.niodgroton.navy.mil/. NSG Det, Groton, CT Jan 1959 Oct 1959 At NAVSUBASE New London, CT NSG Det, Groton, CT (OIC) Oct 1959 30 Apr 1980 NSGA Groton, CT 01 May 1980 Jul 2005 Official recommissioning date 01 Oct 1980 NSG Det Groton, CT Jul 2005 30 Sep 2005 NIOD Groton, CT 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Guam Libugon, Guam and Finnegayan, Guam, Marianas Islands Guam is located in the Western Pacific and is the largest and most southern island in the Marianas chain, which consists of Guam, Rota, Aguihan, Tinian, Saipan and ten other islands north of Saipan. The capital of Guam is Agana. On December 10, 1898, Guam was ceded to the U.S. from Spain by the Treaty of Paris. The following February, the U.S. officially took possession of Guam. U.S. Naval Station, Guam, was established in August of that year with the entire island designated as a Naval Station. The Commanding Officer, Captain Leary was designated as Governor of Guam. The Naval Station controlled Guam until it surrendered to the Japanese on December 10, 1941. Cryptologic personnel were stationed on Guam as early as 1929. They copied, analyzed, and, with assistance from Washington, exploited radio traffic from four Japanese fleet maneuvers between 1930 and 1935, demonstrating the benefits to strategic planning of communications intelligence derived from foreign military communications. Station Able, a Communications Radio Intercept/Intelligence Unit was established in March, 1929, in an abandoned tuberculosis hospital on a hill behind the village of Agana, Guam. Station Able moved in 1934 to the Libugon radio transmitting station, which had been decommissioned in 1932. Operations were conducted out of tents and quonset huts until December 10, 1941; when Guam was captured by the Japanese. The Communications Radio Intelligence units monitoring the Japanese fleet maneuvers were at Libugon, Guam; Olongapo, Philippines (July, 1930 to February, 1935, when the unit moved to Los Banitos, Mariveles, Philippines); Peking (Peiping), China (1927 to July, 1935, when the unit moved to Shanghai, China); Los Banitos, Mariveles, Philippines (March 1, 1935 to January, 1936), the USS Goldstar (AG-12), and the USS Augusta (CA-31) (Asiatic Fleet Flagship from November 9, 1933 to November 22, 1940). Mobile detachments from shore stations in the Philippines and Guam manned communications radio intelligence positions onboard the USS Augusta and USS Goldstar. Collectively, these stations intercepted the communications of Japanese ships at sea and from participating Japanese shore stations. Not only did these reports reflect the Japanese fleet's strategic capability to wage a large-scale successful war against the U.S. Asiatic Fleet, but they also revealed Japan's intentions to invade Manchuria. The 1930 Japanese maneuver was seen by U.S. Navy analysts as a rehearsal for an invasion of Manchuria, which actually did occur in 1931. The island remained under Japanese rule until July 21, 1944, when U.S. forces returned to liberate the island. In 1944, Admiral Nimitz, Commander in Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, arrived and defeated the Japanese imperial forces on the island. Station Able recommenced operations in July, 1944 at Naval Radio Station Libugon. The unit continued radio intelligence and DF operations until October, 1944, when the COMSUPACT (COMSEC Unit #701) was established at Naval Radio Station, Finnegayan, Guam. Station Able photo gallery begins at . Station Charlie, a Radio Intelligence Unit, operated from December 28, 1944 to September 21, 1945 as the Joint Radio Analysis Group, Forward Area (RAGFOR) at the Joint Communications Area (JCA). Station Charlie photo gallery begins at . Following WWII, Guam faced major reconstruction of areas that had suffered war damage. Agana was completely destroyed by bombardment during the war. From 1944 to 1949, the Naval officers who served as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Marianas (COMNAVMARIANAS) were also charged with civil responsibilities as the Governor of Guam; officially, the Governor of the Marshalls-Gilberts; Deputy Military Governor, Pacific Ocean Areas; and Deputy Military Governor, Bonin-Volcano Islands. On August 1, 1950, with the passing of the Organic Act of Guam, the administration of Guam was turned over to the U.S. Dept of the Interior, and became an unincorporated territory. Guam serves as the headquarters of the government of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. From 1944 until March 29, 1952, Naval Station served as a Naval Operations Base, (NOB) providing every type of fleet service. In September 1956, the Naval Base was disestablished and the Naval Station was reassigned under the military command of Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Marianas. In 1954, the Naval Communications Station (NCS) at Finnegayan, Guam was established. COMSUPACT (COMSEC Unit #701), formerly known as Station Able, was redesignated as the Naval Security Group Dept, NCS Finnegayan, Guam. The U.S. Naval Security Group Dept Finnegayan maintained and operated a high frequency direction finding (HFDF) facility and provided communication support to Navy and other Department of Defense elements. The communications facility located on the island included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FRD-10A Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. The CDAA ceased operations on December 31, 1999. The CDAA was abandoned in place, and remains unused on the property of active NAVCOMTELSTA Guam. On October 1, 1994, Naval Station and Naval Magazine, Guam, were consolidated into Naval Activities, Guam. On October 9, 1997, Naval Activities was consolidated into Commander, U. S. Naval Forces Marianas, Guam. There are numerous major Navy commands on Guam. They include Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Marianas; Commander, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station; and Special Warfare Unit One. The mission of the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS) is to provide continuous global and universal communications services to fleet units, shore activities, and joint forces. Base level communications include all facilities and services required to support electromagnetic dissemination, transmission or reception of voice, data, video, integrated telecommunications within the confines of a post, camp, station, base, installation, headquarters, or metropolitan area; to include local interconnect trunks to the first serving commercial central office or military long-haul or tactical gateway. Communications Radio Intercept/Intelligence Unit Mar 1929 1934 Station Able, at Agana, Guam Communications Radio Intercept/Intelligence Unit 1934 10 Dec 1941 Station Able, at Naval Radio Station, Libugon, Guam Guam was captured by the Japanese 10 Dec 1941 21 Jul 1944 Communications Radio Intercept/Intelligence Unit Jul 1944 Oct 1944 Station Able, at Naval Radio Station, Libugon, Guam COMSUPACT (COMSEC Unit #701) Oct 1944 1954 at Naval Radio Station, Finnegayan, Guam. NSG Dept, NCS Finnegayan, Guam 1954 01 Dec 1990 NSG Dept, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area 01 Dec 1990 20 Oct 1997 Master Station (NCTAMS) WESTPAC, Finnegayan, Guam NSG Dept, Naval Computer and Telecommunications 20 Oct 1997 31 Dec 1999 Station (NCTS), Finnegayan, Guam To: U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station, Guam. =================================================================================== Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is located in the Oriente Province on the southeast corner of Cuba. The base is about 400 air miles from Miami, FL. The base has been used by the U.S. Navy for more than a century, and is the oldest overseas U.S. Navy Base. The U.S. controls the land on both sides of the southern part of Guantanamo Bay (Bahía de Guantánamo in Spanish) under a lease set up in the wake of the 1898 Spanish-American War. This facility is the only U.S. military installation on Communist territory, and the only base in a country that does not enjoy an open political relationship with the U.S. The base covers about 45 square miles and is sometimes abbreviated as GTMO or "Gitmo". The current Cuban government rejects the Cuban-American Treaty on the grounds that it violates article 52 of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, and therefore considers the U.S. presence in Guantánamo to be an illegal occupation of the area. At the end of the Spanish-American War, the U.S. government had obtained control of all of Cuba from Spain. A perpetual lease for the area around Guantanamo Bay was offered February 23, 1903, from Tomás Estrada Palma, an American citizen, who became the first President of Cuba. The Cuban-American Treaty gave, among other things, the Republic of Cuba ultimate sovereignty over Guantánamo Bay while granting the U.S. "complete jurisdiction and control" of the area for coaling and Naval Stations. A 1934 treaty reaffirming the lease granted Cuba and her trading partners free access through the bay, modified the lease payment from $2,000 in U.S. gold coins per year, to the 1934 equivalent value of $4,085 in U.S. dollars, and made the lease permanent unless both governments agreed to break it or the U.S. abandoned the base property. Base relations with Cuba remained stable through two world wars and the periods between and did not significantly change until the Cuban revolution of the late 1950's. That revolution led by Fidel Castro, began in the hills of Oriente province, not far from the base. On June 27, 1958, 29 Sailors and Marines returning from liberty outside the base gates were kidnapped by Cuban rebel forces headed by Raul Castro, brother of Fidel, and detained in the hills as hostages until they were finally released 22 days later. U.S. and Cuban relations steadily declined as Fidel Castro openly declared himself in favor of the Marxist line, and began mass jailing and executions of the Cuban people. Cuban territory outside the confines of the base limits was declared off limits to U.S. servicemen and civilians on January 1, 1959. Until the 1953-59 revolution, thousands of Cubans commuted daily from outside the base to jobs within. In mid-1958, vehicular traffic was stopped; workers were required to walk through the base's several gates. Public Works Center buses were pressed into service almost overnight to carry the tides of workers to and from the gate.[4] In 2006, only two elderly Cubans still cross the base's North East Gate daily to work on the base; the Cuban government prohibits new recruitment. Official diplomatic relations with Cuba were severed in January, 1961 by President Dwight Eisenhower, just prior to the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy. At this time, many Cubans sought refuge on the base and many still live and work here today. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, in October, 1962, the families of military personnel were evacuated from the base. Notified of the evacuation on October 22, evacuees were told to pack one suitcase per family member, to bring evacuation and immunization cards, to tie pets in the yard, to leave the keys to the house on the dining table, and to wait in front of the house for buses. Dependents traveled to the airfield for flights to the U.S., or to ports for passage aboard evacuation ships. President Kennedy announced the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba. This was the start of the Cuban Missile Crisis, which resulted in a Naval quarantine of the island until the Soviet Union removed the missiles. The evacuees were allowed to return to the base by that Christmas. Guantanamo Naval Base and two associated airfields (Leeward and McCalla) in southeastern Cuba overlooked Caribbean Sea approaches to the Panama Canal, provided logistical support for recurring Naval exercises in surrounding waters. NSGA Guantanamo Bay traces its roots back to 1943 when Communications Security (COMSEC-204) was established on Radio Range and was manned by Sailors. Some years later, a separate Special Operations Unit, consisting of only Marines, was formed on Radio Range. In 1961, Sailors were assigned to the Special Operations Unit and the Marines were phased out. This unit later relocated to its current facility on John Paul Jones Hill. On September 16, 1966, the unit was officially designated as Naval Security Group Activity Guantanamo Bay. From 1966 through 1970, the site was manned exclusively by Sailors. In November 1970, Sub-unit One, Company L, Marine Support Battalion was established. In early 1971, the Company L guideon officially arrived in GTMO from Phu Bai, Republic of Vietnam. In 1973, Marines replaced all Navy personnel and the manning remained that way until 1970 when Navy billets were once again established. NSGA Guantanamo Bay has the distinction of being the only Naval Security Group Activity to have been commanded by both Navy and Marine Corps officers. In 1986, Guantanamo became host to Cuba's first and only McDonald's restaurant, as well as a Subway. These fast food restaurants are on-base, and not accessible to Cubans. It has been reported that detainees showing good behavior have been rewarded not only with dates, pita bread and even Twinkies, but also 'Happy Meals', hamburgers or Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, from the McDonald's located near the Navy Exchange. After 52 years of service, Guantanamo's largest tenant command, Fleet Training Group, relocated to Mayport, Florida, in July, 1995. One month later, the Naval Base lost another major tenant command when the base's Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity (SIMA) disestablished after 92 years of service at GTMO. NSGA Guantanamo Bay, Cuba was closed on March 16, 2000; and disestablished on June 30, 2000, after 60 years as a U.S. Navy Communications site; and nearly 34 years as a Naval Security Group Activity. Since 2001, the Naval base has contained a military prison, the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp, for persons alleged to be militant combatants captured in Afghanistan and later in Iraq. Prior to July 11, 2006, the U.S. maintained that these detainees are not protected under the Geneva Convention. Tenant commands of the U.S. Naval Base include the U.S. Naval Hospital and Branch Dental Clinic, detachments of the Personnel Support Activity, Naval Atlantic Meteorology and Oceanography Command, Naval Media Center, Naval Communications Station, Department of Defense Dependent Schools, Navy Brig, and Fleet and Industrial Supply Center (FISC), Det GTMO. Directly supporting the base are offices of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Resident Officer in Charge of Construction, Human Resources Office, Fleet and Family Support Center, Red Cross, and the Navy Exchange and Commissary. The most recent addition to the base is the Southern Command Joint Task Force Guantanamo. Following the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001, Joint Task Force Guantanamo was tasked to stand up the War on Terrorism detainee mission. In 2007, over 9,500 U.S. troops are currently stationed on Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Communications Radio Unit Jul 1940 1943 Communications Security Unit (COMSEC-204) 1943 1945 Special Operations Unit (USMC) 1945 1961 Special Operations Unit (USN) 1961 16 Sep 1966 NSGA Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (John Paul Jones Hill) 16 Sep 1966 30 Jun 2000 =================================================================================== Hakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan The Japanese base known as Hakata Annex was occupied and came under American control in October, 1945, following Japan's defeat in WW II. Hakata was continuously occupied, under various designations, including Hakata Air Station, Camp Hakata, Brady Air Field, Brady Air Base, Brady Auxiliary Air Field, and the Hakata Administration Annex; until it closed in June, 1972. Hakata Station was the largest military unit located at Hakata Administration Annex. The station was a tenant activity of the U.S. Air Force. The base is located in the northern section of Kyushu, the southernmost island of Japan. With Fukuoka City as the center, the base circumscribes a rough arc with Nakatsu on the east, Omuta on the south and Hamasaki on the west. Hakata is bounded on the south by Hakata Bay and on the north by the Genkai Sea (Korea Strait). Fukuoka City is 5 air miles southeast and Kokura is 32 air miles northeast of the base. Tokyo is approximately 600 miles northeast of the station. Hakata Administration Annex, formerly called Camp Hakata by the U.S. Army, is in Fukuoka Prefecture. It was formerly used by the Japanese Imperial Navy as a Naval Air Base. Hakata Administration Annex was first occupied in October, 1945 by the 5th Amphibious Corps, which furnished logistical support to U.S. military units on the island of Kyushu. In 1945, the 24th Infantry Division Artillery, as a component of the U.S. Eighth Army, was transferred from Osaka, Japan to assume occupational control of the Fukuoka (Hakata) area. The unit remained in the area until 1950, when the Korean Conflict began. With the advent of hostilities in Korea, the 8024th U.S. Army Station Complement was formed in July, 1950. The unit assumed command and logistical responsibility for the base. Several Anti-Aircraft Artillery units were assigned to the base during 1950-51, to provide support for the immediate area and Itazuke Air Base, located about nine miles away. During the course of the Korean War, various U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force units were assigned to Camp Hakata. Brady Air Field at Hakata, and nearby Itazuke Air Base, conducted air operations against North Korea. The camp was also used as a staging area for troops being sent to Korea, with LSTs and other landing craft departing from the base. The U.S. Air Force assumed command and logistical responsibilities for the base on July 1, 1956. Designation of the base was changed on this date from Camp Hakata to Brady Air Base and became a primary installation of the 5th U.S. Air Force. On July 1, 1961 the base was redesignated Brady Auxiliary Air Field and became a part of the Itazuke Air Base Complex. On January 1, 1962, the base was redesignated Hakata Administration Annex. Naval Security Activity Detachment Hakata was activated in May 1959. On July 1, 1967, Naval Security Group Activity Hakata was established and commissioned. NSGA Hakata was co-located with the U.S. Army's 14th Army Security Agency Field Station, Hakata, JA. NSGA Hakata closed in April, 1972; and most of the personnel, assets, mission and functions were transferred to NSG Det Pyong Taek, in South Korea; which had recently opened on March 1, 1972. Today, Hakata is a ward in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The area formerly occupied by the base at Hakata is now the home of the Uminonakamichi Seaside National Government Park. Tenants include the Seaside Biological Pavilion, Hotel Uminonakamichi, Marine World, (exhibits and water shows) and Wonder World (with a 328 foot tall ferris wheel). The Japanese national government parks program are city parks planned and constructed by the national government. The Uminonakamichi Seaside Park covers an area of about 1,350 acres. The park is located in Higashi-ku, Fukuoka City in the central part of the Uminonakamichi (street between the sea) peninsula which separates Hakata Bay and the Genkai Sea. The park extends over 6 kilometers with an area of 540 hectares. NSG Det, Hakata, Japan May 1959 01 Jul 1967 NSGA Hakata, Japan 01 Jul 1967 Apr 1972 Located at Brady Air Base, Hakata, Japan To NSG Detachment Pyong Taek, South Korea =================================================================================== Hanza, Yomitan, Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa (Ryukyu) Prefecture, Japan Okinawa (Ryukyu Islands) is composed of the island groups stretching from Japan to Taiwan. The northern island groups, Osumi, Tokara and Amami, reverted to Japan by 1954. The southern groups, Okinawa and the Sakishima islands remained under U.S. control until 1972. The largest island, Okinawa (454 square miles) has 80% of the Ryukyu population. Naha is the principal city, and is the capital of the Japanese Okinawa (Ryukyu) Prefecture. Following the end of World War II and the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, for 27 years Okinawa was under U.S. administration. During this time the U.S. military established numerous bases on Okinawa. On May 15, 1972, Okinawa once again became part of Japan, although to this day the U.S. maintains a large military presence there. Over 15,000 Marines, in addition to contingents from the Navy, Army and Air Force, are stationed there. Okinawa supports roughly 75% of all U.S. troops in the country of Japan. In 2006, the U.S. announced plans to move a few of its bases on Okinawa to Guam over a span of several years. Torii Station is located on the island of Okinawa, in Yomitan, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan; about 1000 miles due south of mainland Japan. Torii Station is home to the U.S. Forces Japan, 10th Area Support Group, and 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group. Torii Station is so named for the torii, or Japanese Shinto gate, at its entrance. Okinawa offers a joint service environment with the Air Force, Marine Corps, and the Navy. Kadena Air Base (Air Force) and Camp Butler (USMC) are two military installations located close to Torii Station. The name Hanza is from the old Okinawan name for the present day Namihara Village, north of the site and east of the village of Sobe. The Naval Security Group conducted operations on Okinawa for 53 years. First at sites on Kadena AFB from July, 1945 to November, 1949, at Tegan from November, 1949 to 1955, then at MCAS Futenma from 1955 to August, 1960; and finally at Hanza from August 1960 to June 1, 1998. The U.S. Naval Security Group Futenma, Okinawa, Japan was commissioned in June, 1957. In August, 1960, NSG Det Hanza (a detachment of NSGA Futenma) was established. The first AN/FRD-10A wullenweber CDAA was built at Hanza, and was completed in 1962. In October, 1962, NSGA Futenma was fully disestablished, and all remaining functions and personnel moved to Torii Station. NSG Det Hanza was officially re-commissioned in October, 1962, as the Naval Security Group Activity Hanza, Okinawa, Japan. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Hanza maintained and operated a high frequency direction finding (HFDF) facility and provided communication support to Navy and other Department of Defense elements. The original one story Operations building was located in the center of an AN/FRD-10A Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. The CDAA at Hanza, which overlooks the East China Sea, was the first Navy AN/FRD-10A to be installed. The 120 foot towers provided a handy landmark and have withstood typhoon force winds every year since it was built in 1962. The CDAA ceased operations in June, 1998. The Hanza CDAA and Ops Bldg were demolished/removed in June, 2007. Demolition of the Hanza CDAA took place from March 13, 2007 to June 30, 2007. Eyewitness: CTICS David Hughes, USN (retired) (he lives on Okinawa). Here is a link to photographs of the CDAA being demolished: . A two story addition to the Operations building was completed and occupied in 1972. Also in 1972, NSGA Hanza assumed several missions from other Naval Security Group activities. The last addition to the Operations building, completed in June, 1979, added another 5,000 square feet of operations space. The Support Compound was located one half mile from the main operations complex, and housed the Executive Staff, Public Works and Supply Departments. The U.S. Army 10th Area Support Group, Okinawa, located on Torii Station, provided Hanza with barracks facilities, and full use of the recreational and personal support facilities. At its peak, NSGA Hanza was one of the larger sites in the Naval Security Group, with about 500 personnel. Prior to decommissioning in June, 1998, NSGA Hanza's personnel complement was 11 officers, approximately 250 enlisted, four U.S. civilians and 32 Japanese National employees. Company D, Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion transferred from NSGA Hanza, Okinawa to NSGA Galeta Island, Panama on October 1, 1985. A small contingent of sailors from the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Hanza, said their final farewells to the communications site, at a small flag raising ceremony on Monday morning, June 1, 1998. About 10 U.S. Navy personnel and other civilians from the Defense Communications Detachment Okinawa gathered outside of the well known station. They listened to Commanding Officer CDR C. A. Williams give a final speech to all the service members, and both Japanese and American civilian workers that served throughout the fifty three year history of the Naval Security Group here on Okinawa. Executive Officer CDR Mark F. Landers also commented on the fine job everyone did to make the transfer of the facility to civilian hands run very efficiently. "The Army has also been very good to us. Colonel Bishop and everyone over at Torii Station have been wonderful hosts to us the whole time." NAVSUPPRADSTA at Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan Jul 1945 Jan 1947 NAVCOMMSUPPACT at Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan Jan 1947 Nov 1949 NAVCOMMUNIT 37, Tegan, Okinawa, Japan Nov 1949 1955 NAVCOMMUNIT 37, Futenma, Okinawa, Japan 1955 Jun 1957 NSGA Futenma, Okinawa, Japan Jun 1957 Aug 1960 NSG Det Hanza, Okinawa, Japan (COMSEC UNIT 704) Aug 1960 Oct 1962 NSGA Futenma merged with NSG Det Hanza and became: NSGA Hanza, Okinawa, Japan Oct 1962 01 Jun 1998 At Torii Station, Sobe, Okinawa To DoD as U.S. Communications Station Sobe, Okinawa, Japan. =================================================================================== Heeia, Oahu, Hawaii See Wahiawa, Hawaii. =================================================================================== Homestead, Florida NSGA Homestead was located at Homestead AFB, near the southern end of the Florida peninsula, about 25 miles south of Miami. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Homestead maintained and operated a high frequency direction finding (HFDF) facility and provided communication support to Navy and other Department of Defense elements. NSGA Homestead Administration was headquartered east of Homestead, Florida on Homestead AFB. Supply and Vehicle Maintenace was located at Site Bravo on Card Sound Road off U.S. 1 south of Florida City. The Operations Building was located at Site Alfa further south on Card Sound Road in the center of an AN/FRD-10A Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. The CDAA was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in August, 1992. The CDAA property was reportedly sold to Motorola. NSGA Homestead was commissioned in June, 1957; and was disestablished and closed on June 9, 1993, after being virtually demolished by Hurricane Andrew on August 24, 1992. As the hurricane season of 1992 approached, a massive tropical storm formed in the Atlantic Ocean in mid-August, and began slowly trekking toward the Florida coastline. The most destructive U.S. hurricane of record started modestly as a tropical wave that emerged from the west coast of Africa on August 14. The wave spawned a tropical depression on August 16, which became Tropical Storm Andrew the next day. Further development was slow, as the west-northwestward moving Andrew encountered an unfavorable upper-level trough. Indeed, the storm almost dissipated on August 20 due to vertical wind shear. By August 21, Andrew was midway between Bermuda and Puerto Rico and turning westward into a more favorable environment. Rapid strengthening occurred, with Andrew reaching hurricane strength on the 22nd and Category 4 status on the 23rd. After briefly weakening over the Bahamas, Andrew regained Category 4 status as it blasted its way across south Florida. Hurricane Andrew made landfall on 24 August 1992, just south of Miami Beach, and created a path of destruction across Dade County. The Category 4 storm, packing winds upwards of 175 miles per hour, it virtually flattened the communities of Homestead and Florida City. Andrew would ultimately become the most expensive natural disaster in American history. More than 60 people were killed and scores more injured, 117,000 homes were destroyed or suffered major damage, some two million residents had to be temporarily evacuated. Flooding and high winds destroyed thousands of acres of crops. And overall estimates placed the storm’s cost at more than $20 billion. Homestead AFB operated until 1992, when Hurricane Andrew rendered inoperable 97 percent of the installation's facilities. In 1993, Homestead AFB was designated for base closure, primarily because the cost to close the base was low when measured against the high cost of reconstruction. In its aftermath, the hurricane left new environmental concerns and areas of potential contamination that must be addressed before the installation property can be transferred to the community. Homestead Air Force Base, covering an area of 2,940 acres, formerly housed the Strategic Air Command 19th and 379th Bomb Wings. In July 1993, the BRAC Commission recommended that Homestead Air Force Base be realigned. The 31st Fighter Wing was inactivated, and all other operations, with the exception of Air Force Reserve activities, were relocated. The 482nd Fighter Wing, Air Force Reserve, maintains and operates Homestead Air Reserve Station, and the Homestead Joint Air Reserve Base located near the southern end of the Florida peninsula, about 25 miles south of Miami. It is a fully combat- ready unit capable of providing F-16C multi-purpose fighter aircraft, along with mission ready pilots and support personnel, for short-notice worldwide deployment. The wing has more than 1,500 members, including approximately 1,200 reservists, of which 250 are full-time reservists, in addition to 300 full-time civilians. NSGA Homestead, FL Jun 1957 09 Jun 1993 Located at Homestead AFB, FL. Closed due to Hurricane Andrew damage. =================================================================================== Imperial Beach, San Diego, California Imperial Beach is located 10 miles south of Naval Base Coronado, on the U.S. Mexican border. Communications Technician (CT) training "A" school commenced in U.S. Naval School, Imperial Beach, CA, on October 1, 1949. Courses of instruction included a CT basic course and a CT advanced course were located at Imperial Beach. U.S. Naval School, Communications Technician (Supplementary Training) was established at Bainbridge Island, WA in October, 1951 and was closed in December, 1953. When the school closed at Bainbridge Island, only the Imperial Beach Communications Technician school remained. On July 1, 1957, the Communications Technician school at Imperial Beach was redesignated NAVCOMMTRACEN Imperial Beach, CA. NAVCOMMTRACEN moved from Imperial Beach and became NAVCOMMTRACEN Corry Field, Pensacola, FL in March, 1960. The Navy made San Diego part of its first radio communications network by establishing the Naval Radio Station, Point Loma on May 12, 1906, with a 5 kw transmitter in a small wood building on the Point Loma Military Reservation. In 1922, the Naval Radio Station headquarters and message center moved to the Naval Base Headquarters in downtown San Diego, at the foot of Broadway on Harbor Drive; co-located with the command center of the new Eleventh Naval District, which was established in 1921. In 1941, the Navy took over 145 acres in Imperial Beach around the old Fort Emory artillery station, and in 1943 built a new radio receiver that took over the job from Point Loma. In 1947, the Imperial Beach receiver site became Naval Communications Station, Eleventh Naval District, and in 1953 became Naval Communication Station (NAVCOMSTA), San Diego, Imperial Beach, CA. The Point Loma site became the U.S. Navy Radio and Sound Laboratory in 1940 and the Navy Electronics Laboratory in 1945. In 1977 it was merged into the Naval Ocean Systems Center (NOSC), San Diego, CA. The U.S. Naval Receiving Facility (NAVRADRECFAC) Imperial Beach maintained and operated a high frequency direction finding (HFDF) facility and provided communication support to Navy and other Department of Defense elements. The communications facility located at Imperial Beach included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FRD-10A Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. The CDAA was the last Navy wullenweber installed, in 1967. The CDAA ceased opeations on September 9, 1999; and the NAVRADRECFAC site at Imperial Beach was closed on September 30, 1999. The CDAA remains abandoned on the property of the Navy's Silver Strand Training Complex, and was scheduled to be dismantled in 2007. U.S. Naval Radio Station, Point Loma, CA 12 May 1906 1943 U.S. Navy Direction Finding Site, Point Loma, CA Closed 1925 U.S. Navy Radio Compass Station, Point Loma, CA 20 Mar 1919 1932 U.S. Navy Direction Finding Station, Point Loma, CA 1932 May 1940 U.S. Naval Radio Security Station, Point Loma, CA May 1937 Jul 1945 U.S. Navy Strategic Direction Finder Station May 1940 1947 Point Loma, CA U.S. Naval Radio Station, Imperial Beach, CA 1943 1947 COMSUPACT/COMSEC Activity, U.S. Naval Supplementary 01 Nov 1946 1947 Radio Station U.S. Naval Communication Station San Diego, 1947 07 Oct 1950 Eleventh Naval District, Imperial Beach, CA (COMSUPACT/COMSEC Activity disestablished) U.S. Naval Radio Station, Imperial Beach, CA 07 Oct 1950 1953 U.S. Naval Communication Station (NAVCOMSTA), 1953 San Diego, Imperial Beach, CA NSG Dept, NCS San Diego, Imperial Beach, CA 1953 Oct 1991 NSG Dept, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Oct 1991 01 Oct 1998 Station, San Diego, Imperial Beach, CA Naval Radio Receiving Facility (NRRF) (HFDF) 1971 30 Sep 1999 NSG Dept to NSGA San Diego, CA (at NAS North Island) 01 Oct 1998 NAVRADRECFAC Imperial Beach HFDF site closed. 30 Sep 1999 Silver Strand Training Complex, Naval Base Coronado. =================================================================================== Istanbul, Turkey (TUSLOG Det 12) The United States Logistics Group (TUSLOG), was a cover designation prescribed by the U.S. European Command (EUCOM). In accordance with the wishes of the Turkish Government, all U.S. military units and civilian components in Turkey were given designations as TUSLOG detachments. HQ TUSLOG was headquartered in Ankara, Turkey. TUSLOG Units were located in Spain, Libya, Italy, Greece, and Turkey. By 1994, all TUSLOG Units had been deactivated. For the history of TUSLOG, see the article on NSGA Karamursel, Turkey (TUSLOG Det 28). Istanbul Turkey is the only city in the world that is located on two continents. The western part of the city is on the European side of the Bosphorus and the eastern part of the city is located on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. Istanbul was, and still is, a bustling, fascinating and intriguing city with a history going back thousands of years. Istanbul (formerly Byzantium and Constantinople) is the largest city and seaport of the Turkish Republic, and the capital of Turkey until 1923. Throughout WWI, Istanbul was under blockade. After the conclusion of the armistice (1918), it was placed under British, French and Italian occupation, which lasted until 1923. Istanbul was evacuated by the Allies on October 2, 1923, and Ankara was chosen as the new capital of Turkey on October 13, 1923. On October 29, 1923 the Turkish republic was proclaimed. Turkey remained neutral during WWII, and suffered no damage. In 1955, Istanbul was the scene of severe anti-Greek riots, related to the differences between Greece and Turkey over control of the island of Cyprus. TUSLOG Det-12 Istanbul was a U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, first established in October, 1952 and was in continuous operation until June 30, 1965, when it was permanently closed. The installation was located on a Turkish Naval base on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. The Det-12 installation consisted of two quonset huts located on the waterfront and the operations site, which was located on top of a 600 foot hill overlooking the northern entrance of the Bosphorus, into the Black Sea. The operations site on the hill consisted of a small operations building (4 or 5 rooms), an administrative building (one room) and a generator building. There was also an ancient castle located on the hill about 150 yards from the operations building. One of the quonset huts on the lower part of the Turkish base was used as a private mess and officers quarters and the other hut was used as a barracks for the enlisted watch-standers. All personnel were required to belong to the private mess. Meals were charged according to the daily subsistence allowance and charges were collected monthly. Two Turkish cooks were employed by the mess to prepare the food. Meals were, at times, both interesting and unique. There was no permanent billeting at the site for either officer or enlisted so all personnel lived in civilian housing on the local economy; private homes or apartments in Istanbul. The Kahan building, located near Taksim Square, was the TUSLOG headquarters in Istanbul. The building also housed the PX and small Commissary, a snack bar, the EM club, the transient billeting and various other administrative offices for personnel assigned to the different TUSLOG commands located in the city and surrounding areas. Source: Richard Dale Wilson at . NAVCOMMUNIT 32C Oct 1952 NSGA Istanbul, Turkey (TUSLOG Det 12) Oct 1952 30 Jun 1965 =================================================================================== Jupiter, Jupiter Inlet, Neptune, Florida A point of land situated at the Loxahatchee and Indian River junction; Jupiter Inlet was, for thousands of years, a meeting place for ancient Indian tribes. The strategic site did not go unnoticed by U.S. Army surveyors, who in 1849 recommended the Jupiter Inlet area as a suitable place for military defenses. In 1854, President Franklin Pierce signed the order to set aside a 61-acre site on the Fort Jupiter Reservation for a lighthouse, a tower, a keeper's house, a radio beacon, power house and several out buildings. The 146 foot tall lighthouse was designed by Lieutenant George Gordon Meade and was completed by William Franklin Raynolds. The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse was first lit on July 10, 1860. The tower has survived the civil war, hurricanes, earth tremors, and Seminole Indian uprisings. Lighthouse photo located at URL: . A Weather Bureau and a Signal Station were established on the lighthouse grounds in 1889. Passing ships were signaled during the day by semaphore (flags) and at night by flares. A U.S. Naval Wireless Telegraph Station was established on the Fort Jupiter Reservation in 1890. As part of a chain of coastal Naval Radio Stations initiated by the U.S. Navy in the early 1900's, Naval Radio Station Station Jupiter Inlet, FL was commissioned in early 1906, and was online by July 1, 1906. On January 31, 1913, NAVRADSTA Jupiter Inlet was authorized to conduct commercial business transactions via radio telegraphy. The U.S. Navy acquired 8.4 acres of the Fort Jupiter Reservation, and by 1936, the Navy was operating a Radio Compass Station at Jupiter Inlet, as an aid to navigation. The station broadcasted weather information and monitored distress signals, as well as Naval ship-to-shore and aircraft frequencies. The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse was automated in 1928. On July 1, 1939, all U.S. lighthouses became the responsibility of the U.S. Coast Guard. In September, 1939, the U.S. Navy established an intelligence listening post at the Naval Radio Station and constructed a Navy barracks. By July, 1940, the Navy's Communications Radio Intelligence Unit and Radio Direction Finding Station, known as "Station J", became operational. The facility was designed to intercept German U-boat radio traffic, and warn Allied ships; as well as pinpointing enemy vessels using radio direction finding techniques. In August, 1940, the U.S. Navy had six sites with diplomatic targets, which were all linked directly, or indirectly through U.S. Army communication circuits, to Washington DC via radio and landline communications. Twelve netted sites (six Navy and six Army) were authorized to intercept Japanese diplomatic traffic. The six Navy sites were Winter Harbor, ME (Station W) (February, 1935 to February, 1944; Amagansett, NY (station G) (November, 1939 to 1956); Cheltenham, MD (Station M) (September, 1939 to August 1953); Jupiter, FL (Station J) (September, 1939 to July, 1945); Heeia, HI (Station H) (June, 1934 to December, 1941; and Fort Ward, Bainbridge Island, WA (Station S) (August, 1939 to March, 1953). The six Army sites were Fort Monmouth, NJ (Station 1); Presidio, CA (Station 2), Fort Sam Houston, TX (Station 3), Corozal, CA (Station 4), Fort Shafter, HI (Station 5) and Fort Hunt, VA (Station 7). An Army Station #6 was proposed, but never activated. In May 1943, 30 German submarines were destroyed, and in June, 1943 another 37 were destroyed. Many had been located by the Communications Radio Intelligence Unit at Station J, Naval Radio Station, Jupiter, FL. World War II vintage stations at Jupiter, Inlet included the Naval Radio Station, the Naval Radio Direction Finder Station, and a Naval Supplementary Radio Station. In July, 1945, after the Germans and Japanese surrendered, ending World War II; the Communications Radio Intelligence Unit and Radio Direction Finding Station at Jupiter Inlet were closed. Like the lighthouse in 1939, the Naval Radio Station was turned over to the U.S. Coast Guard. On January 11, 1971, the Loxahatchee River Historical Society (LRHS) was founded to preserve the area's history and opened the Oil House Museum in June of 1973. On November 15, 1973, the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1994 the LRHS entered into a lease with the U.S. Coast Guard to be the operations manager of the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and to conduct regular public tours to the top of the lighthouse. The LRHS operated a small visitor center from the east end of the old Navy barracks building. The LRHS, with a grant from the Florida Department of Transportation, started a major restoration project in 1999 to repair weather damage to the tower. It was completed in April of 2000. In 2006, in an agreement between the LRHS and the Town of Jupiter, the former Navy barracks building in Lighthouse Park was renovated. On December 7, 2006 a joint celebration was held in Jupiter, honoring the 65th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. In addition, the museum and LRHS headquarters moved into the newly renovated museum building, which now houses the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum. The building was the only one remaining structure from the Naval Radio Station, established during the Second World War. In honor of the Communications Radio Unit, the museum building was christened the "Station J Building". Source URLs: Florida LightHouses: and The Jupiter Lighthouse: . COMSUPACT, Naval Radio Station Jupiter, FL Sep 1939 Jul 1945 Communications Radio Intelligence Unit (Station "J" in 1940) Station was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard Jul 1945 =================================================================================== Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii See Wahiawa, Hawaii. =================================================================================== Kami Seya, Kanto Plain, Kanagawa Prefecture, Honshu, Japan The station facilities are located on the Kanto Plain, approximately two miles northeast of NAF Atsugi, and 10 miles northwest of Yokosuka, Japan. "Kami" in Japanese translates to "north". And the village of Seya is located in the north Kanto Plain. The general Seya area dates from 1861. During the period from 1861 to 1938, Seya underwent several name changes, but the land was always used for agriculture, primarily mulberries to support the silk industry, and rice paddies. Formerly a Japanese Imperial Navy torpedo manufacturing facility, after WWII Kami Seya was commissioned as a U.S. Naval Radio Receiving Facility (NRRF) performing radio communications intercept and reception. NRRF (OR NAVRADRECFAC) operated continuously, as a tenant of the base, until it ceased operations on June 1, 1995. The NRRF at Kami Seya played an important role in the development of present day computer and telecommunications stations. In 1952, Kami Seya was commissioned as a U.S. Naval Communications Facility, and remained so under various titles until January 15, 1960, the day that the station became the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Kami Seya; with approximately 1,500 people assigned. Upon disestablishment of NSGA on June 30, 1971, U.S. Naval Communications Station, Kami Seya assumed command of the station and became the host command for Naval Radio Receiving Facility, Kami Seya and four other tenant commands. Even though the site was functionally transferred to Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi in 1995, NAVCOMTELSTA Far East, Yokosuka, Japan retains the Base Communications Office. Since 1995, Kami Seya has been the site of Naval Support Facility (NSF) Kami Seya, Japan. NSF Kami Seya is a detachment of NAF Atsugi, Japan. In 1940, the Imperal Japanese Navy established a supply and munitions center to serve the Yokohama and Yokosuka Naval bases, as well as providing munitions support for the Japanese Air Base at Atsugi. The Japanese built Navy Road to connect with the Village of Seya, and parallel to the road, they laid a railway line. At one time, the rail line connected most of the larger buildings on the base, and also connected them to the central line passing through Seya Station. From there, the tracks led either to Atsugi, Yokohama or Yokosuka. At the height of WWII, there were more than 100 buildings on the base at the Seya Station. Between August 17th and 25th, 1945, the remaining supplies, records, photographs and other documents, the ammunition (including torpedoes), as well as most of the major structures at Kami Seya were destroyed in a major fire. Explosions lasted througout the 10 day period. Nearly all of the buildings at the center of the station were destroyed. When the Americans surveyed the base, they found only four buildings remaining, three warehouses and an earth covered bunker. The rural area surrounding the base and hardened concrete bunker, which later became known as "the tunnel", were attractive to U.S. planners. Naval Security Group operations in Japan date to the establishment of a Communications Supplementary Activity Detachment (COMSUPACT Det) in Ohminato, Japan; in northern Japan, on December 15, 1945. On that date, Radioman First Class (RM1) Brillhart arrived in Ohminato, from COMSUPACT Adak, Alaska with six men. The unit began operations in the Headquarters building of Company H5, 11th Parachute Infantry, 11th Airborne Division, Ohminato, Japan. RM1 Brillhart's detachment remained in Ohminato until the end of April, 1946; when the U.S. Army evacuated Ohminato. The detachment moved to Yokosuka, where it was attached to the Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, for administrative purposes. At Yokosuka, RM1 Brillhart was relieved in the latter part of 1946, by RM1 Al Geiken. In August, 1948, the COMSUPACT Detachment was redesignated as COMSUPACT Yokosuka, Japan. On November 22, 1948, NAVCOMMUNIT 35 was established at Yokosuka to add a Direction Finding capability, under an Officer-in-Charge, LCDR Daniel W. Heagy. That HFDF function was installed during the late fall of 1948, using a test rhombic antenna. By February, 1949, a full rhombic antenna field had been constructed at Yokosuka, and the HFDF site was in full operation. By July, 1950, NAVSECGRU began making plans to shift net control of the Pacific HFDF Net to Yokosuka from Wahiawa, Hawaii. In order to meet the new operational requirements, NAVCOMMUNIT 35 had to be expanded to 38 officers and 392 enlisted personnel. In addition, more space was required. The space problem was solved by renovating Building F-68 at Yokosuka, as well as moving part of NAVCOMMUNIT 35 into facilities near Yokohama, at Kannon Zaki. The Pacific HFDF Net was activated at Yokosuka on October 2, 1950. With the increase in size and responsibilities, the Officer-in-Charge billet at NAVCOMMUNIT 35 was upgraded to Captain, and Captain Wesley A. Wright was ordered to be the first Commanding Officer of the newly created U.S. Naval Communications Facility, Yokosuka, Japan. On December 29, 1950, NAVCOMMFAC Yokosuka, Japan was established consisting of the Communications Center at Headquarters, COMNAVFE in Tokyo; the U.S. Naval Radio Facility (Special) (NAVRADFAC S), in Yokosuka, including the site at Kannon Zaki, near Yokohama; the U.S. Naval Radio Facility (T) (NAVRADFAC T) in Totuka; and the U.S. Naval Radio Facility (T) (NAVRADFAC T) in Yosami, Japan. On the same date, December 29, 1950, CDR Daniel W. Heagy became the first Officer-in-Charge of the NAVRADFAC (S), Yokosuka, Japan. On July 2, 1951, CDR Heagy was relieved by CDR Thomas R. Mackie. By the end of 1950, it was apparent that expansion of the facilities at Yokosuka was no longer possible. With project growth of NAVSECGRU operations envisioned, sites were surveyed, and the optimal choice was a site near the Atsugi Naval Air Station. Land was acquired under Procurement Demand JPNR 5307, dated March 15, 1951. The location of the site was to the north of a village named Seya. The new site came to be known as Kami Seya. At Kami Seya, commencing in 1951, the first 22 buildings were constructed, several of which were still in use in 1995. They included the CPO Barracks, (Building 2), originally constructed as the BOQ; the Administration Building (Building 4), originally the Medical and Dental facility; the Fire Station (Building 14), and the Exchange/Barber Shop/Library (Building 12). Down at "the tunnel", antennas were rigged, cables run, air conditioning was installed and equipment racks were filled. Additional buildings were connected to the original tunnel, creating an Operations Complex, which, for the most part, remain standing to the present day. The base at Kami Seya opened in December, 1952. NAVSECGRU operations at Yokosuka began to move to Kami Seya during the latter half of 1951. In December, 1952, operations from NAVCOMMFAC Yokosuka were relocated to Kami Seya, Japan with CDR Thomas R. Mackie as head of the NAVSECGRU Department. The Naval Radio Facility (Special) (NAVRADFAC (S)), Naval Communications Facility (NAVCOMMFAC), Naval Communications Station (NAVCOMMSTA) Kami Seya, Japan was the host command; and the Naval Security Group element functioned as a Department of the command. When the base opened in December, 1952, there were six open bay barracks and the BOQ (Building 2) which provided living quarters; and no on-base housing. By August, 1957, 68 units of family housing were built. These units were still in use when the station closed in June, 1995. One of the few on-base recreational activites was the Ham Shack, which was a renovated trailer, parked between the tennis courts and the Satellite Inn All-Hands Club. Later, the Ham Shack moved to a more permanent location in a Butler Hut, next to the Bowling Alley. The Ham station callsign was "KA2KS". On January 15, 1960, the NSG Dept was commissioned as the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Kami Seya, under the command of CAPT Edward. W. Knepper. The NAVCOMMFAC at Kami Seya relocated back to Yokosuka; and later, in 1961 emerged as the Naval Communications Station (NCS), Yokosuka, Japan. The NAVRADFAC remained at Kami Seya, becoming a tenant activity on the base. NSGA became the host command of the Kami Seya station. The U.S. Marine Corps came aboard the Kami Seya Station in April, 1958. Company E, Marine Support Battalion, with three officers and 40 enlisted Marines arrived. These were not "guard force" marines, they were "CT Marines", who worked in the tunnel, alonside the Sailors. The U.S. Coast Guard was also present on Kami Seya; commencing in May 1963, operating a Loran Monitoring Station in the Kami Seya Operations Complex. On September 24, 1965 a fire broke out in one of the operational buildings. Twelve men stationed at NSGA Kami Seya perished in the tragic fire. Most of the deaths occurred because the men were unable to escape through a locked exit, and were overcome by the smoke. Although the official investigation listed faulty electrical circuitry as the cause of the fire, some eyewitness accounts attributed it to failure in a recently-installed incinerator, which had been improperly vented through the wall and subsequently caused the wall to ignite. The fire forever changed the way that the Naval Security Group viewed fire prevention. Each year until closing, Kami Seya personnel officially remembered the victims of the fire, on the anniversary of the event. I was the Wire Chief at NAVCOMMSTA Yokosuka when the fire at Kami Seya occurred. I was a brown bagger living in Area I in Yokohama and commuting to Yokosuka. I got a call from the Tech Dontrol Watch Chief in at the COMMSTA around 0500 telling me to report to Kami Seya and see what I could do to help put things back together. I arrived at Kami about sun up. Everyone was standing around and the RADFAC building, at the entrance to the tunnel, was a pile of ashes. I remember the equipment racks sticking up. The corners were made of 1/4 inch angle iron and they were sticking up all twisted from the heat. All the equipment, the rack sides, rear doors, etc., had all melted. I thought, "Damn! That must have been one hot sucker!" The first thing myself and ET2 Jim Burke did was start getting some communications going with the microwave tower and telephone center. A 400 pair cable that had served that purpose had been terminated in the RADFAC building. I got a SEABEE with a backhoe to dig up the cable near where it entered the destroyed building. He also located a reel of 400 pair cable to splice on to the burnt off end piece. The old cable had no color code. All pairs were red and white. However, knowing how cable is 'layed' in a spiral fashion with pair one in the center and pair 400 on the outer edge, I very carefully peeled back and tagged each pair. I remember it started to rain that morning. A couple of guys helped me rig a tarp up to keep the cable dry as I spliced in the new tip cable. There was an undamaged building nearby. I can't remember what it had been used for previously but we installed new cross connect blocks and tty mux equipment in it. I terminated the new spliced cable and if I recall when we 'rung' it out, two pair were crossed. The Army at Camp Zama gave us some receivers and some FCC-3 and FCC-16 TTY mux (multiplex) equipment to hook up with the Tech Control Center at Yokosuka. The Air Force at Fuchu gave or loaned us some gear too. I think I worked about 2 or 3 days straight with only breaks for something to eat now and then. That was quite a job. Narrative from RMCM Arthur "Art" Ritchie, USN, retired in 1977, San Francisco, CA. I was also at Kami Seya in 1965 and 1966 and saw the fire. I was sleeping in the barracks when the night watch woke me up and said my work place was on fire. I looked out the window and saw the red sky towards the tunnel. I used to help burn the teletype tape in the incinerator at night about 2 am. That was part of our duty on night shift. That stuff burned like gasoline, the tape had oil on it I guess to keep the tty's from wearing out. I remember the stove pipe going out the wall and only had a croke around the pipe and the wood siding. That pipe would get red hot. One of the men on night shift was shoving the tape down the burning shoot and it shot flames back and burned the hair off his arm and some of us said it was not safe. We turned it in and someone higher up said the incinerator was safe, so we kept using it. I thought all along that was how the fire started. That was printed in the Kami Seya newspaper also, but before it got out on the base it was confiscated and I guess copies destroyed. I heard rumers that the person that said the incinerator was okay was killed in the fire. The building that burned was made out of wood. They had no means of escape; just one staircase and that may be where the fire started. I think it was listed as an electrical fire, I am an electrician and when there is not a known cause, it is electrical. It did not take the Navy long to get back on the air. They brought in tractor-trailers with radio gear installed and batched the antennas to it. When they built the new building all the exit doors could be pushed open to get out. I remember everyone had to make one line outside the fenced area and search for messages that may not have burned. I will never forget the burned bodies being carried out on stretchers. Narrative from CTO2 Donald E. "Don" Witmer, USN, discharged in February, 1968, Middletown, PA. The USS Pueblo was captured in January, 1968. NSGA Kami Seya was in communications with the Pueblo, at the time of the capture, by the North Koreans. Several NSGA Kami sailors were onboard the Pueblo. They came home eleven months later. In 1969, NSGA Kami Seya sent nine direct support personnel for duty onboard an EC-121 reconnaissance plane out of NAS Atsugi. They did not come home. The "Super Connie" (Super Constellation) was shot down over the Sea of Japan by the North Koreans. On August 1, 1969, all NAVSECGRU elements at Yokosuka were consolidated under one command structure, Naval Security Group Detachment, Yokosuka, Japan was established; a Detachment of NSGA Kami Seya; to better serve the needs of the U.S. Seventh Fleet. NSGA Kami Seya remained on the Kanto Plain until March, 1971, when most functions were moved to NSG Detachment Misawa, Japan. On June 30, 1971, NSGA Kami Seya was reduced in size, and on July 1, 1971, was redesignated as NSG Detachment Kami Seya. On the same date, July 1, 1971, NSG Det Misawa was commissioned as the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Misawa, Japan; and Kami Seya became a Detachment of NSGA Misawa. In addition to most of the NSG mission and functions being transferred to Misawa, the HFDF mission and Company E, Marine Support Battalion also moved to Misawa. The Naval Radio Receiving Facility (NAVRADRECFAC or NRRF) assumed the Kami Seya host command functions on the base. On February 15, 1972, the Fleet Ocean Surveillance Information Facility Western Pacific (FOSIF WestPac) was established, and was co-located in the NSG Det Kami Seya Operations Complex. In 1972, Commander Task Force 72 (CTF 72) moved into the Kami Seya Operations Complex from Okinawa. In June, 1973, the Current Support Group (CSG) Seventh Fleet was established at Kami Seya. By May of 1977, the last three WWII era warehouses that survived the fire of 1965 were demolished. The only WWII era structure remaining at that time, was "the tunnel", originally the hardened concrete bunker. In February 1978, the HFDF Operations Building was demolished to make room for a helo pad. NSG Det Kami Seya had grown substantially since being redesignated as a Detachment in June, 1971. In 1984, the Commander, Naval Security Group Command announced that Kami Seya would once again be commissioned as an NSGA. On May 23, 1984, NSG Det Kami Seya was recommissioned as the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Kami Seya, Japan. Company E, Marine Support Battalion moved back to Kami Seya from Misawa; to rejoin the NSGA Operations Complex, along with FOSIF WestPac, CTF-72 and CSG Seventh Fleet. The HFDF mission remained at NSGA Misawa. The host command functions were transferred from the NAVRADRECFAC, back to NSGA Kami Seya. In January, 1989, the Detachment at Yokosuka (which had been subordinate to NSGA Misawa), was administratively transferred from NSGA Misawa, and became a Detachment of NSGA Kami Seya. In July, 1989, the NSG Detachment at Atsugi was also re-subordinated to NSGA Kami Seya. By the summer of 1989, NSGA Kami Seya was the senior and largest Security Group Activity on the Kanto Plain. In August, 1991, Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1) closed its permanent detachment in Atsugi, Japan after 30 years, and moved it to Misawa, Japan. The Naval Security Group Detachment at Atsugi was disestablished on August 1, 1991. NSG Det Atsugi's support mission, functions and direct support personnel were transferred to the Naval Reconnaissance Support Detachment (VQ-1 Det), a Detachment of VQ-1 Det Misawa. VQ-1 Det Atsugi activated on August 1, 1991. VQ-1 Det remained at Atsugi until September 30, 1994; when the parent VQ-1 squadron moved it's homeport from NAS Agana, Guam to NAS Whidbey Island. The VQ-1 Detachments at Atsugi and Misawa were disestablished. On October 1, 1993, FOSIF WestPac, Kami Seya, Japan was redesignated as J-Det; and CSG Seventh Fleet was redesignated as CSG Japan. In February, 1994; the command was notified that NSGA Kami Seya would be closed in 1995. In January, 1995, CSG Japan was re-established as a separate command, under an Officer-in-Charge; and no longer subordinate to NSGA Kami Seya. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Kami Seya, Japan was disestablished and closed on June 1, 1995. Joint Intelligence Command Pacific (JICPAC) Detachment, and Company E, Marine Support Battalion also departed from Kami Seya in June, 1995. During the two periods that Kami Seya was commissioned as an NSGA (January, 1960 thru June, 1971; and May, 1984 thru Jun 1995), NSGA Kami Seya was parent command to a number of Detachments; including Misawa, Yokosuka, Sasebo, Hakata, Chitose and Wakkanai in Japan, and Pyong Taek in South Korea. Two of those former Detachments became full fledged NSGA's; NSGA Misawa in July, 1971, and NSGA Yokosuka was commissioned on June 1, 1995, the same day Kami Seya closed. COMSUPACT Det Ohminato, Japan 15 Dec 1945 22 Apr 1946 Moved from Ohminato, Japan to Yokosuka, Japan COMSUPACT Det Yokosuka, Japan 22 Apr 1946 Aug 1948 COMSUPACT Yokosuka, Japan Aug 1948 29 Dec 1950 NAVCOMMUNIT 35, Yokosuka, Japan 22 Nov 1948 29 Dec 1950 Part of NAVCOMMUNIT 35 moved to Yokohama, Japan 29 Dec 1950 NAVCOMMFAC/NAVRADFAC (S), Yokosuka, Japan 29 Dec 1950 12 Dec 1952 NAVCOMMFAC commissioned on 08 Jan 1951 NAVCOMMFAC/NAVRADFAC (S) Yokosuka, Japan moved to NSG Dept, NCS Kami Seya, Japan 12 Dec 1952 NSG Dept, NAVRADFAC (S)/NAVCOMMFAC/NAVCOMMSTA 12 Dec 1952 15 Jan 1960 Kami Seya, Japan NAVCOMMFAC moved to NAVCOMMFAC, Yokosuka Japan 15 Jan 1960 NSGA Kami Seya, Japan 15 Jan 1960 30 Jun 1971 Most cryptologic functions were transferred Mar 1971 to NSGA Misawa, Japan. NSG Det Kami Seya, Japan 01 Jul 1971 23 May 1984 NAVCOMMFAC became NAVCOMMSTA Kami Seya, Japan 30 Jun 1971 01 Jun 1995 Host command for NAVRADRECFAC Kami Seya, JA To NAF Atsugi, Japan NSGA Kami Seya, Japan 23 May 1984 01 Jun 1995 =================================================================================== Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii Located at Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH), Kaneohe Bay, HI on Oahu's Mokapu Peninsula, on the windward side of Oahu, approximately 12 miles northeast of Honolulu. The base occupies the Mokapu Peninsula which connects to the mainland near the cities of Kaneohe and Kailua. Schofield Barracks or the Pearl Harbor area are reached by using Likelike Highway and Highways H-1 and H-2. Schofield Barracks is approximately 28 road miles to the west. MCBH Kaneohe Bay is home to III Marine Expeditionary Forces, Hawaii, 1st Radio Battalion, and the Marine Corps Air Facility, Kaneohe Bay. The base's position in the Pacific makes it an ideal location for strategic deployment to the Far East. Mokapu Peninsula has a quite a military history. The peninsula, inhabited since the 13th century, was originally valued by the Hawaiian royalty who owned it as one of the most productive agricultural areas in all of the islands. The military history of the peninsula began in 1918. The U.S. Army acquired 322 acres of the eastern shore of the peninsula, when President Woodrow Wilson signed an executive order establishing the Kuwaaohe Military Reservation. Army artillery moved into the area in response to World War I. At the end of World War I, the military property was leased for ranching. In 1939, the Kuwaaohe Military Reservation was reactivated, subjected to many name changes to include Camp Ulupa’u, and was eventually named Fort Hase. Prior to and during World War II, Fort Hase grew from a humble beginning as a defense battalion, into a major unit of the Windward Costal Artillery Command. Navy planners began to eye the peninsula in 1939 as the home of a strategic seaplane base. They liked the isolated location, the flat plains for an airfield and the probability of flights into prevailing trade winds. In 1939, the Navy acquired 464 acres of the peninsula for use of the PBY Catalina Patrol seaplanes used for long-range reconnaissance flights. One year later, the Navy owned all of the Mokapu Peninsula, except for Fort Hase. The Navy built a small seaplane base. Upon its completion, on February 15, 1941, Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay was established and its role was expanded to include the administration of the Kaneohe Bay Naval Defense Sea Area. On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked. However, it's a little known fact that the Japanese first attacked Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, minutes prior to Pearl Harbor. Of the 36 Catalinas stationed there, 27 were destroyed and six others were damaged. Ten sailors at Kaneohe Bay perished in the attack. The first Japanese aircraft destroyed in action, were shot down at Kaneohe. During the attack, a Kaneohe based Sailor was cited for his heroic actions. Aviation Ordnanceman Chief Petty Officer John Finn was awarded a Medal of Honor (MOH) for valor on that day, one of the first MOH recipients during World War II. After the war, Fort Hase had become a skeleton outpost and NAS Kaneohe Bay activities consisted of limited air operations, a small security detachment, and a federal communications center. In 1949, the Navy decommissioned NAS Kaneohe Bay, and relocated to the Naval Air Station Barbers Point. In 1951, the U.S Marine Corp assumed control of the former Naval Air Station at Kaneohe Bay. The idle airfield seemed to be an ideal site for a combined air-ground team. On January 15, 1952, Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Kaneohe Bay was commissioned. The Station Operations and Headquarters Squadron supported flight operations until June 30, 1972, when the Station Operations and Maintenance Squadron was commissioned in its place. in 1993, the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Committee recommended closing NAS Barbers Point. On April 15, 1994, the Marine Corps consolidated all of its installations in Hawaii. MCAS Kaneohe Bay joined Camp H.M. Smith, Molokai Training Support Facility, Manana Family Housing Area, Puuloa Range and the Pearl City Warehouse Annex to form a new command, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, headquartered at MCBH Kaneohe Bay. Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay is home to more than 10,000 active duty Sailors and Marines attached to the base. Station Operations and Maintenance Squadron served until it was disbanded on July 30, 1994. Marine Corps Air Facility, Kaneohe Bay was commissioned on that date and continues today to serve the operational needs of the aviation community. MCBH Kaneohe Bay acquired 4 Navy P-3 patrol squadrons and one SH-60 Anti-Submarine squadron in 1999. NSG Detachment Barbers Point, HI, was commissioned in July, 1983. In July, 1999, the Detachment moved, and was recommissioned the NSG Detachment Kaneohe Bay, HI. On September 30, 2005, NSG Det Kaneohe Bay was administratively closed and was re- established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Kaneohe Bay, HI. NIOD Kaneohe Bay is subordinate to, and a detachment of, NIOC Hawaii, Schofield Barracks, HI. NSG Det Barbers Point, HI Jul 1983 Jul 1999 NSG Det Kaneohe Bay, HI Jul 1999 30 Sep 2005 NIOD Kaneohe Bay, HI 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Karamursel AB, Izmir, Turkey (TUSLOG Det 28) The United States Logistics Group (TUSLOG), was a cover designation prescribed by the U.S. European Command (EUCOM). In accordance with the wishes of the Turkish Government, all U.S. military units and civilian components in Turkey were given designations as TUSLOG detachments. HQ TUSLOG was headquartered in Ankara, Turkey. TUSLOG Units were located in Spain, Libya, Italy, Greece, and Turkey. By 1994, all TUSLOG Units had been deactivated. TUSLOG evolved from the growing Turkish-American alliance that began shortly after World War II. Upon its conclusion, the Soviet Union demanded territorial concessions from Turkey in addition to military bases on the Bosphorus and Dardanelles, revision of the Montreaux Straits Convention which governed shipping in that body of water, a and revision of the boundary in European Turkey in favor of communist Bulgaria. Turkey rejected these demands and feared armed Soviet intervention. In response to Soviet pressure on Turkey and Soviet encouragement of communist guerrillas in Greece, President Harry Truman delivered a speech to Congress on March 12, 1947 in which he proposed assistance to those two countries in order to counter Soviet actions. This speech became the basis of the "Truman Doctrine" of opposition to Soviet imperialism and marked a turning point in Turkish-American relations. Henceforth the U.S. would be Turkey's major source of support against the power to the north. In April 1953, the Joint Chiefs of Staff assigned responsibility for the logistical support of all U.S. forces in Turkey to Headquarters, U.S. Air Forces, Europe. In turn, USAFE assigned this responsibility to the 7206th Air Base Squadron (ABS) at Hellenikon Air Base, Greece. On April 1, 1954, Detachment 1 of the 7206 ABS was activated in Ankara, Turkey with a staff of one officer and one airman. This extremely modest force was absorbed by an advanced echelon of the Seventeenth Air Force deployed from Rabat, Morocco in December, 1954. On May 15 1955, Headquarters Seventeenth Air Force activated Headquarters 7217th Support Group in Ankara, Turkey. This unit was referred to as Headquarters "The United States Logistics Group" (HQ TUSLOG). On July 25, 1955, Detachment 1 of the 7206 ABS was discontinued and on August 1, 1955, the 7217 ABS was activated with a staff of five officers, 39 airmen, and four Turkish nationals. The 7217 ABS was designated as TUSLOG Detachment 1. In accordance with the wishes of the Turkish Government, all U.S. military units and civilian components in Turkey were given designations as TUSLOG detachments. In this manner, HQ TUSLOG oversaw all activities in Turkey as a whole for USAFE, while the Air Base Squadron (TUSLOG Det 1) handled local logistical support, namely, for units in Ankara and on the Black Sea coast. During the "Cold War", at U.S. listening posts along NATO's south flank; electronic intelligence specialists assigned to the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) and its affiliates, the U.S. Naval Security Group (NSG), the U.S. Army Security Agency USASA, and the U.S. Air Force Security Service (USAFSS) conducted invaluable electronic surveillance activities in various NATO nations. Including the San Vito Air Base near Brindisi, Italy; Iraklion Air Base, Crete, Greece; and, perhaps most importantly, from listening posts in Turkey. Turkey was the only NATO member with a "window" that overlooked the Soviet Union. Sophisticated equipment at Karamursel monitored Soviet air and Naval traffic around Bulgaria's Black Sea coast and through the Turkish Straits. Stations at Sinop and Samsun devoted similar attention to the Soviet Black Sea Fleet and missile testing sites farther north, while intelligence collectors at Diyarbakir in Turkey's interior looked toward the Caucasus and Transcaucasus. In 1957, one of those listening posts was built at Karamursel, in northwestern Turkey; on the Sea of Marmara, 37 miles southeast of Istanbul, Turkey. The station's express mission was to monitor Russian radio transmissions using a 250 ft (diameter) parabolic antenna, that could receive radio or radar waves. The communications facility located at Karamursel AB included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FLR-9 Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. TUSLOG Det 28 was located in Karamursel, Turkey from January 1, 1957 through January 16, 1979; when it was relocated to Sinop, Turkey. TUSLOG Det 28 remained in Sinop until October 1, 1982, at which time Det 28 was disestablished. U.S. Naval Security Group Karamursel, was located at the Karamursel Common Defense Installation, Karamursel, Turkey; near the town of Yalova, Turkey; was commissioned on January 1, 1957, and disestablished and closed on October 1, 1988. Izmir AB is the home of the 425th Air Base Squadron (425th ABS). The 425th actually operates from within the community rather than on a base. The squadron does everything normally accomplished by a wing with the exception of operations. Its primary mission is to support all U.S. and NATO units in Izmir. Additionally, the squadron manages U.S. support to Cigli Air Base, a nearby Turkish Air Force Base. The 425th ABS is headquartered in an eight-story office building three blocks from Izmir Bay. Other functions, including the commissary, base exchange and chapel, are housed in leased buildings located throughout the city. Allied Land Forces Southeastern Europe is a NATO unit responsible for deterring all forms of aggression along the Turkish Straits, eastern Trace, and Turkey's southern border and eastern frontier. Landsoutheast headquarters is located at Vecihi Akin Garrison, about 15 minutes from downtown Izmir. Also located at Akin Garrison is the Sixth Allied Tactical Air Force. SIXATAF's is a selectively manned joint headquarters responsible for a full range of offensive and defensive air opeations with conventional and nuclear options. It's mission is to ensure full-time air defense of Turkey, and the combat readiness of all assigned forces. NSGA Karamursel, Turkey 01 Jan 1957 01 Oct 1988 TUSLOG Det 28, Karamursel, Turkey 01 Jan 1957 16 Jan 1979 Suspended Operations Jul 1975 16 Jan 1979 TUSLOG Det 28, Sinop, Turkey 16 Jan 1979 01 Oct 1982 =================================================================================== Keflavik, Iceland Keflavik, Iceland is located on the Reykjanes peninsula on the south-west portion of the island, approximately 50 km from Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. On a clear day, one can easily see Reykjavík across the bay. Iceland is the second-largest island in Europe, measuring 39,000 square miles in area and is crossed by the Arctic Circle at it's northernmost point. The landscape is characterized by mountains, with uninhabited and rugged interior highlands. On the north and east coast there are sharp and deep fjords, while on the south there are plains and sands. Iceland is a beautiful, unspoiled country. The landmass is often referred to as the "Land of Fire and Ice", due to the island's raging volcanoes, thermal volcanic springs, and vast sheets of ice. Born from the sea by volcanic forces around 18-20 million years ago, Iceland is the youngest country in the world. Iceland has more than two dozen active volcanoes that regularly erupt and add more lava and ash to the landscape. While eruptions often consist of little more than a spit of smoke and a cough of ash, sometimes they can mean spectacular and dangerous geologic fireworks. In the late 18th century, for instance, Iceland's Mount Lakagigar produced the world's largest lava flow -- more than 3 cubic miles of molten rock. Thousands of farm animals were gassed to death by the mountain's poisonous fumes, and the eruption produced so much ash that the sky was dark for weeks. The eruption wreaked havoc on the island's food supply, causing a famine; more than a third of Iceland's people died. Iceland is a volcanic island, it's forces are still very active, with an eruption in progress somewhere in the country for one out of every five years during the historical period. It's most famous volcano, Mount Hekla, is still active and has erupted three times in the last 20 years, once in 1970, once in 1980 and again in 1991. Thirteen percent of Iceland is covered with glacial ice. Geothermal activity is a natural resource that has been put to use in the heating of homes, swimming pools and industries. Due to the number of waterfalls available, hydro-electricity is a main power source. Only about 10% of Icelanders have surnames or family names. The rest use the system of patronymics, i.e. instead of a surname, the first name of the father is used, with a "son" or "dottir" (son / daughter) added to it. An example would be the children of Leikur would be Einar Leikurson or Helga Leikurdottir. The Icelandic people are addressed by their first names and listed in the telephone directory as such. Average temperatures range from 32 degrees in January, to 51 degrees in July. Each winter, it was not unusual to experience at least one "white-out" condition, in which literally everything is covered with snow, to the point where only the snow can be seen. Buildings, vehicles and landmarks disappeared, and all military personnel were confined to quarters. Walking bent over "into the wind" was commonplace in the winter, as 65 mile an hour winds for days on end, were typical. When the winter season came to a close, and the temperatures rose into the 40's, it was not unusual to see off-duty military personnel stationed on Keflavik, in shorts and tee-shirts, firing up their barbecue grills, finally able to conduct outside activities. Due to its location, only shortly south of the Arctic Circle, Iceland receives only four hours of daylight per day in the depth of winter, and during the summer the nights are almost as bright as the days. In the winter (October through March), the sun, even at its zenith, never managed to rise more than twenty or so degrees above the horizon. Winters are almost perpetually night, and during the summer (April through September), almost perpetually daylight. This made for some unusual conditions and sights. In the summer, softball games played outdoors, starting at midnight; and black shades on windows to keep out the intense sunlight during normally night hours, so as to sleep in the dark. In the winter, looking forward to the 3-4 hours of daylight, and planning events to coincide; and while driving, never bothering to turn off your headlights, even during the day, as it will be dark by the time you get wherever you are going. Keflavik, and the surrounding areas had no trees, shrubs or even weeds; virtually no grass, plants nor vegetation of any kind. The local geography is dominated by fields of basalt rubble, and flat ground areas, with a hard layer of dirt over volcanic rock. Plants didn't grow there. In the height of the Cold War, U.S. forces on Iceland served to protect against Soviet submarines. The U.S. had a military presence in Iceland starting in 1941, and a formal defense agreement with that nation since 1951. The Navy assumed the responsibility of running the air station from the U.S. Air Force in 1961. The base acted as a platform for several operational capabilities throughout World War II, the Cold War and in the modern arena. The hangars housed rotational P-3 Orion aircraft and crews in support of anti-submarine warfare until 2004. The Army National Guard units and Interim Marine Security Forces stormed the lava fields surrounding the base during training exercises such as Northern Viking. The flight line served as a launching point for U.S. Air Force F-15 fighters. After receiving independence from Denmark in 1918 with the signing of the 25-year Danish-Icelandic Act of Union, Iceland followed a policy of strict neutrality. In 1939, with war imminent in Europe, the German Reich pressed for landing rights for Lufthansa's aircraft for alleged trans-Atlantic flights. The Icelandic government turned them down. A British request to establish bases in Iceland for the protection of the vital North Atlantic supply lines after German forces occupied Denmark and Norway in April 1940, was also turned down, in accordance with the neutrality policy. Therefore, it was a rude surprise for the people of Reykjavík to awaken to the sight of a British invasion force on May 10, 1940. The country's strategic importance to the British was understood; what was annoying to Icelanders was the lack of consultation. Iceland protested the use of military force by Britain, but immediately accepted the fait accompli. Following talks between British Prime Minster Winston S. Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt of the U.S., Iceland agreed to a tri-partite treaty under which the United States was to relieve the British garrison in Iceland, on the condition that all military forces be withdrawn from Iceland immediately upon the conclusion of the war in Europe. The first U.S. military involvement in Iceland dates back to 1941, when the Marines arrived. The forces were replacements for the British garrison that was stationed in Iceland after the British occupation in May of the previous year. In addition to their defense role, U.S. forces constructed the Keflavik Airport as a refueling point for aircraft deliveries and cargo flights to Europe. Another agreement signed between the U.S. and Iceland in 1946 permitted continued use of the Keflavik Airport (later the site of the Keflavik International Airport) for flights in support of occupation forces in Europe. At the peak of the Second World War, thousands of troops were stationed at Keflavík in temporary Quonset hut camps. Following World War II, as promised, all U.S. military personnel were withdrawn from Keflavik, as specified in the original agreement. During 1947-51, the base was operated by a U.S. civilian contractor company (Lockheed Aircraft Overseas Service) as an international airport. Most of the temporary structures were salvaged or too badly deteriorated for use. The airfield complex, one of the largest in the world during World War II, also required upgrading to accommodate modern aircraft. The contractor company had extended one runway, constructed a new passenger terminal and hotel building, one aircraft hangar, a hospital, housing units and other facilities for the staff. The airfield was extended and two new aircraft hangars were constructed. Most of this work was completed by 1957. Iceland´s charter membership in NATO in 1949 required neither the establishment of an Icelandic armed force, nor the stationing of foreign troops in the country during peace time. However, the Cold War with the Soviet Union, and growing world tensions, caused Iceland´s leaders to think otherwise. Icelandic officials decided that membership in the NATO alliance was not a sufficient defense and, at the request of NATO, entered into a defense agreement with the U.S. This was the beginning of the Iceland Defense Force. During the next four decades, the Defense Force was "at the front" of the Cold War and was credited with playing a significant role in deterrence. On July 1, 1961, the U.S. Naval Communication Station, (NAVCOMMSTA) Iceland was established and assumed most of the island’s military communications requirements from the Airways and Air Communications Service Squadron (AACS/MATS). The NAVCOMMSTA’s responsibilities were wide-ranging with personnel assigned to operate communications equipment at a variety of remote sites: Inter-Island TROPO site at H-1; DYE-5 Transceiver site; transceiver sites at H-2 and H-3, the Special Communications (SPECOMM) at H-2; and Naval Radio Transmitter Facility (NRTF) Grindavik. In 1968 the Receiver Site was relocated from the Garrity building, which had served as a receiver site since 1948. In late 1991, the Naval Communication Station was redesignated an U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS). On March 18, 1959, an advance party arrived, and U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Keflavik was formally commissioned on April 25, 1959. The command was initially located in an Operations building near the village of Hafnir, Iceland. In November, 1967, the command assumed the function of a CRITICOMM relay station, using spaces in Hanger 831, onboard Naval Air Station Keflavik. The NSGA Special Operations building was completed in April, 1970 at the Rockville site. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Keflavik maintained and operated a high frequency direction finding (HFDF) facility and provided communication support to Navy and other Department of Defense elements. NSGA Keflavik maintained an AN/AX-16 Pusher Wullenweber, which is a 2-band Circularly Disposed Dipole Array (CDDA) HFDF collection system, which was installed in the summer of 1979 at the Rockville site. The AN/AX-16 Pusher is a miniaturized version of the Navy's AN/FRD-10 antenna. The outer ring of elements is about 400 feet in diamter, half the diameter of the AN/FRD-10 CDAA Wullenweber Antenna Array. The Operations Building was located approximately 500 yards distance from the CDDA. The CDDA has since been removed. In the summer of 1979, after the AN/AX-16 Pusher antenna became operational, all of the operational, administrative, communications and facilities functions were consolidated at the Special Operations Building at the Rockville site. The Communications Center in Hanger 831 was turned over to Commander, Fleet Air Keflavik (CFK). The old Operations building at Hafnir was turned over to NAS Keflavik. NAS Keflavik was the host Command for the NATO Base in Iceland. There were more than 25 different commands of various sizes and personnel from the Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Army in Iceland. Also present were representatives from Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark. One of the largest commands was Naval Air Station (NAS) Keflavik, which was responsible for providing all support facilities, including the runways, housing, supply and recreational facilities, to name a few. NAS Keflavik employed approximately 900 Icelandic civilians, who worked with military personnel to provide the services necessary to operate the base. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, the airfield was available for maritime patrol activities, air defense and for transiting aircraft between North America and Europe. The runways operated by NAS Keflavik were shared with the Keflavik International Airport. The major commands stationed on the base were the Naval Air Station Keflavik; the Air Forces 85th (Fighter) Group; Commander, Fleet Air Keflavik; Commander, Iceland Defense Force; NCTS Keflavik, Naval Hospital Keflavik, and the Marine Corp Security Force Company, Keflavik. The U.S. Air Force had about 2,000 active-duty airmen stationed with the 85th Group at NAS Keflavik. The air defense mission is carried out by F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft rotating every 90 days to Iceland. Using four ground-based radars and occasionally AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft, the 85th Group’s 932nd Air Control Squadron provided air surveillance of Iceland and the North Atlantic. The NATO base offered a wide variety of recreational services, including: bowling, swimming, gymnasium, theater, social clubs, Wendy's restaurant, and hobby centers. Other services included a base exchange, commissary, bank, hospital, beauty shop, video rentals, USO, service clubs, tour office and morale flights. In the late 1980's, before a Wendy's was located on Keflavik, the USO sponsored an event, one day a year, when hundreds of McDonald's Big Macs and Quarter Pounders were flown in from Norfolk, VA, and sold to Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and their families on base. The line to obtain this precious commodity stretched around the base. Proceeds went to the USO. NSGA Keflavik was decommissioned and closed on June 30, 1994. NSGA was located approximately 8 miles from NAS Keflavik, one mile from the U.S. Air Force 932nd Air Defense Squadron facility, and adjacent to the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Keflavik, Rockville Receiver Site. The Rockville Receiver Site was fully remoted on March 14, 1997; and was closed in October, 1999. Naval Air Station Keflavik (NAS) disestablished on September 8, 2006 during a ceremony officially ending its 45 years of operations, in support of the defense of Iceland. More than 100 Sailors attended the event, representing a majority of the forces that remained of a population that once exceeded 5,000 military and civilian personnel and family members. Special guests included the U.S. Ambassador to Iceland, Carol Van Voorst and special envoy for Iceland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thorsteinn Ingolfsson. NAS Keflavik officially closed on September 30, 2006. Advance party established 18 Mar 1959 NSGA Keflavik, Iceland 25 Apr 1959 30 Jun 1994 Located adjacent to the joint U.S. Navy/ U.S Air Force Rockville Receiver Site. =================================================================================== Key West, Florida The U.S. Naval Air Station Key West (NAS Key West), Florida is located on Boca Chica Key, northeast of the city of Key West, 153 miles southwest of Miami and 90 miles north of Cuba. The Key is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and southeast, the Gulf of Mexico to the north and west and the Florida Straits to the south. Initially designated a Naval Air Station (NAS), the facility was realigned as a Naval Air Facility on October 5, 2001, gaining the Joint Interagency Task Force-South from Howard AFB, Panama. On April 1, 2003, the Naval Air Facility was redesignated as Naval Air Station Key West FL. As you reach the last major island of the Florida Keys you are entering the very southernmost city of the continental U.S. Emerald colored waters where the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean meet below the 42 bridges of the Overseas Highway, make the drive between Miami and Key West especially beautiful. Key West measures 1.5 by 4 miles. Key West lies at the western end of a 125 mile chain of keys or low islands which extends southwestward from the southeastern tip of mainland Florida. The Keys are linked by the Overseas Highway, whose bridges and causeways straddle the numerous gaps in the chain. Key West's history hints of Spanish explorers, 19th Century pirates, ship wrecks and prospering salvages, cigar factories, sponge diving, fishing, and shrimp fleets. The name is derived from the mispronunciation of the name given Key West by Spanish explorers, "Cayo Hueso," which means "key of bones" or "Bone Island", so named because of the human bones found there. Key West was incorporated as a city in 1828. The U.S. Navy's continuous presence in Key West dates back to 1822, when a Naval Depot was established at Key West. In 1823, a Naval Base was established to stop piracy in this area. The lower Keys were home to many wealthy shipping merchants, whose fleets operated from these waters. This drew the interest of pirates such as Blackbeard and Captain Jon Kidd, who used the Keys as a base from which to prey on shipping lanes. The base was expanded during the Mexican War and the Spanish- American War. In 1898, the battleship Maine sailed from Key West to Havana, Cuba, where it sank. The sinking of the Maine resulted in the U.S. declaring war on Spain, and the entire U.S. Atlantic Fleet moved to Key West for the duration of the war. During World War I (1914-1918) the base was expanded again and in 1917, a U.S. Naval Submarine Base was established on what is now Naval Air Station property. Its mission during World War I was to supply oil to the U.S. fleet and to block German ships from reaching Mexican oil supplies. The nation's southernmost Naval Base proved to be an ideal year-round training facility with rapid access to the open sea-lanes and ideal flying conditions. The Navy's forces were expanded to include seaplanes, submarines and blimps. Ground was broken for construction of a small coastal air patrol station, on July 13, 1917, at what is now Trumbo Point, on land leased from the Florida East Coast Railroad Company. The project involved dredging, erection of station buildings, three seaplane ramps, a dirigible hangar, a hydrogenerator plant, and temporary barracks. On September 22, 1917, the base's log book recorded the first Naval flight ever made from Key West - a Curtis N-9 sea plane flown by Coast Guard Lt. Stanley Parker. About three months later, on December 18, 1917, Naval Air Base Key West was commissioned as a primary seaplane training station; and Lt. Parker became the first Commanding Officer. Naval Air Base pilots flew in search of German submarines resting on the surface to recharge batteries. The aircraft was armed only with a single machine gun, but gunners were supplied with hand grenades. The slow Curtis biplanes flew low over surfaced subs, and gunners dropped grenades into open conning towers. Naval aviation antisubmarine warfare was born. On January 18, 1918, the first class of student flight officers arrived for seaplane training, this launched the stations reputation as a premier training site for Naval aviators, which continues today. The base was primarily used for antisubmarine patrol operations and as an elemental flight training station. More than 500 aviators were trained at the station during World War I. The lessons of war are easily forgotten in peace. After Word War I, the base was decommissioned on June 15, 1920. Its personnel were released. Most of the buildings were destroyed or dismantled and moved to other locations. The remaining facilities were used only occasionally during 1920-1930 for seaplane training. The station remained inactive until 1939. The seaplane base was designated as a Naval Air Station on December 15, 1940, and recommissioned on December 23, 1940. NAS Key West served as an operating and training base for fleet aircraft squadrons. This set the stage for America's entry into World War II. Fortunately, the government retained the property, which proved to be a wise decision as the nation scrambled to re-arm in a state of emergency at the outbreak of World War II. The base was reopened to support Navy destroyers and PBY aircraft. Other satellite facilities were established to support other war efforts, including Meachim Field for lighter than air operations on Key West, and a runway for land- based aircraft on Boca Chica. By 1943, German submarines were operating so near Key West that they were sinking allied ships within sight of land. Submarine raids peaked in May of that year, when 49 ships were torpedoed off the coast of Florida. As the war decreased, so did the torpedo raids. In March 1945, the satellite fields were disestablished and combined into one aviation activity designated as U.S. Naval Air Station, Key West. After the war ended, NAS Key West was retained as a training facility. It responded to the 1962 Cuban Crisis, which posed the first doorstep threat to America in more than a century. Reconnaissance and operational flights were begun on October 22, 1962, in support of the blockade around Cuba. During the Cuban Crisis, Key West cemented its claim to the title "Gibraltar of the Gulf," coined a hundred years earlier by Commodore David Porter. Literally built up from the swamp, all of the NAS Key West sites, including Harry S. Truman Annex, Trumbo Point, Meachum Field, and Boca Chica, were now permanently etched in military history. NSGA Key West was established on October 20, 1962, in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Originally, the command was located in a bunker, at the east end of Key West Naval Station, which has since been renamed NAS Truman Annex. On September 16, 1967, NSGA Key West was deactivated and all missions and functions were relocated to NSGA Homestead, Florida. In October, 1974, a Detachment of NSGA Homestead was deployed to Key West at the west end of Truman Annex, across the street from President Truman's Summer White House. During this time, Naval Security Group Detachment (NSG Det) Key West consisted of a 20' x 20' cinder block structure, two quonset huts, and a 100' tower. On May 1, 1981, NSG Det Key West was disetablished, and U.S. Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Key West was commissioned as an echelon III command, under the Commander, Naval Security Group Command. NSGA Key West was then relocated on Truman Annex to a 40,000 square foot building, that once housed the Navy Sonar school house. Communications circuits were activated on October 22, 1981, with commencement of U.S. Navy and U.S. Army operations five days later. During the following month, U.S. Air Force Service cryptologic elements, which eventually evolved into the 23rd Intelligence Squadron, established new operations at Key West. By December 18, 1981, all mission equipment and antennas were operational. NSGA Key West experienced rapid growth beginning in October, 1992, with the closure of NSGA Homestead, after being devastated in August, 1992 by Hurricane Andrew. Many of NSGA Homestead's missions, including the Fleet Direct Support (DIRSUP) program, were transferred to NSGA Key West. NSGA Key West grew into one of the Navy's premier field sites, with over 250 officer, enlisted and civilian personnel. NSGA Key West supported fleet, area and national customers by providing quality cryptologic resources, information and communications from the "Southernmost Point" in the continental U.S. Company H, Marine Support Battalion was stationed at NSGA Key West during the early NSGA years, and subsequently relocated to NSGA Homestead, when NSGA Key West was deactivated in September, 1967. Company H relocated from NSGA Homestead back to NSGA Key West in October, 1992, after which, NSGA Homestead was deactivated on June 9, 1993. When NSGA Key West deactivated in August, 1996; Company H relocated to NSGA Medina, San Antonio, Texas; where Company H is located today. NSGA Key West was co-located, on the Truman Annex, with the U.S. Air Force 6947th ESS, the U.S. Army 749th Military Intelligence Company and the Commander, Joint Interagency Task Force - East (JIATF-East). JIATF-East is a Joint Services/Agencies Command (Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and the DEA), whose mission is to provide the necessary operations for detection, monitoring, and deterrence of drug smuggling operations. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Key West was decommissioned and closed on August 31, 1996. The Closing Ceremony took place on June 20, 1996. The NSGA Key West facilities, buildings and tractable land were transferred to NAS Key West. NSGA Key West FL 20 Oct 1962 16 Sep 1967 Moved to Homestead, FL. NSG Det, Key West, FL Oct 1974 01 May 1981 NSGA Key West FL 01 May 1981 31 Aug 1996 Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) East, Key West, FL was established Apr 1994 NSGA Key West disestablished and closed. 31 Aug 1996 To: Naval Air Station, Key West. =================================================================================== Kunia, Schofield Barracks, Oahu, Hawaii Schofield Barracks and Wheeler Army Airfield is nestled at the foot of the Waianae mountain range in central Oahu. The installation has 112 miles of breathtaking pristine coastline and a lush rainforest. Schofield Barracks is located near the city of Wahiawa, HI. The installation is located a few miles from the towns of Wahiawa and Mililani; and 17 miles west of Honolulu. Schofield Barracks is the largest Army Base outside the Continental United States. Schofield Barracks is home to the 25th Infantry Division and Army Garrison. There are over 10,000 active duty and 25,000 dependents, reservists and civilians who call Schofield Barracks home. In 1872, Maj John M. Schofield, Commanding General of the U.S. Army’s Pacific Division, visited the Hawaiian Islands to determine the defense capabilities of its ports. He concluded that a harbor could be formed at the mouth of the Pearl River and that it could be easily defended. After the 1898 annexation of Hawaii by the U.S., military forces started moving to the islands. The Leilehua Plain saw a temporary camp in 1905 for the Organized Militia, which later became known as the National Guard. Since the Army’s role in Hawaii was to guard the Navy while in port, Leilehua’s central location was ideal for rapid deployment to all of the islands coasts. Although there was a small population of Army on Oahu, the first deployment of cavalry troops provided the push needed to start a permanent Army post. The first two squadrons of the 5th Cavalry Regiment arrived in November 1908 and were following in December by Captain Joseph C. Castner, who made the plans and started the development of today’s Schofield Barracks. In April, 1909, the War Department named the post Schofield Barracks after Lt Gen John M. Schofield. The name most often used in the area was "Castner Village". The Secretary of War approved plans for construction and troop build-up at Schofield Barracks in 1911. The plans called for five infantry regiments, and one each of cavalry and field artillery. Those plans were later altered but permanent quarters were needed for the four regiments already on post. The first permanent structures on post, which still exist today, were the quadrangle barracks. When all of Schofield’s troops were called to war in 1917 the Hawaiian National Guard moved in and after the Armistice was signed in November 1918, they began beautifying the post. Many of the large trees seen on Schofield Barracks, including the Norfolk Pines, were planted by the National Guard. Construction which was postponed during the war was resumed in the early 1920’s. An extension of the Oahu Railway and Land Company railroad was built to pass in front of the quads. Construction in the 1930’s reflected a style called art decor, characterized by its round edges. Also in the 1930’s, many of Schofield’s fields and streets were named to commemorate outstanding military leaders including Generals Henry Butner and Harry Bishop, Colonels Wright Smith and George Stoneman and Lieutenants William Sills and Guy Benson. The transition by the War Department from the square division to the triangular division allowed for the formation of the 24th and 25th Division at Schofield Barracks on October 1, 1941. Only ten weeks later, Japanese attack aircraft flew over Schofield Barracks, where they "warmed up their guns", on their way to bomb Wheeler Field and Pearl Harbor. The 24th and 25th Divisions were deployed to the north and south shores to defend against further attacks. The 25th Infantry division traces its lineage to the Hawaiian Division, which defended Hawaii since 1921. On December 7, 1941, the 25th Infantry Division received its debut of fire when Japanese forces attacked military facilities on the island of Oahu. The division without delay deployed to southern and eastern coasts of the island, ready to defend against a possible Japanese invasion. The division was made famous after relieving the U.S. Marines at Guadalcanal in 1942. Due to their superior performance during this operation, the 25th Infantry Division earned its nickname: "Tropic Lightning". The idea for the "Kunia Tunnel" came after the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Fear of a repeat-attack prompted the Army and Navy to plan a less vulnerable, under- ground complex, designed as an aircraft assembly and repair plant. The storage facility envisioned within the "tunnel" was said to be capable of handling B-17 heavy bombers. Called "The Hole" by locals, this huge complex was built in the pineapple fields south of Wheeler Field and Schofield Barracks. Construction on the 23 million dollar under- ground tunnel complex began in 1942, and was completed in late 1944. The facility is not a true tunnel, but a free-standing three-story structure that was later covered with earth. The facility was constructed as an open bay area, without interior cement blocks. The outer walls are composed of reinforced concrete and dirt. It is approximately 250,000 square feet in overall size, with 30,000 square feet used for power generation and air conditioning. The remaining 220,000 square feet were available for assembly of folded winged aircraft. Access to the structure was by means of a quarter mile-long tunnel, at the end of which were elevators for the different levels. Two elevators serviced the field station -- one capable of accommodating four 2 1/2-ton trucks or "an average size four-room cottage". For passenger service, another elevator was provided with a carrying capacity of 20 persons. It even had a cafeteria that could turn out 6,000 meals a day. Huge air conditioning and ventilating systems ensured a constant flow of fresh air drawn from the open countryside. Some idea of the size of the building may be gained from the fact that it took almost 5,000 forty-inch fluorescent tubes to light the facility. There is no historical evidence to suggest the field station was ever used for aircraft assembly. During the last stages of the World War II, the 30th Base Engineering Battalion used the tunnel for topographic work involving Japanese held islands. At the end of WWII, the tunnel facility was turned over to the Air Force. Up until and during the Korean War, Schofield Barracks facilities were under utilized while mainland facilities were overrun with draftees. In 1951, a basic training center was established for replacement troops. The 25th Infantry returned to Hawaii in 1954 to add to the population of Schofield Barracks. The additional troops and families presented a demand for more facilities, to include a new commissary, noncommissioned officers’ club and the first elementary school. The tunnel facility was kept in a reserve status until 1953, at which time the Navy assumed control and used it for ammunition and torpedo storage. According to an article published in the Honolulu Star Bulletin, the Navy announced on June 28, 1953, it would convert the bunker into a secret facility. A local construction team was awarded the contract for $1.7 million to revamp the facilities. When the initial renovations were completed in the early 1960s, the Commander in Chief, Pacific Forces, used the complex as a command center. In 1966, the facility was hardened against chemical, biological and radiological attacks. In 1976, the Fleet operations center was moved to another location and the tunnel was turned over to the General Services Agency for disposition. Among other suggestions, the GSA recommended the underground facility be used for a laundry plant or hospital. The GSA also received recommendations to close the facility or "mothball" the tunnel for an indefinite time. In the 1970’s, upgrades of facilities could be seen all over Schofield Barracks, to include commissary, youth and child-care, and restaurant facilities. The post stockade was closed in 1977 and was used as a Correctional Custody Facility until November 1990. H-2, the highway connecting Schofield Barracks to Honolulu, was also completed in 1977. By the early 1980’s, Schofield Barracks was well populated and the largest post operated by the U.S. Army outside the continental U.S. In January, 1980, Congress approved project funding to begin the activation of Field Station Kunia under U.S. Army control. An Advance party of Naval Security Group personnel was established with the stand-up of the Kunia Field Station in January, 1980. Operations began in November, 1980, and the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Kunia was establised and commissioned on November 14, 1980. The soldiers and sailors who worked in, and supported the field station were housed in a barracks on Wheeler Army Air Field, pending approval of funds and construction of billets on Schofield Barracks. Construction of the modern air conditioned barracks and dining facility was completed in 1986. By April, it was occupied by the soldiers and administrative offices of the two battalions. In order to reflect the change to a more "joint" mission, Field Station Kunia was redesignated the Kunia Regional Security Operations Center (KRSOC) in August, 1993. The Kunia Regional Security Operations Center (KRSOC) is a Joint tenant unit that performs a real-world strategic intelligence mission primarily in support of U.S. Central Command and U.S. Pacific Command. The KRSOC is an element of the U.S. Cryptologic System. The KRSOC is manned by personnel from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Marine Corps, along with Department of Defense civilians. The installation lies approximately 15 miles west of the city of Honolulu and ten miles south of the world famous North Shore of Oahu. There are only three such units worldwide, GRSOC at Ft. Gordon, GA (Army), MRSOC at Medina, San Antonio, TX (Air Force), and KRSOC at Kunia, HI (Navy). The field station changed hands once again in October 1995, when possession of the tunnel was again handed over to the Navy. Although it is still referred to as the KRSOC, it was in the hands of the Naval Security Group Activity, Kunia. Direct cryptologic support provided by regional assets continues to be key to intelligence production in the Pacific. While required renovations have continued throughout the last 20 years, the KRSOC is an aging facility, built in 1945 and renovated for cryptologic operations in 1979. Naval Security Group Activity Kunia was officially commissioned November 14, 1980, at Wheeler Air Force Base, to serve as an integral member of the worldwide U.S. communications network, and to provide radio relay and secure communications for the defense of the U.S. and its allies. NSGA Kunia provided cryptologic personnel, information, communications, and engineering installation services to support Pacific Theater and National warfare requirements. NSGA Kunia provided host support services to the Kunia Regional Security Operations Center. Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion (formerly Marine Support Battalion) Company I was co-located with NSGA Kunia, and still resides at Schofield Barracks. U.S. Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Kunia and the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Pearl Harbor merged commands in a ceremony September 30, 2004 at the USS Nevada Memorial, in Pearl Harbor, HI. NSGA Pearl Harbor was officially disestablished, and the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Hawaii was commissioned. On September 30, 2005, NSGA Hawaii was administratively closed and was re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Hawaii, Schofield Barracks, HI. On August 30, 2007, the National Security Agency, Central Security Service (NSACSS) located in Kunia, Hawaii, held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Hawaii Regional Security Operations Center (HRSOC) at the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Pacific (NCTAMS PAC), located in Wahiawa, Hawaii. The HRSOC state-of- the-art facility will be approximately 250,000 square feet, constructed on 70 acres, and will cost $318 million dollars. The complex will replace the Kunia Regional Security Operations Center (KRSOC). The new HRSOC Operations Center will include a Command Center, Operations Briefing Center, Data Analysis Section, Mission Planning Areas, administrative offices and video teleconferencing centers. New support buildings will include a Base Entry Control Facility, a Visitors Control Center, and a warehouse facility. The building is scheduled to be completed in late 2010 and the facility is the largest contract in the history of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFACENGCOM). Advance party established Jan 1980 NSGA Kunia, Schofield Barracks, HI 14 Nov 1980 30 Sep 2004 Supporting the Kunia Regional Security Operations Center (KRSOC). Merged with NSGA Pearl Harbor NSGA Hawaii, Schofield Barracks, HI 01 Oct 2004 30 Sep 2005 KRSOC also known as NSACSS Hawaii. Summer 2005 NIOC Hawaii, Schofield Barracks, HI 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Lackland AFB, Texas See San Antonio. =================================================================================== Libugon, Guam, Marianas Island See Guam =================================================================================== London, Borough of London, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain In 1942, Admiral Harold F. Stark set up offices at 20 Grosvenor Square (7 North Audley Street), marking the beginning of the leadership of U.S. Naval Forces, Europe which was to become CINUSNAVEUR. 20 Grosvenor Square was the Headquarters for General Dwight D. Eisenhower and COMNAVEUR provided key intelligence reports for the invasion of North Africa. The flag for CINCUSNAVEUR and COMEASTLANT is in Naples Italy; the administrative headquarters for both commands is in London, England. The building housing CINCUSNAVEUR, COMNAVACTS UK and various other Navy tenant commands is located at 7 N. Audley St., adjacent to Grosvenor Square and one block away from the U.S. Embassy in London. London is the capital and largest city of the United Kingdom (UK) of Great Britain, and is the largest port and industrial city in England. London is located in southwest England on the River Thames. London is situated in the London Basin, which is drained by the lower Thames. One of the world's most important financial and cultural centers, London is noted for its museums, performing arts, exchange and commodity markets, and insurance and banking functions. In popular and traditional usage, the term City of London, or the City, is applied only to a small area (1 sq mi) that was the original settlement (ancient Londinium) and is now part of the business and financial district of the metropolis. The City of London and 32 surrounding boroughs form the Greater London metropolitan area, which covers 610 square miles. Naval Activities United Kingdom (NAVACTUK) oversees facilities and services in England. Its mission is to exercise command over assigned activities; to discharge area coordination responsibilities over shore activities in the United Kingdom and Northern Europe; to coordinate the provision of logistic and administrative support for the U.S. Naval activities and units in the United Kingdom and Northern Europe and other agencies as directed; and carry out responsibilities and act as the single Navy official to speak for the Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe/U.S. Commander, Eastern Atlantic in the United Kingdom and Northern Europe. Total population served as of late 1998, was 3605, with 1140 active duty, 1729 family members, 361 civilian employees, and 384 retirees. There is no "base" as you would normally find. The Navy offices in London are located in five major areas; at RAF West Ruislip, the Eastcote DOE Complex, Blenheim Crescent at West Ruislip, RAF Daws Hill, and the Navy Headquarters Building in central London at 7 North Audley Street. The Navy leases the building there from the Duke of Westminister for 100 pounds per year. The U.S. pays the taxes. RAF West Ruislip is about 12 miles North West of central London. The commute from downtown London to the Eastcote or West Ruislip offices is about 1 hour by train (or the Tube as it is known locally); or 45 minutes by car, depending on the time of day. Most people work in Navy offices at either Blenheim Crescent or 7 North Audley. RAF stands for Royal Air Force and some of the Navy locations are on RAF bases, however, these are not air bases with planes, runways, etc.; but small bases no longer used by the RAF. Office Space is "loaned" to the U.S. Government, and typically you will not find any British military personnel at these locations. RAF West Ruislip facilities include: Navy Exchange, Commissary, Family Service Center, MWR recreation facilities, Housing Office, Post Office, Chapel, DoDDS Elementary School, Community Bank, Child Development Center, Thrift Shop, Auto Shop, Subway Sandwich Shop, and the Center Stage all hands club and movie theater. U.S. Naval Activities, London was established in 1951 by the direction of the Chief of Naval Operations as a union of two shore commands; U.S. Naval Activities in London, and U.S. Naval Facility, London. The functions assigned these two commands had been previously performed by the Headquarters Command, Commander in Chief, Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean (CINCNELM). Personnel assigned upon this establishment were largely drawn from the CINCNELM staff. In 1958, the U.S. Naval Facility, London was designated as the U.S. Naval Support Activity, London. As other Naval activities in the United Kingdom and Northwestern Europe were established, the command was designated by the Secretary of the Navy to its present title of U.S. Naval Activities, United Kingdom (NAVACTUK). In August 1965, the U.S. Naval Support Activities, London was disestablished and reassigned to COMNAVACTUK, consolidating the support activity and old facility into one command. The Commander, U.S. Naval Activities in London was dual-hatted, also serving as Commanding Officer of the U.S. Naval Facility, London. Except for the Commanding Officer, who served in both commands, all officers, enlisted men, U.S. civilians and UK employees were assigned to the U.S. Naval Facility, London. Their functions included administrative, legal, medical, dental, supply, public works and Navy Exchange operations. Commander, U.S. Naval Activities, United Kingdom is an echelon three command subordinate to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe. As the regional area coordinator for the United Kingdom and Northern Europe, COMNAVACTUK also exercises command over Naval Air Facility, Mildenhall, Navy Exchange, United Kingdom, U.S. Naval Medical Clinics, United Kingdom; and the Marine Corps Security Force Company, London. As the "base commander" for the tenant activities in the greater London area, NAVACTUK’s 12 officers, 60 enlisted and 289 civilian personnel directly support 760 military personnel and over 1200 of their dependents in the greater London area; student officers at Oxford and Cambridge Universities and Royal Forces Staff Colleges; and individuals assigned to the Personnel Exchange Program (PEP) in the United Kingdom. In this capacity, COMNAVACTUK operates three post offices, an official mail metering office, a Navy Exchange and commissary, clubs and recreation services, public works and supply departments, a chapel and all the services normally provided by a large Naval station. COMNAVACTUK’s headquarters is located at 86 Blenheim Crescent, Ruislip in northwest London, with some Administrative, Supply and Public Works support operations located in or adjacent to the CINCUSNAVEUR Headquarters building in downtown London. There are 80 family housing units located at this complex. The RAF Hendon complex consists of 97 family housing units. The RAF Daws Hill complex consists of 70 housing units and hosts the London Central High School. Also located at RAF Daws Hill are supply and public works support. The Ministry of Defense facility at Eastcote support the Marine Corps Security Force Company, London and a number of other Navy and Department of Defense activities. The Navy established its European Headquarters at 20 Grosvenor Square in 1949. The North Audley entrance was added to the building at that time. In 1960, Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe (CINCUSNAVEUR) was established. The Naval Communications Unit (NAVCOMMU), London was established in 1964 and was expanded to include three major outstations in England and Scotland by the early 1980s. In 1991, with the ongoing worldwide integration of computers into communications systems, the command was renamed the U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NAVCOMTELSTA), London. More than 20,000 messages passed through London each day, making London the largest volume Naval messaging hub in Europe. Communication problems during Desert Storm led to an increase of responsibility for NAVCOMTELSTA London. To alleviate backlogs, London assumed communications coverage for all stations ashore in the European theatre, including those along the Mediterranean Sea. Technical advancements and conversion to electronic message delivery enabled the command to continue performing its mission with fewer stations and personnel. All three outstations were closed by late 1993, and the large mainframe computer at the London office was replaced by PC-based processors in the following year. On January 1, 1995, under a worldwide regionalization of communications assets, NAVCOMTELSTA London was realigned under the U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station (NCTAMS), Mediterranean, Naples, Italy. As a result of the downsizing of the Command, NAVCOMTELSTA London was disestablished in mid-1995, and U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station, Mediterranean, Detachment London (NCTAMS MED DET London UK) was established on July 1, 1995. In the Summer 1997, the Command Regional Headquarters (NCTAMS MED), area of responsibility enlarged to include U.S. Navy telecommunications facilities in Bahrain and in Diego Garcia. On October 1, 1997, the region's name changed from Mediterranean to Europe Central, reflecting the wider area of responsibility. Therefore, U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station, Mediterranean, Naples IT; became U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station, Europe Central, Naples IT. The London Detachment was also renamed as NCTAMS EURCENT Detachment, London UK. The London detachment complement is 5 officers, 100 enlisted personnel, and 14 U.S. and British civilians. NCTAMS EURCENT DET London provides communications links between COMUSNAVEUR and operating forces, and it supports commands and agencies in the UK, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, and Germany. The London Borough of Hillingdon is 13 miles west of the center of London. Located in County Middlesex, it is the third largest of the 32 London boroughs. The Borough is a mixture of modern and ancient, with Heathrow Airport and the London orbital motorway, the M25, within its borders, but also quaint villages and historic churches. RAF Uxbridge, located in the Hillingdon Borough, is the home of the U.S. Air Force Transmitting and Receiving Facility, with microwave connectivity to 7 N. Audley St., in downtown London. The name Ruislip, derives from the words 'rush leap' indicating that at one time the River Pinn, which runs through the area, was narrow enough to leap near rushes on the river bank. Settlement at Ruislip was recorded in 1086, but evidence of Iron Age settlements (500 BC) have also been found nearby. During the 13th century, Benedictine monks oversaw their land holdings in southern England from Ruislip, until they were seized by King Edward II in 1337. Kings College in Cambridge also owned the village and land at Ruislip during the 15th century. Since 1914 there has been considerable military activity in the area, with one of the first Royal Air Force bases set up at RAF Northolt (about 1 mile north). The U.S. Air Force occupied RAF West Ruislip and RAF South Ruislip during WWII. During the late 1970's and early 1980's, NAVCOMMU London UK, which was located at 7 N. Audley St. and co-located with CINCUSNAVEUR, NAVACTS UK and NSG Det; was home to the largest Local Digital Message Exchange (LDMX) system (by volume) in the world. During that period, NAVCOMMU London was manned by a combination of Radioman and CTO personnel. The U.S. Naval Security Group Detachment, London UK was located at 7 N. Audley St. in London. Formerly designated as NCU-32, and later NSGA, the Detachment was commissioned on May 4, 1979; and was disestablished and closed on September 30, 2004. In a ceremony held at Royal Air Force Base (RAF) Daws Hill, Commander, Naval Activities United Kingdom (NAVACTS UK or CNAUK) disestablished on September 14, 2007. For 55 years, NAVACTS UK has been the only major U.S. Navy command in the United Kingdom. Once home to Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe (CINCUSNAVEUR), NAVACTS UK served as an administrative agent supporting Commanders Naval Forces Europe, Atlantic and units throughout Western Europe. NAVACTS UK was an echelon III command, subordinate to Commander, Navy Region Europe (CNRE) Naples, Italy. The mission of Navy Region Europe is to provide effective and efficient shore services to U.S. and allied forces within the European theater supporting operations in Europe and Africa. Commander, Navy Region Europe is responsible for the management of six Navy shore installations within the European theater including Joint Maritime Facility St. Mawgan, England; Naval Support Activity La Maddalena, Italy; Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy; Naval Support Activity Detachment Gaeta, Italy; Naval Station Rota, Spain; Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily, Italy, and Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Crete, Greece; in support of Commander, Naval Forces Europe. The CNRE commander is also dual-hatted as the NATO Commander, Maritime Air Naples (CMAN). Maritime Air Naples command headquarters is located on the island of Nisida, Italy; and their primary mission is to support NATO’s maritime contribution to the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). CMAN provides command and control of all NATO maritime air operations in the Mediterranean Sea, and controls all Maritime Patrol assets belonging to all NATO countries training and operating in the European theater. NCU-32, London England, UK ???? ???? NSGA London England, UK ???? 04 May 1979 NSG Det, London, England UK 04 May 1979 30 Sep 2004 Naval Communications Unit (NAVCOMMU), London. UK 1964 1991 U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications 1991 01 Jul 1995 Station (NAVCOMTELSTA), London UK U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area 01 Jul 1995 Summer 1997 Master Station, Mediterranean, Detachment London UK (NCTAMS MED DET London UK) U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Summer 1997 Present Master Station, Europe Central, Detachment London UK (NCTAMS EURCENT DET London UK) =================================================================================== Lualualei, Oahu, Hawaii See Wahiawa, Hawaii. =================================================================================== Marietta, Washington The Station was located at the U.S. Navy installation on the Lummi Indian Reservation, about 1.9 miles west of the city of Marietta. The site was located in the inland northwest corner of Washington, 8 miles west of Bellingham and 20 miles south of the Canadian border, which is now the site of the Lummi Indian Reservation. The reservation includes the Lummi Peninsula, and uninhabited Portage Island. In pre-Colonial times, the Lummi tribe migrated seasonally between many sites including Point Roberts, Washington, Lummi Peninsula, Portage Island, as well as sites in the San Juan Islands, including Sucia Island. Long before it was "discovered" by Europeans, Whatcom County was home to Northwest Coast Indians, the Lummi, Nooksack, Samish and Semiahmoo. The area was claimed by the Spanish in 1775 and later by Russia, England and the United States. Bellingham Bay was named by Captain George Vancouver of the British Navy during his expedition into the waters of Puget Sound in 1792. Fur trappers and traders were the first non-Indian residents to settle in and Hudson's Bay Company set up shop from 1825 to 1846. In the early 1850's, a tremendous amount of building took place in California (after the San Francisco fire) and lumber became scarce. Word of dense stands of Douglas fir brought California miners Roeder and Peabody north, to Bellingham Bay. An impressive and strategically located waterfall, referred to by the Lummi Indians as "What-Coom," meaning "noisy, rumbling water" provided Roeder and Peabody an ideal lumber mill site, and a name for the area's first permanent town. In 1854, its rapid settlement prompted territorial legislature to create the County of Whatcom, an area that, at the time, took in all of present-day Skagit, Island and San Juan counties. In its early years, Whatcom County experienced many economic ups and downs. When coal was discovered in 1853, another bay town, called Sehome, sprang up by the mine shafts and the Bellingham Bay Coal Company became the area's largest employer. Gold fever made a brief, though dramatic imprint on the county. In the summer of 1858, the Fraser River gold rush brought over 75,000 people through Whatcom County. Roeder and Peabody's lumber mill burned in 1873. Five years later, after many cave-ins, fires and floods, the mine closed. Speculators vying to host the Northern Pacific Railroad's west coast terminal brought communities on Bellingham Bay into rapid prosperity. Educational opportunities grew as well. Northwest Normal School, the predecessor to present day's Western Washington University was established in Lynden in 1886. The northwest's first high school was built in Whatcom County in 1890. In 1893, after dramatic growth, the county's boom stopped. A national depression and unyielding mountains pushed local economy into hard times. The railroad went elsewhere and population on the bay dropped to under fifty. By the turn of the century though, Whatcom County was growing again. New lumber and shingle mills, salmon canneries, shipyards and agriculture brought stability to the area. In 1903, the county's four bayside towns, Whatcom, Sehome, Bellingham and Fairhaven consolidated into the present day county seat, Bellingham. Today, valuable natural resources continue to play an important role in Whatcom County's economy. The Naval Radio Station at Marietta was commissioned on November 01, 1952. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Marietta maintained and operated a high frequency direction finding (HFDF) facility and provided communication support to Navy and other Department of Defense elements. The communications facility located at Marietta included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FRD-10A Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. Marietta was the first Navy Wullenweber site to be closed, and ceased operations in March, 1972. The CDAA was the first wullenweber to be dismantled, in 1972. The CDAA property reverted to Lummi Indian Reservation. On March 15, 1953, the facility at NSGA Bainbridge closed and mission functions and responsibilities were transferred to NSG Det Marietta, which was commissioned as NSGA Marietta, WA on that date. NSGA Marietta was decommissioned and closed in March, 1972. Marietta today is two-block community, which sits on the bank of the Nooksack River, on the edge of the Lummi Indian Reservation. Approximately 40 residents live in this unincorporated area of Whatcom County, on the edge of Bellingham Bay. NAVRADSTA Marietta, WA 01 Nov 1952 15 Apr 1953 NSG Det Marietta, WA 01 Nov 1952 15 Apr 1953 NSGA Marietta, WA 15 Apr 1953 Mar 1972 Reverted to Lummi Indian reservation. DF site completely cleared. Cantonment area is now a Lummi townsite. =================================================================================== Mariveles, Los Banitos, Bataan Province, Luzon, Philippines Mariveles is a municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. Mariveles is located in a cove at the southern tip of the Bataan Peninsula. It is about 173 kilometers from Manila and due south of Zambales Province. Mariveles Naval Base, was completed on July 22, 1941, was used by the U.S. Navy's Asiatic Fleet. The Communications Radio Intelligence units monitoring the Japanese fleet maneuvers were at Libugon, Guam; Olongapo, Philippines (July, 1930 to February, 1935, when the unit moved to Los Banitos, Mariveles, Philippines); Peking (Peiping), China (1927 to July, 1935, when the unit moved to Shanghai, China); Los Banitos, Mariveles, Philippines (March 1, 1935 to January, 1936), the USS Goldstar (AG-12), and the USS Augusta (CA-31) (Asiatic Fleet Flagship from November 9, 1933 to November 22, 1940). Mobile detachments from shore stations in the Philippines and Guam manned communications radio intelligence positions onboard the USS Augusta and USS Goldstar. In late 1929, the U.S. Navy opened an intercept station at a small Naval base at Olongapo in the Philippines on Subic Bay, facing the South China Sea. The site (Station C) was officially opened in July, 1930. Unfortunately, Station C personnel were delayed by having to assume primary responsibility for all regular Navy communications in and out of the base at Olongapo. As a result, they did not really get on with intercept duties until August. 1932, as Station C (Cast). Station C was destined to move three times in ten years in an attempt to find secure operating spaces, living quarters, and antenna sites where Japanese Navy signals could be heard consistently; including Olongapo, 1930-35; Mariveles, 1935-36; Cavite, 1936-40; and Corregidor, 1940-42. Station C was transferred from Olongapo to Mariveles and then to the Navy Yard in Cavite. In mid-October 1940, Station C would finally establish itself in a special tunnel built for the Navy at Monkey Point on Corregidor. Two months later, Station C absorbed the mission and the personnel of Station Able in Shanghai, China; which was closed. Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Olongapo, Jul 1930 Feb 1935 Luzon, Philippines Moved to Mariveles, Los Banitos, Luzon, Philippines Feb 1935 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Mariveles, 01 Mar 1935 05 Jan 1936 Los Banitos, Bataan Province, Luzon, Philippines Moved to Cavite City, Luzon, Philippines 05 Jan 1936 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Cavite, 05 Jan 1936 Oct 1940 Luzon, Philippines DF station established Sep 1936 Moved to Corregidor Oct 1940 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Corregidor, Oct 1940 Apr 1942 Luzon, Philippines Evacuated to Melbourne, Australia Apr 1942 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Melbourne May 1942 01 Nov 1945 at Naval Supplementary Radio Station Moorabbin, Melbourne, Australia =================================================================================== Mayport, Florida Mayport, Florida is located 15 miles east of Jacksonville at the mouth of the St. Johns River. Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach are communities just south of the base. Some two dozen ships are presently berthed in the Mayport basin at Naval Station Mayport, including AEGIS guided-missile cruisers, destroyers and guided-missile frigates. The aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy is homeported in Mayport. The Naval Station is unique, in that, it is home to a busy seaport, as well as an Naval Air Facility, which conducts more than 135,000 flight operations each year. Naval Station Mayport consolidated operations with Naval Air Station Mayport in 1992 and became Naval Station Mayport. The Navy at Mayport covers 3,409 acres. and is the third largest Naval facility in the continental U.S. The U.S. Naval Air Station Jacksonville has evolved from a relatively small training base into the Navy's third largest Naval facility/complex in the continental U.S., right behind San Diego and Norfolk. The air station's two aviation wings - Patrol Wing Eleven and Helicopter Antisubmarine Wing Atlantic, which relocated to NAS JAX in 1973 - fly the P-3 Orion long-range maritime surveillance aircraft and the SH-3 Sea King and SH-60 helicopters. NAS JAX occupies 3896 acres on the St. Johns River and is home to 14,532 personnel and 68 tenant commands. Mayport was commissioned in December 1942, and was approximately one quarter the size of the station today. The basin, dredged to 29 feet, was used by patrol craft, rescue boats, and jeep carriers. Reclassified as a Naval Sea Frontier Base in 1943, Mayport added a landing field and a fueling facility for submarines. Decommissioned at the end of the war, Mayport reactivated in 1948, and by 1955 added a master jet runway. As a Naval station, Mayport served as an advance staging area during the Cuban missile crisis. Station ships have been involved in operations off the coasts of Lebanon, and Granada, and in the Persian Gulf. Helicopters at Naval Air Facility, established in 1982, joined the fleet at Mayport Naval Station in 1992. The station's harbor can accommodate up to 34 fleet units, including two aircraft carriers. More than 23 ships call Mayport home, including Ticonderoga-class cruisers, Arleigh Burke and Spruance-class destroyers and Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigates. In February 1992, the USS Forrestal changed her homeport from Mayport FL, to nearby Pensacola to become the U.S. Navy's training carrier for Naval aviators and support personnel. And on June 24, 1994, the Navy's oldest active duty aircraft carrier, USS Saratoga, completed her final voyage, returning to Mayport from a 6-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. Presently, the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) is homeported in Mayport. In January, 2004, the U.S. Navy relocated the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (USNAVSOCOM) from Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, to Naval Station Mayport, FL. NSG Det Mayport, FL 01 Aug 1974 NSGA Mayport, FL 01 Aug 1974 Sep 1986 At NAVSTA Mayport. =================================================================================== Medina, San Antonio, TX See San Antonio =================================================================================== Menwith Hill, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom RAF Menwith Hill is located in the Yorkshire Dales in England, UK; and is approximately 8 miles northwest of Harrogate, 20 miles North of Bradford, and 222 miles North of London. The generally accepted meaning of the name Menwith is woodland. This is appropriate since the area is included in the region known as the "Forest of Knaresborough." The area surrounding the station is now largely treeless farm, and moor land. The designation RAF Menwith Hill came into effect on 19 February 19, 1996. The land occupied by RAF Menwith Hill was acquired by the British War Office in 1954, and was subsequently leased to the U.S. to build RAF Menwith Hill. The land is owned by the Ministry of Defense. Nominally a British Royal Air Force facility, only physical security and UK liaison functions are carried out by Ministry of Defense personnel. The vast majority of staff are British GCHQ personnel, American civil service employees, government contractors, as well as U.S. military personnel. The base was also known as Field station F83. Menwith Hill Station was established in 1956 by the U.S. Army Security Agency (USASA). Menwith Hill was operated by the USASA from 1958 until June 1966 as a High Frequency radio communications monitoring station. The Army 713th MI Group remains the Executive Agent for the Menwith Hill field site. In June, 1966, Menwith Hill Station was turned over to the U.S. Air Force. The Air Intelligence Agency 451st Intelligence Squadron (451 IS) is located at Menwith Hill Station (MHS). Throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s both the infrastructure and the number of personnel at the site continued to expand. In February 1996, the site was renamed RAF Menwith Hill to bring it into line with other RAF sites made available to the U.S. in the UK, and administrative control of the site reverted to the U.S. Army. In July 2002, administrative and logistic responsibility transferred from the U.S. Army to the U.S. Air Force, who already provided a similar service to other establishments made available to the U.S. in the UK. Menwith Hill Station is touted to be the largest SIGINT facility in the world. The mission of RAF Menwith Hill, which is a 560 acre U.S. Air Force installation, is to provide rapid radio relay and conduct communications research. Menwith Hill is highly recognisable by its several dozen radomes (golf balls), each containing a satellite tracking dish. The land beneath the antennas is sublet to local farmers for grazing. Company G of the Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion (formerly Marine Support Battalion) "G" is stationed on Menwith Hill Station, and was co-located with NSGA Menwith Hill. The Menwith Hill Regional Security Operations Center (RSOC) is manned by U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S Army personnel; as well as DOD civilians. NSGA Menwith Hill was commissioned on October 1, 1995. On September 30, 2005, NSGA Menwith Hill was administratively closed and was re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Menwith Hill, England, UK. NSGA Menwith Hill, England, UK 01 Oct 1995 30 Sep 2005 Tenant of USAF Menwith Hill Station NIOC Menwith Hill, England, UK 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Midway Islands, Eastern Island, Midway Atoll, Hawaiian Archipelago Midway Atoll, formerly known as Naval Air Facility (NAF), Midway, is a coral circular atoll formed atop a volcanic seamount, and is located 1,100 miles northwest of Oahu, Hawaii at the northwestern end of the Hawaiian archipelago, but is not part of the state of Hawaii. Midway is located just east of the international dateline. Midway Atoll consists of two main islands, Sand and Eastern, totaling three square miles in area, with several smaller islets enclosed within a reef approximately five miles in diameter. Midway has no indigenous population. Midway Island has two serviceable runways with one permanently surfaced and one small minor port. Site of the historic Battle of Midway in June 1942, Naval Air Facility (NAF) Midway Island has supported various Naval operations since the late 1800s. The operational facilities were located on Sand Island, which has an area of 1,201 acres. Eastern Island comprises 334 acres and has been uninhabited since 1970, although it was used extensively by the Navy prior to 1970. Midway is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and enjoys a tropical climate. There are no active streams on either Sand Island or Eastern Island. There are no urban areas or urban populations on the island. While operating as a Naval Air Facility, majority of the residents were military personnel. Midway Atoll was discovered in 1859 and claimed by the U.S. in 1867. In 1859, Captain N.C. Brooks of the Hawaiian Barque "Gambia" discovered Midway Island and named it Brooks Island. Captain William Reynolds of "USS Lackawanna" on August 28, 1867, officially claimed the atoll a U.S. insular area. This claim was in accordance within instructions from the Secretary of the Navy, pursuant to the Guano Act of August 18, 1856. The Navy renamed it "Midway Island" in recognition of its geographic location on the route between California and Japan. Midway was formally annexed by the U.S. in 1867. In 1903, President Roosevelt assigned jurisdiction and control of the atoll, surrounding reefs, and territorial waters to the U.S. Navy. Sand Island became a station of the Hawaii-Luzon submarine cable in 1905. In 1936, Pan American Airways made the Island a regular stop on its San Francisco-Manila run. In 1940, the Navy commenced construction of a Naval Air Station at Midway. Midway Atoll was designated a Naval Defense Sea Area and Airspace Reserve on February 14, 1941. Naval Air station, Midway Island, was established and commissioned on August 1, 1941. On June 4, 1942, a Japanese armada including four aircraft carriers attempted to capture Midway and its landing strip, as the first step toward a second assault on the Hawaiian Islands. Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance lead the outnumbered Americans in repulsing the invasion and sinking all four Japanese aircraft carriers. A Submarine Base, was established on Midway Island, on July 15, 1942. After WWII, the development of long-range planes reduced Midway's importance as a commercial air base, and Pan American eliminated stops there in 1950. That year also saw the reduction of Midway's U.S. Navy establishment to a housekeeping force. The islands were virtually abandoned after World War II. In 1957, the airfield facilities on Sand Island were expanded to create a Pacific Airborne Early Warning base. As Naval Air Base and later Naval Air Facility, the Navy operated and maintained facilities and provided services and materials to support aviation activities. Past operations and activities included construction, fuel and oil storage, dry cleaning, pest control, refueling, aircraft and vehicle maintenance, a power plant, pesticide applications, firing ranges, landfills, and hazardous waste storage. In 1978, the Naval Station was redesignated NAF Midway Island. As a component of Naval Air Station (NAS), Barbers Point, NAF Midway Island underwent operational closure on September 30, 1993. On April 22, 1988, Midway Atoll was designated as an National Wildlife Refuge, a unit of the Hawaiian and Pacific Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex. It provides nesting grounds for several species of migratory seabirds. In addition, a wide variety of sea creatures, including dolphins, the endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal and the threatened Green Sea Turtle; all thrive within the atoll's coral reef, which extends five miles in diameter. The Department of the Navy and the Department of the Interior signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on May 22, 1996, concerning the transfer of NAF Midway to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The Executive Order transferring legal enforcement authority to the USFWS was signed on October 31, 1996. The USFWS assumed custody of Midway Island when the transfer of MOU was signed, but operation of Midway did not change until the current Navy Base Operating Services (BOS) contract was completed on June 30, 1997, and the Navy left Midway. In 1999, in recognition of the atoll’s historical significance, Congress directed the Secretary of the Interior to develop Midway as a National Memorial and establish a preservation program for its historic military buildings and gun emplacements. This was to include interpretative displays and promotion of tourist visits. Midway was closed to visitors in January, 2002. The abundant wildlife, sparkling white beaches and historical sites were just beginning to attract significant numbers of tourists when the USFWS closed the island to visitors. The Fish and Wildlife Service continues to protect the atoll’s wildlife and endangered species. NSGA Midway Island was commissioned on July 1, 1954 and was decommissioned and closed in February, 1971. Midway Island was a member of the Eastern Pacific (EASTPAC) HFDF net, from 1952 through 1971. The last Commanding Officer of NSGA Midway Island was LCDR Fred W. Evans. NAVCOMMUNIT 43, Midway Islands Nov 1941 01 Jul 1954 NSGA Midway Islands 01 Jul 1954 Feb 1971 =================================================================================== Misawa, Aomori Prefecture, Honshu, Japan Misawa Air Base is located approximately 400 miles north of Tokyo, on the north eastern part of Honshu, Japan's main island. adjacent to Misawa City in Aomori Prefecture, in Tohoku. There are about 5,200 U.S. military personnel assigned to Misawa (pronounced MEE-sah-wah), along with 300 U. S. civilian employees end 900 local national employees. Misawa Air Base is unique in that it's the only combined, joint service installation in the western Pacific. Units representing all four U.S. services are assigned here as well as the Japan Air Self Defense Force, or JASDF. The 35th Fighter Wing serves as the host unit, and provides support for the entire Misawa Air Base community. Major associate units include the Naval Air Facility, the Misawa Cryptologic Operations Center, comprised of the 301st Intelligence Squadron, Naval Security Group Activity, 750th Military Intelligence Company, Company E Marine Support Battalion; the JASDF Northern Air Defense Force Headquarters and 3rd Air Wing. Misawa Air Base is shared with the Japan Air Self Defense Force. has witnessed a large amount of growth over the past few years. It is a dynamic air base with modern facilities, excellent housing, and is surrounded by the natural mountainous beauty of rural northern Japan. F-16s from the 35th Fighter Wing (35 FW) share a single runway with the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF). The JASDF 3d Air Wing has one squadron each of F-1 fighters, F-4 fighters, T-4 training aircraft, and E-2C airborne fighter control aircraft. Additionally, U.S. Navy P-3 antisubmarine warfare (ASW) aircraft, JASDF CH-47s, numerous transient transport aircraft, carrier based USN and USMC fighters, and a major Japanese civilian air carrier use the airfield facilities. In addition to the Navy, Misawa Air Base also hosts U.S. Army, Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force units in conjunction with Japanese Air Self Defense Forces. The In addition to the NAF and NSGA, Misawa also is home to Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Detachment, Personnel Support Detachment, Patrol Wing 1 Det, and Mobile Mine Assembly Unit 12, to name only a few. U.S. Naval Communications Detachment (NAVCOMM Det) Misawa was officially established in February, 1991. NAVCOMM Det Misawa is a tenant command of NAF Misawa, Japan, which is located on 35TH Fighter Wing Air Base Misawa, Japan. NAVCOMM Det Misawa's primary mission is to provide reliable communications support for Commander, SEVENTH Fleet and supporting units, U.S. Naval Forces Japan, Defense Information Systems Agency and the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force. The detachment operates and maintains the Tactical Support Communications Center in support of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing One Detachment Misawa, and operational deployed commander, Commander Task Group 72.4. Additionally, the detachment provides CMS, STU-III, GATEGUARD, and DMS equipment along with training and technical assistance to NAF Misawa, Commander Task Group 72.5 and 12 tenant commands. U.S. Navy P-3s mainly fly long range, over-water ASW missions originating and terminating at Misawa. They will normally only be seen in the local area conducting transition training under RAPCON or tower control. Touch and go landings are common during these missions. VFR training flights are occasionally flown in the local area away from the airfield. During the Meiji period, a national horse farm was established in the area of Misawa Air Base and was eventually used as a cavalry training center for the Imperial Army. As late as the 1930s, at the onset of the Sino-Japanese War, the emperor's cavalry was stationed here, until its transfer to China. Misawa's transformation to an air base began in 1938. The Imperial Army laid a primitive airstrip in the heavily wooded terrain for use as a base for long-range bombers in the defense of northern Honshu Island during the China conflict. It could also be used as a launching site toward the U.S. and Russia, if necessary. A communications site was established in 1941, which was used to send signals to a combined fleet anchored in Mutsu Bay. This fleet would later launch the aircraft that attacked Pearl Harbor. The base was taken over by the Imperial Navy Air Corps in 1942 and the base's mission changed to research and development for training and fighter aircraft. Lake Ogawara, which borders the base, was used to test seaplanes. In 1944, facilities were built for Kamikaze Special Attack forces. Shortly before the war's end, the Yokosuka Flying Corps began testing new aircraft designs here. These improvements, while too late to change the outcome of World War II, were made to Zero and Raider fighter aircraft. In July 1945, a B-29 sabotage training program was established at Misawa. Using wooden dummies of the bomber, the pilots and crewmen were taught how to destroy them. The war ended before the training could be applied. One month before the end of World War II, U.S. fighters strafed and bombed the base. One week later, B-29s all but destroyed it. The American occupation of Misawa began in September 1945, when the Army's famed "Wildcat Troops" arrived. Later, Army engineers restored the base for future use by the Army Air Corps. During the Korean conflict, Misawa supported the F-80s, F-84s and F-86s that saw action over that peninsula. F100 fighters arrived in 1958 followed by F-4s that operated from here during the Vietnam conflict. With the departure of the fighters in 1972, Misawa's primary mission was turned over to the 6920th Electronic Security Group, now the 301st Intelligence Squadron and the Navy's P-3 Orion antisubmarine warfare planes. For more then a decade, Misawa remained a quiet, unassuming base until it was thrust into the international limelight as a major deployment site for rescue and recovery operations, following the 1983 downing of a Korean Airlines 747. On July 4, 1985, fighters returned to Misawa. Near the 1995 new year, Misawa experienced two earthquakes, 7.5 and 6.9 on the Richter scale at the epicenter off the coast of Hachinohe, a nearby city. There were few injuries and no deaths in Misawa. Personal property damage varied from less than $50 in some units to over $10,000 in some apartments on the upper floors of the towers. Most of the damage to base structures was cosmetic (cracked tiles, plaster, etc.). The Naval Air Facility, located at Misawa Air Base, provides support to transient Navy aircraft and to the patrol squadrons that deploy there. Misawa Air Base is approximately four hundred miles north of Tokyo and is located in Aomori (which means blue-green forest) Prefecture, the northernmost prefecture on the island of Honshu. Personnel assigned to the base enjoy an excellent relationship with Misawa City and the local community. There are unlimited opportunities for travel and cultural exchanges at events such as the annual air festival, children's home-stay exchange programs, and participation in local and regional festivals. Commander Fleet Air Western Pacific Detachment Misawa was established on 1 July 1, 1972 with a complement of 4 officers and 27 enlisted personnel. The detachment was initially responsible for operation of the air field at Misawa in and for operation of the fuel arms. In January, 1973, COMFAIRWESTPAC Detachment Misawa commenced supporting a 3-plane patrol squadron detachment, assisting then in their around-the-clock surveillance of the Pacific Ocean. In mid-1973, the detachments took over responsibility for support of all transient aircraft services from the U.S. Air Force and additionally provided support of all transient aircraft services from the U.S. Air Force and add additionally provided support for tactical aircraft from the carriers USS HANCOCK and USS MIDWAY. During this period, initial elements for an Intermediate Maintenance Facility began providing Navy aircraft maintenance support. The fall of 1973 also saw Navy Misawa assume control and coordination for the use of the Ripsaw air-to-ground weapons range and an air-to-air weapons range. In February of 1974, COMFAIRWESTPAC Detachment’s manpower allowance was increased to 7 officers and well over 100 enlisted personnel. The fall of the year saw an ever-increasing Navy tempo of operations in support of both the patrol squadron and tactical air detachments. 1975 continued to find the pace of Navy Misawa operations at a high level and manpower allowance doubling. In August, the first full patrol squadron arrived for a regularly scheduled deployment to Misawa. In September 1975, the Chief of Naval Operations directed the COMFAIRWESTPAC Detachment Misawa be disestablished and Naval Air Facility, Misawa be commissioned on 1 October 1975. The origin of U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Misawa dates back to December, 1945 when RM1 Brillhart was Petty Officer in Charge of COMMSUPACT in Ohminato, Japan. In April 1946, COMMSUPACT operations moved to Yokosuka, Japan. In December, 1952, operations were relocated to Kami Seya, Japan with CDR C. M. Smith as head of NAVSECGRU Department, NAVCOMMSTA Kami Seya. U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Kami Seya was established on January 15, 1960, under the command of CAPT E. W. Knepper. NSGA Kami Seya remained on the Kanto Plain until March, 1971 when most functions were moved to NSG Detachment Misawa, Japan. On July 1, 1971, U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Misawa was commissioned under the command of CAPT G. P. March. The communications facility located at Misawa AB included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FLR-9 Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. NSGA Misawa is the DOD host service organization for the Misawa Cryptologic Operations Center (MCOC), a joint service activity comprising two squadrons, and U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps units. THE MCOC provides warfighters and policymakers actionable/time-critical information operations support; trains and equips personnel, maintains infrastructure for the MCOC; and directs integration of national-tactical intelligence for military operation. The mission of the MCOC, compried of U.S. Armed Forces units, an intergal part of the worldwide U.S. communications network; is to provide rapid radio relay, secure communications, and C2W support to U.S. and Allied Forces. Unit personnel develop and apply techniques and materials designed to ensure that friendly command and control communications are secure and protected from hostile countermeasures. They also advise U.S. Allied commanders concerning procedures and techniques that could be used to counter enemy command and control communications. Additional functions include transmission security, research, into electronic phenomena, direction-finding assistance to air-sea rescue, and navigational aid. On September 30, 2005, NSGA Misawa was administratively closed and was re- established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Misawa, Japan. NIOC Misawa JA: http://www.niocmisawa.navy.mil/. NSG Det Misawa, Japan 05 Jan 1962 01 Jul 1971 Located at U.S. Air Base, Misawa, JA Cryptologic functions transferred in from Mar 1971 NSGA Kami Seya, Japan. NSGA Misawa, Japan 01 Jul 1971 30 Sep 2005 NIOC Misawa, Japan 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== NSG Support Det, Misawa, Japan 1995 =================================================================================== Molesworth, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, England, United Kingdom The Joint Analysis Center (JAC) is located at RAF Molesworth, 14 miles west of RAF Alconbury (which is 60 miles north of London) and 11 miles northwest of Huntingdon, England. Molesworth was named for Sir William Molesworth (1810-1855), 8th Baronet, English politician, Member of Parliament (MP), and Colonial Secretary from July of 1855, until his death on October 22, 1855. The tri-base area constituting the 423d Air Base Squadron is composed of RAF Alconbury, RAF Molesworth and RAF Upwood, UK. The USECOM Joint Analysis Center (JAC) mission is to analyze, process and produce fused intelligence information for the U.S. and NATO. The area of responsibility consists of more than 77 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. It supports mission planning and operations by U.S., Allied and NATO commanders during peace, crisis and war. The 423 ABS is the host unit providing support services for the JAC. Personnel from all four U.S. military services are assigned to the Joint Analysis Center and contribute to the intelligence mission. The JAC activated at RAF Molesworth in 1992, moving from its base in Stuttgart, Germany. The population assigned-served as of late 1998 was: Active Duty: 1,400, Family Members: 2,400 Retirees: 1,320 Civilian Employees: 665. RAF Molesworth was established as a bomber base for the Royal Air Force and it was first occupied by the Royal Australian Air Force equipped with Wellington IV aircraft. In February, 1942, Gen Iran Eager and four U.S. staff members inspected Molesworth for possible American use. Later that year, the airfield was extended to accommodate U.S. heavy bomber aircraft. In July, the first American unit, the 15th Bombardment Squadron, arrived. The squadron's operations also marked the beginning of American daylight raids over occupied Europe. The 15th transferred from Molesworth and was replaced by the 303d Bombardment Group in September 1942. The 303d flew B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft from the base until 1945. In May of that year, the RAF regained possession of Molesworth until 1946 when the airfield was closed down. Molesworth reopened in July 1951 for U.S. Air Force use. The runway was extended again, and facilities were modernized before flying commenced in February 1954. The 582d Air Resupply Group flew B-29 Super Fortress, C-119 Fairchild Flying Boxcar transport and SA-16 Grumman Albatross search amphibian aircraft out of RAF Molesworth to support special operations. The 482d Troop Carrier Squadron replaced the 582d in October, 1956. The 482d flew SA-16 and C-54 Douglas Skymaster cargo transport aircraft until aircraft until May 1957. In February, 1985, after nearly 20 years of relative inactivity except for its use as a military family housing annex, Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office storage area, and Defense Mapping Agency site, the base reverted to the Royal Air Force. Preparation began for the ground launched cruise missile mission, and new facility construction began in September, 1985. The 303d Tactical Missile Wing was activated on December 12, 2086 at RAF Molesworth. On July 23, 2087, the RAF transferred operational command and administrative control of the base to the U.S. Air Force. The 303d Tactical Missile Wing's mission changed significantly after the U.S and the Soviet Union agreed to limit intermediate range missiles in 1988, under the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The first removal of operation cruise missile treaty-limited items from Western Europe occurred September 8, 1988. On January 19, 1989, the Soviet inspection team returned to conduct a close-out inspection of the base. On January 30, 1989, the 303d TMW was inactivated. Some of the facilities at RAF Molesworth covered under the treaty, remained subject to Russian inspection until 2001. On September 30, 2005, NSG Support Detachment Molesworth was administratively closed and was re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Molesworth, UK. NSG Support Det Four, Molesworth, UK Oct 1991 At EUCOM JAC at RAF Molesworth, UK NSG Support Det, Molesworth, UK 30 Sep 2005 NIOD Molesworth, UK 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Monterey, California (NSG Det) Monterey is one of the oldest sites of Spanish civilization in California. The area was sighted by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo (a Portuguese explorer in the service of Spain) in 1542, and in 1602 was explored by Sebastian Vizcaino, who named it in honor of the Count of Monte Rey, the Governor of New Spain. From that time until 1770, Spain was oblivious to the area. The military has played a role in the history of the Monterey Peninsula since 1770 when a small expedition led by Captain Gaspar de Portola, Governor of Alta California, officially took possession for Spain of what is now central California. He was accompanied by Father Junipero Serra, a Franciscan monk, who established a chapel and later the Carmel mission. In compliance with his orders "to erect a fort to occupy and defend the port (of Monterey) from the atrocities of the Russians, who were about to invade", his men immediately began construction of the Presidio. Portola's actions were spurred by the Spanish fear that other nations - particularly Russia - had designs on her New World empire. Spain moved to occupy that portion of the western American coast which she had previously neglected. The port of Monterey was ripe for colonization and military fortification. Spain maintained control of Alta California until 1822. Under Mexico, Monterey remained the capital of the Pacific empire, an area which included what is now California, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, parts of Colorado and parts of Wyoming. The extensive domain was coveted by the U.S. With the defeat of Mexico in 1846, the American flag was raised at the customhouse in Monterey. Four years later, the state of California was admitted to the Union. Monterey became one of five presidios, or forts, built by Spain in what is now the western U.S. Others were founded in San Diego, in 1769; San Francisco, in 1776; Santa Barbara, in 1782; and Tubae, Arizona in 1784. The fortunes of the Presidio at Monterey rose and fell with the times: it has been moved, abandoned and reactivated time and time again. At least three times it has been submerged by the tide of history, only to appear years later with a new face, a new master, and a new mission - first under the Spanish, than the Mexicans, and ultimately the Americans. American control of the area began in 1846 during the war with Mexico when Commodore John D. Sloat, commander of the U.S. Navy's Pacific Squadron, landed unopposed a small force in Monterey and claimed the territory and the Presidio for the U.S. He left a small garrison of Marines who moved the location of the fort and began improving defenses to better protect the town and the harbor. The presidio was renamed Fort Mervine in honor of Captain William Mervine, who commanded one of the ships in Sloat's squadron. The original Presidio consisted of a square of adobe buildings located in the vicinity of what is now downtown Monterey. The fort's original mission, the Royal Presidio Chapel, has remained in constant use since it was founded in 1770 by Father Junipero Serra who arrived with Portola's party. The only direct relationship between the original site and the present Presidio was an earthwork at the latter location which was armed with cannons on a hill overlooking Monterey's harbor. The end of the Mexican War and the discovery of gold in California effectively put an end to any military presence in Monterey. In May 1848, the news of the gold discovery reached Monterey and many companies deserted for the gold fields. In 1865, at the closing months of the Civil War, the old fort on the hill was returned to temporary life by the arrival of six officers and 156 enlisted men, but was abandoned in 1866. In 1902, an Infantry Regiment arrived at Monterey, whose mission was to construct a post to house an infantry regiment and a squadron of cavalry. Troops moved into the new wooden barracks, officially named Ord Barracks, in June 1903. However, in order to perpetuate the name of the old Spanish military installation that Portola had established 134 years earlier, the War Department redesignated the post as the Presidio of Monterey. A school of musketry was located at the Presidio from 1904 to 1911, and a school for cooks and bakers from 1914 to 1917. In 1917, the Army purchased an additional 15,809 acres across the bay as a maneuver area. This new acquisition eventually was designated as Camp Ord in 1939 and became Fort Ord in 1940. Between 1919 and 1940, the Presidio housed principally cavalry and field artillery units. However, the outbreak of World War II ended the days of horse cavalry, and troops left Monterey. In June 1946, the school was designated as the Army Language School and later renamed the Defense Language Institute (DLI) in 1963. The Presidio of Monterey became the Defense Language Institute, West Coast Branch - the Presidio of Monterey, however, kept its name. The first flights on the Monterey Peninsula took place from the polo field of the Del Monte Hotel in 1910. For the next 30 years, the nearby area of Tarpey Flats was used as a flying field. In March 1941, the local communities formed the Monterey Peninsula Airport District and acquired 455 acres from Del Monte Properties to develop a modern airport. After the start of the war, the Navy leased the airport for $1 per year and the CAA allocated $1.7 million for construction of hard surfaced runways. The Navy purchased an addition al 17 acres for $41,000 on which to build barracks and administrative buildings. Construction commenced in August, 1942, and ended with the commissioning of the Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS), Monterey on May 23, 1943, as an auxiliary of NAS Alameda, CA. The primary mission of the base was training of torpedo squadrons and torpedo planes of composite squadrons. For that purpose, the Navy set up a torpedo range at Monterey Bay in cooperation with the local Naval Section Base. Along with Pyramid Lake, Nevada, Monterey was the only other torpedo range in the 12th Naval District and squadrons from other air stations also utilized the range. Torpedoes were loaded at Alameda, 80 miles to the north, and dropped on two target ships at Monterey Bay. The 160-man Field Torpedo Unit at Monterey recovered the torpedoes that were later trucked back to Alameda for overhaul. During the remainder of 1943, 12 squadrons dropped 693 torpedoes and in 1944, 21 squadrons launched 1511 torpedoes -- 71 of which were lost in the bay. Monterey also served as the base for squadrons training prior to shipping out to the South Pacific. In July 1944, a mobile radar intercept unit was set up nearby for the training of fighter pilots. In the last few months of the war, the station supported a detachment of Moffett's Antisubmarine Warfare Training Unit. On September 1, 1944, the station acquired an OLF at San Luis Obispo. In March 1944, complement consisted of 117 officers and 785 enlisted men. On November 1, 1945, the Navy placed NAAS Monterey on caretaker status. Opened in 1880, the Del Monte Hotel was billed as the finest luxury resort in the world hosting captains and kings. In late 1942, after facing a dwindling business, Samuel F. B. Morse, the hotel's owner and grand-nephew of the inventor of the telegraph, offered the hotel to the Navy. After leasing the property, the Navy established the Del Monte Pre-Flight School in February, 1943. After the pre-flight school closed in December 1944, Del Monte was used for engineering and general line schools. Following the war, the Navy purchased the property moving the Naval Postgraduate School to Monterey from Annapolis. The Naval Auxiliary Air Station reactivated on December 20, 1947, to provide aircraft for flight proficiency by Navy and Marine Corps aviators, stationed at the postgraduate school. The Navy remained at the airport until 1972, when the facility closed. The airport is now known as the Monterey Peninsula Airport. In November 1941, the Army established a secret school on the Presidio of San Francisco to teach the Japanese language to American soldiers of Japanese descent (Nisei). West Coast hostility toward the Nisei during this period forced the Military Intelligence Service Language School to move inland to Minnesota in 1942. In 1946, the school moved to the Presidio of Monterey. Renamed the Army Language School (ALS) during the Cold War, it expanded to more than 30 languages and recruited worldwide for teachers. The Armed Services operated separate language programs until 1963, when the Defense Department consolidated them under a new Washington, DC headquarters, the Defense Language Institute (DLI). It had an East Coast Branch and a West Coast Branch, formerly ALS. In 1974, the Department of Defense (DoD) consolidated the DLI headquarters, and moved DLI HQ to the Presidio of Monterey. In 1976 the Defense Language Institute, West Coast Branch became the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Language Center. DLIFLC became the Defense Department’s primary center for foreign language instruction, where all resident foreign language training for the Armed Services was conducted. DLIFLC gained academic accreditation in 1979. The Institute expanded in the 1980s. As the Institute increased instructor-to-student ratios, implemented team teaching and acquired information-age technology, average student proficiency steadily increased. For much of its history, DLIFLC was a tenant activity on the Presidio of Monterey. The Presidio itself was a sub-installation of nearby Fort Ord. On October 1, 1994; Fort Ord closed and the Presidio of Monterey became a separate installation again. The Naval Security Group Detachment was located on the Monterey Peninsula. The base was also home to the Monterey Naval Postgraduate School, the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center, and the Naval Support Activity, Monterey Bay. Naval Security Group Detachment (NSG Det) Monterey was the home for all Navy personnel assigned to the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Language Center, commonly called DLI. NSG Det Monterey was subordinate to the Commander, Naval Security Group Command, Washington, DC. NSG Det was a tenant activity at DLI. Most Navy students were at DLI for Cryptologic Technician Interpretive (CTI) "A" School. Most students come directly from recruit training. CTI's returned for intermediate, advanced, or cross-training language classes, or for languages to meet special billet requirements. Navy students participated in Russian, Chinese, Arabic, and Spanish language courses. Sstudents received their language assignment upon arrival, depending on enlistment guarantees, Navy personnel requirements, class quotas, and the student's ability, background, and interest. All basic class students were required to take the Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB) prior to assignment. After DLI, CTI "A" School graduates continued their language training at Naval Technical Training Center Detachment, Goodfellow AFB, TX. NSG Det Monterey, CA 10 Feb 1976 30 Sep 1999 At Defense Language Institute (DLI) Foreign Language Center, Monterey, CA To NTTC Det, Monterey, CA =================================================================================== Monterey, California (NTTC/CFC/CID Det) For the history of Monterey CA, see the article on NSG Det Monterey, CA. On November 19, 2002, Naval Technical Training Center, Corry Station officially became the Center for Cryptology, Corry Station, as part of the Chief of Naval Operations establishment of Navy Learning Centers. The NTTC Detachment at Monterey also realigned the command name to Center for Cryptology Det, Monterey, CA. The official recommissioning date was in July, 2003. In January 10, 2005, the Center for Cryptology, Corry Station in Pensacola, FL and the Center for Information Technology in San Diego, CA merged to become the Center for Information Dominance, Corry Station, Pensacola, FL. The Center for Cryptology Detachment at Montery also realiged the command name to the Center for Information Dominance Detachment, Montery, CA. The Center for Information Dominance, Corry Station, Pensacola, FL (and all Detachments and Learning Centers) are now subordinate to the Naval Personnel Development Command (NPDC), Norfolk, VA. There is also a Marine Corps Admin Detachment located at the Defense Language Institute (DLI) Foreign Language Center, Presidio of Monterey, CA. The USMC Admin Det is the only language training detachment of its kind. Most Marine Corps trained linguist are graduates of the DLI. The Marine Corps Detachment is under the command of the Marine Corps Training and Education Command (TECOM), located in Quantico, VA. Naval Technical Training Center Det Monterey, CA. Jul 2003 Center for Cryptology Det, Monterey, CA. Jul 2003 10 Jan 2005 Center for Information Dominance Det, Monterey, CA. 10 Jan 2005 Present ================================================================================== Naples, Bagnoli and Capodichino, Italy Naples is the chief town of the province which bears its name, and lies on the northern shore of the Bay of Naples, on the western coast of Campania, Italy. Silhouetted against the sky to the south of the plain that Naples is situated on, is the cone of Mount Vesuvius. The city of Naples is renowned for it's many castles, palaces, churches and museums. Naples' history stretches back to antiquity. According to some ancient writers, there were two towns in the 7th century BC, called Parthenope and Neapolis, which was later called Palaeopolis. Other writings claim that Naples was founded in the 6th century BC by Greek immigrants. Although the origin of the city is obscure, it was certainly conquered by the Romans in 328 BC. Known as Neopolis a Roman settlement, it was the favorite residence of many of the Roman Emporers. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Naples was conquered by the Byzantines in 536, and during the medieval period, changed hands many times; under the Goths, Lombards and Sicillians. Naples was a Dukedom in the 8th century, part of the Kingdom of Sicily in the 12th century, and a possession of the Spanish Hapsburg Kings in the 17th century. In 1734, it was captured and annexed by Charles of Bourbon (later Charles III of Spain) and became the capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicillies. Occupied by the French Bonaparte family in 1806, the French were expelled in 1815. The Italian Revolution of 1848, aimed at the unification of Italy, culminated in the last King of Naples stepping down in 1860. Naples became a part of the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until 1946, when the last (House of) Savoy King of Italy abdicated, and the Republic of Italy was declared. In June 1951, the Allied Forces Southern Europe (AFSouth) Command was activated in Naples aboard USS Mount Olympus, with Admiral Robert B. Carney, USN, as its first commander-in-chief. After several relocations, the AFSouth staff finally settled into quarters in the Bagnoli section of Naples. The Naval Support Activity (NSA) Naples provides the administrative and logistic support to over 100 tenant commands and activities throughout the Mediterranean region which includes personnel assigned to NATO and forces of the Sixth Fleet. The principal striking power of the Sixth Fleet resides in its aircraft carriers and the modern jet aircraft, its submarines, and its reinforced battalion of U.S. Marines on board amphibious ships deployed in the Mediterranean. With the build up of Soviet forces to the East, and with Allied Forces Southern Europe (AFSouth) fulfilling the land, sea and air role for NATO's right flank, it became necessary to establish a Naval support unit ashore. On October 3, 1951, Headquarters, Support Activities (HEDSUPPACT) Naples was established. Its primary mission was to support AFSouth, and later, the SIXTH Fleet. In August 1953, the support unit became Commander, Subordinate command, U.S. Naval Forces Eastern Atlantic/Commander, Headquarters Support Activities, Naples Italy. In November 1957, it was redesignated U.S. Naval Activities, Italy; and a new activity was established out of COMHEDSUPPACT, the U.S. Naval Support Activity, Naples. In November 1957, it was redesignated as U.S. Naval Activities (NAVACTS), Italy and a new activity was established out of COMHEDSUPPACT, the U.S. Naval Support Activity, Naples (NAVSUPPACT Naples). At this time the officer in command had primary duty as Commander, U.S. Naval Support Activity, Naples. On August 8, 1966, U.S. Naval Activities, Italy consolidate with U.S. Naval Support Activity, Naples. The CO of the Naval Support Activity was assigned additional duty as Deputy Commander Fleet Air Mediterranean (COMFAIRMED) and as such he acted as the district's commandant in all functions related to COMFAIRMED's shore activities. NAVSUPPACT Naples retained operational control over Marine Barracks, the Commissary and the Naval Publications and Printing Service office. All other activities in Italy and southern France were placed under the coordination of COMFAIRMED. In addition to providing assistance and service to military organizations and their related functions, NAVSUPACT Naples supports the DoDDS school system in the Naples area. Current construction of a Support Site north of Naples will house all new support facilities (NEX, TLA Lodge, Family Service Center, Recreation, Schools and housing to name a few). The U.S. community in the Naples area includes service people and their families from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. The total community population fluctuates around 10,000. The bulk of the U.S. community in the Naples area is Navy, with Air Force personnel second in number, followed by the Army, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. U.S. civilians, Department of Defense, and State Department employees and family members round out the community. The Navy population includes personnel from many diverse shore activities. Most of the Army and Air Force personnel are assigned to elements of AFSOUTH. The U.S. Army Element of AFSOUTH is located on the AFSOUTH Post. The Element provides personnel support to all U.S. Army personnel assigned to AFSOUTH, including the NATO Communications School in Latina, Italy; LandSouth Headquarters in Verona, Italy; and the Advanced Command Post at Thessalonikia, Greece. In addition, there are two AFSOUTH liaison officers assigned to Ankara, Turkey and Athens, Greece. The U.S. Navy Element, AFSOUTH, a detachment of the Naval Support Activity, provides direct administrative support to the over 300 U.S. Navy personnel assigned to 11 UIC's belonging to NATO. This support covers personnel assigned not only to the various commands located in the immediate Naples area but also to the NATO Communication School in Latina, Italy; LandSouth in Verona, Italy; 5 ATAF in Vincenza, Italy; and 6 ATAF in Izmir, Turkey. In April, 2004, Allied Forces Southern Europe (AFSouth) was redesignated as Joint Force Command, Naples (JFCN). Also included in the Naples area military community are about 1,000 Navy people and their family members in Gaeta, a small coastal town 60 miles north of Naples. Gaeta is the homeport for the flagship of COMSIXTHFLT. It is there that the ship's crew and Sixth Fleet staff members call home. Gaeta was a detachment of NSA, but was established as it's own command on January 28, 1994. The Naval Support Activity located in Agnano was shaken by a sizable earthquake in August, 1982. Damage resulted to the infrastructure of the base and despite the large amount of money spent on repairs, it was decided that the Navy community in Naples was in desperate need of new facilities. Project Pronto was planned to move all operational and support facilities out of Agnano to a 250 acre site near Capua, Italy. The project ended in 1988 when the U.S. Congress concluded it was too expensive and when the Italian Ministry of Defense Purchase of a site fell through. In 1990 the decision was made to locate and build the operational aspect of the community in Capodichino, site of the civilian airport, which has shared its' runways with the U.S. Navy for many years. Additionally, a support site which would consist of housing, schools and all aspects of community support would be built in the town of Gricignano, about 15 miles away. Commissioned as the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Naples IT on October 1, 1979. STREAMLINER and TACINTEL were installed at NSGA Naples in 1981. The U.S Naval Security Group Activity Naples, Italy, ceased operations and held its decommissioning ceremony on Friday, December 17, 2004. Most of the 100 or so personnel working in the windowless Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence building at the Capodichino base, transferred to other U.S. Navy activities in Italy, Europe and around the world. The Navy is moving some of its security functions from overseas bases, as a result of a worldwide shift of Naval Security Group activities from larger numbers of smaller detachments, to a smaller number of larger detachments, balanced between the U.S. and abroad. NSGA Naples was officially decommissioned and closed on March 31, 2005. COMSEC Unit 601, NAVCOMMUNIT Naples Italy Jan 1952 1958 NSG Det Naples Italy 1958 01 Oct 1979 NSGA Naples, Italy 01 Oct 1979 31 Mar 2005 =================================================================================== Nicosia, Yerolakkos, Cyprus, Greece Nicosia, known locally as Lefkosia or Lefkosha, is the capital and largest city of Cyprus. Located on the Pedieos (Kanlidere) river and situated almost in the center of the island, it is the seat of government, as well as the main business center. Despite the recent symbolic gestures shown by both communities in removing small sections of the dividing wall, it still remains the only divided capital city in the world, with the northern (Turkish) and southern (Greek) portions divided by the "Green Line", a demilitarized zone maintained by the United Nations, although unlike Cold War East and West Berlin, few use the terms "North Nicosia" and "South Nicosia". After already being segregated to some degree from 1964, the 1974 Turkish invasion cut the capital in half. The Turkish Cypriots claim the northern half of Nicosia as the capital of an internationally unrecognized (except for Turkey) state known as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The population of the part of the city under the control of the Republic of Cyprus is 270,000 (end of 2004), while a further 84,893 live in the Turkish zone. Nicosia is a modern, dynamic capital with lots of shops, two modern shopping malls, restaurants and entertainment. The city is a trade center and manufactures textiles, leather, pottery, plastic, and other products. Copper mines are nearby. Today, it blends its historic past with the bustle of a modern city. The heart of the city, enclosed by 16th century Venetian walls, is dotted with museums, ancient churches and medieval buildings, preserving the nostalgic atmosphere of years past. Nicosia has a rich history that can be traced back to the Bronze Age. Nicosia was a city-state known as Ledra or Ledrae in ancient times. The king of Ledra, Onasagoras, was recorded as paying tribute to Esarhaddon of Assyria in 672 BC. Rebuilt by Lefkos, son of Ptolemy I around 300 BC, Ledra in Hellenic and Roman times was a small, unimportant town, also known as Lefkothea. By the time it received its first Christian bishop, Trifillios, in 348, the town was called Lefkousia or Ledra. Still known as Lefkosia, the city became the island's capital in the 11th century. It had grown in importance because of threats to the coastal cities Paphos and Salamis, which made many people flee to the centrally located Lefkosia. Nicosia was the seat of the Lusignan Frankish Crusader kings of Cyprus from 1192. The Lusignans turned Nicosia into a magnificent city, with a Royal Palace and over fifty churches. The Lusignan kings held Nicosia until it was captured in 1489 by the Venetians. It became a Venetian possession in 1489. The core of the city also has well preserved Venetian fortifications, built in the 16th century, which encircle the old, medieval part of the city. The name "Nicosia" appeared with the arrival of the Lusignans. The Frankish Crusaders either could not, or did not care to, pronounce the name Lefkosia, and tended to say "Nicosia". In this era of the Franks, the city expanded culturally, and in the 15th and 16th centuries, saw the erection of a number of palaces, mansions, churches and monasteries. The tombs of the Lusignan kings are in the former Cathedral of St. Sophia, now a mosque in the northern sector. Some 20,000 residents died as a result of the Ottoman siege of 1570. and Nicosia fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1571. Ledra is now the actual name of the most popular commercial street. Man-made and natural disasters further struck the city during the 19th century. The Turks crushed a 1821 anti-Ottoman revolt. Cholera hit the city in 1835, and fire destroyed large parts of Nicosia in 1857. In 1878, at the time of the Congress of Berlin, Turkey, retaining nominal sovereignty, gave the island over to British administration, and the British Empire gained control of Cyprus. Britain wished to use Cyprus as an assembly base for the rapid deployment force, to deter further Russian penetration of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish-Cypriots were at first more anti-British than anti-Greek. They were deeply offended at the high handed way that the Cyprus government was handed over to the British, after the First World War. Greek Cypriots never gave up the hope to be united with Greece. Cyprus became a Crown Colony in 1925. The effect of Soviet pressure led both Greece and Turkey to accept American assistance, and in 1951, to join NATO, thus involving both the Turkish and the Greek armed forces in the structure of integrated command and joint military exercises. Sixty years of British rule had done nothing to encourage the emergence of a Cypriot nation. The Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities had been played off against each other. So long as there was a Legislative Council, British Governors relied on the votes of the Turkish Cypriot members to block periodic bursts of Greek Cypriot political activism. In 1960, there were Turkish quarters in all the main towns, and of the villages, 114 (or about 18%) were mixed. There were 392 purely Greek and 123 purely Turkish villages. The opposition to British colonial rule and to all British proposals for self-government was rejected consistently by the Greek Cypriots. Up to this point, the Turkish Cypriots had not figured prominently in discussions about Cyprus, nor was it actively pressed by Turkey. Nicosia was the scene of extreme violence in the period just prior to Cypriot independence in 1960. Cyprus gained her sovereign independence by virtue of a constitution and three treaties--the Treaty of Guarantee, the Treaty of Alliance, and the Treaty of Establishment, all of which came into operation the same day, August 16, 1960. The country was defined as an independent and sovereign Republic, with a presidential regime, the President being Greek and the Vice-President being Turkish, elected by the Greek and Turkish communities of Cyprus respectively. The period from 1964 to 1974 was a turbulent era for the island, with the apparent breakdown of relations between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot sides right across the spectrum of social and political ties. In 1963, the Turkish Cypriots had abandoned, both voluntarily and by external pressure, their constitutional presence in the Cyprus Government. Violence in Nicosia followed soon after. In 1964, the Cyprus National Guard intervened militarily against a perceived Turkish Cypriot militant threat in the northwest of the island, in and near to the Kokkina enclave, leading to direct confrontation with Turkey, who responded militarily but stopped short of invasion. During the unrest, the island began to incubate fanaticsim on both Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides, the Greek Cypriots effort to unify the island with Greece, while the Turks simultaneously called for the partition of the island between Greeks and Turks. On July 15, 1974, the National Guard, led by its Greek officers, and supported by Athens, overthrew the Government and demolished part of the presidential palace. In response, on July 20, 1974, Turkish troops made an assault landing near Kyrenia, and met with fierce resistance. By the time the U.N. Security Council was able to negotiate a cease-fire on July 23, 1974. the Turks had only secured a narrow corridor between Kyrenia and Nicosia. On August 14, 1974, a second Turkish attack began. The Turks rapidly occupied 37 per cent of the land, which came under Turkish occupation. The effect on the Greek Cypriot population of Cyprus was traumatic. Out of a total community of 500,000, some 180,00 were refugees. There were also deadly incidents of retaliation by armed Greek Cypriots on Turkish Cypriot villagers in August, 1974. Following the ceasefire of July 23, 1974, fighting continued across the island, primarily in the areas where Turkish forces and Greek Cypriot forces directly confronted each other. In many cases, this led to superior-armed Turkish forces gradually expanding their occupation of territory in a series of small, limited offensives. Virtually all of these light offensives were resisted, and in some cases, rebuffed by Greek Cypriot forces. Key battles were fought in and around Karavas, Lapithos, Kornos Hill, St Ermolaos, Siskipilos and St Pavlos, as well as other villages. By 1975, Britain, the U.S. and the U.N. had negotiated an agreement by which Turkish Cypriots in the south were allowed to leave for the north. In return the 10,000 or so Greek Cypriots, who had stayed in the north were allowed to go on doing so. The Greek Cypriots in the north nearly all left in the next few years. Since the Turkish invasion in 1974, part of the city of Nicosia's northern sector has been inside the boundary of a United Nations Buffer Zone. Today, there are now only 829 Greeks living in the north. There are about 130 Turks living in the south. These groups are regularly visited by U.N. staff who provide relief supplies of food, clothing and oil, and deliver mail. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), commonly called Northern Cyprus, is a defacto independent republic, located in the north of Cyprus. The TRNC declared its independence in 1983, nine years after a Greek Cypriot coup attempting to annex the island to Greece, triggered a Turkish invasion of Cyprus. It has received diplomatic recognition only from Turkey, on which it is dependent for economic, political and military support. The rest of the international community, including the United Nations and European Union, recognise the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus, over the whole island. The Turkish Army maintains a large force in the TRNC (35,000 troops), which the Republic of Cyprus regards as an illegal occupation force; its presence has also been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions. Attempts to reach a solution to the dispute have so far been unsuccessful. In 2004 a U.N. backed plan to reunite the island was accepted by Turkish Cypriots in a referendum, but rejected by the Greek Cypriots. The European Union considers the area not under effective control of the Republic of Cyprus, but as a territory under Turkish military occupation. There is no support for admitting two Cypriot member states into the EU, as long as the Cyprus dispute is not solved. The status of TRNC has become a recurrent issue, especially during the recent talks for Turkey's membership of the EU, where the division of the island is seen as a major stumbling block in Turkey's long road to membership. To walk through the old city is to step backwards in time. Narrow streets and old houses with ornate balconies jut from weather beaten sandstone walls, smell of jasmine flowers in those long summer evenings, and craftsmen in small workshops practice trades unchanged for centuries. Laiki Yitonia (Folk Neighborhood) is a pedestrian section, which has been carefully renovated to evoke the atmosphere of past days. The two main streets of old Nicosia, Ledra and Onasagorou, are lined with shops of every type, and both streets are pedestrian only. As a result of the Turkish invasion in July-August 1974, Turkey came to occupy 37% of the island, splitting Cyprus into a defacto Turkish-administered northern sector and the remaining Greek controlled southern sector, controlled by the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus. Nicosia International Airport has not been used since 1974, due to the continued state of belligerency between the two sides. It lies within the U.N. Buffer Zone separating the two parts of Nicosia, to the west of the Cypriot capital city of Nicosia. Built by the British in the 1930s as the Royal Air Force (RAF) Station Nicosia, it was principally a military establishment at first, and was also the principal airport for Cyprus from the 1930s until 1974. The RAF quit the airfield in 1966, due to limited space brought on by vastly increasing civilian aircraft movements. On July 23, 1974, Turkish forces commenced their heaviest attack on the defence of Nicosia International Airport, which was defended by a Greek contingent, supported by elements of the Cyprus National Guard. In a failed diversionary attack, two M47 tanks approaching the east side of the terminal were engaged and destroyed by an M20 Super Bazooka anti-tank crew. Unable to defeat the resistance at the airport, Turkish forces failed to capture the strategic location, before Greek forces turned the airport over to the control of a Canadian U.N. force. The passenger terminal that was completed in 1968, stands empty today. There have been some plans for the Nicosia International Airport to be reopened under U.N. control as a goodwill measure, but so far, neither the Greek nor the Turkish Cypriots have seriously pursued this option. The airport is currently under the control of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), and serves as the force's headquarters. Parts of the runway and aircraft hangers are used by U.N. patrol helicopters, and another part of the runway has been converted into a makeshift go-kart circuit for use by U.N. personnel stationed there. Nicosia's two sectors (the Turkish North and the Greek South) are served by different and more recently opened airports: Ercan International Airport in the north, and Larnaca International Airport in the south. Due to the non-recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Ercan Airport is not permitted by most countries to be a valid destination for a flight plan. The only international flights from Ercan are to Turkey. The U.S. Naval Facility (NAVFAC) Nicosia, Cyprus was located near the village of Yerolakkos, just outside of the capitol city of Nicosia. The NAVFAC was commissioned in June, 1957. Following a turbulent period from 1964 to 1974, including the apparent breakdown of relations between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, the Naval Facility was closed on April 23, 1974. Yerolakkos was a nearly exclusively Greek Cypriot and relatively large village, and it was the site of intensive fighting during the Turkish invasion in 1974. Yerolakkos is immediately to the north of the ceasefire line, known as the Green line, separating North and South Cyprus. The village of Yerolakkos now lies in the area occupied by the Turkish military. NAVFAC Nicosia was totally a NAVSECGRU site. It was just that it was so highly classified that it was designated a NAVFAC. Everyone was assigned to the American Embassy and everyone wore civilian clothes, per the agreement with the Cypriot government. During the times I was there, we never had a Navy uniform inspection, although I think they were done at various times, but always wore civilian attire to and from the location. The Operations and Admin buildings were located about 6 miles to the north and west of Nicosia, in a village called Yerolakkos. There was a two story building which contained the Operations Department on the top floor. My first tour was cut short due to all personnel being evacuated with the exception of a small handful. We had no exchange nor commissary; everything was bought on the local economy. Medical care was provided by a Navy doctor and staff at the embassy. During my first tour of duty, the Navy had a hotel that was built to house single men. Prior to that everyone lived in the local community. When I returned for my second tour of duty, they had built an American compound where the singles lived, on the north side of the city. There we had a swimming pool, softball field, and a gymnasium. The gym was where official gatherings were conducted. Above contributed by: CTO2/CTI1/CDR Chaplain Robert N. "Bob" Edwards, North Port, FL. Retired in Apr 93. Bob Served two tours at Nicosia, September 1963 thru March 1964, and August 1970 - July 1972. NAVFAC Nicosia, Cyprus Jun 1957 23 Apr 1974 at Yerolakkos, Cyprus =================================================================================== Norfolk, Virginia (NSGA/NIOC) The largest city and seaport in Virginia, Norfolk is geographically located in the tidewater region, in the southeastern corner of the Commonwealth of Virginia, on the U.S. eastern seaboard, about 18 miles west of the Atlantic ocean, near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The area is collectively known as "Hampton Roads" and is commonly referred to as such by the residents of the area. Hampton Roads generally includes the Cities of Williamsburg, Newport News, Hampton, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and Suffolk. The city of Norfolk was established in June, 1680 by order of the king of England. Norfolk was incorporated as a borough in 1736. During the American Revolutionary War, the city of Norfolk was completely destroyed. Occupied by a British governor, American forces under Col William Woodford, and his Virginia Riflemen, routed the British at Great Bridge; and occupied Norfolk in December, 1775. In early 1776, the British fleet anchored in the harbor, shelled Norfolk and set many fires. The Americans destroyed the remainder of Norfolk to prevent its use by the British. After the restoration of Norfolk, the city was nearly destroyed again by a disastrous fire in 1799. During the War of 1812, Norfolk was saved twice from invasion by the British by local militia, reinforced by the U.S. Marines. During the Civil War, the Navy Yard at Portsmouth was destroyed in 1861, by Confederate sympathizers and the Federal forces abandoned the port and the city. In 1862, the confederates repaired the shipyard facilities, and used them to build the first ironclad warship to be tested in battle, the CSS Virginia. Norfolk fell, and was occupied by the Union army in May 1862. The 1870's saw the completion of railroads converging on Norfolk. The extension of the Norfolk and Western railroad to the coal fields of Virginia and West Virginia in 1883 made Hampton Roads the world's largest coal exporting port. During WWI and WWI, Norfolk was the primary origin port for shipments of goods and war materials to the Allies in Europe. After WWI, Norfolk experienced a significant building boom, during which time the Naval facilities were greatly enlarged. Naval Station Norfolk is situated in the Sewells Point area of the City of Norfolk, near the site of the battle of the Monitor and Merrimac (CSS Virginia). Naval Station Norfolk occupies about 3,400 acres of Hampton Roads real estate. It is the world's largest Naval Station; in fact, based on supported military population, it is the largest military station in the world. The Norfolk Naval Base (NNB) is located on 4,631 acres, directly northwest of the City of Norfolk, VA. The Naval Complex is the combined home to the headquarters for Commander Naval Base Norfolk, as well as the Defense Department's largest supply center; Naval Air Station Norfolk at Breezy Point, and other Naval facilities of the Sewells Point Naval Complex. The Naval Complex also includes the Amphibious Training Base at Little Creek on the northern edge of the city, and the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval Hospital at Portsmouth. Naval Base Norfolk is the Headquarters of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and the Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic NATO forces. When the 78 ships and 133 aircraft homeported at Norfolk are not at sea, they are alongside one of the 14 piers or inside one of the 15 aircraft hangars for repair, refit, training and to provide the ship's or squadron's crew an opportunity to be with their families. Naval Station is homeport to aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, large amphibious ships, submarines, and a variety of supply and logistics ships. Port Services controls more than 3,100 ships' movements annually as they arrive and depart their berths. Port facilities extend more than four miles along the waterfront and include some seven miles of pier and wharf space. Naval Station's Nimitz Hall is a major stopping-off point for people destined for ships, aircraft squadrons, and stations overseas. Nearly 9,000 people are processed through the Transient Personnel Unit annually enroute to their destinations. It is uncommon for these ships to all be in port at one time. Naval Station Norfolk made history with the berthing of five (5) nuclear aircraft carriers on July 2, 1997 at 1730, when the Navy's newest Nimitz class carrier, USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), returned to port, joining the USS George Washington (CVN-73), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), USS Enterprise (CVN-65) and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). The only other time five carriers were berthed at the Naval Station was in 1992, but they were not all nuclear carriers. In March 1946, the Chief of Naval Operations directed the Commandant 5th Naval District, who also had been Commandant U.S. Naval Station, to include Naval Station Norfolk and Naval Air Station Norfolk as separate components under the military command of Commandant Naval Base, whose title was changed to Commander Naval Base and then to Commander, Navy Region, Mid-Atlantic. Postwar period developments underscored the capacity of the Naval Station to change. The station at first stored inactive aircraft carriers, other reserve vessels, and finally submarines and destroyers. Fire fighting and salvage control now became specialties. The Atlantic Fleet Command came ashore in 1948 and placed its head- quarters with a staff of 165 officers and 315 enlisted in an abandoned hospital. Known officially as Naval Operating Base until 31 December 1952, on January 1, 1953 the name of the installation was changed to Naval Station Norfolk. As part of the Navy's response to the post-Cold War drawdown of the 1990's, many new initiatives were implemented. In 1998, the Navy began a major realignment of shore command organizations and processes throughout Hampton Roads in a process known as "regionalization". One of the biggest steps and efficiencies in this process was the merger of the Naval Station and the Naval Air Station (which were directly adjacent to each other) into a single installation to be called Naval Station Norfolk. This consolidation became official on February 5, 1999. On November 5, 2005, NSGA Norfolk was administratively closed, consolidated with FIWC Norfolk and was re-established as the Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Norfolk, VA. NIOC Norfolk VA: https://www.nioc-norfolk.navy.mil/. NCDOC Little Creek, Norfolk VA: https://www.ncdoc.navy.mil/ NSG Det Norfolk, VA (COMSEC Unit 201) 04 May 1979 01 Apr 1994 NSGA Norfolk, VA 01 Apr 1994 05 Nov 2005 Merged with FIWC Little Creek, Norfolk VA 05 Nov 2005 NIOC Norfolk, VA 05 Nov 2005 Present =================================================================================== Norfolk, Virginia (Support Det/NIOD) On September 30, 2005, NSG Support Det Norfolk was administratively closed and was re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Norfolk, VA. NIOD Norfolk is subordinate to, and a detachment of, NIOC Norfolk, VA. NSG Support Det, Norfolk, VA 1997 30 Sep 2005 NIOD Norfolk, VA 01 Oct 2005 Present ================================================================================= Northwest, Chesapeake, Virginia The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Northwest was located in southern Chesapeake, extending its boundaries into North Carolina. The base was about 35 miles southwest of Virginia Beach, a major east coast vacation destination; 45 miles south of Williamsburg, site of historical battlefields and Colonial settlements; and 20 miles north of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Chesapeake was once the site of Chesapeake Indian settlements and was named for the Chesapeake Indian word meaning "Mother of Waters," referring to the Chesapeake Bay. The first English settlement was established around 1620 on the banks of the Elizabeth River, and when it was designated as Norfolk County in 1636, it was one of the largest in the colonies. With fertile soils and plentiful water, it provided produce, as it still does, for surrounding areas. The Great Dismal Swamp, located in southwest Chesapeake, was rich with wildlife for hunting and contained the cypress trees which provided wood for shingles and draft-boats. The Great Dismal Swamp Canal, the oldest in the nation, is still in use and is a part of the Intracoastal Waterway. Chesapeake played an important role in the Revolutionary War. The Battle of Great Bridge (the first victory for America during the Revolution) was fought near the center of the city, and many Chesapeake plantations "hosted" union troops during the Civil War occupation. Currituck County, North Carolina founded in 1670, Currituck (Indian for "Land of the Wild Goose") was home to one of the five original ports with direct access to the Atlantic Ocean. The 8th fastest growing county in North Carolina, it's a success- ful farming community and devotes over 25% of its land to agricultural pursuits. On July 11, 1951, the Secretary of the Navy approved the acquisition of land for the future site of the Naval Radio Station (R) Northwest. Consisting of 1,491 acres of land in Currituck County, North Carolina, and 3,186 acres in Chesapeake, Virginia; the site is located about 30 miles south of Norfolk, VA. Named for the nearby Northwest River, the site is in a wooded swamp lands, adjacent to the Great Dismal Swamp. In May, 1955, the U.S. Naval Radio Station was activated to serve as a receiving facility for Naval activities in the Norfolk area. NAVRADSTA (R) Northwest was subordinate to the Naval Communications Station in Norfolk. NAVCOMMSTA Norfolk provided one officer and 11 enlisted personnel. The COMSEC team not only provided communications security support from the shore, but also went aboard various ships to support Fleet exercises. Originally, each of the Naval Security Group elements functioned as separate divisions within NAVCOMMSTA Norfolk. A reorganization took place in January, 1966, when all divisions were brought together under one department with CDR G. C. Lawrence, USN, acting as both Naval Security Department Head and Officer-In-Charge, Naval Radio Station (R) Northwest. The Security Group Department was composed of RPIO, ARFCOS, HFDF, COMSEC, and SECGRU operations and consisted of 20 officers and 130 enlisted personnel. After years of operating and functioning as a Naval Radio Station, on September 30, 1970, the Naval Radio Station (R) Northwest was disestablished and became a component activity of the Naval Communication Station Norfolk. The directive disestablished the NAVRADSTA (R) Northwest, under an Officer-in-Charge, and redesignated it Naval Receiving Facility Northwest. CDR J.T. Hodgkinson, USN, was at the helm, with the new title of Head, Naval Security Group Department, Naval Receiving Facility Northwest, effective on October 1, 1970. NSGA Northwest hosted several tenant commands including the NATO Satellite Ground Terminal F-3; Naval Computer Telecommunications Area Master Station Satellite Communications Facility/Navy Satellite Communications Facility Northwest; U.S. Coast Guard Communications Area Master Station Atlantic; U.S. Marine Corps Security Forces Training Company; Fleet Surveillance Support Command; and the Naval Space Command Detachment Echo. The mission of NSGA Northwest was to provide electronic installation support and management, cryptologic and other information operations support to the Fleet, Joint Commanders, international and national agencies and shore activities. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Northwest maintained and operated a high frequency direction finding (HFDF) facility and provided communication support to Navy and other Department of Defense elements. The communications facility located at Northwest included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FRD-10A Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. In the fall of 1960, preliminary design and engineering work was completed on a new HFDF Wullenweber antenna array. The building, nicknamed SHOTGUN, was accepted from the contractor by DIRLANTDOCKS on October 25, 1963. The new HFDF "SHOTGUN" station was activated in July, 1964. The CDAA ceased operations on June 1, 2001; and the CDAA was dismantled. The CDAA property is now an annex to the Naval Support Activity, Norfolk, VA. NSGA Northwest was commissioned on October 1, 1975 and closed on September 30, 2001. NSG Det Northwest VA Oct 1953 Jan 1966 NAVRADSTA Northwest VA May 1955 30 Sep 1970 NSG Dept, NAVRADSTA Northwest, VA Jan 1966 30 Sep 1970 NSG Dept, NAVRECFAC Northwest, VA 01 Oct 1970 30 Sep 1975 NSGA Northwest, VA 01 Oct 1975 30 Sep 2001 To: NSGA Norfolk, VA. To: Naval Support Activity Norfolk, Northwest Annex, with 10 tenant commands including Coast Guard Communications Area Master Station Atlantic. =================================================================================== Northwest Cape, Exmouth, Western Australia The North West Cape is a peninsula bordered by the Indian Ocean to the north and west and the Gulf of Exmouth to the east. Roughly 50 miles long, it varies in width from two miles at the northern most tip to 30 miles at the southern end. The Cape Range, a line of rugged limestone hills, runs the length of the peninsula. Spotted with rugged mountain scenery, beautiful beaches and lagoons, and ancient, deeply eroded gorges, like most of central and western Australia, vegetation is sparse. Semi-arid conditions support a large variety of native bush and grass. On the northwest coast of the cape is the 125,000-acre Cape Range National Park. Exmouth is a townsite on the north west coast, 1260 kilometers north of Perth. It was gazetted a townsite in 1963, and was founded as a support town for the Naval Communications Station Harold E. Holt. Exmouth is situated on the western side of Exmouth Gulf, from which it takes its name. The feature was named by Commander Phillip Parker King (Royal Australian Navy) of HMS "Mermaid" during hydrographic surveys in the area in 1818. The name honors the Viscount Exmouth, Edward Pellew. Edward Pellew was born in Dover, England in 1757 and died in 1833. He had a very distinguished career in the Navy, and was regarded as a British Naval hero. Pellew entered the Royal Navy at 13 years of age, was appointed Lieutenant in 1778 and received his commission as post Captain in 1780. In 1793 he received a knighthood for his heroic conduct in capturing the "Cleopatra", a French frigate. Three years later he was created a Baronet for his heroic services in saving the troops and crew of the British transport "Dutton". In 1804, he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. In 1814, having risen to the rank of Admiral of the Blue, he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Exmouth of Canonteign, County Devon; and, finally, was advanced to a Viscountcy in 1816 for his gallantry in bombarding and totally destroying the fleet and arsenal of Algiers in that year. Harold E. Holt Naval Base is situated on the remote and rugged North West Cape of Western Australia, between the Indian Ocean and the Exmouth Gulf. The nearest city is Perth, the Western Australia state capital, which is located over 780 miles to the south. Exmouth is a small town with a normal population of around 2,500. During the cool winter months (June through August) however, the population can swell to near 5,000 with the arrival of tourists drawn to the North West Cape by the cooler temperatures. In 1963, the U.S. leased an area of North West Cape, Exmouth, Western Australia, for the establishment of a VLF Communications Station, as part of its world wide nuclear submarine force communications network. It was subsequently named the Harold E. Holt U.S. Navy Communications Base, named after the former Prime Minister of Australia - who mysteriously drowned while he was in office. In 1972, U.S. NAVCOMMSTA Harold E. Holt became a joint facility, with an Royal Australian Navy (RAN) officer as second in command, and 35 RAN personnel integrated into the general operations at the base. The Exmouth airport, which is so long and wide it can handle any size jet, is located about 35 km out of town. It is on the site of the old Learmonth strip, built during World War II when the Exmouth Gulf became an important base for Australian and U.S. submarines. In April, 1999, Naval wives and children were flown to safety just hours after the strongest winds recorded in Australia, generated by Cyclone Vance, caused millions of dollars in damage to homes, factories, shops and the Harold E. Holt base. There was talk of 330 kph winds but there were confirmed wind gusts of 276 kph, the strongest wind ever recorded in Australia. NSG Dept, NCS Harold E. Holt, North West Cape, 16 Sep 1967 Oct 1992 Australia =================================================================================== Olongapo, Luzon, Philippines The City of Olongapo is an urbanized city in southwestern Luzon and southeastern Zambales Province, Philippines. The city is situated in a lowland area near the mouth of Subic Bay. Olongapo was heavily damaged in World War II (1939-45). Olongapo was originally governed as a part of the U.S. Naval reservation. It was relinquished to the Philippine government and converted into a municipality on December 7, 1959. Six years later, Olongapo was reconverted to a chartered city on June 1, 1966. Olongapo City administers itself autonomously from Zambales province. Adjacent to the city is the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Zambales, which until 1992 was the U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay. For the earlier history of Olongapo, see Subic Bay. The Communications Radio Intelligence units monitoring the Japanese fleet maneuvers were at Libugon, Guam; Olongapo, Philippines (July, 1930 to February, 1935, when the unit moved to Los Banitos, Mariveles, Philippines); Peking (Peiping), China (1927 to July, 1935, when the unit moved to Shanghai, China); Los Banitos, Mariveles, Philippines (March 1, 1935 to January, 1936), the USS Goldstar (AG-12), and the USS Augusta (CA-31) (Asiatic Fleet Flagship from November 9, 1933 to November 22, 1940). Mobile detachments from shore stations in the Philippines and Guam manned communications radio intelligence positions onboard the USS Augusta and USS Goldstar. In late 1929, the U.S. Navy opened an intercept station at a small Naval base at Olongapo in the Philippines on Subic Bay, facing the South China Sea. The site (Station C) was officially opened in July, 1930. Unfortunately, Station C personnel were delayed by having to assume primary responsibility for all regular Navy communications in and out of the base at Olongapo. As a result, they did not really get on with intercept duties until August. 1932, as Station C (Cast). Station C was destined to move three times in ten years in an attempt to find secure operating spaces, living quarters, and antenna sites where Japanese Navy signals could be heard consistently; including Olongapo, 1930-35; Mariveles, 1935-36; Cavite, 1936-40; and Corregidor, 1940-42. Station C was transferred from Olongapo to Mariveles and then to the Navy Yard in Cavite. In mid-October 1940, Station C would finally establish itself in a special tunnel built for the Navy at Monkey Point on Corregidor. Two months later, Station C absorbed the mission and the personnel of Station Able in Shanghai, China; which was closed. Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Olongapo, Jul 1930 Feb 1935 Luzon, Philippines Moved to Mariveles, Los Banitos, Luzon, Philippines Feb 1935 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Mariveles, 01 Mar 1935 05 Jan 1936 Los Banitos, Bataan Province, Luzon, Philippines Moved to Cavite City, Luzon, Philippines 05 Jan 1936 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Cavite, 05 Jan 1936 Oct 1940 Luzon, Philippines DF station established Sep 1936 Moved to Corregidor Oct 1940 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Corregidor, Oct 1940 Apr 1942 Luzon, Philippines Evacuated to Melbourne, Australia Apr 1942 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Melbourne May 1942 01 Nov 1945 at Naval Supplementary Radio Station Moorabbin, Melbourne, Australia =================================================================================== Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii Also see the article on Wahiawa, Hawaii When Captain James Cook, the British navigator, arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in 1778, Pearl Harbor was called "Wai Momi," meaning pearl water, named for the pearl oysters that thrived in its waters. It remained undeveloped until the late 19th century, when several nations sought to obtain it as a fuel and supply base. A long period of negotiations followed with the Hawaiian monarchy, ending with the U.S. obtaining exclusive rights to Pearl Harbor in 1884. The Spanish American War confirmed the strategic value of Pearl Harbor as an advanced Naval base, but it was not until 1900 that dredging of the entrance began. By 1916, Pearl Harbor ranked tenth in value among the Navy's growing bases. Pearl Harbor is located 8 miles west of Honolulu, on the Island of Oahu, one of eight islands that make up the State of Hawaii. The main gate, Nimitz gate is approximately 2 miles west of the Honolulu International Airport on Nimitz Highway. As the largest Naval harbor, the primary mission is to provide berthing and shore side support to surface ships and submarines, as well as maintenance and training. Pearl Harbor can accommodate the largest ships in the fleet, to include dry dock services, and is now home to over 160 commands. Housing, personnel, and family support are also provided and are an integral part of the shore side activities, which encompasses both permanent and transient personnel. Since Pearl Harbor is the only intermediate maintenance facility for submarines in the Middle Pacific it serves as host to a large number of visiting submariners. The Hawaiian Decrypting Unit/Communication Intelligence Unit was established in 1938 at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard administration building. On December 1, 1941 the Communication Intelligence Unit moved from the second floor of the administration building to a new basement room in the same building. Later in the month of December, 1941 the unit was redesignated as the Combat Intelligence Unit; and later in 1941, was redesignated as the Fleet Radio Unit Pacific (FRUPAC). In April, 1943; FRUPAC moved from the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard into a new two-story building at Makalapa, adjacent to the CINCPAC headquarters; where it remainded for the duration of WWII. It later became known as Naval Security Group, Pacific (NAVSECGRU PAC) and was located on the fourth floor of the CINCPACFLT headquarters building at Makalapa. Naval Security Group Activity, Pearl Harbor began in 1951 as an interpretive detachment assigned to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT). In 1976, the control of the detachment shifted from CINCPACFLT to COMNAVSECGRU. The position of Officer in Charge was filled by the Assistant Chief of Staff for Cryptology at CINCPACFLT. On April 1, 1982, the two positions were separated, and an Officer in Charge took up full time duties and residency in building 324. NSGA Pearl Harbor was officially commissioned on July 9, 1982. U.S. Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Kunia and the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Pearl Harbor merged commands in a ceremony September 30, 2004 at the USS Nevada Memorial to establish a single Naval Security Group Activity, Hawaii. NSGA Pearl Harbor was officially disestablished, and the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Hawaii was commissioned. Hawaiian Decrypting Unit/Communication Intelligence Unit 1938 Dec 1941 Navy Yard, Pearl Harbor HI Combat Intelligence Unit, Navy Yard, Pearl Harbor HI Dec 1941 1942 Fleet Radio Unit Pacific (FRUPAC), Navy Yard, 1942 Apr 1943 Pearl Harbor HI Fleet Radio Unit Pacific (FRUPAC), Makalapa, HI Apr 1943 1945 NSG Pacific, CINCPACFLT, Makalapa, HI 1945 1951 NSG Det, Pearl Harbor, HI Oct 1951 01 Jul 1982 Subordinate to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT). Subordination shifted to COMNAVSECGRU Washington DC 1976 Officer in Charge was filled by the Assistant 1976 01 Apr 1982 Chief of Staff for Cryptology at CINCPACFLT. Officer in Charge separated from CINCPACFLT 01 Apr 1982 NSGA Pearl Harbor, HI 01 Jul 1982 30 Sep 2004 Merged with NSGA Kunia to become NSGA Hawaii. =================================================================================== Camp Smith, Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii On September 30, 2005, NSG Support Detachment Camp Smith was administratively closed and was re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Camp Smith, Pearl Harbor, HI. NSG Support Det, Camp Smith, Pearl Harbor, HI. 1996 30 Sep 05 NIOD Camp Smith, Pearl Harbor, HI 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii CENINFODOM Learning Site Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, HI. See the article on CENINFODOM Corry Station. CENINFODOM Learing Site Hawaii, Pearl Harbor, HI: https://www.npdc.navy.mil/ceninfodom/hawaii/. =================================================================================== Pensacola, Florida (NSGA/NIOC) Pensacola is located in extreme Northwest Florida at the Florida/Alabama state line in Escambia County and Santa Rosa County, 60 minutes east of Mobile, Alabama, 45 minutes west of Ft Walton Beach, FL, and 500 miles northwest of Orlando, FL. The city of Pensacola is situated on the northern shore of Pensacola Bay, about 6 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. The seat of Escambia County, Pensacola is separated from the Gulf by Santa Rosa Island. At the western end of the island is Ft. Pickens and across the channel to the west is Ft. Barrancas. Pensacola Bay was discovered in 1516 by a ship's pilot, Diego Miruelo. In January, 1540, Diego Maldanado, Spanish commander of Hernando de Soto's fleet, entered the harbor and named it Puerto d'Achusi. A Spanish expedition rediscovered Pensacola bay on February 6, 1686. Reports of the friendly Panzacola indians and the strategic bay inspired further expeditions in 1693 and 1698. Fearing renewed French interests in the area, the Spanish established Ft. San Carlos at the entrance of the bay. During the brief French-Spanish war of 1719-1720, Pensacola was seized by the French, almost immediately recaptured by the Spanish, seized again and burned by the French, and finally restored to Spain by treaty on February 17, 1720. A small garrison was maintained by the Spanish from 1720 until 1763, when the Floridas were transferred to England by the treaty ending the Seven Years' War. The Spaniards departed for Mexico, Cuba and New Orleans; and the English resettled Pensacola as the capital of West Florida. English rule ended on May 9, 1781, when Pensacola was captured by Bernardo de Galvaz, the Spanish Governor of New Orleans. During the War of 1812, the British made Pensacola a center of operations, despite Spanish protests. The British fleet entered the harbor in 1814, to take formal possession; but were repulsed by General Andrew Jackson. In 1818, General Jackson captured the city from the Spanish. In 1821, Florida was finally transferred to the U.S. In 1824, Pensacola was chartered as a city, and was selected as the site of a Federal Navy Yard. During the Civil War, the Navy Yard was seized by the State Government, but Ft. Pickens remained under Federal jurisdiction. On May 8, 1862, the Confederates evacuated the city. In 1913, the inactive Navy Yard was reopened as a Naval Air Station. NAS Pensacola is located in Escambia County in the panhandle of Northwest Florida. The installation covers a total of 8,423 acres of land - 5,804 acres at NAS Pensacola proper, and over 2,500 acres at other locations including Corry Station, Saufley Field and Outlying Landing Field Bronson. NAS Pensacola is known as the "Cradle of Aviation" and was the first site of an established Naval Aviation command during WWI. For the history of Corry Station, See Corry Station, Pensacola, FL. The U.S. Naval Security Group Detachment, Center for Cryptologic Software Support (CSS) was commissioned in October, 1986. The Detachment's mission was to provide Fleet and Shore Cryptologic Automated Information System capabilities. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Pensacola was commissioned in July of 1993; at it's new home, a 63,000 square foot facility, located in a stand of tall pines, just inside the main gate of Naval Technical Training Center, Corry Station, Pensacola. NSGA Pensacola continues to evolve with technology, providing intelligence support to Naval and national-level customers. On September 30, 2005, NSGA Pensacola was administratively closed and was re- established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Pensacola, FL. NIOC Pensacola FL: http://www.niocpns.navy.mil/. NSG Det, Pensacola, FL Oct 1986 Jul 1993 NSGA Pensacola, FL Jul 1993 30 Sep 2005 NIOC Pensacola, FL 01 Oct 2005 =================================================================================== PhuBai, Hue, South Vietnam, Republic of Vietnam PhuBai is located south of the city of Hue, in South Vietnam. PhuBai was the home of the U.S. Army Security Agency (USASA) 8th Radio Research Field Station (8th RRFS) on which compound, NSG Det PhuBai was located. The compound at PhuBai was a very large Combat Base, about 40 miles south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which separated North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The 8th Radio Research Field Station, 509th Radio Research (RR) Group, was subordinate to the U.S. Army Security Agency (USASA) at the 8th U.S. Army Security Agency Field Station (USASAFS) at Phu Bai. The 8th RRFS was replaced at PhuBai by the 303rd Radio Research Battalion (headquartered at Long Binh) on October 16, 1968. Designed to give cryptologic support to a field army, the 509th Group had four major radio research components; the 303rd Battalion, the 313th Battalion, the 8th Field Station, and the 224th Aviation Battalion. It also had responsibility for the 101st Radio Research Company (formerly the 7th Radio Research Unit) which directly supported the two major U.S. headquarters in South Vietnam, the Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) and the headquarters, U.S. Army, Vietnam. The Naval Security Group Detachment, PhuBai, South Vietnam was a detachment of NSG Dept, NCS Philippines, San Miguel, Philippines. COMSEC Unit 705 Det was a detachment of COMSEC Unit 705, co-located with NSG Det Alpha, Danang, South Vietnam, which was located at the U.S. Naval Support Activity, Danang, South Vietnam. All units stationed at PhuBai were evacuated on October 6, 1972. In February, 1963, Company L, Marine Support Battalion moved from Pleiku, South Vietnam, to PhuBai; and from August, 1964 was co-located with NSG Det PhuBai. In early 1971, Company L transferred to NSGA Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. NSG Det PhuBai, South Vietnam Aug 1964 06 Oct 1972 COMSEC Unit 705 Det Jan 1968 06 Oct 1972 At U.S. Army Security Agency (USASA) 8th Radio Research Field Station (8th RRFS), PhuBai, South Vietnam. Evacuated 06 Oct 1972. See also: NSG Detachment Alfa, Danang, South Vietnam =================================================================================== Point Loma, San Diego, CA See Imperial Beach, San Diego, California ================================================================================== Port Allen, Kauai, Hawaii See Wahiawa, Hawaii. =================================================================================== Port Lyautey (Kenitra), French Morocco French Morocco, the English name given to the region, La Zone Francaise du Maroc, or northwest Africa between the Atlantic Ocean and the Sahara Desert, during the maintenance of the French Protectorate (1912-1956). In 1956, the region was incorporated with the Spanish zone of Morocco, and the international zone of Tangier to form the independent Kingdom of Morocco. Port Lyautey was located on the Sebou River near the Atlantic Ocean on the route between the capital city of Rabat and the northern coastal city of Tangier, and 100 kilometers north of Casablanca. At the beginning of the 20th century, Morocco was recognized as a French sphere of influence having been divided between France and Spain, in 1904, with France receiving the larger share. The French built a new town and artificial harbor. Before the French protectorate, there was only a kasbah in the area where the modern city can be found today. A kasbah (or Qassabah) is a unique islamic fortress. It was the place for the local leader to live and was used as a defense, when the city was under attack; similar to English castle. A kasbah has high walls which usually have no windows; and are usually built on the top of a hill, to make them easier to defend. Many were also placed near the entrance of harbors. The city was established in 1912 by Marshall Louis Hubert Lyautey, Morocco's first French resident general, as a military fort to replace Larache, which had been incorporated into the Spanish zone. The port of Kenitra was opened in 1913. Kenitra draws its name from a culvert built on the Fouarat River upstream of the kasbah. This culvert was destroyed in 1928. In 1933, the town was renamed Port Lyautey after the Marshall. The French military base at Port Lyautey was used by U.S. military forces during World War II. Operation Torch, which was the Allied invasion of North Africa, began in the early hours of November 8, 1942. The biggest problem facing the Allies, was the French in Northwest Africa. French Northwest Africa was still in colonial possession of the French, and many were still loyal to the Vichy French government. It was a very real possibility that the French military in Northwest Africa would resist the Allied invasion. Operation Goalpost was commanded by Major General Lucian Truscott Jr., who had the mission of seizing the strategic Port Lyautey, sixty miles northeast of Casablanca; and to secure the strategic airport located three miles north of Port Lyautey. On November 10, 1942, the U.S. captured the French Naval Air Base at Port Lyautey. One American Destroyer and a seventy five man U.S Army Raider team. The Destroyer USS Dallas, DD-199 came up the Sebou River, silenced the shore batteries with it's guns and landed the Raider team, which in turn captured the airfield. The USS Dallas received the Presidential Unit Citation for this action. Although ending successfully, the operation did not go off without a hitch. For an excellent accounting of the details of Operation Torch, see: Operation Torch: Allied Landings at Casablanca, by Jerod Jones, April 21, 2001 at . On March 23, 1943, a U.S. Naval Advanced Amphibious Training Base was established at Port Lyautey, French Morocco; and on January 12, 1944, the U.S. Naval Air Station, Port Lyautey, French Morocco, was established. After the U.S. Navy captured the Port Lyautey fighter base from the Vichy French, the Navy administered the base until 1947, when the U.S. State Department negotiated reversion of control to France. In 1950, before the Korean War, a $23,000,000 expansion was authorized, but then Korea exploded. The Sixth Fleet tripled. Likewise, base personnel. Later in 1951, the Port Lyautey base and was significantly expanded into a major U.S. Naval Air Station. There were nearly 10,000 persons on the base, including the largest concentration of Americans in any one overseas base, outside of Japan. Conditions were so crowded that many enlisted men slept in tents with their feet literally in each other's faces. Morale suffered because of almost complete lack of recreational facilities. The men frequented such dives as Mama's and Jack's in Port Lyautey, or the vine-covered cottage in Rabat. The only real sport was golf, on a tiny course among the runways, amidst jets roaring off to replace planes lost at sea. During the 1950's, the base served as a major platform for U.S. Navy anti-submarine, electronic countermeasure and transport squadrons, in support of 6th Fleet Operations. It was supported by a Marine Detachment, rotating Seabee Battalions and two Naval Communication Stations at Sidi Bouknadel and Sidi Yahia. Other Naval commands at NAS Port Lyautey included the Commander of Naval Activities (COMNAVACTS) Morocco, the Fleet Electrical Engineering Command (FLTELECENGCOM), a Fleet Intelligence Center (FLTINTELCEN) and a Naval Air Facility (NAF). The base was a major hub in the July, 1958 transfer of U.S. Marines to Lebanon, when President Eisenhower ordered troops into that country in support of the government of Lebanese President Chamoun. The French maintained a presence on the base, which included an Air Squadron, Army detachment, Navy detachment and until Moroccan independence, a unit of the French Foreign Legion. When Morocco achieved independence in 1956, the town was renamed Kenitra (Arabic name transliterated: Al-Qonaitirah, the little bridge). The base was shared by the U.S, the French and Morocco through "The Cold War". The base began it's operational decline during the 1960's when the King of Morocco refused to extend the lease of the base and ordered all American forces, including the U.S. Air Force bases at Nouasser and Sidi Slimane, out of the country. The Naval Air Station was turned over to the Royal Air Force of Morocco and the last of the U.S. military personnel departed the base in 1977. The French Naval Air Base at Kenitra was closed in 1991. COMSUPACT/SUPRADSTA/NAVCOMUNI 12 1946 NSG Dept, NCS Port Lyautey, French Morocco 1946 Dec 1953 At Naval Air Station Port Lyautey, French Morocco Moved to Sidi Yahia, Morocco =================================================================================== Potomac, Washington, District of Columbia The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) complex is located in the Southwest quadrant of Washington, convenient to downtown, the Pentagon, and Bolling Air Force Base. Spread over 100 buildings on a 130 acre site along the Potomac, NRL sits just across the Potomac River from Old Town Alexandria, VA, just off I-295. NRL has existed since 1923. The NRL was based on an idea, and at the instigation of, the inventor Thomas Edison. "The Government should maintain a great research laboratory .... In this could be developed...all the technique of military and Naval progression without any vast expense." NRL opened, under the Office of Naval Research, on the site of an annex to the Navy's Bellevue Arsenal, a location that won out over competing proposals from Annapolis and West Orange, N.J. NRL still occupies its original site. The NRL's most recognizable physical feature, a 50-foot radio telescope atop the headquarters building, was installed in the early 1950s. Though no longer operating, the telescope was used in determining the surface temperatures of Venus, Mars and Jupiter. NRL has been responsible for a host of critical scientific developments, and pioneered Naval research into space, from atmospheric probes with captured V-2 rockets, to the discovery of radar in the 1920s, to directing the first American satellite program, the Vanguard project, in the 1950s, to a pivotal role more recently in developing the Global Positioning System. NRL's many other accomplishments include the development of gamma-ray radiography, the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph Experiment (LASCO) and Dragon Eye, a robotic airborne sensor system. The laboratory first proposed a nuclear submarine in 1939, and developed over-the-horizon radar in the late 1950s. The laboratory also developed the Identification, Friend or Foe (IFF) system. Many projects developed by the NRL often became mainstream applications, without public awareness of the developer. An example in computer science is onion routing. The Timation system, developed at NRL, provided the basis for the Global Positioning System. The previously classified spy satellite system, Galactic Radiation and Background (GRAB), was launched in June, 1960 and became the nation's first reconnaissance satellite system, gathering information on Soviet air defense radars only weeks after Francis Gary Power's U-2 was shot down over the Soviet Union. GRAB was proposed, developed, built and operated by NRL. GRAB was "a milestone in the history of the laboratory and in the history of U.S. intelligence" said Keith Hall, director of the National Reconnaissance Office, in announcing the declassification of the GRAB system (June, 1998). As part of the SDI program, the Low-Power Atmospheric Compensation Experiment (LACE) satellite was designed and built by NRL. Today, NRL is the Navy's lead laboratory in space systems research, fire research, tactical electronic warfare, microelectronic devices, and artificial intelligence. NRL serves as the lead Navy laboratory for research in ocean and atmospheric sciences with special strengths in physical oceanography, marine geosciences, ocean acoustics, marine meteorology, and remote oceanic and atmospheric sensing. The expanded Laboratory is focusing its research efforts on new Navy strategic interests and needs in the post-Cold War world. Although not abandoning its interests in blue water operations and research, the Navy is also focusing on defending American interests in the world's littoral regions. NRL scientists and engineers are working to give the Navy the special knowledge and capabilities it needs to operate in these waters. The Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) Potomac, Washington Unit, was originally established at the Anacostia Naval Annex, Washington DC, in October, 1952. NSGA Potomac was re-established as an NSG Communications Detachment, at the Anacostia Naval Annex in September, 1995. The U.S. Naval Security Detachment Potomac, Washington DC was commissioned in 1999. NSG Det Potomac was subordinate to NSGA Denver, in Aurora, CO. In 2002, NSG Det Potomac moved from the Anacostia Naval Annex to the NRL complex, approximately 2 miles away. On September 30, 2005, NSG Det Potomac was administratively closed and was re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Potomac, Washington DC. NIOD Potomac was disestablished on September 30, 2006. NSGA Potomac, Washington Unit, Washington DC Oct 1952 Sep 1995 At Anacostia Naval Annex, Washington DC. NSG Comm Det Potomac, Washington DC Sep 1995 1999 At Anacostia Naval Annex, Washington DC. Sep 1995 1999 NSG Det Potomac, Washington DC 1999 30 Sep 2005 At Anacostia Naval Annex, Washington DC. 1999 2002 At Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 2002 01 Oct 2005 NIOD Potomac, Washington DC (AKA NIOD Washington DC) 01 Oct 2005 30 Sep 2006 =================================================================================== Pyong Taek, Anjong Ri, South Korea, Republic of Korea Camp Humphreys (K-6) is located 4 miles northeast of the city of Pyong Taek, and adjacent to the town of Anjong Ri. It is 1 mile northeast of Seojeong-ja and approximately 30 miles south of Osan City. Camp Humphreys is located 55 miles south of Seoul on Highway #1 and eight miles east-southeast of Highway #1 on highway #45. It is eight miles west of the Bay of Asan on the west coast of Korean peninsula. The immediate area around Camp Humpreys is agricultural and consists mainly of rice fields. There are some rolling hills in the vicinity, but for the most part the elevations are less than 150 feet. Urban areas are situated to the northeast of the airfield. The Ansong River passes 3 miles to the northwest of the camp. About 12 miles west of Camp Humphreys, the river widens and empties into the Asan Bay, near the now defunct Koon-ni Range. Camp Humphreys is one of Korea's fastest growing Army installations. It is the headquarters location for support of Eighth U.S. Army and U.S. Forces Korea units south of Seoul and north of Taejon, that includes units at Wonju (Camp Long & Camp Eagle), northeast of Camp Humphreys. In addition to an Army airfield, there are U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force direct support, transportation, plus tactical units located at Camp Humphreys, with about 4,500 military personnel and nearly 900 family members. The installation covers an area about one mile wide and two miles long. Pyong Taek Air Field was first constructed in 1939 by the Japanese Navy, during their occupation of Korea, as a supply depot using conscriptees as coolie labor. The 20,000 "conscriptees" were taken from the local Korean population and housed in prison camp-like conditions until the work was completed. The airstrip was added during WWII for basic flight training by the Japanese and known as Pyong Taek Aerodrome. During the Post-war U.S. occupation of Korea, the U.S. allowed Pyong Taek Air Field to fall into a state of disrepair. Korea had no Air Force to speak of, besides Japanese aircraft hastily gathered at Kimpo Airfield in Seoul. There was no constabulary (forerunner to the ROK Army) established at the time. Pyong Taek Air Field was noted on maps as an emergency landing strip. After the Americans pulled out of Korea in 1949, the airfield remained abandoned. The local population stripped anything of value from the base. Metal was salvaged for resale. The airfield ceased to exist. In 1950, the North Koreans launched their attack on the South. At first the primary base for the USAF was at Suwon AB, which had been built up during the Military Occupation years. The construction of Osan AB started in June 1952. As a minor airfield, Pyong Taek Air Field was given a K-number of "K-6" and the dirt strip was initially used by the 6147th Tactical Control Group. The air field was rapidly upgraded by the 841st Engineering Aviation Battalion, a unit working on Osan AB -- with perforated steel planking to create a landing strip. After the Korean War, the camp reverted to a support base. In 1962, the airfield was renamed Camp Humphreys, in honor of CWO Benjamin K. Humphreys, of the 6th Transportation Company (Light Helicopter), who died in a helicopter accident near Osan-Ni, Kyung-Gi Do, Korea. Prior to this, K-6 was considered a "sub-post" for units in Seoul. The Humphreys District Command was activated in 1964 as a separate installation command of the Eighth U.S. Army. Later it was designated as the 23rd Direct Support Group which provided all direct support; supply and maintenance; and storage of all conventional ammunition in Korea. In 1974, with the activation of the 19th Support Brigade, the unit was redesignated as U.S. Army Garrison, Camp Humphreys. In 1974, with the activation of the 19th Support Brigade, Camp Humphreys was redesignated as U.S. Army Garrison, Camp Humphreys. USAG-CH was still basically responsible for all affairs affecting personnel stationed at Camp Humphreys, but the 19th Support Command was responsible for all support activities vital to the Eighth Army Command. Those units formerly reporting to the 23rd Direct Support Group reported to the 19th Support Command in Taegu. Only the basic functions remained with USAF-Camp Humphreys. Later, the 23rd Direct Support Group and 19th Support were renamed 23rd Support Group and 19th Theater Army Area Command. Camp Humphreys is currently a component of the 19th Theater Army Area Command (19th TAACOM) and houses three major units all commanded by Colonels. The U.S. Army Support Activity Area III was established on June 17, 1996. The Support Activity is responsible for the peacetime support mission for Camp Humphreys, Camp Long and Camp Eagle by preparing for tactical operations, and safeguarding personnel, facilities and property. Prior to the activation of the Support Activity, those responsibilities fell to the 23rd Support Group. During a reorganization process, the 23rd Support Group was redesignated the 23rd Area Support Group responsible for the wartime support mission for Area III. The 6th Cavalry Brigade stood up its headquarters at Camp Humphreys, Korea on July 24, 1996. The 6th Cavalry Brigade provides the warfighting capabilities of the AH-64 Apache for U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and the Eighth U.S. Army. An excellent history of the units and commands located at Camp Humphreys is on the web at . The Naval Security Group Detachment at Pyong Taek was located in the 177th ASA (Army Security Agency) compound and shared the same OPS building with the U.S. Army Security Agency (USASA). Previously known as the 330th ASA Operations Company, the 177th USASA Operations Company was created in July, 1957, and was headquartered in a compound located at Mia Ri. The location was alongside the Main Supply Route (MSR), the road between Seoul and Uijongbu. The compound was located just south of the Uijongbu checkpoint, at the northern edge of Seoul. Today the place is called Mia Dong and is about five miles inside the Seoul city limits. The 177th was the primary location for morse code intercept operations in Korea. The unit also did direction finding. By the summer of 1958, the 177th had grown to more than 500 people with about 32 men to a hooch. The inexorable growth of the city of Seoul was, by that time, encroaching upon the compound at Mia Ri to such an extent that the location was no longer suitable as an ASA montitoring site. A decision was made to relocate the 177th to K6 (Pyong Taek), well to the south, and work began on erecting an antenna farm and other necessities, so that operations could be moved. Preparation of the new facilities at Pyong Taek (known as K6 and later known as Camp Humphreys) were completed in the spring of 1960, and The 177th ASA moved from Mia Ri to K6. The 177th compound at Mia Ri was abandoned by the U.S. Army, and returned to the Koreans. The compound and all structures were dismantled. The 177th was the largest single ASA operations company in Korea. The antenna field at Pyong Taek was four acres in size. Everyone lived in quonset huts and operated out of tactical vans backed up to the operations building. The OPS building was an H configuration, and located on one side of the Camp Humphreys base. The soldiers were housed in five two-story concrete block buildings, with two men to a room. They shared a mess hall with the Signal Corps and had a barber shop and a small PX. There was a library, movie theatre, USO and a large PX on the other side of Camp Humphreys. History of the 177th USASA Operations Company: . The U.S. Army 508th Group headquarters was located in Camp Spade at Yongdung-po. From it's formation in 1957, until January 1, 1962; the 508th Group included an operations section, which was an operational detachment of the 177th ASA Company. In January 1962, the operations section was incorporated into the 508th Group. In December of 1967, the 508th Group was redesignated as USASA Group Korea. In 1969, the 508th Group moved to Camp Humphreys and Camp Spade abandoned. After the move, the 508th Group headquarters combined with the 177th USA Company to form USASA Field Station (USASFS) Korea. The unit designation remained USASFS Korea, until the Field Station deactivated in 1976. According to one website, , Camp Humphreys was the home of the real 4077th M.A.S.H unit. The U.S. Naval Security Group Detachment in Pyong Taek, Korea was officially established on March 1, 1972 at Camp Humphreys, Zoekler Station, Republic of Korea. The activity was a Detachment of NSGA Misawa, JA; and was commanded by an Officer- in-Charge, Lt. Biziorek. The original "ships company" was made up of a small group of 16-20 CT's, many having served together at NSGA Hakata, Japan; who were rotated in from various Naval Security Group stations. The ASA compound was located on a desolate part of the base, separated geographically from all other base activities, approximately 1/2 mile inside the main gate, down a lonely perimeter road, with only a small Mess Hall and Enlisted Club immediately located outside of the ASA compound gate. The compound itself was fenced off and gated, consisting of a small grouping of barracks, an Admin building, power plant and an Operations Center. By March, 1973, the Navy contingent had grown to approximately 65 men. The Operations Center was antiquated, at its best. The "R" branch section, in a single room, consisted of one HFDF unit, several R-390 units. and one teletype. The HFDF Unit looked old enough to be something out of a "B" rated sci-fi flick from the early '50's, and it performed accordingly, when it was working at all. Source: . The Navy operations at Pyong Taek, Korea ran as a detachment for the next eight years until June 13, 1980 when the Naval Security Group Activity, Pyong Taek was officially established. There were many changes to the operation over the years and on December 11, 1993 the NSGA was officially disestablished. NSG Det, Pyong Taek, South Korea 01 Mar 1972 13 Jun 1980 At Camp Humphreys, Zoekler Station, Anjong Ri, Pyong Taek, Republic of Korea. Located on the 177th U.S. Army Security Agency (USASA) compound. NSGA Pyong Taek, South Korea 13 Jun 1980 11 Dec 1993 =================================================================================== Ramasun, Ban Nong Soong, Udorn, Thailand The Kingdom of Thailand, originally known as Sayam (later changed to Siam) is bordered by the countries of Cambodia, Laos, Burma and Malaysia. Ramasun Station's history began in 1966, when a 50 man Detachment from the U.S. Army's 5th Radio Research Unit (5th RRU), in Bangkok, Thailand established a temporary outpost at Ramasun. Camp Ramasun was located approximately 290 miles northeast of Bangkok, about 12 miles south of Udorn, and at the fringes of the small Thai village of Ban Nong Soong. Udorn was the site of the Royal Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB). The U.S. Army maintained a TSC-54 Satellite Communications Station at the U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airbase (the home of the B-52's, KC-135's, and U-2's during the Vietnam conflict). Pattaya Beach, a very simple fishing village with 3 hotels, was located near U-Tapao, and military personnel from all over southeast Asia took R&R at this popular resort. Camp Ramasun was a U.S. Army HFDF, Radar and Communications site. The name Ramasun comes from the mythological Thai "God of Thunder". According to mythology, Ramasun is in eternal pursuit of Mekhala, the beautiful Goddess of lightning. In futile attemps to capture her, Ramasun hurls his huge axe which Mekhala blocks with a magic gem casting powerful rays. The crashing of the axe into the gem results in the thunderclap and lightening we observe. Thai mythology foretells of Ramasun's pursuit of Mekhala, which will continue until the world is destroyed by fire. An AN/FLR-9 CDAA (Circularly Disposed Antenna Array) (or Wullenweber) system was installed by the U.S. Army in 1970, which supported the HFDF mission. The AN/FLR-9 installation was constructed about 20 kilometers south of Udorn Thani, on the eastern side of the highway to Khon Kaen. The AN/FLR-9 was decommissioned in 1975, and was dismantled in 1976. Ramasun Station was also a "listening post" monitoring Red Chinese military movements, complete with a military satellite terminal for communications with the U.S. and other sites in southeast Asia. When construction began at Ramasun, the bulldozers evicted a considerable community of cobra lairs in the process. The initial site, little more than a tent city, was given the callsign "Cobra-7". An interesting snippet: the LOS (line-of-sight) radio path to Udorn AB was surveyed before construction of Camp Ramasun and the outside plant engineers found that a tree at the Ramasun end was obstructing a clear shot. Cutting down the tree would have been a simple solution, but the contractor had to get local Buddhist monks to first remove phi's (spirits) from the tree and move them to another tree in the vicinity. Over 1200 U.S. personel were stationed at Ramasun Station, and the station employed 1400 Thais. Some of the U.S. units located at Camp Ramasun included U.S. Army units, the 5th Radio Research Unit (5th RRU), the 5th Radio Research Unit, Detachment "D" (5th RRU Det Delta) (1965), the 7th Radio Research Field Station (7th RRFS), the 7th Radio Research Field Station "B" Company (7th RRFS Co B), the 207th Signal Company (207th SigCo), the 509th Army Security Agency (509th USASA), the 999th Signal Battalion (997th SigBatt) (1961-62); and U.S. Air force units, the 6922nd Security Wing, Detachment 4 (6922nd SW Det 4), the 6922nd Security Squadron (6922nd SS), and the 6924th Security Squadron (6924th SS). The 6924th Security Squadron (USAFSS), which had been stationed at Da Nang AB, South Vietnam, during the war in Southeast Asia, and was deactivated on May 15, 1976. The 17th Space Surveillance Squadron radar station at Kho Kha, was located a few miles south of Lampang in northern Thailand. Their primary mission was tracking People’s Republic of China missile launches and southerly launches from the Soviet Union during the 1970's. Over 50 million dollars was devoted to constructing Ramasun Station, one of the finest installations anywhere in the world. It was completely self-sufficient and included its own power plant and water supply. Virtually all facilities on the post were air-conditioned and of permanent construction. Streets and sidewalks were paved and fully lit at night. Lawns were landscaped, well attended, and enhanced by a variety of plants and shrubbery. Ramasun Station was fully stocked, once completed. No quonset huts or tents found here. According to the Welcome Booklet (14 pages) found on Joe Glockner's NSG History website at , the facility included 9 2-story fully air conditioned barracks, separate NCO BEQ's and a separate BOQ for the officers; a fully loaded craft shop, including a lapidary shop, a leather-craft workshop, a model building shop, and darkroom and photo lab; gymnasium with sports equipment; olympic sized swimming pool with patio for sunbathing (gym and pool open 20/7); theater, bowling alley, PX, Snack Bars in the bowling alley and theater; handball courts, tennis courts and basketball courts (all open 24/7); weight training area, library, tape/record center, barber shop; football, baseball and athletic fields; jogging trails, country club and even a 9-hole golf course; a 220-man Dining Facility; an Enlisted Club (open 24/7) with game rooms, separate bars and a dining room; an Officers Club (open 18/7) with game rooms, a TV room, lounge, separate bars, a dining room, ballroom and an outdoor patio for sunbathing, barbecues and parties. Smitty's, a separate bar and lounge, located in the BEQ, was for E-6 and above personnel only. And to think, this duty was considered "isolated" duty, and the tour length for Army/Navy/Air Force personnel was 12 months. A U.S. Naval Security Group Detachment was established at Ramasun Station in January, 1971. The Detachment was disestablished on May 5, 1976. The Vietnam conflict was the reason that the Ramasun Station existed. Once the U.S. pulled out of Vietnam, the Ramasun Station site was no longer required. Ramasun Station was closed in May, 1976; and at the behest of the Government of Thailand; all U.S. units departed. NSG Det, Ramasun, Thailand Jan 1971 05 May 1976 At 7th RRFS, Ramasun Station, Thailand. =================================================================================== Richmond, Florida In 1942, as World War II heated up and the U.S. became move involved, the U.S. government ordered a massive buildup in military facilities. One of these facilities was Naval Air Station, Richmond. Located on about 2,500 acres of land in the then near wilderness, 20 miles south of the city of Miami, FL, and 19 miles southwest of Miami’s central business district. The Navy started construction of a major airship or LTA (Lighter Than Air) Air Station, to patrol Florida waters for U-boats, which threatened Allied merchant marine shipping. To provide anti-submarine patrol, rescue, escort and utility services in this area, Blimp Patrol Squadron ZP-21 arrived in October, 1942. Naval Air Station, Richmond, takes its name from the "Richmond Lumber Company" which had built a saw mill on the property around the turn of the century, to harvest and process the large stands of "Dade county pine". The base grew quickly, using native timber and millions of board-feet of lumber shipped in from the Pacific-Northwest. Over $13,000,000 was expended in the creation of the fully independent base which boasted three 16.5 story hangars over 1,000 feet in length. Each hangar was 1088 feet long and covered an area of about 7 acres. The doors at each end of the hangar were composed of 6 panels, rolling on steel railroad tracks imbedded in the concrete apron. Each door panel was 120 feet high and 3.5 feet thick, and are considered the largest single door panels ever designed and built. Each hangar cost approximately $2,500,000.00 in 1942 dollars. NAS Richmond was commissioned on September 15, 1942. NAS Richmond was the home of the 25 airships (blimps) of Patrol Airship Squadron 21 (ZP-21) and Airship Wing 2. As Fleet Airship Wing Two, NAS Richmond-based ZP-21 combined with ZP-22 patrolling Texas and Louisiana, and ZP-23 covering Jamaica and Panama. ZP-21 Detachments flew from Key West and Banana River (Daytona Beach) on the Florida coast, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and four NAF's in Cuba. ZP-51, ZP-41 and ZP-42, stationed from Trinidad to Rio all looked to NAS Richmond for support. Its 16 story-high hangers looked down on acres of tarmac launch pads. Nestled in the pine forest left standing for camouflage were barracks, warehouses, BOQ, fire station, hospital, and even a bowling alley for the thousands of airdales assigned to NAS or passing through. PBY's, fighters, and other fixed wing aircraft routinely landed at NAS Richmond's airstrip. During WWII, Airship Wing Two alone logged 114,649 hours flying in 7750 missions, suffering six blimps lost during operations and one blimp lost in combat. The only recorded contact between a blimp and a submarine occurred on July 18, 1943, when Navy airship K-74 encountered Nazi U-134 in the Florida Straits. K-74 made a depth charge run on the sub, but shot down by anti-aircraft fire from the U-boat, and crashed into the sea. The blimp sank with the loss of one life, the pilot. At its wartime peak, Richmond was home to 25 K-series blimps, a 2,000 foot diameter landing mat, eight circular concrete mooring pads, two runways, three huge blimp hangars, a helium plant, and 3,000 men. The station eventually became the largest blimp base on the east coast. As a result of blimp coastal unrelenting patrols, the number of successful enemy torpedo attacks in the South Florida area was reduced from 1942's total of 114 to only 4 sinkings in 1943. A major hurricane on September 14 and 15, 1945, resulted in the destruction of the three "hurricane proof" blimp hangars and the resultant loss of twenty-five blimps, 365 fixed wing aircraft parked in the hangars, and 150 cars. NAS Richmond was devastated by a direct hit from a hurricane, with 123 mph winds striking the massive blimp hangars. The only buildings that survived the hurricane was the headquarters building 2, and a few warehouses. With daybreak the hurricane was gone, and so was NAS Richmond. The smoldering hangers and their contents were a total loss. It was the largest fire of 1945, assessed at 30 million (in 1945 dollars). The damage constituted the biggest peacetime loss of federal property, in the shortest time, on record. ZP-21 was decommissioned soon after. NAS Richmond ceased operations in November, 1945 with portions of the facility becoming a University of Miami South Campus and the Miami Metrozoo. Other areas of the base were utilized by the Army, Navy and Coast Guard as communications facilities. Some time after 1945, and before 1955, U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Richmond, FL was commissioned. NSGA Richmond was located at the Coast Guard Radio Station (RADSTA), on the Richmond site. NSGA Richmond was decommissioned and closed in July, 1957. Mission functions were transferred to NSGA Homestead. Note in the above narrative, that the words "Navy" and "communications" barely get a mention. NSGA Richmond's location (in Miami, FL) makes it's mission obvious, to monitor Cuba's electronic emanations. In August, 1956. the University of Miami (UM) south campus contained miles of unused railroad tracks. That site was 2,100 acres of high pineland located in southern Dade County. The property had been Naval Air Station Richmond. A few years after the war, the Navy left the base and the land was leased to the University of Miami from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) for non-profit educational and research purposes. The University used the base as a remote campus for returning GI's and for botanical research. Being an all male campus, the students could use the same barracks that the Navy had abandoned. William J. Godfrey was a Business Administration student, attending the University of Miami (UM) in 1956. Bill reasoned that, with over three miles of tracks, the old base would be a great place to have an operating steam engine. It could be used as an engineering, educational, and historical attraction. He presented the idea to Dr. Jay F.W. Pearson, President of the University, who just happened to be a rail fan. The U.S. Sugar Company (USSC), based in Clewiston, FL had a few steam engines which they were considering for retirement. The USSC agreed to donate Former Florida East Coast (FEC) locomotive #153 to the University of Miami. On February 19, 1957, the locomotive left USSC. On Friday, April 12, 1957, at 2:30 p.m., the #153 acceptance ceremonies were performed at the South Campus. The gathering took place on a portion of the old Navy blimp landing pad. At the same time, the Miami Railroad Historical Society (MRHS) was created under the umbrella of the UM to oversee the maintenance and operation of the locomotive on the university property. The MRHS set up their operations in a small portion of one of the former Navy wooden warehouses and called it "Dogpatch Station." The society members named their rail operations the "Gold Coast Railroad." Then, the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred. The GSA determined that some of the land leased to the University of Miami would be needed for a large listening post for the CIA. The University, under pressure from the GSA, informed the MRHS that the museum would no longer be able to operate the "Gold Coast Railroad" on the South Campus and would have to look elsewhere to find a new home for its activities. As a result, on November 13, 1966, the Gold Coast Railroad (MRHS) chugged off the South Campus property heading for a new found home in Ft. Lauderdale, Broward County. In 1983, the Florida Department of Transportation notified the museum that plans were being finalized to build an east-west expressway to be know as I-595. The elevated route would run through the museum's location. Once again the museum had to look for a new home. In Dade County, the National Park Service (NPS) was looking to acquire land on the bottom of Biscayne Bay for a National Monument. It was learned that the federal prison adjacent to the new MetroZoo had surplus property it did not need. A land "swap" was arranged. The NPS got the bay bottom it wanted and Dade County got 56+ acres of park land, to be leased to the Gold Coast Railroad. It was a portion of the same property that the museum had occupied in the 1960's at former Naval Air Station Richmond. In 1984, the new home for the museum was the areas of hangars #1 and #2 of the former airship base. In April 1998, the museum changed its name to "Gold Coast Railroad Museum, Inc." to more accurately reflect its educational goals. In April 2003, the Gold Coast Railroad Museum reached its 45 year anniversary. In 1962, the Richmond Air Force Station (Z-210), a radar facility, was constructed to the northwest of the former blimp airfield. It consisted of three radar towers. The Richmond Air Force Station radar facility was operated by the FAA, until destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. During the period 1962-1968, the CIA leased a few buildings from the University of Miami under the "front" name of Zenith Technological Services. This "front" company was in fact the intelligence gathering headquarters for the war on Cuba, known as JM/WAVE, aka JM WAVE aka WAVE Station. Over 400 CIA operatives operated out of this facility. The CIA facility later moved from its Richmond site to North Dade County. In the early 1970's, Building 25 (the old NAS Richmond Headquarters building) was occupied by the Marine Reserve. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew roared through the old wooden buildings causing major damage to the termite infested structures. In 1994, GSA began clearing the majority of the old wooden buildings leaving Building 25, in a state of deterioration. In 1994, the Perrine Primate Institute built a concrete structure as a permanent residence for Miami Metrozoo animals. Also in 1994, the Richmond base was considered as a new site for U.S. Southern Command, which was forced to move from Quarry Heights, Panama Canal Zone. In late 1995, the decision was made to create an exhibit detailing the history and important role the base played during World War II. On 16 September, 1995, over 200 people assembled on the apron of what was Hangar 1, Naval Air Station, Richmond, to honor and commemorate the 50th anniversary of World War II. The groundbreaking was held at the NAS boiler room. The Grand Opening of the Naval Air Station Richmond Exhibit occurred on September 14, 1996. In 1997, private security guards were placed at the two inner entrances, where Building 25 remains, along with some security sensitive buildings. NSGA Richmond, FL > 1945 and < 1955 Jul 1957 At USCG RADSTA Miami, FL. Transferred to Homestead. =================================================================================== Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico On May 12, 1972, COMSEC Unit 208 was detached from Sabana Seca, and became the U.S. Naval Security Group Detachment, Roosevelt Roads; organizationally subordinate to the Naval Security Group Activity, Sabana Seca. The Detachment was established to provide COMSEC services to the fleet, conducting COMSEC visits to the ships in-port at the Naval Station Roosevelt Roads; and monitoring UHF/VHF frequencies in order to detect positive communications security, and/or weaknesses. The Detachment at Roosevelt Roads was officially established on May 15, 1972. The Detachment was temporarily located on Cabras (Goat) Island. Operations were conducted utilizing a newly acquired COMSEC mobile communications van, one permanent structure, one house trailer and a tent. A new building on Puerca Point was completed in November, 1972. The facilities provided for four monitoring positions, and analytical support. CWO2 Lynn D. Harvison was appointed as the first Officer-in-Charge of NAVSECGRUDET Roosevelt Roads. The NSG Detachment provided SISGSEC support, and functioned as a circuit security monitor and constructive critic during Fleet exercises. The Detachment at Roosevelt Roads disestablished July 31, 1974. All personnel were transferred back to NSGA Sabana Seca, PR. COMSEC Unit 208 NSG Det Roosevelt Roads, PR 15 May 1972 31 Jul 1974 At Cabras (Goat) Island =================================================================================== Rota, Andalucia, Spain Naval Station Rota lies on the Bay of Cadiz in southwestern Spain on the Atlantic Coast. It is 6 hours (1 hour by air) south of Madrid, and 1.5 hours from Seville. NAVSTA Rota is located near the small fishing village and tourism center of Rota and near the Spanish town of El Puerto de Santa María. Andalucia, the country's southernmost self-governing region, with its 500 miles of beaches or "playas," its crystal blue seas, and rolling countryside rich in sunflowers, olive trees and flourishing vineyards is known as the "Florida of Europe". Andalucia and its Costa del Sol, or "Coast of Sun," attract northern vacationers who come not only for the beaches and mild weather, but for flamenco dancing, bullfights and festivals. Described by the Navy as the "Gateway to the Mediterranean", NAVSTA Rota is home to an airfield and a port facility. There are also small U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force contingents on the base. Rota is a tenant command located within the boundaries of the 6,100 acre Spanish Base Naval de Rota, Spain's largest Naval installation. NAVSTA Rota is strategically located near the Straits of Gibraltar and at the halfway point between the U.S. and Southwest Asia. Because of this ideal location, the base is able to provide invaluable support to both U.S. Sixth Fleet units in the Mediterranean and to USAF Air Mobility Command units transiting to Germany and Southwest Asia. Under the guidance of the Agreement for Defense Cooperation, the U.S. and Spanish navies work together and share many facilities. The U.S. Navy has the responsibility for maintaining the station's infrastructure, including a 670-acre airfield, three active piers, 426 facilities and 806 family housing units. Rota remains under the Spanish flag and is commanded by a Spanish Vice Admiral. While the Spanish Navy is responsible for external security of the base, both Navies are charged with internal security. The U.S. Navy maintains approximately 5,200 acres of the 6,000 acre complex. The Commander, U.S. Naval Activities, Spain is headquartered at Rota and is the area coordinator for all U.S. Naval shore activities in Spain. His responsibilities include the planning, development, evaluation and coordination for services provided by these units in support of operating forces afloat. He is also the Commanding Officer of Naval Station, Rota. In this capacity, he maintains and coordinates the overall security, upkeep, support functions, and operation of the installation. Naval Station Rota provides support for U.S. and NATO ships; supports the safe and efficient movement of U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force flights and passengers; and provides cargo, fuel, and ammunition to units in the region. The Naval Station is the only base in the Mediterranean capable of supporting Amphibious Readiness Group post-deployment wash-downs. The base port also offers secure, pier side maintenance and backload facilities. Rota supports Amphibious Readiness Group turnovers and hosts Sailors and Marines from visiting afloat units. The base also provides Quality of Life support to Moron Air Base, ARG support sites at Palma de Majorca, NATO headquarters in Madrid and the Military Sealift Command's Maritime Prepositioning Squadron. Rota also supports NASA Space Shuttle missions, and ongoing operations in the European theater of operations. The mission of U.S. Forces at Sigonella, Rota, and Souda Bay is to provide Command Control and Logistics Support to U.S. And NATO Operating Forces. These three facilities are undergoing a transformation from Maritime Patrol Airfields to Multi-role hubs, providing crucial air-links for USAF strategic airlift in support of CENTCOM and Africa Area contingency operations. American facilities at the Naval Station, Rota, Spain are wide-ranging and diversified in their primary role of supporting the U.S. Sixth Fleet operating in the Mediterranean. From its inception in the early 1950s, the Rota Naval Base has developed into one of the most modern, advanced Naval installations in the world, which was the precept that guided its design. There are approximately 3,000 U.S. military members, 3,000 command-sponsored family members, 250 U.S. civilian workers and 1,250 Spanish employees on board. In September 1953, after almost two years of surveys, negotiations and planning, the governments of the U.S. and Spain signed economic aid and defense agreements. Construction of the Naval Base at Rota had already begun under the technical supervision of the Navy's Bureau of Yards and Docks. Major Rota commands include: the Naval Station; the Naval Computer and Telecommunication Area Master Station, Mediterranean Detachment (NCTAMS Med Det); the Naval Hospital; the 725th Air Mobility Squadron (725 AMS); the Naval European Meteorology and Oceanography Center (NEMOC); the Marine Corps Security Force Company Europe; the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion; and the Military Sealift Command, Europe Representative (MSCREP). Rota Trivia: The Naval Base at Rota is the home of the only Taco Bell on the Iberian (Spanish) Peninsula. The Naval Base at Rota is also the home of the only existing drive-in movie theater, among American military bases worldwide. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Rota maintained and operated a high frequency direction finding (HFDF) facility and provided communication support to Navy and other Department of Defense elements. The communications facility located at Rota included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FRD-10A Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. The CDAA ceased operations in 1993. The CDAA was dismantled and removed in 2005. Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Two (VQ-2) relocated from Rota, Spain, to Whidbey Island, WA., effective September 1, 2005. The relocation of VQ-2's six aircraft and 450 Sailors to the U.S. was in keeping with the Navy's ongoing transformation of forces in Europe, and helped reduce costs and eliminate redundancies throughout its force structure worldwide. On June 6, 2005, NSGA Rota was administratively disestablished, and NSG Det Rota was established. On September 30, 2005, NSG Det Rota was administratively closed and was re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Rota, SP. NIOD Rota ceased operations on December 15, 2005; and was officially disestablished on September 30, 2006. NSG Det Rota and NIOD Rota were subordinate to, and a detachment of, NSGA/NIOC Ft. Gordon, GA. Communications Security Unit (COMSEC-602) 01 Jun 1963 ?? ??? ???? NSG Dept, NCS Rota, Spain ?? ??? ???? Oct 1993 Later at U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station, Rota, Spain NSGA Rota, Spain Oct 1993 06 Jun 2005 NSG Det Rota, Spain 06 Jun 2005 30 Sep 2005 NIOD Rota, Spain 01 Oct 2005 30 Sep 2006 =================================================================================== Sabana Seca, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico Sabana Seca is located approximately 10 miles west of San Juan, Puerto Rico and is adjacent to the Village of Sabana Seca, Municipality of Toa Baja. The station encompassed over 2,200 acres divided into the North and South Tracts. The area surrounding the former station at Sabana Seca is a conservation and ecological buffer zone of limestone hills (mogotes), mangrove swamps and subtropical forest in the San Pedro Marsh, a large coastal wetland. In 1898, the U.S. Armed Forces defeated the Spanish Armada and invaded Puerto Rico. The island became an asset to the military, because of its location as the gateway between the Americas and its post as a sentinel of the Mona Passage and the vessels that used it to explore future trade routes that are still in existence. Since the 1900s, at least six major military installations have been established in Puerto Rico. Two were in the offshore municipalities of U.S. Naval Stations Culebra and Vieques; and the others at Ceiba’s U.S. Naval Station Roosevelt Roads; Toa Baja’s U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Sabana Seca; Salinas’ U.S. Naval Radio Station Fort Allen; and U.S. Army Reserve Fort Buchanan. All the Naval installations have been closed except Fort Allen, now an educational and support facility for the U.S. Army Reserve and the Puerto Rico National Guard, and Fort Buchanan, the only active military outpost on the island. In 1903, Fort Buchanan was established as the first U.S. Army unit on the island. Under the command of Lt. Col. James A. Buchanan, by 1923 it occupied 300 acres on its present site. Used as a maneuver training area and range by the U.S. Army, by National Guard troops, and as a civilian military training camp from 1926 to 1930; in 1940 it was designated as Fort Buchanan and expanded to 4,500 acres over the years. During World War II and the Korean War, Fort Buchanan housed a depot to supply the U.S. Army Antilles department. In addition, it processed local troops through its facilities, which included pier facilities, ammunition storage areas, and a railroad network that connected it to the bay. As large as 4,500 acres in the 1940s, Fort Buchanan’s footprint was reduced to 746 acres at the end of World War II and remains this size today, located in the middle of Bayamón and Guaynabo, two of Puerto Rico’s major municipalities. In 1966, Fort Buchanan was placed under the U.S. Navy after the Antilles Command was deactivated, which left about 100 personnel from the U.S. Army Command Group under the U.S. Armed Forces Southern Command in Panama. By 1971, Fort Buchanan was returned to U.S. Army Control under the Third Army. The military outpost supported the U.S. Army Reserve and tenant activities of the Reserve’s U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Air Force, and several nonmilitary federal agencies. From 1973 to 2002, Fort Buchanan went through several headquarter changes becoming U.S. Forces Command, U.S. Southern Command, and U.S. Army South. In 2002, it returned to U.S. Forces Command until October 2003 when it was converted into a U.S. Army Reserve installation. Fort Buchanan is the southernmost U.S. Army base, strategically located near the Mona Passage and its global trade routes. As the only U.S. Army Power Support Platform in the region, it is responsible for providing support not only in Puerto Rico but in the Caribbean and South America. Since 1990, Fort Buchanan’s military personnel have participated in mobilizations such as Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Bosnia, Macedonia/Kosovo, Guatemala, El Salvador, Afghanistan, and Iraq. At least 12 Latin American countries have also been part of Fort Buchanan’s Puerto Rico Reserve and U.S. National Guard building activities. NSGA Sabana Seca in Toa Baja, on the island’s northern coast, also provided air search and rescue service. Officially, the base that was NSGA Sabana Seca is now in a caretaker status. The U.S. Navy is analyzing how to dispose of the property. Limited maintenance activities are being provided on site by Department of Defense (DOD) security personnel and private contractors. Sabana Seca's estimated 2,250 acres are divided into north and south tracts. The north track comprises 918 acres and housed support facilities, such as administration, supply, healthcare, recreational, housing, and retail services. The remaining south tract 1,332 acres accommodated the U.S. Naval Radio Station. On August 1, 1943, Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, P.R., was established. Also in 1943, a U.S. Naval Radio Station (NAVRADSTA) was established near the present site of Isla Verde Airport at Carolina PR. At about the same time, in 1943, the U.S. Navy procured a tract of land that was originally a pineapple and grapefruit plantation known as the Stephenson Place, near the village of Sabana Seca, to construct an ammunition depot. After the war, the NAVRADSTA remained at Carolina, but the ammunition depot and the Sabana Seca property was turned over to the U.S. Army. In 1951, the Navy again assumed control of the Sabana Seca tract. In order to make room for the International Airport, the NAVRADSTA began moving from Carolina to Sabana Seca. In January, 1952, the U.S. Naval Radio Station, Sabana Seca was officially designated, with LCDR W. L. Thomas, as the Officer-in-Charge. Also in January, 1952, a U.S. Naval Security Group Detachment was established, co-located with the NAVRADSTA at Sabana Seca. Later in 1952, the NAVRADSTA was recommissioned as NCS Puerto Rico, Sabana Seca, PR; and the NSG Det became the NSG Dept, NCS Puerto Rico, Sabana Seca, PR. On July 1, 1971, the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Sabana Seca PR was commissioned, under the command of CAPT Robert G. Keller. The guest speakers at the commissioning ceremony were RADM Chester G. Phillips, COMNAVSECGRU; RADM Norvell G. Ward, Commandant, Tenth Naval District; and CAPT Griffith P. Stokes, Commanding Officer of NAVCOMMSTA Peurto Rico. On December 3, 1979, at 6:40 AM, terrorists attacked unarmed sailors enroute to a day watch at NSGA Sabana Seca. CTO1 John Ball, the Comm Supervisor, had volunteered to drive the Navy bus. RM3 Emil White was seated behind John. The yellow bus wheeled out of the U.S. Navy compound in Toa Baja, a San Juan suburb. Bouncing in their seats, the passengers - 13 men and five women - dozed or talked quietly as they traveled the familiar route from the Sabana Seca Communications Station to a radio transmitter site four miles away. Nobody paid any attention to a green pickup truck that was following close behind. About a mile from Sabana Seca, the truck suddenly accelerated. It passed the bus, slowed, and forced the bigger vehicle to a halt beside a trash dump. Simultaneously, a white van that had been parked down the road, came roaring toward the scene, and the blast of automatic weapons fire shattered the dawn silence. The fusillade from the white van lasted for 30 seconds "a lifetime," said one survivor. Of the 17 sailors on the bus, CTO1 John R. Ball, 29, of Madison, WI and RM3 Emil E. White, 20, of Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands were both killed by the gunfire. When it was over two U.S. sailors lay dead and ten other sailors, including all of the women onboard, were injured. Credit for the savage attack, the worst outbreak of political violence in Puerto Rico in two decades, was claimed by three terrorist groups that favor Puerto Rico's independence from the U.S.: the Volunteers for the Puerto Rican Revolution, the Boricua Popular Army, and the Armed Forces of Popular Resistance. Photos, narrative and articles are located at the following URL: . Detachment 2, U.S. Air force 544th Intelligence Group (the 544th IG is located at Peterson Air Force Base, CO) was integrated with NSGA Sabana Seca. Detachment 2 was established on January 1, 1995; and officially activated on December 8, 1995. Detachment 2 deactivated on January 31, 2003; when NSGA Sabana Seca closed. Marine Cryptologic Support Battalions (formerly Marine Support Battalions), Company G was Co-located with NSGA Sabana Seca. When the station closed in January, 2003, Company G was transferred to NSGA Menwith Hill Station UK. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Sabana Seca maintained and operated a high frequency direction finding (HFDF) facility and provided communication support to Navy and other Department of Defense elements. The communications facility located on the island included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FRD-10A Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. The AN FRD-10A CDAA was heavily damaged by Hurricane Georges in 1999. NSGA Sabana Seca ceased HFDF operations and the Wullenweber was dismantled and removed in 1999. The CDAA property was sold and is being developed by a commercial enterprise. Link to photo of Sabana Seca AN/FRD-10A damaged by Hurricane Georges in 1999, located at . NSGA Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico (1975-2001) photos and narrative from CTOCS Barry Hester, USN located at . Communications Support Activity (DF), San Juan, 1938 Jan 1952 Carolina, PR Radio Intercept Station established at San Geronimo Jan 1940 Direction Finding (DF) moved to Cabo Rojo Feb 1942 Radio Intercept (RI) moved to NSG Det, Sabana Seca, PR Jan 1952 Navy Direction Finding Station, Cabo Rojo, PR Feb 1942 Jan 1943 Moved to Trinidad NAVRADSTA Carolina, PR Jan 1943 Jan 1952 NAVRADSTA Sabana Seca, PR Jan 1952 1952 NSG Det, Sabana Seca, PR Jan 1952 1952 NSG Dept, NCS Puerto Rico, Sabana Seca, PR 1952 01 Jul 1971 NSGA Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico 01 Jul 1971 31 Jan 2003 COMSEC UNIT 208 transferred to Roosevelt Roads, PR 12 May 1972 See NSG Det Roosevelt Roads, PR To: As of 15 March 2004, the Navy retained title to the property for evaluation of public or private use opportunities, according to the General Services Administration. To: 252 acre tract of land: Administrative Headquarters and base of operations for the National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes of Health. =================================================================================== Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture, Honshu, Japan NSG Detachment Sakata (a detachment of NSGA Kami Seya), and later NSGA Sakata, was located approximately 300 miles north of Tokyo at Sakata City in Yamagata Prefecture on the sea of Japan. In 1962, the town of Sakata was a farm community of approximately l00,000 souls. It was a rural community with heavy harbor and seaport business. The base supported many local programs, including an orphanage and many taught English at the local schools. Baseball, volleyball and basketball was played with the locals. In 1962, there were 36 military personnel: 3 officers and 33 enlisted. There were approximately 35 locals working on the base. There were approximately 8 to l0 American families at the base. The local Japanese personnel provided security, fire protection and all public works operations, steam plant, etc. There was a 60 foot dish antenna. There were four sets of government quarters, three officer and one enlisted. The Chow Hall had a bar and movie area at one end. The recreation-room was used as a chapel and general purpose room. A local Catholic Missionary and a Lutheran Missionary held services. Payday was held once a month, brought up by the Disbursing Clerks from Kami Seya. We ordered stamps, money orders, etc., at the same time. The Chow Hall was allowed a "45" Mess status. Meaning that any mess with under 45 personnel was allowed a rather hefty "additional" amount of funding. Thus, it was a good feeder. Commissary supplies for families were ordered from Yokosuka through our Supply Department, on a once a month basis. Mt. Chokai had a rotating contingent from NSG Det Sakata that worked on a small temporary base set up at the summit. Troops lived in large 20 man tents and used "Quick Vans" for operations. Marines provided choppers for transportation of the Quick Vans and other heavy equipment. Japanese locals provided porter service for every day supplies. One small Japanese porter could carry six cases of beer clear up the Mt. with no sweat. We sailors could barely make it with a canteen. Narrative from Cecil Draper. Upon reporting (to NSGA Sakata, Japan in 1961) I met CDR Burns (OIC). Thus began a tour of duty that I will never forget. In addition to my supply duties, I learned that I was in charge of the movie schedule, setting up a roster of movie operators, shipping and receiving movies. Movies were shown In the combination messhall and All Hands Club. The Chiefs had their own projector. I also ran the small branch Navy Exchange/Ship’s Store. This was a closet sized space in the combination recreation room/chapel. We carried the basics only. Cigarettes, toiletries, candy and snacks. Stock was received about once a month from Yokosuka. There was also a liquor store that the Chiefs ran. If you were the duty driver on Sunday, you drove the right hand drive Chevrolet sedan to town and picked up one of the missionary Priests or Pastors to come out to the base and conduct services. All good things have to come to a end. In the summer of 1962 word was received that NSGA Sakata was closing down. We then proceeded to close down the base, and I was left to pack up the supplies and equipment to be shipped out. A good portion of the ops people were transferred, so everyone that left was involved in shutting the place down. The big dish was disassembled and crated up. Household goods of the families crated up and most of the other material and supplies shipped to Kamiseya. The Nippon Express company would drag the stuff to the rail yard for loading on rail cars. It seemed that it was difficult to find enough rail cars to handle our stuff. My Japanese assistant said it was because it was rice harvest time and we were competing with the farmers for tailraces. At that time the typical Japanese rail car was not very big (about the size of a 20 ft container) so we needed a few. A sales contract was awarded to cleanup our scrap yard, which started growing as we got closer to shutdown, to a local salvage company. They seemed to be pretty happy with what they were getting. The Navy Exchange at Yokosuka said we should ship back all the unopened bottles of liquor, I believe a few extra bottles got opened so we would have some bar stock to get us through the final days. Some of the local companies and organizations sent out huge bottles of Sake as going away presents. I seem to remember a 32 cup coffee urn being filled with Sake. In the final couple of weeks we were down to 10 or 12 people and had closed up the mess hall. Meals were prepared in the kitchen of one of the family quarters. On the 1st of October (1962) the U.S. flag was lowered and the remaining personnel got in the trucks and other vehicles. We traveled in a caravan from Sakata to Kami Seya. It was a trip that took all day and I believe we arrived at Kami Seya about midnight. Narrative by SK2 Bob McDaniel, USN. U.S. Naval Security Group Sakata, JA was commissioned on June 26, 1957; and decommissioned on September 7, 1962. According to Toshiko Nakagawa, Sakata's only administrative secretary/translator; the Officers-in Charge, from first to last, were: Lt. Kirby L. Robinson (1st), CDR Franklynn R. Sperberg (2nd), CDR William L. Burns (3rd), and LT Robert A. Horan (last). NSG Det, Sakata, Japan Nov 1956 26 Jun 1957 NSGA Sakata, Japan 26 Jun 1957 07 Sep 1962 =================================================================================== San Angelo, Goodfellow AFB, Texas Goodfellow AFB, is located on 1,135 acres near the west Texas community of San Angelo, 4 hours northwest of San Antonio, TX and 4.5 hours southwest of Dallas, TX. San Angelo is a rich and diverse city, having a diverse cultural heritage coupled with progressive technology. The city is home to Angelo State University, historic Fort Concho, many parks and other recretional areas. Home to the 17th Training Wing, Goodfellow Air Force Base is a USAF training installation subordinate to the Air Education & Training Command (AETC). Goodfellow's chief mission is to develop and deliver training in the cryptologic and general intelligence career fields for Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps personnel, plus students from certain Allied countries and national agencies. Specifically, the intelligence curriculum includes courses in cryptologic linguistics and analysis, intelligence applications and operations, imagery, targeting, and intelligence-related communications and electronics maintenance. In addition, the base provides fire protection-training for multi-service personnel and special instruments training in support of the U.S. Atomic Energy Detection System. Goodfellow's assets include more than 200 buildings on base, many of them accredited to hold and process sensitive compartmented information (SCI), plus an additional 200 units of leased housing near Lake Nasworthy. All told, an infrastructure in excess of $600 million and an annual operating budget of $66 million supports almost 15,000 active duty personnel, dependents, retirees and civilians while nearly 400 acres on the eastern side of the base remain available to attract and sustain new missions. The base hosts a number of tenant organizations, including the U.S. Army 344th Military Intelligence Battalion, the U.S. Navy Center for Information Dominance Detachment, and a Marine Corps detachment. Additionally, the base hosts a Department of Transportation tire-testing facility. Goodfellow's history traces to the days before Pearl Harbor. The base was named after 1Lt John J. Goodfellow, Jr., of San Angelo, Texas. On 14 September 1918, Lieutenant Goodfellow boarded his Salmson 2A2 observation plane at Gondreville Airfield in France to conduct visual reconnaissance behind enemy lines. The mission was part of a larger undertaking just underway, a major American offensive intended to reduce the German salient near St. Mihiel. Unfortunately, adverse weather permitted observation only from reduced altitude, a condition which exposed the lumbering Salmson to enemy pursuit. Three days later, the offensive a success, the young pilot's remains were recovered from his ruined craft and interred at the U.S. military cemetery near Nancy, France. After the conclusion of World War I, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt began a program of preparedness which included the construction of facilities dedicated to advanced air training. Several such bases were envisioned for Texas and one, specifically, for the Fort Worth-Midland-San Angelo triangle. San Angelo made an offer to the War Department of sewage and electrical service, a railroad spur, and a 50-year lease on 640 acres at one dollar per year. San Angelo Air Corps Basic Flying School was officially established on 17 August 17, 1940. The base was ready for occupancy by January 21, 1941, and the first classes of students soon arrived. On 11 June 1941, in dedication to a young hero and in tribute to the community that shaped him, the base was officially renamed Goodfellow Field. The next four years witnessed the graduation of more than 10,000 trained pilots and the decoration of scores of these for outstanding heroism in action against Germany, Italy, and Japan. The Axis collapse did not dissolve the Goodfellow mission. Goodfellow continued to train pilots into the post war, first on the AT-6 "Texan" and then, beginning in 1954, on the twin-engine B-25 "Mitchell." On September 3, 1958, with nearly 20,000 aviators to its credit, Goodfellow graduated its last class of pilots. The base was transferred from Air Training Command to the USAF Security Service. Goodfellow's mission became the training of Air Force personnel in the advanced cryptologic skills that the Security Service required at installations worldwide. Eight years later, in 1966, the mission expanded further to include joint-service training in these same skills for Army, Navy, and Marine Corps personnel. After 38 years of pilot and then intelligence training, Goodfellow's mission had apparently come to a close with the announcement in 1978 that the base would revert to Air Training Command and was a candidate for closure. Since Goodfellow was a single- mission facility, its mission could perhaps be executed more economically elsewhere. The Air Force decided to consolidate all Air Force managed intelligence training at one location. The site selected was Goodfellow, and the base was designated a Technical Training Center on March 1, 1985. During the next three years, intelligence training consolidation brought to Goodfellow advanced imagery training from Offutt AFB, NE; electronic intelligence operations training from Keesler AFB, MS; and targeting, intelligence applications, and general intelligence training from Lowry AFB, CO. The consolidation of intelligence training on June 30, 1988 facilitated the development of intelligence training integration, a multi-disciplinary approach to the training of intelligence professionals. On July 1, 1993, the 17th Training Wing was activated on Goodfellow AFB. With the change in name came a marked diversification and increase in Goodfellow's mission. Rounds one and two of the base realignment and closure process transferred special instruments training from Lowry AFB and fire protection training from Chanute AFB to Goodfellow. To support the increased training load, Goodfellow underwent extensive modernization and growth. With new training facilities, dormitories, dining halls, a commissary, a youth center and a physical fitness center, Goodfellow entered its second half-century of operation as one of the most modern installations in the Air Force. The Naval Communications Training Center (NCTC) Detachment was established at Goodfellow AFB, San Angelo, TX on August 19, 1966; under the command and support of the Chief of Naval Personnel. NCTC Det Goodfellow was subordinated to the Naval Communications Training Center (NCTC), Corry Station, Pensacola FL. In November 1971, responsibility for command and support of NCTC Corry Station in Pensacola (NCTC Detachment GoodFellow's parent command), was transferred to the Chief of Naval Technical Training. In September 1973, NCTC Corry Station officially became the Naval Technical Training Center (NTTC), Corry Station, Pensacola, FL; and the NCTC Detachment at Goodfellow also realiged the command name to Naval Technical Training Center (NTTC) Detachment, Goodfellow AFB, San Angeles, TX. On November 19, 2002, Naval Technical Training Center, Corry Station officially became the Center for Cryptology, Corry Station. In July 2003, The NTTC Detachment at Goodfellow also realigned the command name to the Center for Cryptology (CFC) Detachment, Goodfellow AFB, San Angelo, TX. The official recommissioning date was in July, 2003. On January 10, 2005, the Center for Cryptology, Corry Station in Pensacola, FL and the Center for Information Technology in San Diego, CA merged to become the Center for Information Dominance, Corry Station, Pensacola, FL. The Center for Cryptology Detachment at Goodfellow also realiged the command name to the Center for Information Dominance (CID) Detachment, Goodfellow AFB, San Angelo, TX. The Center for Information Dominance, Corry Station, Pensacola, FL (and all Detachments and Learning Centers) are now subordinate to the Naval Personnel Development Command (NPDC), Norfolk, VA. CENINFODOM Det, Goodfellow AFB, San Angelo, TX: https://www.npdc.navy.mil/ceninfodom/goodfellow/. Naval Communications Training Center (NCTC) Det, 19 Aug 1966 Sep 1973 Goodfellow AFB, San Angelo, TX Naval Technical Training Center (NTTC) Det, Sep 1973 Jul 2003 Goodfellow AFB, San Angelo, TX Center for Cryptology (CFC) Det, Goodfellow AFB, Jul 2003 10 Jan 2005 San Angelo, TX Center for Information Dominance (CID) Det, 10 Jan 2005 Present Goodfellow AFB, San Angelo, TX =================================================================================== San Antonio, Lackland AFB, Texas (NSG Det/NSGA/NIOC Medina) San Antonio is located 80 miles south-southwest of Austin, Texas; on the headwaters of the San Antonio river. San Antonio is only 150 miles from the Mexican border at Laredo, and the character of the city is a blend of American and Spanish influence. Situated on the plains of south-central Texas, at the foot of the Edwards plateau, San Antonio was founded on May 1, 1718, by a Spanish expedition from Monclova, then capital of Coahuila, in northern Mexico. Before the Spaniards arrived, the site had been occupied by a Coahuiltecan Indian village, called Yanaguana. Spanish soldiers built a small fort on the west side of the river, which they called the Presidio of Bejar. In 1731, a town was established near the fort and named San Fernando. In time, the fort, the settlement and the Franciscan mission, San Antonio de Valero merged together to become San Antonio de Bejar. Mission San Antonio de Valero came to be known as the Alamo, from the Spanish word for "cottonwood tree". In 1794, the Alamo was used as a garrison by the Spanish soldiers defending San Antonio. With the Mexican revolution of 1821, Spanish troops were evicted, and San Antonio became part of Mexico. Later in 1821, Stephen F. Austin arranged with the Mexican government to admit 300 families into Texas, from the U.S. When Texas declared its independence from Mexico, in 1836, anglo-American settlers in San Antonio numbered 35,000. In December, 1835; a detachment of Texas volunteers, including Sam Houston, drove a Mexican force out of San Antonio, and occupied the Alamo. On February 23, 1836, a Mexican army numbering 4,000, commanded by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, besieged the Alamo. The Texas volunteers numbering 180 men, including Col. James Bowie, Col. William B. Travis and the renowned Davy Crockett, held out for 12 days. On the morning of March 6, 1836, the Mexican army stormed the Alamo. No prisoners were taken, and all the defenders were slain. For many years after 1845, the U.S. Army used the Alamo for the quartering of troops and for storage of supplies. the Alamo, adjacent buildings and the surrounding grounds, were acquired by the State of Texas in 1903, and are now a historic site and a memorial to the heroes of 1836. During the last decades of the 19th century, San Antonio was a major cattle center. The famous Chisholm trail began in San Antonio; and cattle were driven overland to the railroads in Kansas. After WWI, San Antonio became the site of the largest U.S. military establishment in the United States. Ft. Sam Houston, located on 3,365 acres inside the city of San Antonio, is the home of the 4th U.S. Army. The 4th Army is the headquarters of an administrative district, supervising all Army units in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. Brooke Army Medical Center, located at Ft. Sam Houston, includes a large hospital, research labs and the Army's basic schools for officer and enlisted medical training. Surrounding the city are four U.S. Air Force bases, Kelly, Lackland, Brooks and Randolph. Kelly Field, the oldest, was established in 1917. By the end of WWII, Kelly had grown into a vast industrial aircraft maintenance and supply complex, with 24,000 civilian employees and acres of shops and warehouses. Brooks AFB, located near Kelly Field, is the site of the Aerospace Medical Center, occupied in 1959 by the former School of Aviation Medicine. Flight surgeon training and advanced research are conducted at Brooks AFB. Randolph AFB is 17 miles northeast of the city, and is the headquarters of the Air Training Command. These military installations largely accounted for the phenomenal growth of San Antonio after 1940. Lackland AFB is located on the southwestern fringe of San Antonio, TX and encompasses approximately 7,000 acres. It is home to the 37th Training Wing, the host installation command. The land that eventually became Lackland AFB was part of Kelly Field, known simply as 'the hill'. During the late 1930's a portion of the hill was used for bombing runs training pilots flying out of Kelly Field. In 1938, the Kelly Field commander, Brigadier General Frank Lackland conceived the idea of a major training facility on the hill, overlooking Kelly Field. Lackland Air Force Base dates from July 4, 1942, when the War Department separated the part of Kelly Field lying west of Leon Creek and made it an independent installation, naming it the San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center (SAACC). From its acronym many people called the base sack, sack-c, or, less affectionately, sad sack. Even with its own name, townspeople and most military leaders continued to think of it as a part of Kelly Field. The base bore three awkward and innocuous designations in the first two years after World War II, adding to the confusion. The War Department finally resolved the identity crisis on July 11, 1947, by naming the base for Brigadier General Frank D. Lackland, who was commissioned into the regular Army after serving in the National Guard, District of Columbia. Lackland had originated the idea of an aviation cadet reception and training center for Kelly Field. Construction on the base began on June 15, 1941. One year later, it became an independent organization, the San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center. Lackland AFB was officially commissioned on February 3, 1948. Lackland AFB is home to over 120 units that have their own unique lineage, honors, emblems, and histories. Only 36 of those units are assigned to the 37th Training Wing. Another 22 units make up Air Reserve Command’s 433d Airlift Wing. Under the Air Intelligence Agency and the 67th Intelligence Operations Wing, there are 18 Air Combat Command units stationed at Lackland. The remaining units at Lackland are within the 59th Medical Wing, the Texas Air National Guard’s 149th Fighter Wing, and other tenant units, agencies, centers, and battlelabs. Lackland AFB is also known as the Gateway to the Air Force. The Gateway, as it's name implies, means that enlisted personnel in the active Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve all begin their careers at Lackland, completing Basic Military Training. Lackland's mission is to provide modern operations training in the fields of cryptographic equipment maintenance, security and law enforcement, military working dog handler, combat arms, recruiting, supply, transportation, services, dietary and social actions. Lackland also provides students from 117 countries the opportunity to increase their proficiency in the English language through its Defense Language Institute English Language Center. Also, the ParaRescue Indoctrination Course is conducted at Lackland. The Medina Regional Security Operations Center (MRSOC) is a Joint tenant unit that performs a real-world strategic intelligence mission primarily in support of U.S. Central Command and U.S. Southern Command. There are only three such units worldwide, GRSOC at Ft. Gordon, GA (Army), MRSOC at Medina, San Antonio, TX (Air Force), and KRSOC at Kunia, HI (Navy). The MRSOC is manned by U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S Army personnel; as well as DOD civilians. The Medina Regional Security Operations Center (MRSOC) was activated on August 19, 1993 at the Lackland Training Annex (also known as the Medina Training Annex) in San Antonio, TX. The MRSOC was a direct result of the end of the Cold War, which confronted the intelligence community with a downsizing force structure and withdrawal of forces deployed overseas. The Medina RSOC consolidates SIGINT assets, analytical databases, and experience personnel from various locations. It also provided tactical analysts an environment to keep their cryptologic skills sharp, supporting a pool of capable people which can deploy wherever they are needed. By 1996, over 1,000 Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and National Security Agency civilian personnel were stationed at Medina. This consolidated SIGINT joint environment improved the ability to deliver timely, tailored intelligence to customers. Marine Cryptologic Support Battalion (formerly Marine Support Battalion) Company H was co-located with NSGA Medina, and later with NIOC Medina. Company H's lineage includes being stationed at NSGA Homestead, FL, prior to Hurricane Andrew, in 1992. Naval Security Group Activity Medina was commissioned on October 5, 1993, on the Medina Annex of Lackland Air Force Base in southwestern San Antonio, TX. NSGA Medina is one of four Cryptologic Service Elements that make up the Medina Regional Security Operations Center (MRSOC). On September 30, 2005, NSGA Medina was administratively closed and was re- established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Medina, San Antonio, TX. NIOC Medina, San Antonio, TX: http://www.lackland.af.mil/nioctexas/ NSG Det Medina, San Antonio, TX Jan 1970 Dec 1970 At Lackland AFB Annex NSGA Medina, San Antonio, TX 05 Oct 1993 30 Sep 2005 Supporting the Medina Regional Security Operations Center (MRSOC). MRSOC also known as NSACSS Texas. Summer 2005 NIOC Medina, San Antonio, TX (NIOC Texas) 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== San Antonio, Lackland AFB, Texas (NIWA Det/NIOD) On September 30, 2005, NIWA Detachment, San Antonio, TX was administratively closed and was re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) San Antonio, TX. NIOD San Antonio is subordinate to, and a detachment of, NIOC Medina, San Antonio, TX, NIWA Det San Antonio TX ???? 30 Sep 2005 NIOD San Antonio TX 01 Oct 2005 =================================================================================== San Antonio, Lackland AFB, Texas (DCMS/NCMS Det) For the history of San Antonio, see the article on NSG Det/NSGA/NIOC Medina San Antonio, TX. NCMS Det Lackland AFB is a detachment of the Naval Communications Security Material System (NCMS Washington DC) located at Andrews AFB. NCMS is a shore-based fleet activity subordinate to the Commander, Naval Network Warfare Command. NCMS is the single authoritative source and primary provider for Communications Security (COMSEC), Electronic Key Management System (EKMS) and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) material throughout the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command and National COMSEC Community. NCMS publishes policies, develops and provides training tasks and procedures, and distributes hardware. In addition, NCMS monitors all procedures and actions required to ensure the physical security of COMSEC material, including prevention of compromise and compromise recovery. On May 1, 2006, DCMS Washington, DC moved from the Nebraska Avenue Complex (3801 Nebraska Ave.) to Andrews Air Force Base, in Clinton, MD. Also on May 1, 2006, the command's name was changed from DCMS Washington DC (Director, Communications Security Material System) to NCMS Washington DC (Naval Communications Security Material System). DCMS Det Lackland AFB realigned the command name to NCMS Det Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX. DCMS Det, Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX. 01 May 2006 NCMS Det, Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX. 01 May 2006 Present ================================================================================== San Diego, California (Coronado, California) San Diego is situated 16 miles north of Mexico and 110 miles south-southeast of Los Angeles, and is the seat of San Diego county. Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese explorer in the service of Spain, discovered the bay on September 28, 1542, and named it San Miguel. The next explorer was Sebastian Vizcaino, who was sent in 1602 to reconnoiter California, preparatory to the establishment of a Spanish colony. He renamed the bay for San Diego de Alcala de Henares, a Spanish monk whose name Vizcaino's flagship bore. In 1769, the harbor was chosen as the base for exploration and settlement of California. The expedition of 1769, led by the first Governor of California, Gaspar de Portola, founded the San Diego presidio as the initial settlement in the new colony. On the same day, July 16, 1769, Father Junipero Serra dedicated San Diego mission, the first of the California missions. Spain maintained control of Alta California until 1822, when Spanish control was overthrown by Mexico. Under Mexico, the San Diego inhabitants ventured outside the presidio gates, and began to build what has become known as Old Town, which was organized as a pueblo in 1834. With the defeat of Mexico in 1846, San Diego became an American settlement. Four years later, the state of California was admitted to the Union. The Old Town was incorporated in 1850. In 1867, Alonso E. Horton arrived, with the intention of setting up a new town. He purchased a tract of land south of Old Town, for 26 cents an acre. In a few years, San Diego was the largest California community south of Los Angeles. The new city was incorporated in 1872. The Sante Fe railroad arrived in 1884, and population and real estate values multiplied. Most of the towns and cities in San Diego County were founded at that time. The Navy made San Diego part of its first radio communications network by establishing the Naval Radio Station, Point Loma on May 12, 1906, with a 5 kw transmitter in a small wood building on the Point Loma Military Reservation. The reservation, situated on 360 acres on the Point Loma peninsula, was transferred by the Army to the Navy in 1901 and became the La Playa Coaling Station in 1904, the oldest Naval shore installation in San Diego, and the origin of the Naval Supply Center. The Army continued to occupy Fort Rosecrans on Point Loma until 1959, when it turned over Fort Rosecrans to the Navy. In 1963, the Navy established the Submarine Base at Ballast Point. In 1981 this base became the Naval Submarine Base (NAVSUBASE), San Diego. The radio station on Point Loma served the needs of the early naval expansion into the Pacific, and the Navy continued to experiment with radio, but there were no radio transmitters able to cross an ocean. The British-based Marconi company dominated commercial radio but its trans-Atlantic service was not reliable. The German Telefunken company had the world's most powerful transmitters, and built a trans-Atlantic station at Sayville, Long Island. The Navy decided in 1912 to construct a world-wide high-power chain using arc transmitters developed by Federal Telegraph Company that operated a night service between San Francisco and Hawaii. The first transmitter was installed at the Naval Radio Base in Arlington VA, in 1912, and a second was built at Darien in the Panama Canal Zone in 1914, both with a range of 1000 miles. Three transmitters were planned for the Pacific Ocean, at Chollas Heights in San Diego, Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and at Cavite in the Philippines. In 1914, the Navy acquired 73 acres at Chollas Heights in southeast San Diego for the construction of three 600-foot towers, arranged in a triangular shape, and a 200-kw high-power transmitter using the new vacuum tubes that AT&T developed for its long-distance telephone service, inaugurated in January, 1915. The San Diego station was the first to be completed in the high-power chain. Official trials commenced on January 26, 1917, and the station went into into commission in May 1917. Construction of the stations at Pearl Harbor and Cavite was proceeding. The war caused delays in the fabrication of the towers and those for Cavite were further delayed by the British seizure of the ship carrying them. The towers were finally released after prolonged diplomatic negotiations. Pearl Harbor was placed in commission October 1, 1917, and Cavite on December 19, 1917. In 1922, the Naval Radio Station headquarters and message center moved to the Naval Base Headquarters in downtown San Diego, at the foot of Broadway on Harbor Drive; co-located with the command center of the new Eleventh Naval District, which was established in 1921. The Naval Training Center was built in 1921-1923 on the tidelands of the Bay and included a Fleet Radio School. The Naval Destroyer Base was established in 1922 on 98 acres of bayfront land between San Diego and National City. In 1941, the Navy took over 145 acres in Imperial Beach around the old Fort Emory artillery station, and in 1943 built a new radio receiver that took over the job from Point Loma. In 1947, the Imperial Beach receiver site became Naval Communications Station, Eleventh Naval District, and in 1953 became Naval Communication Station (NAVCOMSTA), San Diego, Imperial Beach, CA. The Point Loma site became the U.S. Navy Radio and Sound Labortatory in 1940 and the Navy Electronics Laboratory in 1945. In 1977 it was merged into the Naval Ocean Systems Center (NOSC), San Diego, CA. San Diego is the headquarters of the 11th Naval District, and the extensive development of installations by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Coast Guard establishments facilitated San Diego's growth in the early 1900's. San Diego is also one of the leading agricultural counties in the U.S. The 22 square mile San Diego landlocked bay is one of the greatest natural harbors of the world. Shipbuilding developed as an industry in the mid-1950's. The southern city limit is also the Mexican border. The international gate is the busiest crossing on the southern frontier of the U.S. Naval Base Coronado is the largest aviation industrial complex on the west coast. Naval Base Coronado is located in Coronado, measuring only 13.5 square miles and located just minutes from downtown San Diego. Naval Base Coronado is a consolidated Navy organization encompassing seven military facilities stretching from San Clemente Island, located seventy miles west of San Diego, to the La Posta Mountain Warfare Training Facility, located sixty miles east of San Diego. Host to 23 Squadrons and 50 other Tenant Commands, Naval Base Coronado was commissioned Naval Air Station, North Island on November 8, 1917. In June of 1943, the Secretary of the Navy authorized the establishment of the Amphibious Training Base in the San Diego area. In 1946, the base was renamed Naval Amphibious Base (NAB) Coronado. In 1997, Naval Base Coronado was created, incorporating seven separate Naval installations under one Commanding Officer. Those facilities include: Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI); Naval Amphibious Base Coronado (NAB); Naval Outlying Landing Field Imperial Beach (OLFIB); Naval Auxiliary Landing Field San Clemente Island (SCI); Silver Strand Training Complex (SSTC), formerly known as the Naval Radio Receiving Facility; Mountain Warfare Training Facility (MWTF) La Posta; and the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) Facility, Warner Springs. These seven facilities encompass more than 57,000 acres. Located on the Silver Strand between San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean, Naval Base Coronado is the West Coast hub for Naval amphibious operations, including training and special warfare. At present, 27 tenant commands (mostly amphibious related commands), Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Naval Special Warfare Command (NAVSPECWARCOM); and Commander Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Pacific (EWTGP) are resident at Naval Base Coronado. The "anchor base" of Naval Base Coronado is Naval Air Station North Island, known as "The Birthplace of Naval Aviation". Officially designated as the Navy's first Naval Air Station in 1917, the first Navy pilot, Lt. Gene Ellyson, trained at North Island under the tutorship of Glenn Curtiss in 1911 and the tradition of training pilots has continued ever since. NAS North Island is home to Commander, Naval Air Forces, who is responsible for equipping and training all Naval aviation units in the Navy. The base is also the homeport for two nuclear powered aircraft carriers, the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) and the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76). NAS North Island conducts an average of 500 flights a day and trains 35% of all the Navy's aircrews each year. The Silver Strand Training Complex, formerly known as the Naval Radio Receiving Facility, has become the premier training facility for the Navy's special forces. This facility is referred to locally as, the "elephant cage", which is the nickname of the large "Wullenweber" circular antenna. Today this 450-acre facility provides an excellent training environment with waterborne approaches from both the Pacific Ocean and San Diego Bay sides. The city-like layout of the base also provides a realistic site for critical urban warfare training. Located in the Cleveland National Forest near the Village of Warner Springs, CA, is the Navy's Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Facility (SERE). This facility covers 6,100 acres and trains more than 1,500 students each year. SERE training is required for all Navy flight crews and other forces required to go in harms way. The latest addition to Naval Base Coronado is the Mountain Warfare Training Facility located 60 miles east of San Diego near Campo, CA. The Navy has operated on the 1,300-acre site since the 1960s. It formerly served as a satellite tracking station, The Special Warfare Community uses the site for mountain warfare training. The unencumbered area around La Posta makes it an ideal location for special reconnaissance training, map and compass training, and other specialized special warfare training. Separate from North Island and Naval Base Coronado is the Naval Base, San Diego. Commonly referred to as "32nd Street", or the Fleet Annex; Naval Base, San Diego is homeport for a multitude of Navy ships and tenant commands, each with specialized missions and purposes. The property was originally granted to the U.S. government on September 3, 1919. The original purpose was to create a docking and fleet repair base. After World War II, the name of the Repair Base was changed to Naval Base, San Diego and the mission was expanded to support the tenant commands, including ships of the Pacific Fleet. The mission of Naval Base, San Diego is to provide appropriate logistical support for the operating forces of the U.S. Navy. On October 1, 1998, the NSG Dept, NCS San Diego, at Imperial Beach, CA was re-established as the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, San Diego, CA; and moved to NAS North Island, Coronado, CA. See Imperial Beach for earlier history. On July 27, 2005, NSGA San Diego was administratively closed, consolidated with FIWC Detachment, San Diego, CA; and re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) San Diego, CA. NIOC San Diego CA: http://www.niocsd.navy.mil/. Naval Radio Station, Point Loma, CA 12 May 1906 1943 Naval Radio Station, Imperial Beach, CA 1943 1947 U.S. Naval Communication Station San Diego, 1947 07 Oct 1950 Eleventh Naval District, Imperial Beach, CA (COMSUPACT/COMSEC Activity disestablished) Naval Radio Station, Imperial Beach, CA 07 Oct 1950 1953 Naval Communication Station (NAVCOMSTA), San Diego, 1953 Imperial Beach, CA NSG Dept, NCS San Diego, Imperial Beach, CA 1953 Oct 1991 NSG Dept, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Oct 1991 01 Oct 1998 Station, San Diego, Imperial Beach, CA See Imperial Beach. NSG Dept to NSGA San Diego, CA 01 Oct 1998 At NAS North Island, Coronado, CA NSGA San Diego, CA 01 Oct 1998 27 Jul 2005 Merged with FIWC Det, San Diego, CA 27 Jul 2005 NIOC San Diego CA 27 Jul 2005 Present =================================================================================== Sangley Point, Cavite City, Luzon, Philippines The U.S. Naval Station Sangley Point was located on the northern portion of the Cavite City peninsula, jutting into Manila Bay, approximately eight miles southwest of the city of Manila. The base was occupied by U.S. Naval Expeditionary Forces during the Battle of Manila Bay (Spanish/American War) on May 1, 1898. The Communications Radio Intelligence units monitoring the Japanese fleet maneuvers were at Libugon, Guam; Olongapo, Philippines (July, 1930 to February, 1935, when the unit moved to Los Banitos, Mariveles, Philippines); Peking (Peiping), China (1927 to July, 1935, when the unit moved to Shanghai, China); Los Banitos, Mariveles, Philippines (March 1, 1935 to January, 1936), the USS Goldstar (AG-12), and the USS Augusta (CA-31) (Asiatic Fleet Flagship from November 9, 1933 to November 22, 1940). Mobile detachments from shore stations in the Philippines and Guam manned communications radio intelligence positions onboard the USS Augusta and USS Goldstar. For the earlier history of Cavite and Olongapo, see Subic Bay. In late 1929, the U.S. Navy opened an intercept station at a small Naval base at Olongapo in the Philippines on Subic Bay, facing the South China Sea. The site (Station C) was officially opened in July, 1930. Unfortunately, Station C personnel were delayed by having to assume primary responsibility for all regular Navy communications in and out of the base at Olongapo. As a result, they did not really get on with intercept duties until August. 1932, as Station C (Cast). Station C was destined to move three times in ten years in an attempt to find secure operating spaces, living quarters, and antenna sites where Japanese Navy signals could be heard consistently; including Olongapo, 1930-35; Mariveles, 1935-36; Cavite, 1936-40; and Corregidor, 1940-42. Station C was transferred from Olongapo to Mariveles and then to the Navy Yard in Cavite. In mid-October 1940, Station C would finally establish itself in a special tunnel built for the Navy at Monkey Point on Corregidor. Two months later, Station C absorbed the mission and the personnel of Station Able in Shanghai, China; which was closed. Until late 1941, the number of intercept operators in the Pacific was never very high, thus making their daily availability a matter of some concern to the resident Officer-in-Charge (OIC). In the Philippines in 1933, for example, it reached an unusually large total of eighteen men, whose orders of assignment were to the 16th Naval District, also carried the caveat "only for intercept or RI (Radio Intelligence) research work." Ordinarily, from 1930 to 1936, when the first DF site opened at Sangley Point on Luzon, the average assigned strength was only nine. Lack of numbers, however, did not reduce either the amount or nature of the work required. In 1937, a fifteen-man work force at Comunications Intelligence Unit (Station C), Sangley Point was divided into four three-man watches. Other duties for this group included electronic and typewriter maintenance, translation, and traffic analysis. The number of officers involved in radio intelligence in the Philippines was even smaller. For the eight years between 1934 and 1941, it was typically limited to two Washington-trained cryptanalysts. To extend their presence in the fleet for as long as possible, they would usually serve two tours: the first as OIC of Station C, followed by the job of Radio Intelligence (RI) Officer on the staff of the Commander in Chief, Asiatic Fleet (CINCAF). In the staff assignment the RI officer worked with an ONI officer trained in the Japanese language who was usually senior in grade. To forestall any rank-generated problems, an agreement was struck in the Asiatic Fleet which placed final communications intelligen ce responsibility on the OIC of Station C. Japanese forces occupied Cavite from January 1942 through March 20, 1945; when the Seventh Fleet landed on Sangley Point and retook the area. Sangley Point was officially designated Naval Air Base (NAB), Sangley Point in 1945. Early in 1955, the designation was changed to Naval Station (NS) Sangley Point. On July 1, 1971, the U.S. Naval Station Sangley Point deactivated, in preparation for closing. On September 1, 1971, the base was officially turned over to the government of the Philippines, thus ending 73 historic years as a U.S. Naval facility. It is currently used as a facility of the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force. The first NSG Dept of NCS Philippines was located at Sangley Point. In June, 1954, the NSG Dept at U.S. Naval Communications Station, Philippines was activated. In January, 1958, the NCS and the NSG Dept moved to San Miguel. Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Olongapo, Jul 1930 Feb 1935 Luzon, Philippines Moved to Mariveles, Los Banitos, Luzon, Philippines Feb 1935 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Mariveles, 01 Mar 1935 05 Jan 1936 Los Banitos, Bataan Province, Luzon, Philippines Moved to Cavite City, Luzon, Philippines 05 Jan 1936 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Cavite, 05 Jan 1936 Oct 1940 Luzon, Philippines DF station established Sep 1936 Moved to Corregidor Oct 1940 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Corregidor, Oct 1940 Apr 1942 Luzon, Philippines Evacuated to Melbourne, Australia Apr 1942 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Melbourne May 1942 01 Nov 1945 Australia, at Moorabbin Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Sangley Point 1933 Dec 1941 Luzon, Philippines; near the Naval Hospital at Canacao. (Station C) DF equipment installed in late 1935. DF station established in May 1937. Moved to Corregidor after 08 Dec 1941. Occupied by the Japanese Jan 1942 20 Mar 1945 Naval Air Base, Sangley Point, Philippines 1945 Early 1955 Naval Station Sangley Point, Philippines Early 1955 01 Jul 1971 Deactivated 01 Jul 1971 01 Sep 1971 Turned over to the government of the Philippines 01 Sep 1971 NSG Dept, NCS Philippines, Sangley Point, Philippines Jun 1954 Jan 1958 COMSEC Unit #703 Moved to San Miguel, Philippines Jan 1958 =================================================================================== San Miguel, San Antonio, Zambales Province, Luzon, Republic of the Philippines San Miguel was located on the South China Sea, about 26 miles (1 hour drive) north of the U.S. Naval Base at Subic Bay. The station took its name from the small fishing barrio (village) of San Miguel, a suburb of San Antonio, in the province of Zambales, on the Philippine island of Luzon. The station covered 2,158 acres. San Antonio, Zambales is about 10 minutes from the beach. It is also near Subic City, which is about a 30 minute drive. San Antonio is a fishing village overlooking two islands, named the Capones Islands. Just a few minutes drive to the former U.S. Naval Communication Station at San Miguel. San Miguel was about 3 km from San Antonio. The entire stretch of the Zambales province in the West is rimmed by the crystal-clear waters of the South China Sea. There are 13 sprawling towns dotting the province from the North to South, most of them along the shoreline. They are Sta. Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan, San Felipe, San Narciso, San Antonio, San Marcelino, Castillejos and Subic. Olongapo, until it became a chartered city, was the 14th town. Mabuhay! Welcome Aboard! There is a copy of a NAVCOMMSTA Phil Welcome Aboard Booklet, dated 15 August 1967, which can be found on Joe Glockner's NSG History WebSite at the URL below. It is 44 pages long and gives the best picture of life and conditions at San Miguel (in 1967) found on the web. The first NSG Dept of NCS Philippines was located at Sangley Point. In June, 1954, the NSG Dept at U.S. Naval Communications Station, Philippines was activated. In January, 1958, the NCS and the NSG Dept moved to San Miguel. For the earlier history of Sangley Point, see Sangley Point, Luzon, Philippines The NSG Dept actively provided communications support to COMSEVENTHFLT, 7th Fleet afloat units, and Southeast Asia until decommissioned in December, 1975. The mission and functions of NSG Dept, NCS Phil were transferred to NSGA Clark AB, Philippines. The U.S. Naval Link Station, Mount Santa Rita was a located in the Zambales Mountains, on the island of Luzon, in the Philippines. There were approximately 15 U.S. Navy personnel permanently attached to the station, and 3 Marine guards. The tower had 5 microwave links, which transmitted to Subic Bay, Clark Air Base, Cubi Point, San Miguel, Sangley Point and the Embassy in Manila. Prior to SATCOM, the only communications link between the operating forces stationed in Vietnam and the U.S. went through Santa Rita. The communications link started in Nha Trang, South Vietnam, traveling by underwater cable to NAVCOMMSTA Phil at San Miguel, to Mount Santa Rita, then on to Clark AB, to the HF transmitter site at the Naval Radio Transmitter Facility (NRTF) Capas Tarlac, Luzon in the Philippines; which in turn transmitted signals to the U.S. Company C Marine Support Battalion was co-located with the NSG Dept in San Miguel. In 1991, the Military Bases agreement between the U.S. and Philippine Government for the use of bases in the Philippines expired. The former Naval Communications Station at San Miguel, in San Antonio, Zambales was turned over to the Philippine Government on September 16, 1991. At which time it was renamed the Naval Station San Miguel (NSSM); and the Phillipine Navy (PN), headquartered at PN Subic Bay Naval Base (Subic Command or SUBCOM) was designated as custodian of the Naval Station San Miguel. On December 31, 1992, PN Subic Command was deactivated and custody of the NSSM was transferred to Naval District 11. On January 6, 1993, Naval Station San Miguel became the home of the PN Naval Training Command (NTC). The Naval Training Command transferred from Fort San Felipe, Cavite to NSSM. The PN NTC recommenced training classes on September 15, 1993. On July 1, 1994, PN NTC was redesignated as the PN Naval Education and Training Command (NETC). (Source: Official WebSite, Philippine Navy, . NSG Dept, NCS Philippines, Sangley Point, Philippines Jun 1954 Jan 1958 COMSEC Unit #703 Moved to San Miguel, Philippines Jan 1958 NSG Dept, NCS Philippines, San Miguel, Philippines Jan 1958 Dec 1975 COMSEC moved to Subic Bay, Philippines Mar 1970 To Clark AB, Philippines Dec 1975 =================================================================================== Santa Rita, Mount Santa Rita, Zambales Mountains, Luzon, Philippines The U.S. Naval Link Station, Mount Santa Rita was a located in the Zambales Mountains, on the island of Luzon, in the Philippines. There were approximately 15 U.S. Navy personnel permanently attached to the station, and 3 Marine guards. The tower had 5 microwave links, which transmitted to Subic Bay, Clark Air Base, Cubi Point, San Miguel, Sangley Point and the Embassy in Manila. Prior to SATCOM, the only communications link between the operating forces stationed in Vietnam and the U.S. went through Santa Rita. The communications link started in Nha Trang, South Vietnam, traveling by underwater cable to NAVCOMMSTA Phil at San Miguel, to Mount Santa Rita, then on to Clark AB, to the HF transmitter site at the Naval Radio Transmitter Facility (NRTF) Capas Tarlac, Luzon in the Philippines; which in turn transmitted signals to the U.S. =================================================================================== San Vito dei Normanni, Salento Peninsula, Brindisi, Apulia, Italy More than 2,000 years ago, the Roman empire converted Brindisi, Italy, from a sleepy fishing village into a major seaport and strategic military gateway. It was from there, on the boot-shaped country's coastal heel, that legionnaires roamed the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas to explore, and more often, to claim, much of northern Africa, the Middle East and the Balkans. To reach Brindisi, sandal-clad foot soldiers marched in columns from Rome, traveling 350 miles along Via Appia (the Appian Way), one of Italy's original seven highways. They set sail for what is modern-day Greece, Macedonia, Egypt, Hungary and Bulgaria, maintaining Roman rule for centuries until expansion eventually crumbled the empire. Today, other nomad warriors have gathered at this ancient road's end. Camped near the rocky shorelines. They, too, stand ready to cross blue Adriatic waters. But unlike Roman soldiers of yore, they do so not to conquer, but rather to ensure peace. After the fall of Rome, Apulia was held successively by the Goths, the Lombards and, from the 6th to the 11th century, the Byzantines. Robert Guiscard and the Normans conquered the area, and set up the Duchy of Apulia in 1059. After the Norman conquest of Sicily in the late 11th century, Palermo replaced Apulia as the center of Norman power. Apulia became a province; first of the Kingdom of Sicily, then of the Kingdom of Naples. From the late 12th to early 13th centuries, Apulia was a favorite residence of the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman Emperors, and later a part of the Angevine and Aragonese Spanish dominations. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Apulia became largely dominated by a small number of powerful landowners (Baroni). Italian liberation movements began to spread in the 1820s. In 1861, with the fall of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, the region joined Italy. San Vito dei Normanni is a small town in the southern part of the Italian region Apulia (Puglia in Italian), called Salento, in the province of Brindisi, and is just 10 minutes away from the Adriatic Coast and its many beaches. There are approximately 20,000 inhabitants. In medieval times, San Vito dei Normanni housed a Slavonian colony from which it took its original name, San Vito degli Schiavoni (Slavonians). It was given its modern name in 1863. The well-preserved old town is quite clearly of medieval origin. Sections of the castle battlements constructed by Bohemond of Hauteville in the 12th century, and rebuilt between the 15th and 16th centuries; survive to the present day. Of the original structure, only a square tower remains. Travelling the narrow lanes between the dry stone walls of the villages of the Salento peninsula, amid vast groves of olive trees a thousand years old or more, one ultimately reaches the coast at Castro; where you can catch a glimpse of the snow-capped mountains of Albania, hovering above the sea like a mirage, with Greece shimmering distantly to the south. NSGA San Vito was located at San Vito dei Normanni Air Station, near the port city of Brindisi, on the Adriatic Coast, 60 miles from Bari, 10 km from Avellino, Campania, Italy and 300 miles southeast of Rome, on Italy’s boot heel. San Vito's 318-acre Air Station is surrounded by artichoke fields and vineyards. San Vito's Air Station is too small for a runway and flightline, so fixed-wing aircraft operate from a nearby Italian Air Force Base. The 6917th Security Group (USAFSS) opened San Vito dei Normanni Air Station in 1960, with over 700 personnel. In September, 1964, the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity (NSGA) San Vito was commissioned at San Vito dei Normanni, Italy. For 34 years during the Cold War, San Vito hosted Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force units who's mission it was, to monitor, intercept and analyze transmissions from the former Warsaw Pact countries, including East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and the Western USSR. The 6917th SG (USAFSS) disestablished at San Vito Air Station in 1993. As did NSGA San Vito, and all intelligence activities ceased. But the base at San Vito dei Normanni has proven useful in a different mission role. In 1993, the U.S. Air Force's 352nd Special Operations Group, and the 16th Special Operations Wing deployed units to San Vito, in support of Operation Provide Promise, a humanitarian airlift that sustained thousands of sick and starving civilians trapped by Bosnia's civil war. Eventually, as Balkan peacekeeping efforts began in earnest, that tasking switched to Operation Deny Flight. By late 1997 a 1,300-member coalition force, spearheaded by Joint Special Operations Task Force 2, operated 10 miles outside of Brindisi at San Vito Air Station. Its role: supporting NATO troops deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina and aircrews monitoring a no-fly zone above that volatile country, where swarming Serbian mobs attacked Army patrols in September, 1997. Bolstered by commandos from France's Armee de l'Air (air force) and a sprinkling of U.S. soldiers and sailors, the 352nd Special Operations Group (352nd SOG), RAF Mildenhall, England, and the 16th Special Operations Wing (16th SOW), Hurlburt Field, FL, comprised the lion-share of the joint task force. Throughout 1998 AFSOC maintained a constant Search & Rescue alert posture as part of Operation Joint Guard, with aircraft and personnel rotating from the 352nd SOG and the 16th SOW into San Vito, Italy on a routine basis. This role increased significantly in March, 1999 during the crisis in Kosovo and Operation Allied Force. During the NATO air campaign to force Serbian forces from Kosovo, special operators conducted Search & Rescue operations to rescue downed American pilots. The base at San Vito dei Normanni Air Station was closed in 2001, at the termination of Operation Deny Flight; and is now a contingency base, under the control of the Commander, U.S. Air Forces Europe (USAFE). Most of the buildings are sealed, except for needed housing and a few workshops and recreational areas that are still maintained. Operated by a defense contractor. the San Vito Solar Observatory (located on San Vito dei Normanni Air Station) is one of six global sites in the Air Force’s Solar Electro-Optical Network, which is strategically located worldwide to ensure 24-hour sun monitoring. Organizationally subordinate to the 55th Space Weather Support Squadron, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, the observatory operates seven days a week, 365 days a year. Its mission is reporting real-time solar events to the 55th, the Department of Defense’s sole centralized space environmental forecast and warning unit, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Operation Center at Boulder, Colorado. They, in turn, analyze information to predict solar and space environmental phenomena for nearly 500 organizations, including NASA, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), U.S. Space Command and the Air Force Space Command. In December, 2001 the U.S. Air Force Europe, 31st Contracting Squadron published a solicitation for the removal of the AN/FLR-9 (wullenweber) antennae array at San Vito dei Normanni Air Station. The AN/FLR-9 was installed at San Vito in 1962 by the U.S. Air Force, and was operational in 1963. The AN/FLR-9 at San Vito was deactivated in October, 1994; and was still standing in 2001. NSGA San Vito, Brindisi, Italy 23 Sep 1964 06 Jan 1993 At San Vito dei Normanni Air Station, Brindisi, Italy =================================================================================== Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan Sasebo, with a good natural harbor at the mouth of Omura bay, was a Japanese Naval base from 1896 until the end of WWII. Sasebo was a small village until 1868, but expanded rapidly after wars with China and Russia. The town was partially destroyed during WWII, but revived as a commercial and fishing port. Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo, is located in the northern part of Nagasaki Prefecture, on the northwest corner of Japan's southernmost island of Kyushu. Sasebo is approximately 90 minutes north of Nagasaki City, two hours south of Fukuoka City (Kyushu's largest city), five hours south of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, 900 miles southwest of Tokyo and 110 miles from Korea, in the heart of the city of Sasebo. The facility covers 1,000 acres of land in nine different locations. Most of the services, facilities, and housing are located at the Main Sasebo Base and in Hario Village. Sasebo's port facility, harbor and shore facilities are shared by the U.S. Seventh Fleet and the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF). Just off the coast of Sasebo Harbor is the Saikai National Park, a beautiful sea park that encompasses an area known as the 99 islands. Sasebo has been an important Naval base since 1883, when then Lieutenant Commander Heihachiro Togo nominated the tiny fishing village here to be established as the nucleus of a mighty base for the Imperial Japanese Navy. On July 1, 1889, the Sasebo Naval Station began operations as headquarters for the Imperial Japanese Navy’s Third Naval District. In 1904, ships of the Japanese Navy under Admiral Togo sailed from Sasebo to take on the Russian Baltic Fleet. Admiral Togo's victory at the Battle of the Tsushima Straits is a classic engagement in Naval history. The Imperial Japanese Navy employed some 50,000 people at the Sasebo Naval Arsenal at the peak of World War II, constructing and refitting destroyers, light cruisers, submarines and other various Naval vessels. The 21st Naval Air Arsenal, established jointly at Sasebo and Omura, produced a total of 966 aircraft. In September, 1945, the U.S. Marine Corp's Fifth Division landed at Sasebo, and in June, 1946, U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo was established. When war broke out in Korea three years later, Sasebo became the main launching point for United Nations and U.S. Forces. Millions of tons of ammunition, fuel, tanks, trucks and supplies flowed through Sasebo on their way to UN Forces in Korea. The number of Americans in Sasebo grew to about 20,000; and some 100 warships and freighters per day swelled the foreign population. Sasebo provided heavy support to the expanded Seventh Fleet during the years of war in Southeast Asia. In the mid 1970's, U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo became Naval Ordnance Facility, Sasebo, and fleet visits dwindled to a very low level. But on July 4, 1980, the facility was renamed U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo, and once again Seventh Fleet ships made Sasebo their overseas homeport. Sasebo played a vital logistics role in Operation Desert Shield/Storm during 1990-91, by serving as a supply point for ordnance and fuel for ships and Marines operating in the Persian Gulf. U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo provides service to ships of the U.S. Seventh Fleet. Service Force ships, as well as mine sweepers, which make Sasebo their homeport. COMFLEACT Sasebo provides service to its 35 tenant commands, and is currently home to Commander, Amphibious Squadron Eleven and assigned ships: USS Essex (LHD-2), USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49), USS Juneau (LPD-10), USS Tortuga (LSD-46), USS Guardian (MCM-5), USS Patriot (MCM-7) and USS Safeguard (AFS-50) and some 5,000 Americans as part of U.S. forward deployed Naval forces. Commander, Amphibious Squadron Eleven, is the only permanently forward deployed amphibious squadron in the Navy. Mine Countermeasures Squadron One, based out of Ingleside, TX., also has two minesweepers forward deployed in Sasebo. All ships fall under the operational command of Commander, Amphibious Group One (COMPHIBRGRU 1), located in White Beach, Okinawa, Japan U.S. Naval Telecommunications Center (NTCC) Sasebo was established in February 1991 and is located on board U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo. It was renamed as the U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Detachment in 1993. NCTS Det Sasebo provides communications, maintenance and training support to tenant commands, six forward deployed ships, visiting dignitaries, and transiting units. In early 2000, a Detachment of the staff of Commander, Amphibious Group One moved into a newly renovated building, located immediately across from India Basin Pier 8, next to Sasebo’s Afloat Training Group Detachment. Although headquartered at White Beach, Okinawa, COMPHIBRGRU 1 maintains a contingent of staff members in Sasebo to assist the ships with maintenance, training, supply, manpower and public affairs issues. In 1957, COMSEC Mobile Support Unit 9 was established at Sasebo, and in December the U.S. Naval Security Group Detachment Sasebo was commissioned. In September, 1964, COMSEC Support Unit 3 in Sasebo was disbanded. The NSG Detachment disestablished in July, 1967. COMSEC Mobile Support Group 3 1957 Sep 1964 NSG Det Sasebo, Japan Dec 1957 Jul 1967 =================================================================================== Seoul, Yongsan Garrison, South Korea, Republic of Korea A small country, approximately the size of Britain, Korea is located on a peninsula that protrudes southward from the northeastern corner of the Asian continent. It is an old country, whose people evolved as one nation in the seventh century. Seoul was the capital of the Yi dynasty from 1392 to 1910. Korea was annexed by Japan in 1910, and remained a Japanese territory until the end of WWII. In 1945, the country was partitioned between the occupying forces of the U.S. and the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. The ensuing cold war created two Korean governments, one in the north known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and another in the south known as the Republic of Korea (ROK). The state of South Korea was officially established as the Republic of Korea in 1948, and Seoul was designated as the capital on August 15, 1948. Refugees from communist dominated North Korea flooded into the city. The two Koreas engaged in a bitter war between 1950 and 1953. At the outbreak of the Korean War, Seoul was occupied by communist forces on June 28, 1950, three days after they crossed the 38th parallel. Although UN forces re-entered Seoul on September 29, 1950, it was occupied again by communist troops on January 4, 1951; and retaken on March 14, 1951. The Koreas remain divided, and the two governments did not began talking to each other until 1971. Seoul is the political, industrial, financial and cultural center of the Republic, and South Korea's largest city, followed by Pusan and Taegu. U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) refers to the ground, air and Naval divisions of the U.S. Armed Forces stationed in South Korea. Major components of the force include the Eighth Army, the Seventh Air Force and U.S. Naval Forces Korea. Yongsan Garrison is a U.S. military base located in Seoul, South Korea. It contains the headquarters for the U.S. military presence in Korea, USFK. The site was the headquarters of the occupying Imperial Japanese Army from 1910-1945. The garrison comprises 2.5 square km (630 acres) in the heart of Korea's capital city, with a golf driving range, four-star hotel, and hundreds of buildings. The garrison is made up of two main parts, Main Post (North Post) and South Post, which are physically divided by a four-lane boulevard that links two Seoul districts together. In January 2004, a major bridge was constructed over this boulevard to solve traffic congestion problems. Yongsan Garrison is located within the Yongsan-gu district of Seoul. East of the garrison is the commercial district of Itaewon, with westernized shopping and nightlife. To the west of Yongsan is the Samgakchi subway station and Yongsan Electronics Market. Yongsan Garrison was originally created as an Imperial Japanese Army garrison in the early decades of the 20th century. At that time the Japanese garrison was on the outskirts of the city in mostly undeveloped land. Since that time the city of Seoul has enveloped the Garrison. Several buildings built by the Japanese army, and located within Yongsan Garrison, are still utilized by U.S. forces - most notably the Eighth army headquarters building. Located directly across from Eighth Army HQ is the UN command building, a structure built around 1970 that is home to USFK, the commander of U.S. forces in Korea and command of all combined forces, including UN, U.S., and ROK forces. 8th U.S. Army is the largest U.S. element in Korea today, and was the core force of the United Nations Command during the Korean War. It has been in Korea since 1950. Major subordinate commands are the 2nd Infantry Division and the 19th Theater Army Area Command. 8th Army is headquartered at the Yongsan Garrison in Seoul. Osan Air Base, is a U.S. Air Force base operated by the 51st Fighter Wing, but there are a number of tenant units, including the headquarters for Seventh Air Force. There is also a large ROK Air Force operation on base. The base was originally named Osan-Ni Air Base (with the alpha-numerical designation of K-55) when established in November, 1951. Osan Air Base is one of two major Air Force installations operated by the U.S. in Korea. The other being Kunsan Air Base, 150 miles south of Seoul, the home of the 8th Fighter Wing. Osan AB takes its name from the city of Osan, which is actually 4.7 miles (8 km) to the northeast. Seoul is 40 miles north. The base actually lies in the district of Songtan, which used to be its own city, but was incorporated into the city of Pyong Taek. According to tradition, the base was named Osan, because of all the nearby cities it was the easiest for the Americans to pronounce. Prior to its use as an air base, Osan's site housed an army regiment. Airplanes began to arrive at the base in 1952. Bombers from Osan provided support for United Nations ground forces during the Korean conflict. After the conflict, Fifth Air Force advanced headquarters moved to Osan and remained there until September, 1954. The base was redesignated as Osan Air Base in late 1956. The 51st Air Base Wing was relocated from Okinawa to Osan on November 1, 1971. Commander, Naval Forces, Korea (CNFK), was established on July 1, 1957, with its headquarters at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul. The command was created by the reorganization of the Naval Forces, Far East Command into the separate commands of Commander Naval Forces, Japan and Commander Naval Forces, Korea. 1965 marked the advent of Korean military influence beyond its borders. For the first time in the long recorded history of Korea, combat forces were deployed to foreign soil -- to Vietnam. CNFK played a key role in the smooth deployment of ROK Army and Marine Corps units, as well as ROK Navy ships to Vietnam, including logistics support. The South Korean government and the U.S. Army have agreed to relocate Yongsan Garrison 55 miles south, to Camp Humphreys, near the metropolitan city of Pyong Taek, beginning in 2008. South Korea had traditionally regarded this garrison as insurance against the U.S. Army abandoning Seoul, which is only about 65 km from the DMZ. As a result of this relocation and the planned withdrawal of U.S. troops near the DMZ, all American troops will be pulled back from north of the Han River. The U.S. Naval Security Group Detachment was established at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, Korea on October 1, 1997, and was co-located with Commander, Naval Forces Korea (CNFK). On September 30, 2005, NSG Detachment Seoul was administratively closed and was re- established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Seoul, South Korea. NIOD Seoul is subordinate to, and a detachment of, NIOC Misawa, JA. NSG Det Seoul, South Korea 01 Oct 1997 30 Sep 2005 NIOD Seoul, South Korea 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Shanghai, China Shanghai is situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta in East China, and is the largest city of the People's Republic of China and the seventh largest in the world. Widely regarded as the citadel of China's modern economy, the city also serves as one of the nation's most important cultural, commercial, financial, industrial and communications centers. Administratively, Shanghai is a municipality of the People's Republic of China that has province-level status. Shanghai is also one of the world's busiest ports, and became the largest cargo port in the world in 2005. Early in 1924, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Admiral Edward W. Eberle, encouraged the Commander in Chief, Asiatic Fleet (CINCAF), Admiral Thomas Washington, to expand radio intelligence facilities in his area. As a result of this encouragement, in 1924, the first shore-based intercept station was established, in the American consulate in Shanghai. Its primary target was the diplomatic radio network serving the numerous Japanese consulates throughout China. Shanghai also copied both Naval and commercial traffic (Japanese and British). OP-20-G received all intercept logs, including traffic and messages for cryptanalysis. After the codes were broken and the messages reduced to plain text, the contents were then sent to the Officer of Naval Intelligence (ONI) where, if necessary, they were translated into English. In 1927, this network became the prime target of self-trained Marine Corps operators at the Marine detachment in Peiping (as it was then known, later Peking, modern Beijing). Originally designated, in the phonetic alphabet of the time, Station Able, their unit was disestablished eight years later when both the Japanese threat to the city became too pressing and personnel limitations caused the Marine Corps to withdraw completely from intercept work. Responsibility for the diplomatic network was shifted to the headquarters of the Fourth Marine Regiment in Shanghai, which possessed an enclave of career Navy intercept operators trained in Japanese traffic. Their unit became the new Station Able. Shanghai Station transferred to Station Ship Shanghai in March, 1927; and disestablished in March, 1929. The "Station Ship" was probably USS Monocacy (PG-20), reclassified as PR-4 on June 15, 1928). The Communications Radio Intelligence units monitoring the Japanese fleet maneuvers were at Libugon, Guam; Olongapo, Philippines (July, 1930 to February, 1935, when the unit moved to Los Banitos, Mariveles, Philippines); Peking (Peiping), China (1927 to July, 1935, when the unit moved to Shanghai, China); Los Banitos, Mariveles, Philippines (March 1, 1935 to January, 1936), the USS Goldstar (AG-12), and the USS Augusta (CA-31) (Asiatic Fleet Flagship from November 9, 1933 to November 22, 1940). Mobile detachments from shore stations in the Philippines and Guam manned communications radio intelligence positions onboard the USS Augusta and USS Goldstar. In December 1940, Station Able in Shanghai, China was closed. Station Able's mission and personnel were transferred to Station C, which had been established in a special tunnel built for the Navy at Monkey Point on Corregidor, in the Philippines. Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Radio Security 1924 Mar 1927 Station Shanghai, China at U.S. Consulate Moved to Station Ship, USS Monocacy (PG-20) Mar 1927 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Radio Security 1927 Jul 1935 Station, Peking (Peiping), China (Marine Detachment) Mission moved to Shanghai Jul 1935 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Radio Security Mar 1927 Mar 1929 Station, Shanghai (Station Ship), USS Monocacy (PG-20) Moved to Libugon, Guam Mar 1929 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Radio Security Jul 1935 Dec 1940 Station, Shanghai, China (4th Marine Regiment) Moved to Corregidor Dec 1940 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Corregidor, Dec 1940 Apr 1942 Luzon, Philippines Evacuated to Melbourne, Australia Apr 1942 Comunications Radio Intelligence Unit, Melbourne May 1942 01 Nov 1945 New South Wales, Australia at Naval Supplementary Radio Station Moorabbin, Melbourne, Australia =================================================================================== Shemya, Shemya Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska Shemya Island is located near the western end of the Aleutian chain, roughly 1500 miles away from Anchorage, Alaska, and an hour and half by air from Adak, Alaska. The island of Attu is just to the northwest, while Agattu is just off to the west and can be seen from Shemya on a clear day. The island of Shemya is actually closer to Russia and Japan than to Alaska’s largest city. The weather on Shemya posed quite a challenge, as it is very unpredictable - changing by the hour, and sometimes by the minute. Although average precipitation is only 2 to 4 inches per month, some form of precipitation occurred on a nearly daily basis. The average low temperature during Shemya’s coldest month (February) is a relatively mild 28 degrees Fahrenheit, but it was not unusual to witness hurricane force winds, enormous waves from the meeting of the Bering Sea and Pacific Ocean, and blizzards throughout the long winter months. On June 3, 1942, Japanese forces attacked U.S. Army and Navy Forces at Dutch Harbor, in Alaska’s Aleutian Island chain. Four days later, the Japanese landed on Attu and Kiska islands, on the western end of the Aleutian chain. The Aleutian Islanders, known as Aleuts, living on Attu were taken to an internment camp on the island of Hokkaido, Japan. In response, the U.S. forced Aleut villagers on other islands to evacuate to southeast Alaska. Attu was recaptured by U.S. forces in May 1943. By late May, U.S. forces began constructing an airfield on Shemya to support B-29 bombers for raids on northern Japan. On June 29, 1943, the Naval Auxiliary Air Facility, Shemya, Alaska, was established. The B-29s never came to Shemya, rather, B-24s flown by the 404th Squadron (Eleventh Air Force) operated from Shemya Air Station, raiding Paramushiro and the Kurile Islands between 1943 and 1945. The remains of World War II batteries and bunkers are still scattered across Shemya, as are foundation beams from other shelters. Between 1946 and 1949, activities and personnel at Shemya AS were reduced. The Korean War brought renewed activity, as Shemya served as a refueling stop on the Great Circle Route between the Far East and North America. In 1954 the base was deactivated, and facilities were transferred to the Civil Aeronautics Authority and leased to Northwest Orient Airlines for use as a refueling stop. Soviet rocket tests to Kamchatka during the late 1950s increased interest in Shemya as a location for monitoring missile tests from the far northeastern Soviet Union. Old facilities were rehabilitated and new ones constructed on the island, including a large detection radar, which went into operation in 1960. In 1961, a tracking radar was constructed nearby, at Facility 110. The U.S. Naval Security Group Detachment Shemya, AK; with part time CT personnel TAD from NSG Dept, NCS Adak, AK, was officially established in 1963. In 1965, the Detachment shifted to full time activation, with it's own complement of CT's. Sometime, shortly after 1968, NSG Det Shemya disestablished and closed. All personnel, assets, mission and functions were transferred to NSG Dept, NCS Adak, AK. The detection radar and the tracking radars were closed in the 1970s, when the Cobra Dane phased array radar was built to monitor missile tests. Meanwhile, Shemya was redesignated from an Air Force station to an Air Force Base in 1968. The 1980s also saw increased interest and many new projects on Shemya Island. In 1986, the Army constructed Queen’s Match, a Star Wars missile defense research facility, on the northeast side of the island. Most World War II facilities and equipment were dismantled and disposed of during the 1980s. In 1989, a massive military construction effort called "Fix Shemya" was used to build replacement facilities and repair existing facilities. In 1991, Shemya became a Classic Owl site. Hangar 2 on Shemya Island remained an aircraft hangar for 45 years, but on November 22, 1991, the U.S. Naval Security Group Support Detachment, Shemya moved in their Classic Owl project trailers, and set up shop. Facility 110 (Hangar 2) was utilized to house both the NSG Support Det, and the 381st Intelligence Squadron (381st IS USAFSS), performing the Classic Owl and Sensor Reach missions. In 1993, the NSG Support Det at Shemya was renamed the NSG Support Det Three, Shemya, AK. In 1993, Shemya AFB was renamed Eareckson AS in honor of Col William O. Eareckson. In 1942 and 1943, Colonel Eareckson personally led the difficult missions against the Japanese on Kiska and Attu, and helped plan the successful retaking of Attu. In 1995, NSG Support Det Three, Shemya, AK merged with NSG Support Det Seven, and was renamed the NSG Support Det Seven FWD (Forward Deployed), Shemya, AK. Also in 1995, Eareckson AS went through a draw down phase and converted to contractor support and maintenance for operation of the Cobra Dane radar. NSG Support Det Seven FWD was officially disestablished on March 31, 1995. After 50 years of service to the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Coast Guard, the base at Shemya was turned over to caretaker status on March 31, 1995, to be operated by the DoD contractor firm of PMC. The Island remains a strategic refueling stop for military aircraft, as well as a link in the U.S. long-range early warning radar system. As of 2002, there were 100 or so people who worked on "The Rock" or the "Black Pearl." The incredible weather conditions are known simply as the "Shemya Factor." In the winter snow blows and swirls almost continuously, creating a sand-blasting effect. And the warmer weather doesn't always bring better conditions. In the summer of 2001, there were 122 consecutive days of fog. Shemya has hurricane-force winds, without there actually being a hurricane, on a regular basis. There are a few temporary duty U.S. Navy and U.S. Air force personnel on the island, and about 90 contractors from Chugach Eareckson Support Services, a joint venture between Del-Jen Inc. and Chugach Development Corp. The contractors are charged with keeping the island's runway open to military and commercial traffic and other island operations. The island also is home to about 18 Arctic foxes known locally as scruffys. The foxes earn their keep by keeping goose populations at bay, lessening the risk of aircraft-bird collisions. The future holds still more activity for Shemya Island, as it is now the proposed site for construction and operation of an X-band radar for the National Missile Defense (NMD) Program. The island's location makes Shemya ideal for the new antiballistic missile radar, designed to get an early look at any missile fired at the U.S. from Russia, China, Iraq, Iran or North Korea. The antiballistic radar at Shemya would lock onto warheads as they cross the Pacific and guide intercepting missiles from mainland Alaska. In theory, the Alaska-launched missiles would destroy the incoming missiles on impact above the Earth's atmosphere. More than 50 years later, the 8-square-mile island of Shemya continues its military service. NSG Det Shemya, AK (TAD from Adak, AK) 1963 NSG Det Shemya, AK (Full time activation) 1965 after 1968 Located with the 5073rd Air Base Squadron (AAC), at the U.S. Air Force base, Shemya Air Station, Shemya, AK. To: NSG Dept, NCS Adak, AK NSG Support Det, Shemya, AK 22 Nov 1991 1993 At Shemya AFB AK NSG Support Det Three, Shemya, AK 1993 1995 Merged with NSG Support Det Seven and renamed: 1995 NSG Support Det Seven FWD, Shemya, AK (forward 1995 31 Mar 1995 deployed) at the U.S. Air Force Eareckson Air Station. =================================================================================== Shu Lin Kou, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China NSG Det and later NSGA Shu Lin Kou were located at the U.S. Air Force's Shu Lin Kou Air Station. Shu Lin Kou Air Station was a small U.S. Air Force base located high in the mountains on the northern end and western side of the island of Taiwan, and twenty miles west-southwest from the city of Taipei. The main road from the city was paved, but, after turning off towards the mountain, the road was pure dirt and rocks. The transportation of choice was the 1/4-ton weapons carrier, because it gave the best ride. Jeeps and six-by's were kidney killers. (Shu Lin Kou translation: Shu = tree, Lin = small forest, and Kou = mouth or entrance). The Shu Lin Kou "listening post" was active from its establishment in 1955, until its closing in 1977, a total of 22 years. Taiwan (Republic of China) is located in Asia off the eastern coast of mainland China. It is one of the islands of the mountainous island arcs of the Western Pacific. Taiwan has a total area of approximately 13,900 square miles and geographically is separated from mainland China by the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan's distance from China across the Taiwan Strait varies from 137 miles to 81 miles at its closest point. The island of Taiwan is shaped like a tobacco leaf and is 245 miles long and 90 miles wide at its widest point. When mainland China fell to the Communists, Nationalist forces withdrew to Formosa (Taiwan). They also occupied smaller islands offshore - the Tachins, Pescadores and Quemoy and Matsu, both of which were within range of Red artillery. A Red invasion of these outposts on October 1, 1949, was beaten back, but trouble over them would flare again and again. The first U.S. military group to be located at Shu Lin Kou, in 1955, was a U.S Army Security Agency (USASA) direction-finding detachment, which was located on a WWII Japanese fighter strip just a few miles from the village of Shu Lin Kou. The DF site was outside of the compound, probably 100 - 200 yards away. Later in 1955, the first U.S. Air Force unit arrived at Shu Lin Kou, a Detachment of the 6925th Radio Group Mobile (RGM), headquartered at Clark Air Base in the Philippines. In June of 1955, all personnel were housed in 8-man squad tents. The only 'permanent- type' buildings were the mess hall, the two Ops buildings, and the Comm Center. Depending upon the weather, the entire site was either dust or a sea of mud. The latrine was a slit trench over which were wooden seats, and the whole thing was inside a tent. In the late summer or early fall of ‘55, they finally provided some better living facilities. They built several buildings, sized 20' x 60', with metal walls and roof, and a concrete slab for the floor. The only heating was by one pot-bellied stove in the middle of the building. These buildings were used as barracks. There was a small (very) PX/BX in a tent at Shu Lin Kou. This was useful for buying cigarettes, but it seems like all they ever had was Old Golds. There was also a small barbershop run by the locals. A haircut cost somewhere around 30 cents and a shave about a quarter. The shaves were interesting as the barber would shave your ENTIRE face: forehead, eyelids, and anything else he could reach, all with a straight razor. Narrative by Jack Tress, former USAFSS Intelligence Officer. Detachment 1 of the 6925th RGM was co-located with the USASA Army unit. U.S. military presence at this location was in accordance with an agreement between the U.S. and Chinese Nationalist military. Later in 1955, a Naval Security Group Detachment was established at Shu Lin Kou. Negotiations were then conducted for a formal base rights agreement with the Taiwanese government, and the establishment of Shu Lin Kou Air Station with the U.S. Air Force Security Service (USAFSS) as the host, and the U.S Army Security Agency (USASA) and NSG Detachment as tenants. In June of 1957, the NSG Detachment was recommissioned as the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Shu Lin Kou. On July 1, 1958, Detachment 1, 6925th RGM was deactivated, and the 6987th Radio Squadron Mobile (RSM) was activated. Shu Lin Kou Air Station was established. Shortly thereafter, the 6987th RSM became an independent unit under the 6920th SW (Security Wing) at Shiroi, Japan. Concurrently, Shu Lin Kou Air Station was transferred to the U.S. Air Force as the host (but not USAFSS). The station itself was subordinated to the ATF 13P (Air Task Force 13 Provisional), located in Taipei. This left the USAFSS, ASA, and NSG units all as tenant organizations on Shu Lin Kou Air Station. In the late 1960s or very early 1970s, the base was transferred to the USAFSS and the 6987th RSM became the 6987th Security Group. The 6987th Security Group's military mission was highly classified and involved sensitive intelligence gathering operations. Its mission included the intercept, transcription, decryption and analysis of intelligence from targeted foreign military electronic (ELINT) and signal (SIGINT) communications. President Nixon signed the Shanghai Communiqué, giving Communist China "most- favored nation" status, and promised the Communists on the mainland that the U.S. military would depart Taiwan. The 6987th Security Group closed and the U.S. Air Force departed Taiwan on April 1, 1977. NSGA Shu Lin Kou closed and the U.S. Navy departed Taiwan in February, 1979. As recently as 1996, the old village of Shu Lin Kou had been bulldozed, and Shu Lin Kou is now a large industrial center. NSG Det, Shu Lin Kou, Taiwan Feb 1955 Jun 1957 NSGA Shu Lin Kou, Taiwan Jun 1957 02 Feb 1979 Located at Shu Lin Kou Air Station, Taipei, Taiwan. NSGA/TDC, Taipei, Taiwan Jun 1957 02 Feb 1979 Detachment of NSGA Shu Lin Kou, Taiwan located at Taiwan Defense Command, in downtown Taipei, Taiwan. See Taipei, Taiwan. =================================================================================== Sidi Yahia Al-Gharb, Kingdom of Morocco See the article on Port Lyautey French Morocco for earlier history of Morocco. Morocco is located on the continent of Africa, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Sahara Desert to the east and south. The country is heavily populated by Berbers (nomads). The primary language is Arabic. Morocco was divided into French Morocco and Spanish Morocco from 1904 until Morocco achieved independence in 1956. Morocco is governed by a Constitutional Monarchy, and the King of Morocco claims ancestry all the way back to Mohammad. Sidi Yahia was located 22 miles (30 km) north, and inland of Kenitra (Port Lyautey) and 60 km from Rabat (the capital) in Morocco. In December, 1953, the NSG Dept at NCS Port Lyautey, located at Naval Air Station Port Lyautey, French Morocco, moved to Sidi Yahia, and was established as the NSG Dept, NCS Sidi Yahia, Morocco. The base at Sidi Yahia was approximately one mile square, surrounded by a chain link fence, with concertina wire at the top and bottom of the fence. The Sailors and Marines were billeted in the barracks, and there were ranch style homes for the married officers. Base facilities included a PX, commissary, dependents school, movie theater, bowling alley, enlisted club, officers club, athletic fields, a gymnasium and even a skeet range. Sidi Yahia facilities were necessarily scaled down, in order to fit inside a one square mile area. The main antenna field was just outside the base, including the NFDF wullenweber and two satellite dishes. NSG Dept, NCS Sidi Yahia, Morocco Dec 1953 Dec 1976 All NSG departed May 1975 =================================================================================== Sinop, Turkey (TUSLOG Det 4, TUSLOG Det 28-1 and TUSLOG Det 28) The United States Logistics Group (TUSLOG), was a cover designation prescribed by the U.S. European Command (EUCOM). In accordance with the wishes of the Turkish Government, all U.S. military units and civilian components in Turkey were given designations as TUSLOG detachments. HQ TUSLOG was headquartered in Ankara, Turkey. TUSLOG Units were located in Spain, Libya, Italy, Greece, and Turkey. By 1994, all TUSLOG Units had been deactivated. For the history of TUSLOG, see the article on NSGA Karamursel, Turkey. Field Station Sinop, nicknamed "Diogenes Station," began operating in the mid-195Os. In the early 1960's, Sinop was home to a 290-person U.S. Army Field Station and a NAVDET. Field Station Sinop (TUSLOG Det 4) was located 2 miles west of the town of Sinop, a fishing port and farming community with a population of just over 18,000 persons. The station was located on a 300-acre facility on a 700-foot hill, at the end of a peninsula. TUSLOG Det 4 at Sinop, Turkey was a U.S. Army facility and listening post on the Black Sea Coast, during the Cold War. The base was locally known an the NATO "Logistics" base. Sinop is situated in a strategic location, just opposite Sevastopol in the Crimea. Sinop was notorious for its geodesic domes and parabolic satellite dishes. In the 1960s, music blared constantly out of the main operations building, to trump Soviet intelligence, who surely were listening. Local Turks still refer to the blaring music, in Turkish, as the "radar." On May 12, 1961, a U.S. Navy Detachment of TUSLOG 28, NSGA Karamursel, Turkey; was established at the U.S Army Field Station (TUSLOG Det 4) in Sinop. The Detachment consisted of one officer and twelve enlisted personnel and was designated Navy Detachment (NAVDET) TUSLOG Detachment 4. NAVDET TUSLOG Det 4 was manned on a temporary basis until 1966, when the first PCS personnel arrived. NAVDET TUSLOG Det 4 was realigned in December, 1966, renamed and established as TUSLOG Det 28-1. In July 1975, operations were suspended at all TUSLOG units in Turkey, at the behest of the Turkish government. During this period, the U.S. and Turkey were not on diplomatic nor political speaking terms. At issue was military bases and foreign aid. Operations resumed on January 16, 1979, after a diplomatic solution was mediated, and the squabble was settled between the U.S. and Turkish governments. By January 16, 1979, NSGA Karamursel/TUSLOG Det 28, having also been on suspended operation, moved from Karamursel to Sinop. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Karamursel, Turkey was disestablished. TUSLOG Det 28 was re-established at Sinop, but without the NSGA designation. Prior to the move, TUSLOG Det 28 had been located at Karamursel since January 1, 1957. TUSLOG Det 28-1 was absorbed back into the parent unit. The first Officer-in-Charge of TUSLOG Det 28 at Sinop was CWO4 R. W. Dickie. Operations were conducted in a temporary facility at Hippodrome. The Hippodrome facility was manned by both temporary and permanent personnel from Naples, Italy and Rota, Spain. The combined complement was 97 sailors. On April 1, 1980, operations were expanded to include both the Hippodrome and Main Operations. TUSLOG Det 28 remained at Sinop until September 30, 1982. TUSLOG Det 28 was disestablished on October 1, 1982, on the occasion of the U.S. Navy taking over the Field Station. The U.S. Army Field Station at Sinop was turned over to the U.S. Navy on October 1, 1982, and was renamed the U.S. Navy Field Station, Sinop, Turkey. LCDR W. Gravell, the OIC of TUSLOG Det 28 at the time, because the first Commanding Officer of the Navy Field Station. The complement in October, 1982 was three officers and 81 enlisted men and women. On July 15, 1992, operations were terminated at Hippodrome, and on July 31, 1992, operations were terminated at Main Operations. Withdrawal of equipment and sailors commenced in August, 1992. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the U.S. Navy Field Station at Sinop closed down in 1992, and the U.S. Navy TUSLOG Det 28 ceased operations and was decommissioned on September 18, 1992. The last Commanding Officer of the Navy Field Station at Sinop was LCDR M. D. Loomis. NAVDET, TUSLOG Det 4, Sinop, Turkey 12 May 1961 Dec 1966 TUSLOG Det 28-1. Sinop, Turkey Dec 1966 Jul 1975 Suspended Operations Jul 1975 16 Jan 1979 From NSGA Karamursel, Turkey (TUSLOG Det 28) TUSLOG Det 28, Sinop, Turkey 16 Jan 1979 30 Sep 1982 U.S. Naval Field Station, Sinop, Turkey 01 Oct 1982 18 Sep 1992 =================================================================================== Skaggs Island, Sonoma, California Skaggs Island is a drained area of San Pablo Bay tidelands approximately twenty-five miles northeast of San Francisco. The Navy developed the northern sixty acres of Skaggs Island as a self sufficient communications base. Skaggs Island was called an "island" because it was completely surrounded by narrow waterways called sloughs. NSGA Skaggs Island was located in northeastern Sonoma county, about 10 miles north of Vallejo, CA (home of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard), and about 14 miles south of Novato, CA; on the northeastern shore of the San Francisco Bay. Skaggs Island was about 10 miles southwest of Napa, CA. Sonoma, CA is about 18 miles northeast of Skaggs Island. Two gates provide access to the base, one off Highway 37, and one from the north side. The main entrance is east of Sears Point, on Highway 37, on Skaggs Island Road, which leads in a straight line from the highway to the abandoned guard shack at the southern gate. Skaggs Island Road junctions with Highway 37, which leads to Vallejo to the south and Novato to the north. The north gate, which is situated next to a commercial farm, leads to Napa and Sonoma. The history of Skaggs Island can be traced back to the days of the gold rush in 1849, when the island and parcels of land surrounding it were sold in small pieces as gold bearing property. In 1873, U.S. Senator John P. Jones of Nevada purchased the various parcels of land, which constituted what was later name Skaggs Island, and the surrounding area, and turned over the 10,000 acre plot to his brother for development. At first, the land was used to raise draft horses. Later, a barley crop was planted with great success. However, to obtain any reasonable production from the acreage, land improvements had to be made, which took some 37 years to complete. Each of the six parcels of land involved in this program was referred to by its respective camp number. The #6 parcel, consisting of 4,390 acres, subsequently became known as Skaggs Island, and was the last parcel completed. The most important step in this development was the building of levees to hold back the sloughs, which laced the marshy land. Chinese coolie laborers, unemployed following the completion of the Central Pacific Railroad project, were used in the beginning, but ultimately, clamshell dredgers had to be brought in to finish the job in the 1920's. During the depression years of the 1930's, the Sonoma Land Company, which had been organized during the development stage to handle business involving the land, encountered financial difficulties, and the company was forced to obtain the backing of Marion Barton "M. B." Skaggs, a financial giant, and a member of an entrepreneurial family, who became a major retailing force, and the originators of what resulted in several well-known retail chains that carried not only the Skaggs name itself, but names like Safeway, Osco, PayLess, Albertsons, Longs Drug Stores, and others. It was this man for whom Camp #6, Skaggs Island, was named. In 1940, the Navy was in search of a receiver site for San Francisco. Following various soil conductance tests, the choice was narrowed down to two locations, Grass Valley in the Sierra Foothills, just north of Sacremento, and Skaggs Island. Skaggs Island was ultimately selected because of its radiowave receiving characteristics and its location near the San Francisco headquarters. In 1941, while the nation was preparing for war, the Navy purchased 3,300 acres of Skaggs Island from the Sonoma Land Company for $53 per acre, for the purpose of building a radio receiver site for the Naval Communications Station, to serve the San Francisco area. Construction began immediately on 13 sets of duplex houses and the OIC quarters, a 75-man barracks, a dispensary, a laundry, two operations buildings, a recreation hall and the gatehouse. The government paved an access road and strengthened the bridge across the slough at the north end of the island. Shortly after 1941, the U.S. Navy established a Naval Radio Receiving Station (NAVRADSTA) (R) at the Skaggs Island facility. NAVRADSTA San Francisco was subordinate to the Naval Communications Station (NAVCOMMSTA) San Francisco. NAVCOMMSTA San Francisco's headquarters was located on the 4th floor of the Federal Office Building in San Francisco, until 1962, when it moved to Stockton, CA. There were three microwave links connecting the sites. One between San Francisco and Skaggs Island, one between San Francisco and Mare Island and one between Mare Island and Skaggs Island. There was an auxiliary transmitter station at Dixon, CA with approximately 10 HF transmitters. This site later became the main transmitter facility for NAVCOMMTSA San Francisco when the transmitter facility at Mare Island was shut down between 1962 and 1975. On March 9, 1942, the Naval Security Group moved in at Skaggs Island, and COMSUPACT Skaggs Island, CA was established, and co-located at the NAVRADSTA. In the early 1950's, Building 43 was built to house the communication facilities. These facilities were subsequently moved to Stockton. In later years, the signals received at the Receivers Building at Skaggs Island, were transmitted to NCS San Francisco on a microwave link via a microwave tower built on Mt. Diablo. The original communications facility, Building 43, ultimately became the NSGA Skaggs Island Administration building. In the early years of the station, flooding of the antenna fields by the surrounding sloughs was a continual problem during the rainy season. In fact, the flooding caused part of the originaly antenna field to be built on barges. Improvements in land reclamation methods, including raising the levees, digging and enlarging approximately 30 miles of drainage ditches, and installing pumps capable of moving large quantities of water, made almost the entire 3,300 acreas of the land arable. At any given time during the Navy's ownership of Skaggs Island, as many as 2,900 acres of the station were being being leased to private individuals for hay farming. In 1953, U.S. Naval Security Group Department, NCS San Francisco, Skaggs Island, CA was established; as a Dept of NAVCOMMSTA San Francisco. NAVRADSTA San Francisco was disestablished, and was absorbed by the NSG Dept at Skaggs Island. On June 30, 1962, the NSG Dept stood down, and was reactivated on July 1, 1962 as the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Skaggs Island, Sonoma, CA. Also in 1962, NAVCOMSTA San Francisco moved from downtown San Francisco to Stockton, CA. Simultaneously, the Radio Receiving Station at Skaggs Island was re-established on July 1, 1962, and was renamed NAVRADSTA (R) Skaggs Island, CA. Operating primarily as an HFDF (High Frequency Direction Finding) communications facility, Skaggs Island also hosted the MUSIC and STREAMLINER systems, and a TACINTEL Software Support Group. Its missions included electronic maintenance, communications relay, fleet broadcast support, ship/shore communicatons support, software support and training. NSGA Skaggs Island's NFDF mission was unique. As Alternate Net Control Officer (ANCO) for both the Atlantic HFDF Net and the Pacific HFDF Net; Skaggs Island was called upon to take over either or both the Atlantic and/or Pacific HFDF Nets, usually on very short notice. The Tech Controllers at NSGA Skaggs Island often referred to that capability as ANCO World, in a mostly derogatory manner. It was not ususual for ANCO Skaggs Island to assume a scheduled HFDF Net Control shift, only to be told that the other HFDF Net had failed. It then became necessary to "Drop LANT and pick up PAC", or vice versa. HFDF communications aided in locating distant sources of communications by intercepting signals bouncing off the ionosphere. Skaggs Island provided communication support to the Navy and other Department of Defense elements. The communications facility located on the island included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FRD-10A Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. The CDAA ceased operations on June 18, 1993; and the CDAA was dismantled. The CDAA property is to be transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Skaggs Island, Sonoma, CA was closed and disestablished on June 18, 1993. The receiver site, NAVRADSTA (R) Skaggs Island, was also closed on that date. For over 50 years, Skaggs Island was a secure, and self-contained Naval base. During that time, as many as 400 Navy personnel were stationed at Skaggs Island. Most of the buildings are residential and recreational buildings, including rows of single story homes, a theater, mess hall, recreation center, chapel, bachelor's quarters, and administrative buildings, all of which are now abandoned and in a state of disrepair. Besides the main base, and an unrelated aviation beacon, the only other structures of any size on the base are two block houses that contained transmitting and computer equipment. They are now abandoned and partially stripped of their contents. Recently, the walls of these buildings have been penetrated by Navy SEALs, practicing forced entry methods, and detonating explosives. The site will eventually be restored as wetlands. Skaggs Island, a 4,400-acre island, which contains the abandoned Navy communications station and a 1,100-acre hay farm (owned by the Haire family) is currently (July 2005) operated as a West Coast Equipment Research Station, soon to be transferred to the California Department of Fish and Game. The San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge is working on a memorandum of understanding, under which the CA Department of Fish and Game would own the land and the Fish and Wildlife Service would manage it as a wildlife refuge. All structures are to be removed, prior to the transfer. Six acres will go to the Federal Aviation Administration, for the installation of a new air navigation beacon. According to an agreement made more than 50 years ago, any new owners must agree to maintain the flood-control pumps and levies around the Haire property (hay farm) to keep it dry. NAVRADSTA (R) San Francisco, CA 1941 1953 At the Skaggs Island base COMSUPACT Skaggs Island, CA 09 Mar 1942 1953 NSG Dept, NCS San Francisco, Skaggs Island, CA 1953 30 Jun 1962 NAVRADSTA (R) Skaggs Island, CA 01 Jul 1962 18 Jun 1993 NSGA Skaggs Island, CA 01 Jul 1962 18 Jun 1993 =================================================================================== Souda Bay, Crete, Greece The U.S. Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay is located on the Hellenic (Greek) Air Force Base near the village of Mouzouras, 17 kilometers (approximately 10 miles) east of the city of Hania. NSA Souda Bay is physically located on the large, circular shaped Akrotiri Peninsula, which forms the northern face of the Souda Harbor. NSA occupies an area of approximately 110 acres on the north side of the air base. A Hellenic Naval Base occupies a large portion of both the North and the South coast of Souda Bay along with the port village of Souda. The airfield also serves as the civilian airport for the Hania region of Crete. The island of Crete is located in the east central Mediterranean Sea, southeast of Greece. The land is rugged and mountainous. A ridge of mountains exceeding 3000 feet extends the length of the island. The mountains are divided into three separate ranges with the western range being the longest, the central range the highest and the eastern range the lowest. The largest of the Greek islands, around 260 km (162 miles) by 50 km (31 miles), Crete separates the Aegean and Libyan Seas. On the boundary between Europe and Africa, it is an island full of contrasts - of mountains and plains, fertile plateau and rocky scrubland, ancient villages and modern resorts. U.S. Naval Detachment, Souda Bay was commissioned on May 20, 1969. At that time, a 16 personnel complement, under the command of a First Class Petty Officer, made up the entire detachment. As the detachment grew, the base personnel count rose to 3 officers and 93 enlisted personnel on August 1, 1972. The mission of the NAVDET was to maintain and operate facilities providing base support for U.S. Naval Forces operating in the Mediterranean, including transient, temporary, and permanently based ships, aircraft, units, detachments, and personnel during normal and contingency operations. On October 1, 1980, U.S. Naval Detachment, Souda Bay was disestablished and U.S. Naval Support Activity, Souda Bay, Crete, Greece was established. In December 1990, in addition to the previous Detachment’s mission, the Naval Support Activity’s mission increased to include support of U,S. Air Force and Navy Reconnaissance missions. As of 1994, the Naval Support Activity had a complement of 17 officers and 210 enlisted personnel. The mission of U.S. Forces at Souda Bay is to provide Command Control and Logistics Support to U.S. And NATO Operating Forces. The command is collocated with the Hellenic Air Force at Souda Air Base. NATO Maritime Airfield Souda Bay, Crete, is operated by the 115th Combat Wing (flying A-7 aircraft) of the Hellenic Air Force. The U.S. Navy is a tenant activity. The Hellenic Air Force provides host nation responsibilities for the operation of the utilities and buildings. The NSA Souda Bay is responsible for the support of U.S. Sixth Fleet aircraft, U.S. Navy Air Detachments deployed at Souda and transient U.S. military aircraft. Souda Bay is undergoing a transfor- mation from Maritime Patrol Airfields to multi-role "Hubs", providing crucial air- links for USAF strategic airlifts, in support of CENTCOM and Africa Area contingency operations. The 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade fired a live Patriot missile for the first time ever in Europe. History was made at Souda Bay on October 21, 1999, when 69th ADA's Delta Battery 6-52 Battalion from Ansbach, Germany fired the Patriot missile. NATO troops from Greece, Belgium, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands were involved in the exercise. The Patriot missile destroyed its drone target approximately 25 miles from the shores of Crete. In 1997, VQ-2 (Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Two) operated four EP-3E Aires II aircraft and two P-3C Orion aircraft from its home-base in Rota, Spain. In addition, a two-plane detachment was permanently based at NSA Souda Bay. Souda Bay is also the site of the Consolidated Reconnaissance Operations Facility (CROF), which the Naval Security Group Detachment at Souda Bay supported. The U.S. Naval Security Group Detachment, Souda Bay, Crete, Greece was commissioned in October, 1999. NSG Det Souda Bay was a detachment of NSGA Rota, Spain. VQ-2's departure from Rota, Spain on September 1, 2005, not only effectively closed NSGA Rota (already designated as NSG Det Rota on June 06, 2005), it also closed NSG Det Souda Bay. Both NSG Det's at Rota and Souda Bay were deactivated, and closed within one year of VQ-2's departure from Rota. NSG Det Souda Bay was administratively closed on September 30, 2005, and re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Souda Bay, Crete, Greece. NIOD Souda Bay ceased operations before December 15, 2005, and was officially decommissioned and closed on September 30, 2006. NAVDET Souda Bay, Crete, Greece 20 May 1969 01 Oct 1980 NAVSUPACT Souda Bay, Crete, Greece 01 Oct 1980 Present NSG Det, Souda Bay, Crete, Greece Oct 1999 30 Sep 2005 NIOD Souda Bay, Crete, Greece 01 Oct 2005 30 Sep 2006 =================================================================================== Subic Bay, Zambales, Luzon, Republic of the Philippines Subic Bay, on the island of Luzon, is approximately 4 nautical miles wide and 9 nautical miles long. The entrance to Subic Bay opens seaward to the southwest and Grande Island, located in the mouth of the bay, divides the entrance into two channels. The main channel, lying to the west of Grande Island is wide, deep, and clear of obstructions. Port Olongapo consists of an outer harbor and an inner basin. The port complex is approximately 1 1/2 miles wide between Cubi Point and Kalaklan Point and extends about 1 1/2 miles eastward to the coast. U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay was a major ship-repair and supply facility of the U.S. Navy located in Zambales, Philippines. It was the largest U.S. Navy installation in the Pacific, and was the largest overseas military installation of the U.S. Armed Forces after Clark Air Base in Angeles City was closed in 1991. Subic Bay Naval Base and associated facilities, 50 miles west of Manila, routinely proved logistically useful in supporting U.S. military during the Korean War (1950-53), and again from 1965 to 1972. Port Olongapo, which boasted storage space for 110 million gallons of petroleum, oil, and lubricants, featured four floating drydocks able to overhaul all ships, except aircraft carriers. Aprons at Cubi Point Naval Air Station could park a full complement of carrier aircraft next to their ship at pierside with room for an equal number elsewhere. The Naval Magazine at Camayan Point stored 3.8 million cubic feet (107,400 cubic meters) of ammunition, by a wharf that berthed the largest surface combatants. The communication station at nearby San Miguel kept U.S. Naval forces ashore in constant touch with Seventh Fleet while co-located Defense Communications Service (DCS) facilities linked Philippine installations with the Worldwide Military Command and Control System. After the Battle of Manila Bay, during the Spanish-American War of 1898, U.S. troops focused on using the Spanish Naval Station at Sangley Point and largely ignored Subic Bay and the arsenal, which was occupied by Filipino forces. The Filipinos constructed a gun battery on top of a ridge using one of the six-inch guns on Grande Island. In December 1898, the American Army launched an operation to clear the countryside of insurgents; 90 soldiers from the 32d U.S. Volunteers set out to capture Olongapo. The soldiers entered Santa Rita, just outside of Olongapo, then proceeded to capture the Navy Yard (Subic Bay) on December 10, 1898. The Marines then took responsibility for the Navy Yard while the Army took over administrative and operational control of Olongapo. The Navy began extensive plans for fortifications, dockyards, drydocks, workshops, a hospital, a railroad linking Olongapo with Manila and storage facilities for 20,000 tons of coal, which were drawn up and submitted to the Congress. In November of 1901, President Theodore Roosevelt issued an Executive Order establishing the the Subic Bay Naval Reservation. More troops were assigned to Subic. In March 1902, U.S. personnel were divided between Olongapo and Cavite. Cavite continued to be the headquarters of the U.S. Navy, because of its proximity to Manila. In June 1907, as tensions with Japan mounted, orders were secretly issued for U.S. Army and U.S. Navy forces in the Philippines to concentrate at Subic Bay. In 1917, the U.S. was drawn into World War I. All the Navy's shipyards including Subic Bay began working at a feverish pace to prepare ships for sea. The Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 called for the limitation of Naval armaments and included provisions that facilities for the repair and maintenance of American Naval forces in the Philippines would be reduced. Shops were dismantled at the Navy Yard at Subic Bay. By mid-1940, the Nazis had overrun Europe and Japan was beginning to flex its military muscle. The U.S. prepared to update the coastal defenses of Manila and Subic Bays. The 4th Marine Regiment, which had been guarding legations in China, was ordered to withdraw to the Philippines. The first members of the regiment disembarked at Subic Bay early on the morning of November 1, 1941. The remainder arrived on December 1. The marines were housed in temporary wooden barracks and in tents at the Naval Station and the rifle range. On December 11, 1941, Japanese zeroes first appeared and the Japanese Navy invaded the Philippines. By December 24, the situation at Subic had become hopeless, and an order to destroy the station and withdraw was given. All buildings on the station were torched, while Filipinos burned the entire town of Olongapo. All Marines withdrew to Bataan and eventually to Corregidor where they made their last stand. The U.S. Army base at Fort Wint was evacuated on December 25. On January 10, 1942, soldiers of the Japanese Imperial Army's 14th Infantry Division marched into Olongapo and on the 12th, the Japanese commandeered native fishing boats to seize Grande Island. The Japanese Subic Bay Naval Station was established with 4 companies of soldiers and a company of Kempeitai (direct translation: Law Soldier Regiment). Kempeitai is the Japanese word for military police. The Japanese then started ship-building at Subic Bay and began constructing wooden auxiliary vessels. Several hundred workers from occupied China and Formosa were brought in as laborers, in addition to 1,000 Filipinos. Nine ships were built and shipped to Cavite for engine installation, however, none of the ships would see active service, as they were all destroyed by U.S. Navy aircraft. On October 20, 1944, four U.S. Army divisions aboard 650 U.S. Navy vessels landed at Palo, Leyte, fulfilling MacArthur's promise to return to the Philippines. On December 13, the Japanese began evacuating civilians and non-essentials from Manila aboard the Oryoku Maru and four other merchant ships. As the ship was heading for Japan, fighter aircraft from the USS Hornet attacked the ships and left hundreds of Japanese dead or wounded. The Oryoku Maru, heavily damaged, pulled into Subic Bay. Early the succeeding morning, three fighters scored two direct hits on the Oryoku Maru and she burst into flames. After burning for two hours, she settled into the water about 100 yards off Alava Pier. By January 1945, the Japanese had all but abandoned Subic Bay. The U.S. Fifth Air Force had dropped 175 tons of bombs on Grande Island. The commander of Japanese forces in the Philippines, General Tomoyuki Yamashita, had withdrawn his forces into defensive mountain positions. On January 29, 40,000 American troops of the 38th Division and 34th Regimental Combat Team came ashore without resistance at San Antonio, Zambales, near the site of what later became the San Miguel Naval Communications Station. The column advanced toward Subic Bay. The Japanese skeleton force, left at Olongapo, had no hope of holding back 40,000 U.S. troops, and evacuated. Once again, Olongapo was torched, (by the Japanese) and was completely destroyed. The 34th Regiment took over. The following day, Grande Island was taken and Navy minesweepers began clearing the bay. Engineers of the 38th Division remained in Olongapo to begin reactivation of Subic Bay Naval Station. Bridges, buildings and the water distilling plant were repaired and the beaches and streets were cleared. Soon enough, LSTs were making dry-ramp landings near the town of Subic. Immediately after the liberation of the Philippines, Subic Bay was designated Naval Advance Unit No. 6, housing a submarine and a motor torpedo boat base unit. Grande Island was reoccupied and garrisoned with 155 mm. guns and anti-aircraft guns, but was never developed again as a permanent coastal defense fort. In 1963, most of the remaining guns were moved back to the U.S., and were displayed in coastal defense parks. A few years after the war, Grande Island was first used as a fleet recreation area. The town of Olongapo was re-established across the drainage canal on its present site, about 1,000 yards inland from where it stood before the War. Even though Philippine Independence was granted on July 4, 1946, Olongapo remained under the administration of the U.S. Naval Reservation. The Commanding Officer of the Naval Station was also chairman of the town council, the school board, the hospital board and other governing bodies. The need for a Naval Air Station was realized during the Korean War. Admiral Arthur W. Radford, Chief of Naval Operations conceived of the construction of a Naval Air Station at Cubi Point, which was then a rugged and jungle covered strip of land 3 miles from Subic Naval Base. In spite of the magnitude of the job and the tremendous difficulties the construction involved, the project was approved by the Pentagon. Civilian contractors were initially tapped to fulfill the project, but after seeing the forbidding Zambales Mountains and the maze of jungle at Cubi Point, they claimed it could not be done. The Navy's Seabees were then given the project and in 1951, the Seabees began the first phase. The first Seabees to arrive were MCB-3 on October 2, 1951; the second, MCB-5, arrived on November 5, 1951. In all, it took five years and an estimated 20-million man- hours to build the Navy base at Cubi Point. Seabees cut a mountain in half to make way for a nearly two-mile long runway. They blasted coral to fill a section of Subic Bay, filled swampland, moved trees as much as 150 feet tall and six to eight feet in diameter, and relocated an entire native fishing village to the city of Olongapo. The $100 million facility was commissioned on July 25, 1956 and comprised the Air Station and an adjacent pier, that was capable of docking the Navy's largest carriers. On December 7. 1959, under provisions of the RP-US Military Bases Agreement, the U.S. relinquished Olongapo to the Philippine government. Included in the turnover were water, electrical and telephone systems valued at $6 million. The Vietnam War placed tremendous workload on Subic Bay. The base became the service station and supermarket for the U.S. Seventh Fleet after the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964. From an average of 98 ship visits a month in 1964, the average shot up to 215 by 1967, with about 30 ships in port on any given day. A new record was set in October 1968, with 47 ships in port. The fire-ravaged USS Forrestal was repaired in August of 1967, before her return to the U.S for a complete overhaul. Destroyers O'Brien, Ozbourn, Turner Joy and Edson, damaged by North Vietnamese shore batteries, were repaired at Subic Bay. NAS Cubi Point served as the primary maintenance, repair and supply center for the 400 carrier based aircraft of the Seventh Fleet's carrier force. On June 3, 1968 the Royal Australian Navy carrier Melbourne collided with the USS Frank E. Evans about 240 miles southwest of Manila. The USS Kearsarge brought 196 of the 199 survivors to Subic Bay. A Joint Australian/U.S. Board of Inquiry convened on June 9, in the library of George Dewey High School, the same day the stern section of the Evans arrived under tow by a tug. It was stripped and towed to sea as a gunnery target. Following the fall of Saigon in the summer of 1975, hundreds of thousands of refugees fled Vietnam. Thousands of these refugees were rescued at sea by U.S. Navy ships and taken to Subic Bay. A temporary processing center that handled thousands of refugees was set up on Grande Island in 1975. The Military Bases Agreement of 1947 was amended in 1979, changing the role of the Americans at Subic Bay from landlord to guest. The amendment confirmed Philippine sovereignty over the base and reduced the area set aside for U.S. use from 244 to 63 square kilometers. Philippine troops assumed responsibility for the perimeter security of the base to reduce incidents between U.S. military and Philippine civilians. The unhampered operation of U.S. forces was assured. The U.S. granted the Philippines $500 million in military sales credits and supporting assistance. On June 15, 1991, Mount Pinatubo, just 20 miles from Subic Bay, exploded with a force 8 times greater than the Mount St. Helens eruption. It was the largest eruption in the past five decades, and led to the largest recorded evacuation of people due to a volcanic threat. Day turned to night as volcanic ash blotted out the sun. Volcanic earthquakes and heavy rain, lightning and thunder from a typhoon passing over northern Luzon made Black Saturday a 36-hour nightmare. By Sunday morning, when the volcano's fury subsided, Subic Bay, once one of the most beautiful and well-maintained Navy bases in the Pacific, lay buried under a foot of the rain-soaked, sandy ash. Buildings everywhere collapsed under the weight of the coarse gray ash. Two girls, one a nine-year-old American and the other a Filipino citizen, died when trapped under a falling roof at George Dewey High School. In the city of Olongapo, more than 60 volcano-related deaths were reported, including eight who were crushed when part of Olongapo General Hospital collapsed. By Sunday night, the threat of continued eruptions combined with the lack of water and electricity, led to the decision to evacuate all dependents. U.S. warships and cargo planes began the emergency evacuation of thousands of Navy and Air Force dependents. Seven Navy ships sailed Monday, June 17, with 6,200 dependents. A total of 17 ships, including the aircraft carriers, USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Midway evacuated all 20,000 dependents over the next few days. The evacuees were taken by ship to Mactan Air Base and then were airlifted by U.S. Air Force C-141 Starlifters to Andersen Air Force Base at Guam. After the dependents were evacuated, an intense clean-up was begun. All hands, American service members and Filipino base employees, worked around the clock to restore essential services. Clark Air Base, much closer to Mount Pinatubo, was declared a total loss and plans for a complete closure were started. Within two weeks NAS Cubi Point was back in limited operation. Soon, most buildings had electricity and water restored. By mid-July service had been restored to most family housing units. The dependents began returning September 8, 1991 and by the end of the month almost all were back at Subic Bay from the U.S. Many months before the expiration of the Military Bases Agreement of 1947 on September 16, 1991, intense negotiations between the governments of the U.S. and the Philippines began. These negotiations resulted in the Treaty of Friendship, Peace and Cooperation between the U.S. and the Republic of the Philippines. This would have extended the lease of the American bases in the Philippines. On September 13, 1991, the Philippine Senate rejected the ratification of this treaty, citing a number of reasons for the rejection. This was a devastating blow to the Aquino administration, who were strongly pro-treaty and even called for a referendum by the Filipino people; a move that was declared unconstitutional. In December of 1991, the two governments were again in talks to extend the withdrawal of American forces for three years, but this broke down as the U.S refused to spell out in detail their withdrawal plans or say if nuclear weapons were kept on base; nuclear weapons were forbidden on Philippine soil. Finally, on December 27, President Corazon Aquino, who fought to delay the pullout to cushion the country's battered economy, issued a formal notice that, in accordance with the treaty, U.S. forces must be withdrawn from Naval Base Subic Bay and Naval Air Station Cubi Point, by the end of 1992. During 1992, tons of material including drydocks and equipment, were shipped to various Naval Stations. Ship-repair and maintenance yards as well as supply depots were relocated to other Asian countries including Japan and Singapore. On October 1, 1992; the U.S. Navy withdrew from Subic Bay Naval Base. Subic Bay was the last of the U.S. military bases in the Philippines, which were handed over to the Philippine government. On November 24, 1992, the American Flag was lowered in Subic for the last time and the last 1,416 Sailors and Marines at Subic Bay Naval Base left by plane from NAS Cubi Point and onboard the USS Belleau Wood. This withdrawal marked the first time since the 16th Century that no foreign military forces were present in the Philippines. The U.S. presence in the Philippines ended. The former U.S. Naval Base Subic was converted into a free-trade zone and a free port by the Philippine government. COMSEC 703, Subic Bay, Philippines Mar 1970 Detachment of NSG Dept, NCS San Miguel, Philippines NSG Det Subic Bay, Philippines Mar 1970 28 Oct 1991 NSGA Clark AB moved to Subic Bay, and formed: NSGA Subic Bay, Philippines 28 Oct 1991 18 May 1992 =================================================================================== Sugar Grove, West Virginia NSGA Sugar Grove is located in the Potomac Highlands of Pendelton County in eastern West Virginia. It is surrounded by two very large National Forests, George Washington, and Monogahela. Sugar Grove lies in mountainous terrain with elevations ranging from 1,250 to 4,000 feet above mean sea level. Sugar Grove is made up of two facilities, the Main Base and the Operations Site. The Main Base encompasses 117 acres, 94 improved and 23 unimproved. It lies in South Fork Valley between Hoover Mountain and the western foothills of Shenandoah Mountain, and is bordered by the headwaters of the South Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River. The Operations Site consists of 477 acres, 20 improved, 36 semi-improved, and 421 unimproved. It lies six miles to the south of the Main Base, is located on several foothill ridge tops of Shenandoah Mountain. It is drained by three watersheds: Lick Run on the west, and Wolf Run and the Little Fork River on the east. Overall, Sugar Grove is bordered by four and one-half miles of in-stream, wetland and riparian habitat and contains 454 acres of managed forest. A pair of bald eagles nest just outside the Sugar Grove boundary line and have fledged eaglets every year since 1997. The eagles forage regularly at the beaver pond in the Operations Site and on the South Branch of the Potomac River adjacent to the Main Base western boundary. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has also determined that Sugar Grove has foraging and nesting habitat for the federally listed Indiana and Virginia Big-eared bats. During the summer of 2005, Sugar Grove conducted a combination auditory and capture survey on both the Main Base and Operations Area, however, neither bat species was caught or recorded. The diverse ecosystem at Sugar Grove is home to 40 tree species and over 2000 species of shrubs and herbaceous plants. The landscape includes beaver pond wetlands, grassy meadows, dense riparian forest areas, and cascading streams - including the headwaters of the Potomac River - a portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. All this provides excellent habitat for over 107 bird species from the bald eagle to the ruby-throated hummingbird. The oak-hickory forest of the Operations Area is also home to deer, bear, fox, turkey, opossum, raccoon and squirrel. Sugar Grove is a communications research installation in Pendleton County, West Virginia and the largest active duty Department of Defense activity in West Virginia. The unique mountainous topography of western Virginia and eastern West Virginia directly affects radio signals by inhibiting their transmission. This topographic ability to screen out most incoming radio signals resulted in the Naval Research Laboratory’s request to conduct advanced electronic communications research in that area. In 1955, the Navy, through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), acquired the Sugar Grove lands for this purpose. Following the Navy’s lead, in 1958 the Federal Communications Commission set aside approximately 13,000 square miles of surrounding West Virginia and Virginia lands to become the United States National Radio Quiet Zone that protects Sugar Grove and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank, West Virginia from radio encroachment. The "Mountaineer Navy" consists of approximately 220 military and 90 civilian workers with 204 dependents living on Sugar Grove. On May 10, 1969 Naval Radio Station (R) Sugar Grove was activated. The facility was originally developed in the early 1960s for a radio telescope that would probe outer space. This project was halted in 1962, because advances and refinements in related fields of science and technology made it outdated before it was even completed. In March, 1965 work was begun to convert the site to a radio receiving station. The station is located in an officially designated National Radio Quiet Zone, an area of 13,000 square miles, which is relatively free from outside electromagnetic interference. Two domed antennas, with diameters of 40 feet and 60 feet, were also built on the station. A two-story 60,000 square foot operations building, completely underground, was fitted with some 70 radio receivers and numerous other communications devices. One hundred enlisted men and 30 officers were assigned to the new station. On December 30, 1969, NAVCOMMSTA Cheltenham, Maryland began taking the Rio Trunk, via Sugar Grove keying lines, making the first operational use of NAVRADSTA (R) Sugar Grove. NAVRADSTA (R) Sugar Grove became the primary east coast HF receiving site for ship- shore and overseas traffic, when it replaced the old receiver site at Cheltenham, Maryland. Cheltenham had closed in the 1990s, when the Navy no longer used HF radio as the primary method of delivering traffic. It is interesting to note that less than 60 miles from Sugar Grove COMSAT operates a station at Etam, West Virginia where more than half of the commercial international satellite communications entering and leaving the U.S. pass through each day. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory operates the Robert C. Byrd Telescope at Green Bank, West Virginia, the world’s largest fully steerable single aperture antenna. It is approximately 30 miles west-southwest of Sugar Grove. On December 1, 1968, Naval Security Group Detachment Sugar Grove was established. It became a Naval Security Group Activity when the Naval Radio Station was closed in November, 1995. The communications facility located at Sugar Grove included Two variants of the FRD-10, without goniometers, built side-by-side for general service ship-shore communications, which were completed on November 6, 1968, and were operational by November 8, 1969. These two CDAA's provided increased capacity for simultaneous reception of ship-shore and overseas circuits. These two CDAA's were not operated by the Naval Security Group at Sugar Grove. Both CDAA's have been dismantled. The more northern one was dismantled by 1997, and the 2nd was dismantled by 2005. Detachment 3, U.S. Air force 544th Intelligence Group (the 544th IG HQ is located at Peterson Air Force Base, CO) was integrated with NSGA Sugar Grove. Detachment 3 was established on January 1, 1995; and officially activated on December 8, 1995. On September 30, 2005, NSGA Sugar Grove was administratively closed and was re- established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Sugar Grove, WV. NIOC Sugar Grove, WV: http://www.nnwc-ftmeade.navy.mil/SugarGrove/. NAVRADSTA Sugar Grove, WV 01 Dec 1968 NSG Det, Sugar Grove, WV 01 Dec 1968 Nov 1995 NAVRADSTA Sugar Grove, WV activated: 10 May 1969 NSGA Sugar Grove, WV Nov 1995 30 Sep 2005 NIOC Sugar Grove, WV 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Suitland, Maryland See NIWA Ft. Meade for earlier history, and more information about Suitland, MD. On October 1, 2005, NIWA Ft. Meade was renamed as the Naval Information Operations Command (NIOC) Suitland, MD; and officially moved to the NMIC in Suitland, MD. The Naval Security Group Command was disestablished on September 30, 2005; and all functions and missions were transferred to the Naval Network Warfare Center (NNWC), located at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base (NAB) in Norfolk, VA. NIOC Suitland MD: https://www.niwa.navy.mil. NIWA Ft. Meade, MD Jul 1994 30 Sep 05 NIOC Suitland MD 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China As part of the settlement for losing the Sino-Japanese War, China ceded the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores to Japan in 1895. The Japanese occupied Taiwan (the short lived Republic of Formosa). In 1942, after the US.S entered in war against Japan and on the side of China, the Chinese government renounced all treaties previously signed with Japan before that date, and made Taiwan's return to China one of the wartime objectives. In the Cairo Conference of 1943, the Allied Powers declared the return of Taiwan to China as one of several Allied demands. In 1945, Japan unconditionally surrendered and ended its rule in Taiwan. In the 1952 San Francisco Peace Treaty, Japan renounced all right, claim, and title to Taiwan. From the 1930s onward, a civil war was underway in China between Chiang Kai-shek's Republic of China (ROC) government and the Communist Party of China led by Mao Tse Tung. When the civil war ended in 1949, 2 million refugees, predominantly from the Nationalist government, military, and business community, fled to Taiwan. In October 1949 the People's Republic of China (PRC) was founded on the mainland by the victorious communists. Several months before, Chiang Kai-shek had established a "provisional" ROC capital in Taipei, and moved his government there from Nanjing. Under Nationalist rule, the mainlanders dominated the Taiwanese government and civil service. The Nationalists took control of Taiwan's monopolies and property that had been government property under the Japanese, passed into possession of the Nationalist party-state. Real estate holdings, as well as the large amount gold reserves brought from the Chinese mainland, helped the Nationalists to become one of the wealthiest political parties in the world, but also helped to ensure Taiwan recovered quickly from war. The Quemoy and Matsu island group, situated in the Taiwan strait between the main island of Taiwan and the Chinese mainland, was the first line of defense for the Republic of China (ROC), the Nationalist government on Taiwan, against the Communist government of the People's Republic of China, and had been highly fortified by the ROC since Chiang Kai-shek's retreat to Taiwan in 1949. On August 23, 1958, the Communist forces began an intense artillery bombardment of Quemoy. ROC forces in Quemoy dug in and returned fire. The Eisenhower administration responded to the ROC's request for aid according to its obligations in the 1954 U.S.-ROC defense treaty by reinforcing U.S. Naval units and ordering U.S. naval vessels to help the ROC government enforce a Naval blockade to protect Quemoy's supply lines. The crisis finally ended with a ceasefire on October 6, 1958. In the 1960's, Taiwan developed steadily into a major international trading power, with more than $218 billion in two-way trade. Tremendous prosperity on the island was accompanied by economic and social stability. Until the early 1970s, the Republic of China was recognized as the sole legitimate government of China by the United Nations and most Western nations, both of which refused to recognize the People's Republic of China on account of the Cold War. The Nationalists ruled Taiwan under martial law until the late 1980s, with the stated goal of being vigilant against Communist infiltration and preparing to retake the mainland. Therefore, political dissent was not tolerated. Taiwan also faced setbacks in the international sphere. In 1971, the ROC government walked out of the United Nations shortly before it recognized the PRC government in Beijing as the legitimate holder of China's seat in the United Nations. The ROC had been offered dual representation, but Chiang Kai-shek demanded to retain a seat on the UN Security Council, which was not acceptable to the PRC. In October 1971, Resolution 2758 was passed by the UN General Assembly and "the representa- tives of Chiang Kai-shek" (and thus the ROC) was expelled from the UN and replaced as "China" by the PRC. In 1979, the U.S. switched recognition from Taipei to Beijing. Diplomatic relations were severed with the U.S. and the Nationalists demanded that all U.S. Armed Forces depart Taiwan, as soon as possible. Taiwan's first direct presidential election in 1996 prompted the PRC to conduct a series of missile tests in the Taiwan Strait to intimidate the Taiwanese electorate, so that electorates would vote for other pro-unification candidates. The aggressive tactic prompted U.S. President Clinton to invoke the Taiwan Relations Act and dispatch two aircraft carrier battle groups into the region off Taiwan's southern coast to monitor the situation, and PRC's missile tests were forced to end earlier than planned. This incident is known as the 1996 Taiwan Straits Crisis. In the 2000 presidential election marked the end to Nationalist party rule. Opposition candidate Chen Shui-bian won the election over the Nationalist party candidate, Lien Chan. President Chen garnered 39% of the vote. In 2004, President Chen was re-elected to a second four year term. Taipei is the capital and Taiwan's largest city. Taipei (which literally means "north Taiwan") is the island's center of political, commercial and cultural activity. Famous for its bustling business centers, energetic nightlife, and colorful market- places. It is also the home of the National Palace Museum, the Grand Hotel, the Confucious Temple, and the Sungshan airport (in downtown Taipei). The first Chief of the U.S. Military Assistance Group, William C. Chase, arrived in Taiwan on January 23, 1951, and on May 1, 1951, he organized the U.S. Army Military Assistance and Advisory Group (MAAG) in Taiwan. On December 1, 1960, the Group in Taiwan was renamed as the U.S. Army Military Assistance Group (MAG). On October 20, 1952, William C. Chase established the Formosa Liaison Center. On December 3, 1954, the U.S. and the Republic of China (ROC) governments signed the Mutual Defense Treaty in Washington D.C. On April 25, 1955, the Formosa Liaison Center underwent reorganization and emerged as the U.S. Formosa Defense Command; and on November 1, 1955 was renamed the U.S. Taiwan Defense Command. COMUSTDC was a sub-unified command under the Pacific Command (USCINCPAC). The command was staffed by members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps. Following the U.S. recognition of the People's Republic of China on the mainland; the U.S. Taiwan Defense Command was disestablished, and held its final flag retreat ceremony on the afternoon of April 26, 1979. NSGA/TDC, Taipei, Taiwan, a Detachment of NSGA Shu Lin Kou, Taiwan, was located at the Taiwan Defense Command (COMUSTDC), adjacent to the Headquarters Support Activity (HSA) in downtown Taipei. In March, 1975, the Detachment's cadre was comprised of a CTO Branch Chief-in-Charge, a CTO1 LPO, eight CTO watchstanders working 2-2-2-80 shifts and three CTM's in the MatShop. Besides routine communications, the COMUSTDC Weekly Intelligence Summary was the most significant product, originated every Friday evening, hand-poked on AN/UGC-49 teletype, producing 900 group message sections, on butterflied teletype tape, and transmitted via AUTODIN DSSCS. For sailors stationed at COMUSTDC, recreation and dining meant the China Seas Club, formerly the enlisted Club 63, within the shadow of the Grand Hotel; located just down the Sung Shan Bei Lu (North Road). The Navy Recreation Area at the top of Grass Mountain was the location for many outdoor parties and cook outs, and had the only swimming pool in the area. The family housing community was located at Tien Mou, 30 minutes outside Taipei by car or taxi. See the article on Shu Lin Kou, Taiwan for earlier NSGA history. Formosa Liaison Center 20 Oct 1952 25 Apr 1955 U.S. Formosa Defense Command 25 Apr 1955 01 Nov 1955 U.S. Taiwan Defense Command (COMUSTDC) 01 Nov 1955 26 Apr 1979 NSGA/TDC, Taipei, Taiwan Jun 1957 02 Feb 1979 Detachment of NSGA Shu Lin Kou, Taiwan located at the Taiwan Defense Command =================================================================================== Terceira Island, Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal The Azores are a Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, about 1,500 km from Lisbon and about 3,900 km from the east coast of North America. The westernmost island (Flores) actually lies on the North American plate and is only 1,925 km from St. John's in the Canadian province of Newfoundland. The nine major Azorean Islands and the eight small Formigas extend for more than 600 km. All of the islands have volcanic origins. The Azores are actually the tops of some of the tallest mountains on the planet, as measured from their base at the bottom of the ocean. The archipelago forms the Autonomous Region of Azores, one of the two Autonomous regions of Portugal. The archipelago is named after the goshawk (Acor in Portuguese), because it was supposed to be a common bird at the time of the discovery. The bird actually never existed on the islands. A local subspecies of the buzzard (Buteo buteo), is the animal the first explorers erroneously identified as goshawks. Wind and rain are considered trademarks of the Azores though the climate is mild. Storms pass through fairly frequently during the winter months, but there are also periods of beautiful weather during that time. For example, the golf course does not close during the winter, though there are times when it is preferable to stay in the clubhouse. The summer months are quite pleasant with lows in the 60’s and highs in the 70’s to lower 80’s. Winter temperatures are usually in the lower 50’s to 60’s. Only rarely does the temperature dip below 45°. The winter months have the strongest winds, often up to and beyond 75 miles per hour. Terceira was known as the island of Jesus Cristo in the period when it was discovered by Portuguese navigators. Until 1640, Terceira was a port of call for the Spanish galleons filled with the fabulous wealth of Peru and Mexico. Terceira was the third island discovered by the Portuguese: hence it's name, which means "The Third." Lush, green, peaceful, and colorful, it has over 250 square miles of land surface. From almost anywhere on the island you can see the omnipresent ocean. There is much to see on this island, magnificent parks, volcanic ocean pools, towns dating back more than 500 years and beautiful beaches. The roads on the island are generally narrow, hilly and winding. Many horse-and bull-drawn wagons mix with small trucks and buses, competing for space. The narrowness and steepness of the roads tends to encourage the use of small cars. Lajes Field is located on the northeast tip of the island of Terceira. The island measuring roughly 12 miles by 20 miles, is somewhat oval in shape and is almost entirely bordered by high cliffs. Terceira is the third largest of the islands. The two largest communities are Angra do Heroismo and Praia da Vitoria. The latter is about three miles from Lajes Field and has a population of about 9,000. Angra do Heroismo, the central district's capital city, is approximately 13 miles from Lajes Field and has a population of approximately 24,000. Lajes Field is Portuguese Air Base (PAB) No. 4, where the 65th Air Base Wing is stationed by agreement with the Republic of Portugal. Lajes Field is the home of all U.S. Air Force, Army, and Navy military forces in the Azores. Commander, U.S. Forces Azores (COMUSFORAZ) is located on Lajes Field. During the First World War, the U.S. Marine Corps established a base at Ponta Delgrada, San Miguel Island for antisubmarine patrols. The base was not commissioned, was first used on January 21, 1918 and was closed in January, 1919. During the Second World War, in 1943, the Portuguese dictator Salazar leased bases in the Azores to the British. This represented a change in policy. Previously the Portuguese government only allowed German U-boats and navy ships to refuel there. This was a key turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic, allowing the Allies to provide aerial coverage in the middle of the Atlantic. This helped them to hunt U-boats and protect convoys. In 1944, American forces constructed a small and short-lived air base on the island of Santa Maria. In 1945, a new base was founded on the island of Terceira and is currently known as Lajes Field. It was founded in an area called Lajes, a broad, flat sea terrace that had been a farm. Lajes Field is a plateau rising out of the sea on the northeast corner of the island. This air force base is a joint American and Portuguese venture. Lajes Field has, and continues to support U.S. and Portuguese military operations. Lajes, which means Old village, was the site of the air base which played an important part in the anti-submarine campaign of the Allies during the 2nd World War, and which also served as a supporting point for several air operations against the Axis forces. The name Lagens Field was the original British designation for Lajes Field. The U.S. used that name until 1950 when it became Lajes Field. It was not until 1953 when the name Lajes Field became the official designation. Today it is part of the defensive system of the Atlantic. The British use of the Azores was only one half the contribution Lajes Field had during World War II. As early as May 1941, the U.S. recognized the importance of the Azores as a staging post for bombers and air transports to Europe. However, Portuguese neutrality prevented its use. After the British Forces arrived at Lajes Field, Portugal did grant permission for a handful of U.S. military advisors to give technical assistance to the British at Lajes Field. On December 1, 1943, British and U.S. military representatives at Lajes Field signed a joint agreement outlining roles and responsibilities for U.S. military presence at Lajes Field. The plan set forth guidelines for U.S. ferried and transport aircraft to make a limited number of landings at Lajes Field. In return, the U.S. agreed to assist the British in improving and extending existing facilities at Lajes. On December 9, 1943, the first U.S. bomber, a B-17, was ferried through Lajes Field. As Portuguese approval looked imminent, the U.S. designated Lajes Field as Station Number 15 in the North Atlantic Wing. Finally on the last day of 1943, Premier Salazar gave his consent to the arrangement with the understanding the Americans would be under British control. It has been said that America came into the Azores "through the back door." The first American unit, the 96th Naval Construction Battalion (a non-combatant force of 600 technicians) arrived at Angra Harbor on 9 January 1944 aboard the SS Abraham Lincoln. This unit was largely responsible for the development of the harbor basin in Praia, the unloading of vessels, the laying down of the gasoline pipeline in Praia Bay and the construction of two taxiways adjacent to the runway. Eight days later, the 928th Engineer Regiment and 801st Engineer Battalion (U.S. Army) with 800 more personnel arrived aboard the SS John Clark with 4,064 tons of machinery and building material with the mission to "build an air base." In addition to construction of facilities, roads, a fuel tank farm, supplying water, and power plant generation, the army engineers constructed three paved runways in an "A" shaped form. One of these runways was over 10,000 feet long, the longest in the world at this time. The U.S. and the UK transferred control of Lajes Field to Portugal on June 2, 1946. The preliminary agreement between the U.S. and Portugal regarding bases in the Azores was terminated. The Portuguese redesignated Lajes as Air Base 4 and assigned it to the air branch of the Portuguese army. However, talks between the U.S. and Portugal began about extending the American stay in the Azores. On September 10, 1946, a temporary agreement was reached between the U.S. and Portuguese governments giving the U.S. military rights to Lajes Field for an additional 18 months. The relationship between the Portuguese and U.S. still exists today. Lajes Field remains Portuguese Air Base 4 under the direction of Headquarters Azores Air Zone commanded by Portuguese brigadeiro (equal to a U.S. two-star general). The U.S. military resides at Lajes under tenancy status. Expiration of the 1946 agreement was December, 1949. By allowing the U.S. use of Lajes, Portugal would be contributing to the success of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) of which Portugal was a founding member. During the negotiations, U.S. rights to facilities at Lajes were extended for two more years. Finally, on 6 September 1951, the Portuguese government announced in Lisbon a new treaty with the U.S. concerning use of the Azores based on NATO requirements. This 1951 treaty has been the foundation of all Lajes Field agreements since then. On March 16, 1953, the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Command organized a subordinate unified command in the Azores called U.S. Forces Azores (USFORAZ) and assigned the commander 1605th Air Base Wing commander over all U.S. Forces Azores. A small staff of Navy, Army and Air Force personnel comprised the joint staff of USFORAZ. In February, 1953, the 1605th Air Base Wing of the Military Airlift Command was established, and on 1 January 1982 it was changed to 1605th Military Airlift Support Wing (MASW). In January 1992, the 1605th Military Airlift Support Wing was re-designated as the 606th Military Airlift Support Wing. On June 1, 1992 the wing was re-designated as the 65th Support Wing. In July 1993, it was re- designated again as the 65th Air Base Wing. Two U.S. Navy units also came aboard. In 1954, a small U.S. Navy Detachment was established. On June 9, 1958, the detachment was re-established as the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Terceira Island, Azores, was activated. NSGA provided high frequency communications to Naval forces and other U.S. DoD forces operating in and through the Azores area. The Naval Air Facility was established in 1957, supported Naval aviation operations through the Azores operational area. During the Cold War, the U.S. Navy P-3 Orion anti-submarine squadrons patrolled the North Atlantic for Soviet submarines and surface spy vessels. Since its inception, Lajes Field has been used for refueling aircraft bound for Europe, and more recently, the Middle East. The U.S. Army operated a small fleet of military ships in the harbor of Praia da Vitória, three kilometers southeast of Lajes Field. In the summer of 1984, Lajes undertook a new mission. EC-135s began operating out of Lajes Field. This operation, known as the Silk Purse Control Group, functioned as an airborne command post for U.S. Commander-in-Chief of Europe. Along with the aircraft came U.S. European Command battle staffs and flight crews from U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Each crew included communication system operators and aircraft maintenance personnel. Also, additional security forces personnel were assigned to protect the area. The Silk Purse mission was highly classified and little was known of its activities at Lajes, but overall its mission was deterring aggression from the Soviet Union. After the collapse of the Soviet Union the Silk Purse mission was deactivated and the last Silk Purse mission rolled out in late August 1991. In the 1990s, when Iraq invaded its neighboring country Kuwait on August 2, 1990, the U.S. immediately took action and began positioning forces in the Southwest Asia region to stop this act of aggression beginning what became know as Operation Desert Shield. On January 17, 1991, the U.S. opened Operation Desert Storm with a massive bombing campaign against Iraqi targets. This air war pounded Iraq for 39 days before the ground troops came in to push the Iraqis back to their own borders in less than 100 hours. Lajes supported the massive airlift during the Gulf war. On the first day of the deployment over 90 aircraft transited Lajes. Strategic Air Command staged a provisional tanker wing at Lajes to support the airlift. At the height of the operation a peak of 33 tanker aircraft and 600 troops deployed to Lajes. At one point during Operation Desert Shield there was a maximum of 56 aircraft on the ramp - which included SAC, MAC, Guard, Reserve, Marine, Navy, and several fighter aircraft drop-ins. Despite having the airfield close to capacity, not one aircraft was refused landing or servicing. During the entire Gulf War, Lajes provided quality en route support for over 12,000 aircraft operations. Soon after the Gulf War ended, the U.S. military was downsizing its forces. This had an impact at Lajes Field. The two Naval units, mainstays since the 1950s, were both deactivated by 1994. NSGA Terceira Island disestablished on June 30, 1994. Lajes U.S. military manning levels dropped below 1,000, the lowest level since 1950. Lajes continued to support transiting aircraft during the course of Operations Joint Guard, Deny Flight, Provide Comfort, and Southern Watch. Beginning in 1997, large fighter aircraft movements called Air Expeditionary Forces filled the Lajes flightline. Lajes also has hosted B-52 and B-1 bomber aircraft enroute from global air missions. Lajes also supports many routine NATO exercises, such as the biennial Northern Viking exercise. Navy Detachment, Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal 1945 09 Jun 1958 NSGA Terceira Island, Azores, Portugal 09 Jun 1958 30 Jun 1994 At the U.S. Air Force Base, Lajes Field, Azores =================================================================================== Todendorf, Plön, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany Todendorf was located in the British zone of West Germany, about 125 miles northeast of Bremerhaven. Todendorf is east of Keil, on the Baltic Sea. Prior to the establishment of the NSG Dept, NCS Todendorf, Germany (July 20, 1956), Naval Advanced Base Bremerhaven maintained a SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) Van that deployed to the U.S. Army Firing Range at Todendorf, and other locations along the East-West German Border. Today, Todendorf is the site of a German Air Defense Firing Range, where live-fire demonstrations are conducted in support of NATO initiatives aimed at finding rapid and effective technological and non-technical counter-measures to counter the threat of terrorist attacks. NSG Dept, NCS Todendorf, Germany 20 Jul 1956 01 May 1958 NSG Det Todendorf, Germany 01 May 1958 01 Jul 1960 Detachment of NSGA Bremerhaven, Germany NSGA Todendorf, Germany 01 Jul 1960 15 May 1976 Officer-in-Charge 01 Jul 1960 13 Apr 1968 Commanding Officer 13 Apr 1968 15 May 1976 =================================================================================== Wahiawa, Lualualei, Oahu, Hawaii Wahiawa is located more or less in the center of Oahu Island, on the plateau or "central valley" between the two volcanic mountains that comprise the island. It is in the small, Wahiawa District and the City & County of Honolulu. In Hawaiian, "wahi a wa" means "place of noise", perhaps a reference to the fact that once upon a time, heavy surf on the distant coast could be heard here. Lakes and reservoirs are rare in Hawaii, and Wahiawa is at once unique in being surrounded on three sides by Lake Wilson (also known as Wahiawa Reservoir or Kaukonahua). The town must be accessed by either of two bridges on Kamehameha Highway (State Rte. 80) across the narrow north and south arms of the reservoir. Outside of the reservoir, the town used to be surrounded by military bases and agricultural fields. There are significant U.S. Army facilities here, including Schofield Barracks, Wheeler Army Airfield, and East Range, an Army training area extending into the hills south and east of town. Schofield Barracks alone is larger than Wahiawa. Wahiawa is also the home of NCTAMS Pacific. The Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Pacific (NCTAMS PAC) Wahiawa, HI is the world's largest communication station. The headquarters site of this shore command is located in the central section of the island of Oahu, approximately three miles north of the city of Wahiawa, and 21 miles from downtown Honolulu. The land around the station is largely devoted to pineapple cultivation. Wahiawa is often referred to as the "Pineapple Capital of the World". The station at Wahiawa is located on approximately 700 acres of land in central Oahu on the eastern side of the highest part of the Schofield Plateau. Ravines divide the station into a northern area used for receiver facilities, and a southern area containing communications and support facilities. The town of Whitmore Village lies one half mile to the southwest. The city of Wahiawa lies to the south and is separated from the station of Wahiawa by a deep gulch. Helemano Military Reservation, a 282-acre Army sub-installation, is located north of the station. In May 1888, the U.S. established a coaling station to service the vessels of the Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. His Hawaiian Majesty King David Kalakaua had granted the U.S. the exclusive rights to enter and develop the area earlier that year. The U.S. Naval Radio Station in the Pearl Harbor area, the first government station in the islands, began operations on October 1, 1906. This radio station continued its operation until its deactivation in 1916. On March 3, 1915, Congress passed an Appropriations Act that authorized $400,000 for the construction of a high-powered, long distance radio station at Pearl Harbor. In 1916, this new station, NPM, began operations at Hospital Point, Pearl Harbor. At 0230 on the morning of September 20, 1916, Captain Clark, the first Commandant of the 14th Naval District, sent the following message from the NPM to the Naval Radio Station, Long Beach, California: "SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, WASHINGTON, D.C. I HAVE THE HONOR TO SEND YOU THE FIRST THROUGH MESSAGE TO WASHINGTON, D.C., FROM PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII RADIO STATION, AND CAN REPORT SATISFACTORY PROGRESS OF THE PLANT. GEORGE R. CLARK SENDS." A congratulatory message from the Secretary of the Navy arrived 33 minutes later. An unofficial communications intelligence site was established at Wailupe in 1925, and was given official status in 1931 and was authorized one billet. Ineffective because of poor signal hearability, the Wailupe site was moved to Heeia in 1934. In August 1940, the U.S. Navy had six sites with diplomatic targets, which were all linked directly, or indirectly through U.S. Army communication circuits, to Washington DC via radio and landline communications. Twelve netted sites (six Navy and six Army) were authorized to intercept Japanese diplomatic traffic. The six Navy sites were Winter Harbor, ME (Station W) (February, 1935 to February, 1944; Amagansett, NY (station G) (November, 1939 to 1956); Cheltenham, MD (Station M) (September, 1939 to August 1953); Jupiter, FL (Station J) (September, 1939 to July, 1945); Heeia, HI (Station H) (June, 1934 to December, 1941; and Fort Ward, Bainbridge Island, WA (Station S) (August, 1939 to March, 1953). The six Army sites were Fort Monmouth, NJ (Station 1); Presidio, CA (Station 2), Fort Sam Houston, TX (Station 3), Corozal, CA (Station 4), Fort Shafter, HI (Station 5) and Fort Hunt, VA (Station 7). An Army Station #6 was proposed, but never activated. During the years following World War I, the Naval activities in the Pearl Harbor area continued to expand. It soon became obvious that the future expansion of the radio station facilities in the area would not be practical. In 1933, a tract of land at Lualualei was set aside by the territory of Hawaii for use by the U.S. Navy. Seven self-supporting steel towers were erected to a height of 610 feet at this new site for an antenna system for long wave radio transmitting. The site was officially activated in 1936, and by 1941 twelve transmitters were in operation. With the arrival of the major U.S. Pacific Fleet units at Pearl Harbor in 1939, it became increasingly clear that a new receiver and control station was needed. Therefore, a secluded spot at Wahiawa, some 20 miles north of Pearl Harbor, was chosen and purchased by the Navy for approximately one million dollars. Construction began on the 697.2 acres of land in 1940 and was scheduled to be completed in 1942. During that time, the station at Wahiawa was considered the most important of a number of Naval Radio and Air Stations being constructed as a part of a general expansion program. On December 7, 1941, a few minutes before 0800, several squadrons of Japanese aircraft passed over the Lualualei Transmitter Site on their way to bomb Pearl Harbor. As the planes passed over, the major Naval Radio Stations they were strafed, but the casualties among the communications personnel were light. However, the radio stations themselves proved highly vulnerable to attack. Lualualei was located only 4,000 yards from the shoreline and received its power over exposed land lines from the Hawaiian Electric Company, 22 miles away. The radio facility at Wailupe, also along the seacoast, was deemed unprotectable. So, on the morning of December 10, 1941 it was decided to move all of the equipment at Wailupe and Lualualei to the new site at Wahiawa. This new site at Wahiawa was an excellent receiving area and the best-protected radio station on the island. Men worked day and night to transfer operations to Wahiawa and on December 17, 1941 the relocation was completed without the slightest interruption in communications service. This location became known as the U.S. Naval Radio Station and Naval Radio Direction Finder Station, Wahiawa, HI. Shortly thereafter, the Security Group COMSEC Unit was moved, from Heeia to Wahiawa. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, to further improve reception and communications, the communications intelligence site was moved from Heeia to Wahiawa. A Communications Security (COMSEC) Unit was established at Wahiawa in 1942 under the management and control of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). Their purpose was to assist in a program of cryptographic security, message traffic control and message traffic analysis. In May, 1943, two U.S. Navy Direction Finding Station were established at NAVRADSTA Kailua, Oahu, HI, and Port Allen, Kauai, HI for tracking friendly aircraft. The stations were both disestablished in July, 1945, at the conclusion of WWII. The stations were transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard. Station DF functions were transferred to the Naval Direction Finder Station, at Wahiawa, HI. Military activities at the NAVRADSTA and NAVRDFSTA Wahiawa decreased after World War II. On January 1, 1947, the U.S. Naval Radio Station and Naval Radio Direction Finder Station, Wahiawa became the U.S. Naval Communications Station or NAVCOMMSTA (NCS), Honolulu, Wahiawa, HI. Activities at NCS Hono increased in the early 1950s during the Korean War and in the early 1960s during the Vietnam War. Because the requirements for rapid communications from the Department of the Navy to the fleet operational commanders had changed, the CNO authorized the activation of an additional teletypewriter system. This system, known as HICOM, was activated in 1957 and operated parallel to the existing communications channels. Later, the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT), established an additional parallel circuit known as the "Atomic Strike Coordinator Circuit." It was determined that even more rapid communications would be necessary. Therefore, a new communications net, known as the "Naval Operation Net" was formed in 1959. At the same time, the Navy decided that the stations at Haiku and Heeia were no longer needed. The station at Heeia was turned over to the Marine corps Air Station at Kaneohe, while the Haiku station was placed in a non-operational status. The communication stations on Oahu underwent a consolidation in 1967. The message centers at Pearl Harbor (NAVSHIPYD), Makalapa (CINCPACFLT), Camp Smith (CINCPAC), Moanalua (FLEWEACEN), Secure Voice Pearl Harbor, and Consolidated Maintenance came under an Officer-in-Charge, which was known as NAVCOMMACTS Pearl Harbor. NAVCOMMACTS Pearl Harbor was a department of NAVCOMMSTA Honolulu, who exercised administrative and operational control. The message center at Barbers Point also came under the control of NAVCOMMSTA Honolulu at the same time. The Makalapa Local Digital Message Exchange (LDMX) was activated in March 1973 by Vice Admiral G. C. Talle, Deputy CINCPACFLT. The system's activation marked a significant step forward by improving writer-to-reader speed of service, message formatting, routing indicator assignment, and message recall for CINCPACFLT. In September 1977, the NAVCOMMACTS Pearl Harbor was disestablished and NTCC Camp Smith, NTCC Makalapa, NTCC Pearl Harbor, Secure Voice, and Consolidated Maintenance became separate departments of NAVCOMMSTA Honolulu. Concurrently, NTCC Moanalua was disestablished and the communication functions were turned over to the Fleet Weather Center. In December 1977, NTCC Pearl Harbor was disestablished and absorbed into NTCC Makalapa in an ongoing effort to consolidate communications on Oahu. Subsequently, in February 1978, NTCC Makalapa, located in the basement of the CINCPACFLT headquarters building at Makalapa, became officially known as NTCC Pearl Harbor. The Commanding Officer of NAVCOMMSTA Honolulu transmitted the first message, via the LDMX system, in a ceremony marking the transformation of the CINCPAC Telecommunications Center at Camp H.M. Smith from Joint operation to Navy management in September, 1973. In April 1976, the Naval Communications Station Honolulu was officially renamed Naval Communication Area Master Station, Eastern Pacific (NAVCAMS EASTPAC). On February 18, 1977, the Commanding Officer at NAVCAMS EASTPAC officially dedicated the new Super High Frequency (SHF) Satellite Facility at Wahiawa, the largest such facility of its kind. Concurrently, the Navy's Satellite Facility at Helemano was deactivated. NTCC Ford Island became a department of NAVCAMS EASTPAC in October 1983. On December 1, 1990, NAVCAMS EASTPAC and NARDAC Pearl Harbor merged to form the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station, Eastern Pacific (NCTAMS EASTPAC). This merger took place to ensure that the Navy could meet the challenges of technological changes and advances. The command was again renamed on October 20, 1997. The new name, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station, Pacific, better reflected the command's regional operating area. NCTAMS PAC provides operational direction and management to all Pacific Naval Telecommunication System users. In addition to this function, NCTAMSPAC manages, operates, and maintains Defense Communication System and Naval Telecommunication System assets, and offers a full range of ADP and information resource services, maintenance and repair, and communication/electronic and Defense Message System coordination to the U.S. Navy and other DOD activities in the Pacific. The U.S. Naval Security Group Dept Wahiawa maintained and operated a high frequency direction finding (HFDF) facility and provided communication support to Navy and other Department of Defense elements. The communications facility located at Wahiawa included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FRD-10A Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. THE CDAA ceased operations on October 4, 1998. The CDAA was dismantled and removed in 2005. On August 30, 2007, the National Security Agency, Central Security Service (NSACSS) located in Kunia, Hawaii, held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Hawaii Regional Security Operations Center (HRSOC) at the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Pacific (NCTAMS PAC), located in Wahiawa, Hawaii. The HRSOC state-of- the-art facility will be approximately 250,000 square feet, constructed on 70 acres, and will cost $318 million dollars. The complex will replace the Kunia Regional Security Operations Center (KRSOC), which was built in 1945 and remodeled in 1979. The new HRSOC Operations Center will include a Command Center, Operations Briefing Center, Data Analysis Section, Mission Planning Areas, administrative offices and video teleconferencing centers. New support buildings will include a Base Entry Control Facility, a Visitors Control Center, and a warehouse facility. The building is scheduled to be completed in late 2010 and the facility is the largest contract in the history of the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFACENGCOM). U.S. Naval Radio Station, Pearl Harbor, HI 01 Oct 1906 20 Sep 1916 U.S. Naval Radio Station, Pearl Harbor, HI 20 Sep 1916 17 Dec 1941 at Hospital Point, Pearl Harbor, HI Transmitter site at Lualualei (1936) U.S. Naval Radio Station and Naval Radio 17 Dec 1941 01 Jan 1947 Direction Finder Station, Wahiawa, HI U.S. Navy Direction Finding Station, NAVRADSTA May 1943 Jul 1945 Kailua, HI Transferred to Naval Radio Direction Finder Jul 1945 Station, Wahiawa, HI U.S. Navy Direction Finding Station, Port Allen, May 1943 Jul 1945 Kauai, HI Transferred to Naval Radio Direction Finder Jul 1945 Station, Wahiawa, HI NAVCOMMSTA (NCS) Honolulu, Wahiawa, HI 01 Jan 1947 Apr 1976 NAVCOMMACTS, a Dept of NCS Honolulu, Wahiawa, HI 1967 Sep 1977 Disestablished in Sep 1977. Separate NTCC's formed: NTCC Camp Smith, NTCC Makalapa, NTCC Pearl Harbor, Sep 1977 became Depts of NCS Honolulu. NTCC Moanalua disestablished. Sep 1977 NTCC Pearl Harbor disestablished. Dec 1977 To NTCC Makalapa NTCC Makalapa = NTCC Pearl Harbor Feb 1978 Naval Communication Area Master Station, Apr 1976 01 Dec 1990 Eastern Pacific (NAVCAMS EASTPAC), Wahiawa, HI NTCC Ford Island, Dept of NAVCAMS EASTPAC Oct 1983 Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master 01 Dec 1990 20 Oct 1997 Station, Eastern Pacific (NCTAMS EASTPAC), Honolulu, Wahiawa, HI Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master 20 Oct 1997 Present Station, Pacific (NCTAMS PAC), Honolulu, Wahiawa, HI Communications Radio Intelligence Site, Wailupe, HI 1925 Jun 1931 at Naval Radio Receiving and Control Station Wailupe, HI Communications Radio Intelligence Unit, Wailupe, HI Jun 1931 Jun 1934 at Naval Radio Receiving and Control Station Wailupe, HI Radio Intelligence Unit moved to Heeia, HI. Jun 1934 DF Site moved to Lualualei, HI 1939 Mar 1942 DF Site move from Lualualei, HI to Wahiawa, HI Mar 1942 Communications Radio Intelligence Unit, Heeia, HI Jun 1934 Dec 1941 (Station H in 1940) NSG COMSEC Activity, Heeia, HI Dec 1941 Mar 1942 NSG COMSEC Activity, Wahiawa, HI Mar 1942 1967 at Naval Radio Station, Wahiawa, HI 1942 01 Jan 1947 at NCS Honolulu, Wahiawa, HI 01 Jan 1947 1967 NSG Dept Honolulu, Wahiawa, HI 1967 20 Apr 1998 At NCS Honolulu, Wahiawa, HI 1967 Apr 1976 At NAVCAMS EASPAC, Honolulu, Wahiawa, HI Apr 1976 01 Dec 1990 At NCTAMS EASTPAC, Honolulu, Wahiawa, HI 01 Dec 1990 20 Oct 1997 At NCTAMS PAC, Honolulu, Wahiawa, HI 20 Oct 1997 20 Apr 1998 To: Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Pacific. =================================================================================== Wailupe, Oahu, Hawaii See Wahiawa, Hawaii. =================================================================================== Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, Washington Whidbey Island is located in Island County, in the northwest corner of Washington State, 90 miles north of Seattle. It is the second longest island In the continental U.S., at 45 miles in length. It is located in the city of Oak Harbor, Washington, about 1 1/2 hours north of Seattle and 2 hours south of Vancouver, British Columbia. The area that comprises Island County was first explored by Captain George Vancouver (1758-1798) during the spring of 1792. The county seat is the historic town of Coupeville on Whidbey Island. For thousands of years, the only occupants of the Pacific Northwest were Indians who lived in large communal longhouses subsisting on fish, shellfish, wild game as well as roots and berries. Whidbey and Camano Islands, as well as the San Juan Islands were occupied by at least four groups of Northern Straits Salish Indians: Samish, Lummi, Songhees, and Saanich. With the exception of periodic wars with other Indian tribes, life was relatively quiet for many centuries. In the late 1700s and early 1800s the Indian population was decimated by disease transmitted through contact with white explorers. In some areas diphtheria, smallpox, and measles killed 90 percent of the Indians. By the time white settlers arrived, some local tribes had populations of only a few hundred and were so depleted they could not effectively resist the intruders. Whidbey Island, which forms the western portion of Island County, was named on June 10, 1792, by Captain Vancouver for Joseph Whidbey (1755-1833), Master of the HMS Discovery, who proved it was an island by discovering Deception Pass. He was also the first documented white man to set foot on the island, landing at Penn’s Cove near what was to become Coupeville. The Indian name for the Whidbey Island was Tscha-kole-chy. Whidbey Island, the largest island in Puget Sound, is approximately 45 miles long, 10 miles across at its widest point and one-and-a half miles at its narrowest. The island has a total area of 235 square miles and boasts five state parks, eight large lakes and 200 miles of shoreline. It is the second largest island in the continental U.S., the largest being Isle Royale in Lake Michigan. Narrow necks of land at Penn’s Cove and Holmes Harbor on Saratoga Passage divide the island into three distinct areas referred to as North, Central, and South Whidbey. State Route 20 connects Whidbey Island to the mainland west of Anacortes via the Deception Pass and Canoe Pass bridges and bisects Deception Pass State Park, a 4,134-acres marine and camping park encompassing the northern tip of Whidbey Island. The bridges were financed with funds from the federal Public Works Administration and the Washington Emergency Relief Administration, along with county funds, and were dedicated on July 31, 1935. The surrounding park was improved with Civilian Conservation Corps labor. The island is also serviced by two Washington State Ferry routes: Mukilteo-Clinton and Keystone-Port Townsend. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in the year 2000, Whidbey Island had a population 58,211. Oak Harbor is located on the east shore of North Whidbey Island, about 10 miles north of Coupeville. It was named by Dr. Richard H. Landsdale, an early settler on Penn’s Cove, for the many large oak trees (including Gerry oaks) in the vicinity, an unusual feature in this part of the state. The Indian name for the Oak Harbor/ Crescent Harbor area was Kla-tole-tsche. The settlement was founded by three veterans of the California Gold Rush: Zachariah Martin Toftezen, Charles W. Sumner and Ulrich Freund. They came from Olympia by Indian canoe, looking for land. They landed on the western shore of Crescent Harbor and, after seeing the empty fertile prairie, returned to Olympia, filing Donation Land Claims on January 4, 1851. In the 1850s, Irish immigrants began to settle in the Oak Harbor area, followed by Dutch immigrants in the 1890s. The town of Oak Harbor was officially incorporated on May 14, 1915. In July 1920, the “Oak Harbor Fire” destroyed much of the town. The town struggled through the Great Depression (1929-1939) until 1941 when the Navy arrived to build an air base. Suddenly Oak Harbor, a quiet farming community of some 650 inhabitants, was transformed into a boomtown as thousands of construction workers and Naval personnel arrived in the area. The number of active duty military personnel in Island County, excluding dependents, stays relatively constant, at about 6,000 to 7,000. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Oak Harbor, the largest city in Island County, had a population of 19,795. North Whidbey Island was essentially a rural, agricultural community until January 17, 1941 when the U.S. Navy decided to build a seaplane base for rearming and refueling Navy PBY Catalinas in defense of Puget Sound. The commander of Naval Air Station Sand Point in Seattle recommended Crescent Harbor and Forbes Point on the shores of Saratoga Passage as suitable for seaplane takeoffs and landings under instrument conditions. The site, near the town of Oak Harbor, was protected, the weather was usually good and it was seldom foggy. In November 1941, the Navy also decided to build an airport for land-based airplanes. The topographic survey team chose Clover Valley, approximately four miles north of Oak Harbor. It was tailor-made for a landing field: level, well drained and accessible from any approach. The area was strategically located to guard the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the entrance to Puget Sound. Also, the population was sparse, allowing the base plenty of room to grow. After the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese Imperial Navy on December 7, 1941, work on the Naval bases began in earnest and concluded in record time. The actual construction of the field began on March 1, 1942, and the first plane, a single- engine SNJ trainer, piloted by Lieutenant Newton Wakefield, landed there on August 5, 1942. The U.S. Naval Air Station Whidbey Island was established on August 15, 1942, and was commissioned on September 21, 1942. A year later, on September 25, 1943, the airfield was named Ault Field, in memory of Commander William B. Ault, missing in action in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Originally, the Air Station was commissioned as a base for seaplane patrol operations, rocket firing training, torpedo overhaul, and both recruit and Petty Officer training. NAS Whidbey is comprised of two bases five miles apart; the Seaplane Base and the Naval Air Station. Located on the western shore of the island, the Air Station contains most of the military activities. The Seaplane Base is on the eastern shore at the edge of the town of Oak Harbor. Commander, Medium Attack Tactical Electronic Warfare Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Whidbey Island (COMMATVAQWINGPAC) (CMATVAQWGPAC) maintained a point-to-point circuit with NSGA Skaggs Island, Sonoma, CA in the mid to late 1970's. On February 1, 1993, as a result of the disestablishment of the combined A-6 and EA-6B functional wing (COMMATVAQWINGPAC), the Electronic Combat Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMVAQWINGPAC) was established. The command was redesignated Electronic Attack Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet in 1998. Today the Air Station is home to 19 active duty squadrons, 2 reserve squadrons and numerous tenant commands. NAS Whidbey supports EA-6B Prowler, P-3C Orion, EP-3 Aires II, C-9 Skytrain and MH-60S Knighthawk aircraft. Some of the units based at Whidbey Island include: Commander, Pacific ASW Patrol Wing Ten/Tactical Support Center. COMPATWING 10 trains and supports maritime patrol (VP), and reconnaissance squadrons (VQ). Commander, Electronic Attack Wing Pacific, (COMVAQWINGPAC), responsible for administrative, training, material and operational readiness of Electronic Attack Squadrons (VAQ). Naval Ocean Processing Facility (NOPF), detecting, localizing, tracking, and reporting submarine activity and exploiting all acoustic data. And Commander, Naval Region Pacific Northwest (COMNAVREG PNW), regional coordinator for the Navy in the three-state area of Washington, Oregon and Alaska. COMNAVBASE Seattle is the reporting senior for NAS Whidbey Island, NAVSTA Everett and SUBASE Bangor. Tactical Support Center Support Communications (TSCOMM) Detachment, Whidbey Island is located on NAS Whidbey Island, and provides telecommunication services as well as broadcast support to surface ships and aircraft squadrons. TSCOMM Det is subordinate to the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS), Puget Sound, located on Submarine Base, Bangor. Aircraft and crews from Whidbey participated in the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam War, Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Since the early 1960's, the Naval Air Station has been primarily an attack/electronic warfare base. Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (FAIRECONRON ONE) (VQ-1) is currently homeported at NAS Whidbey Island. The lineage of VQ-1's "World Watchers" can be traced back to two PBY-5A Catalina "Black Cats" modified for electronic recon- naissance during World War II. The unit was formally established as the Special Electronic Search Project at NAS Sangley Point, Republic of the Philippines, in October, 1951. By May 13, 1953, it was redesignated as Detachment Able of the Airborne Early Warning Squadron One (VW-1). Detachment Able was reorganized into Electronic Countermeasures Squadron One (VQ-1) at Iwakuni, Japan on June 1, 1955. In 1960, VQ-1 moved to Atsugi, Japan and was redesignated as Fleet Air Recon- naissance Squadron One (VQ-1). During the Vietnam War, and starting in 1964, VQ-1 operated from Danang, South Vietnam; NAS Cubi Point, in the Philippines; Bangkok, Thailand; and U.S. aircraft carriers on patrol in Yankee Station. The first EP-3 Aries I joined the squadron in 1969. In 1971, VQ-1 moved its homeport to NAS Agana, Guam. In 1991, the squadron closed its permanent detachment in Atsugi, Japan after 30 years and moved it to Misawa, Japan. In 1994, as a result of the base closure of NAS Agana, VQ-1 changed its homeport to NAS Whidbey Island. VQ-1 operations continued in Operation Iraqi Freedom as EP-3E combat reconnaissance crews meet the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance needs of the U.S. Central Command component commanders. The Navy EP-3E Aries (Airborne Reconnaissance Integrated Electronics System) aircraft and aircrews attached to the U.S. Central Command, as Task Group 57.1, continue to deliver critical intelligence to the war fighter. As a manned intelligence platform, the EP-3E has distinguished itself as the asset of choice for Army, Marine Corps and Multi-National Forces on the ground in Iraq. Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Two (FAIRECONRON TWO) (VQ-2) is also currently homeported at NAS Whidbey Island. VQ-2 was commissioned on September 1, 1955. Designated Electronic Countermeasures Squadron Two (ECMRON TWO) at the outset, it was homeported at the U.S. Naval Air Station, Port Lyautey, Morocco; with a complement of 24 officers and 78 enlisted personnel. VQ-2 commenced operations supporting the U.S. Sixth Fleet. In January, 1960, the squadron was transferred to a new homeport, at Naval Station, Rota, Spain. In early 1960, the squadron's name was changed to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Two (VQ-2). VQ-2 continued to operate and maintain EC-121M aircraft into 1974. The A3D-1Q was replaced by the A3D-2Q and was subsequently redesignated the EA-3B Skywarrior. On July 31, 1971, the squadron received its first delivery of the EP-3E Aries aircraft. On June 29 1991, the first EP-3E Aries II aircraft arrived in Rota, and on September 20, 1991, the squadron retired the EA-3B Skywarrior. The squadron has participated in numerous exercises with Fleet and air units of the Mediterranean/European theater, while simultaneously conducting operations with fleet and theater commanders. The squadron's EP-3E's have been valuable assets in Mediterranean, Atlantic, and Caribbean operations. VQ-2 has responded to every national crisis in the European and Middle Eastern theaters, including Operation Sharp Guard (Liberian evacuation), Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Operation Provide Comfort, and since July 1993, Bosnian support Operations Provide Promise, Deny Flight, Deliberate Force and Decisive Endeavor. In 1996, VQ-2 had a detachment in Sigonella, Italy, with two aircraft flying combat missions supporting the peacekeeping force in the former Republic of Yugoslavia. In 1997, VQ-2 operated four EP-3E Aries II aircraft and two P-3C Orion aircraft from its home-base at Rota and two-plane detachment at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Crete, Greece. Effective September 1, 2005, VQ-2 relocated from Rota, Spain, to Whidbey Island, transferring six aircraft and 450 Sailors to Whidbey. The move co-located VQ-1 and VQ-2 at Whidbey Island, and realized efficiencies through the consolidation of personnel deployment practices, aircraft maintenance practices and air crew training for these unique Navy squadrons. Both squadrons are strategically located together, maximizing their training and readiness posture, and their ability to surge worldwide as required. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Whidbey Island was established on October 1, 1996. On September 30, 2005, NSGA Whidbey Island was administratively closed and was re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, WA. NIOC's Mission Statement: "To provide authoritative, full RF spectrum Electronic Attack planning and execution, operations analysis and direct support augmentation to tactical and operational Maval air and surface forces engaged in Information Operations worldwide. Develop new concepts, methods and processes to sustain Electronic Warfare effectiveness, and keep pace with technological evolution and warfare challenges." NIOC Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, WA: http://www.nioc-whidbeyisland.navy.mil/. NSGA Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, WA 01 Oct 1996 30 Sep 2005 NIOC Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, WA 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Winter Harbor, Maine Winter Harbor islocated the Schoodic Peninsula in Down East Maine. It is located four miles east of Bar Harbor, Maine, as the crow flies. The Schoodic Peninsula contains 2,266 acres, or approximately 5%, of Acadia National Park. It includes the towns of Franklin, Gouldsboro Sorrento, Sullivan and Winter Harbor. The peninsula has a rocky granite shoreline containing many volcanic dikes. NSGA Winter Harbor operated on Schoodic Point from 1935 to 2002 Naval Security Group Activity Winter Harbor began as the Otter Cliffs Radio Station, located on Mt. Desert Island, about five miles west across Frenchman Bay from its last location. The Otter Cliffs Radio Station was commissioned on August 28, 1917, under the command of then-Ensign Alessandro Fabbri. Fabbri, in patriotic fervor after the declaration of war against Germany, cleared the land, and built and equipped the station. He then offered it to the government as a Navy Radio Station to support the war effort, in exchange for a commission in the Naval Reserve and assignment as officer in charge. Ensign Fabbri sought to make Otter Cliffs the best radio station on the East Coast. Eventually, his efforts were recognized in a promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) in May, 1918; and to Lieutenant in January, 1919. On June 30, 1919, he was releasted from active duty. LT Fabbri was awarded the Navy Cross for developing the "most important and most efficient station in the world." The medal and citation were on display in the NSGA Winter Harbor administration building. Otter Cliffs Radio Station continued to function long after LT Fabbri left, but by 1933, the wooden buildings had becom dilapidated, and due to the economic depression, Navy funds were not available for repairs. For many, it had become an eyesore on beautiful Ocean Drive, on Mt. Desert Island. Mr. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., was one of the influential people who desired to have it removed. While he found support for his view in several quarters in Washington D.C., Otter Cliffs was very important to the Navy. Because of the lack of man-made noise within many miles, and the unobstructed span of ocean water between there and Europe, Otter Cliffs was among the best radio sites along the East Coast, and could receive signals from Europe when no other station in the U.S. could. It had been invaluable during World War I, when radio receivers were rather primitive. By 1930, the Otter Cliffs Radio Station began to receive weather reports from Iceland and Newfoundland, and emergency traffic from Europe, when atmospheric conditions were so bad that Portsmouth, Boston, and Washington could not copy the overseas transmissions. The Navy was willing to meet Mr. Rockefeller halfway on the removal of the radio station from Otter Cliffs. If Mr. Rockefeller would build an equally good receiving station on the coast, within 50 miles of Otter Cliffs, the Navy would agree to turn over the Otter Cliffs Station to Mr. Rockefeller to include it as a donation to Acadia National Park, upon the removal of the station's structures. Big Moose Island, located at the tip of Schoodic Peninsula, about five miles across the mouth of Frenchman Bay from Otter Cliffs, seemed the ideal location. The architect's plan for the new station included a beautiful building similar to Mr. Rockefeller's residence at Seal Harbor. Artisans from all over the world contributed to the project. It has been estimated that to build the same structure today would cost 10 million dollars. In the early 1930's, the U.S. Navy originally envisaged a High Frequency Direction Finding (HFDF) capability and began developing HFDF operational plans in 1933. Amended in 1935, the development of strategic HFDF sites world-wide was proposed by the U.S. Navy. Of the eleven sites chosen, four were to be situated on the Atlantic coast, including Winter Harbor, ME; Jupiter, FL; Cheltenham, MD; and either Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. Winter Harbor received the highest priority of the Atlantic sites and was operational in early 1935. On February 28, 1935, the U.S. Navy Radio and Direction Finding Station, Winter Harbor, ME was officially commissioned, with Chief Radioman M. C. Gunn in charge of a complement of 11 sailors. Chief Gunn departed the station in August, 1935; and Chief Gunn (later LTJG Gunn) returned to the station as the OIC from July, 1943 to February 1944. Radio interception gradually supplemented HFDF as a form of communications intelligence. Site selection for interception operations was similar to that for the HFDF stations. Naval Radio Station Bar Harbor, Maine was involved as a Naval Monitoring Station as early as 1921, and ceased receiving as a Monitoring Station for the Navy Department on July 2, 1923. Bar Harbor was involved in intercept activities as early as November, 1931. The station was subsequently relocated across Frenchman Bay at Winter Harbor in early 1935. While the primary concentration of its activities had been diplomatic traffic between Europe and Tokyo, Winter Harbor was well situated for other forms of radio interception. The Naval Security Group moved into Winter Harbor in 1940, with the establishement of Communications Intelligence Unit "W". In August 1940, the U.S. Navy had six sites with diplomatic targets, which were all linked directly, or indirectly through U.S. Army communication circuits, to Washington DC via radio and landline communications. Twelve netted sites (six Navy and six Army) were authorized to intercept Japanese diplomatic traffic. The six Navy sites were Winter Harbor, ME (Station W) (February, 1935 to February, 1944; Amagansett, NY (station G) (November, 1939 to 1956); Cheltenham, MD (Station M) (September, 1939 to August 1953); Jupiter, FL (Station J) (September, 1939 to July, 1945); Heeia, HI (Station H) (June, 1934 to December, 1941; and Fort Ward, Bainbridge Island, WA (Station S) (August, 1939 to March, 1953). The six Army sites were Fort Monmouth, NJ (Station 1); Presidio, CA (Station 2), Fort Sam Houston, TX (Station 3), Corozal, CA (Station 4), Fort Shafter, HI (Station 5) and Fort Hunt, VA (Station 7). An Army Station #6 was proposed, but never activated. In March 1941, seeking to improve the interception efforts of the HFDF stations, a direct commercial teletype service link was authorized, procured and inaugurated between the installations at Winter Harbor, ME (Station W), Amagansett, NY (Station G), Fort Ward, Bainbridge Island, WA (Station S) radio intercept facilities; and the Net Control Station at Cheltenham, MD (Station M). This development allowed the stations to forward intercepts immediately to Washington upon receipt. While the primary emphasis was on Japanese diplomatic traffic other "messages of unusual nature appearing to be of sufficient importance to warrant attention" would also be forwarded. The result was improving coverage of radio circuits and minimizing delays in getting the intercepts to the cryptanalysts. In February, 1944, the station was renamed the U.S. Naval Supplementary Radio Station, Winter Harbor, ME. In January, 1950, that station was redesignated as the Naval Radio Station (Receiving) (NAVRADSTA (R)), Winter Harbor, ME. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Winter Harbor maintained and operated a high frequency direction finding (HFDF) facility and provided communication support to Navy and other Department of Defense elements. The communications facility located at Winter Harbor included an operations building located in the center of an AN/FRD-10A Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), also known as a Wullenweber antenna array. The CDAA ceased operations in 1998. The CDAA was dismantled and removed in August, 2001. NSG operations ceased in September, 2001. The CDAA property was officially transferred to the U.S. National Parks Service in June, 2002. The U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Winter Harbor was established on June 9, 1958; and was disestablished and closed on June 30, 2002. The base was transferred to the National Park Service on July 1, 2002. The former NSGA has now been transformed into the Schoodic Education and Research Center, a research and training center for the National Park Service. Naval Radio Station, Naval Monitoring Station, 1921 02 Jul 1923 Bar Harbor, ME Naval Radio Station, Naval Intercept Activity Nov 1931 28 Feb 1935 Bar Harbor, ME Otter Cliffs Radio, Station, Mt Desert Island, ME 28 Aug 1917 28 Feb 1935 Navy Radio and DF Station, Winter Harbor, ME 28 Feb 1935 Feb 1944 Communication Intelligence Unit (Station "W" in 1940) Naval Supplementary Radio Station, Winter Harbor, ME Feb 1944 Jan 1950 NAVRADSTA (R), Winter Harbor, ME Jan 1950 09 Jun 1958 NSGA Winter Harbor, ME 09 Jun 1958 30 Jun 2002 To: National Park Service and the city of Winter Harbor, ME To: Acadia National Park learning center. =================================================================================== NSGSA Det, Winter Harbor, ME May 1988 NSG Support Det, Winter Harbor, ME NSG Support Det Two, Winter Harbor, ME 30 Jun 2002 Relocated to Northwest, VA. =================================================================================== Yakima, Washington The City of Yakima is approximately 20 square miles. It is bordered on the south by the City of Union Gap, to the north by the City of Selah, and to the east by the Town of Moxee. The City of Yakima is the commercial and governmental hub of Yakima County, which is primarily rural and agricultural. Yakima is located between the Saddle Mountains and Rattlesnake Hills, in a desert of canyons, dunes and sheer rock cliffs, where the only vegetation is grass. The U.S. Army leases the land to ranchers who herd their cattle in the shadows of the five satellite dishes. The Yakima Training Center (YTC) is a 323,000-acre U.S. Army Training facility. The base is located seven miles north of Yakima on Interstate 82 and is the Army’s premier maneuver training area in the Northwest. YTC offers comprehensive training and logistics support to U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, active duty and National Guard/Reserve units, allies and federal agencies. The center contains housing for an 1,800-person brigade task force, as well as a post exchange, chapel, medical clinic, community club, post office, gymnasium, and airfield. Approximately 325 permanent military/civilian personnel are assigned. The Yakima Research Station is a satellite communications earth station. The complex is located within the secure perimeter of the U.S. Army's Yakima Firing Range, in the relatively radio interference-free environment of eastern Washington. It was originally built in the 1970's to communicate with the Pacific Intelsat satellite. The site initially consisted of a long operations building and a single large satellite dish. In mid-1995, the Yakima station had five satellite dishes. Detachment 4, U.S. Air force 544th Intelligence Group (the 544th IG HQ is located at Peterson Air Force Base, CO) was integrated with NSG Det Yakima. Detachment 4 was established on January 1, 1995; and officially activated on December 8, 1995. The U.S. Naval Security Group Detachment Yakima, Washington was established in October, 1971 at the U.S. Army's Yakima Training Center, Yakima Research Station. On September 30, 2005, NSG Det Yakima was administratively closed and was re- established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Detachment (NIOD) Yakima, WA. NIOD Yakima is subordinate to, and a detachment of, NIOC Whidbey Island, Oak Harbor, WA. NSG Det Yakima, WA Oct 1971 30 Sep 2005 (at U.S. Army Yakima Research Station) NIOD Yakima, WA 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== Yokosuka, Kanto Plain, Kanagawa Prefecture, Honshu, Japan Yokosuka City is located about 50 km (30 miles) southwest of Japan's capital city, Tokyo, on the east coast of the main island, Honshu. Yokosuka is a very densely populated city on the Kanto Plain. The city became a municipality on February 15, 1907, the second city so designated in Kanagawa Prefecture, following Yokohama City. As the home of the U.S. Navy's Seventh Fleet, Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka, hosts 13 afloat commands and more than 50 other shore commands and tenant activities. Fleet Activities Yokosuka provides support services to forward deployed Naval forces in Yokosuka, and other units assigned in the Western Pacific. Yokosuka Navy Base is located in the middle of the Miura Peninsula in the southeast portion of Kanagawa Prefecture, and faces Tokyo Bay on the east. The city is located 65 km south of Tokyo and 30 km from Yokohama. Yokosuka is the largest, and one of the most strategically important overseas U.S. Naval Installations. The base is composed of more than 27,000 military and civilian personnel. Yokosuka Harbor is entered through Yokosuka Bay in the southwestern part of Tokyo Bay. The harbor is bounded on the east by part of the Miura Peninsula, which is the site of U.S. Fleet Activities (FLEACTS) Yokosuka, and on the west by the island of Azuma Hanto. Azuma Hanto separates Yokosuka Harbor from Nagura Harbor which is a commercial port and is also used by the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF). Nagura Harbor is entered from the southwestern part of Yokosuka Bay. The centerpiece of the Pacific Fleet forward presence mission is the Forward-Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF) in Japan. The 17 ships in Japan make up the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) aircraft carrier battle group in Yokosuka and the USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) in Sasebo. Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet is homebased in Yokosuka, Japan and the Seventh Fleet flagship is the USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19). Fleet Activities, Yokosuka (COMFLEACT) comprises 568 acres and is located at the entrance of Tokyo Bay, 43 miles south of Tokyo and approximately 18 miles south of Yokohama, on the Miura peninsula, in the Kanto Plain region of the Pacific Coast, in central Honshu, Japan. COMFLEACT Yokosuka has a military and civilian population of 23,000, and 55 tenant commands; supporting WESTPAC operating forces, including principle afloat elements of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, COMDESRON 15, and the only permanently forward deployed aircraft carrier, USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). The Japanese surrendered Yokosuka Naval Base on August 30, 1945. The surrender was accepted by RADM R. B. Carney and RADM O. C. Badger; and the Headquarters of Commander Third Fleet was established at Yokosuka Naval Base. On September 2, 1945, the Japanese surrender documents were signed on board the battleship Missouri (BB-63), at anchor in Tokyo Bay, Japan. General of the Army Douglas MacArthur signed for the Allied Powers, and Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz signed for the United States. The period between the signing of the capitulation documents and the end of the year 1945, witnessed the surrender of Japanese garrisons on the Asiatic mainland, and on by-passed islands scattered throughout the western Pacific. Occupation of Japan progressed and the administrative organization of the United States naval forces in the area was adjusted where necessary to enable the Navy to carry out its assigned occupation and demilitarization duties. With the onset of hostilities in Korea on June 25, 1950, Yokosuka Navy Base suddenly became very important and extremely busy. The U.S., although still an occupying power in Japan, turned its full efforts to the support of South Korea. The Navy Dispensary was enlarged and expanded and was commissioned a U.S. Naval Hospital in 1950. The Naval Communications Facility, Yokosuka, was commissioned in January, 1951. In April 1951, the Ship Repair Department became a component command. It was redesignated the Ship Repair Facility. As the major Naval Ship Repair Facility in the Far East, the Yokosuka Facility assumed a vital role in maintenance and repair of the U.S. Seventh Fleet during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. In March, 1952, the geographical boundaries of the command of Commander Naval Forces Far East changed to exclude the Philippines, Marianas, Bonin and Volcano Islands. In December, 1952, the Headquarters was shifted from Tokyo to Yokosuka. The expanded Supply Department of Fleet Activities became the Naval Supply Depot, Yokosuka in August, 1952. In 1960, the Naval Communications Facility was redesignated U.S. Naval Communications Station, Japan. Other major tenant commands at Yokosuka include: the U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility, the largest naval ship repair facility in the western pacific, commissioned on August 15, 1951; and the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center (FISC) Yokosuka, the U. S. Navy's largest supply facility in the Western Pacific. Submarine Group Seven (COMSUBGRU 7) is comprised of the command staff element, deployed submarines, and a permanently forward deployed submarine tender. The staff is head- quartered in Yokosuka, Japan, with a representative in Guam. The submarines are rotated in from homeports in San Diego, CA and Pearl Harbor, HI; for approximately six months. The tender is homeported out of Guam. COMSUBGRU 7 was established during the Korean Crisis in the 1950's as Submarine Group Western Pacific, serving as squadron commander and administrative coordinator for submarines in the Western Pacific. In August 1961, the command was renamed Submarine Flotilla Seven. The command was elevated to Task Force level in June, 1973, subordinate to Commander, Seventh Fleet; and was established as Commander Submarine Force Seventh Fleet, Commander Task Force Seven Four (CTF 74), reporting to Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet in Hawaii. Submarine Group Seven was activated as Commander Task Force One Five Seven (CTF 157) on October 15, 1992 to direct all submarine operations in the U.S. Central Command, including the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf. On July 1, 1995, upon establishment of U.S. Fifth Fleet, CTF 157 was redesignated as Commander Task Force Five Four (CTF 54). Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Japan (CNFJ) is headquartered in Yokosuka, Japan. Commander Naval Activities Japan (COMNAVACT JAPAN) was established on January 19, 1946 in Yokohama to control Naval Shore Activities in Japan. In February 1946 U.S. Fifth Fleet came under control of COMNAVACT Japan. Commander Naval Forces, Far East (COMNAVFE) was established on January 1, 1947, with headquarters in Tokyo. The command's original mission was to administer all Navy units assigned to Japan, the Philippines, Marianas Islands, Ryukyu Islands, and Bonin Islands. In the first three months of the Korean War, COMNAVFE expanded its operating forces from one light cruiser and four destroyers to over 400 ships, many from UN member nations. These ships swept mines, blockaded enemy coasts, conducted surface and air strikes, and transported supplies and troops needed by UN Forces. In December 1952, COMNAVFE moved its staff headquarters from Tokyo to Yokosuka. In November 1954, operational control of the U.S. Seventh Fleet was transferred from COMNAVFE to the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. COMNAVFE retained military command over shore installations, and operational control of Far Eastern amphibious units, and UN and U.S. Navy units charged with the patrol of Korean waters. In August and September 1954, COMNAVFE provided logistic support for the evacuation of Vietnamese civilians from communist-controlled areas of Indo-China to South Vietnam. In February 1955, assistance was provided in the evacuation of Nationalist Chinese Troops and civilians from the Tachen Islands near China. In 1957, COMNAVFE was redesignated Commander, Naval Forces Japan. Additionally, the area assigned to CNFJ was changed to include only Japan and the Ryukyu Islands. On February 1, 1962, Commander, Naval Forces Japan was redesignated Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Japan. On August 1, 1996, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Japan became the immediate reporting senior for all U.S. Naval installation commanders in Japan, as well as the U.S. Navy Support Facility on Diego Garcia. NAVCOMTELSTA Far East was originally designated as Naval Communications Facility, Yokosuka Japan and was commissioned on January 8, 1951 after the outbreak of the Korean Conflict. In December, 1952, U.S. Naval Radio Receiving Facility, Kami Seya, Japan was completed and the Security Group Department and general service receivers were moved to Kami Seya. During the Korean Conflict, the rest of NAVCOMMFAC Yokosuka moved to Kami Seya. In 1960, the command was redesignated U.S. Naval Communications Facility Japan and relocated to Yokosuka, Japan. The following year, the command was again redesignated as U.S. Naval Communications Station, Japan. This name stood for 30 years until 1991, when it was changed to U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station, Japan to acknowledge the increasing reliance on computers and telephones in telecommunications. Also in 1991, NTCCs Atsugi and Sasebo and NAVCOMM Dets Okinawa and Misawa were functionally transferred to NAVCOMTELSTA Japan. 1993 saw the transfer of Base Communications Offices (BCOs) at Atsugi, Sasebo and Yokosuka to NAVCOMTELSTA Japan. Then in 1995, another name change to U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station, Far East occurred, with the functional transfer of the Communications Department from Commander Fleet Activities Chinhae, Korea to NAVCOMTELSTA Far East, and the establishment of NAVCOMM Det Chinhae. The Headquarters, Naval Telecommunications Center, Technical Control Facility and Base Communications Officer are located in Yokosuka, where NAVCOMTELSTA Far East is a tenant of the Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan. Naval Security Group operations in Japan date to the establishment of a Communications Supplementary Activity Detachment (COMSUPACT Det) in Ohminato, Japan; in northern Japan, on December 15, 1945. On that date, Radioman First Class (RM1) Brillhart arrived in Ohminato, from COMSUPACT Adak, Alaska with six men. The unit began operations in the Headquarters building of Company H5, 11th Parachute Infantry, 11th Airborne Division, Ohminato, Japan. RM1 Brillhart's detachment remained in Ohminato until the end of April, 1946; when the U.S. Army evacuated Ohminato. The detachment moved to UYokosuka, where it was attached to the Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, for administrative purposes. At Yokosuka, RM1 Brillhart was relieved in the latter part of 1946, by RM1 Al Geiken. In April, 1946, COMMSUPACT Det Ohminato, Japan moved operations to Yokosuka, Japan. In August, 1948, the COMSUPACT Detachment was redesignated as COMSUPACT Yokosuka, Japan. On November 22, 1948, NAVCOMMUNIT 35 was established at Yokosuka to add a Direction Finding capability, under an Officer-in-Charge, LCDR Daniel W. Heagy. That HFDF function was installed during the late fall of 1948 using a test rhombic antenna. By February, 1949, a full rhombic antenna field had been constructed at Yokosuka, and the DF site was in full operation. By July, 1950, NAVSECGRU began making plans to shift net control of the Pacific HFDF Net to Yokosuka from Wahiawa, Hawaii. In order to meet the new operational requirements, NAVCOMMUNIT 35 had to be expanded to 38 officers and 392 enlisted personnel. In addition, more spacve was required. The space problem was solved by renovating Building F-68 at Yokosuka, as well as moving part of NAVCOMMUNIT 35 into facilities near Yokohama, at Kannon Zaki. The Pacific HFDF Net was activated at Yokosuka on October 2, 1950. With the increase in size and responsibilities, the Officer-in-Charge billet at NAVCOMMUNIT 35 was upgraded to Captain, and Captain Wesley A. Wright was ordered to be the first Commanding Officer of the newly created U.S. Naval Communications Facility, Yokosuka, Japan. On December 29, 1950, NAVCOMMFAC Yokosuka, Japan was established consisting of the Communications Center at Headquarters, COMNAVFE in Tokyo; the U.S. Naval Radio Facility (Special) (NAVRADFAC S), in Yokosuka, including the site at Kannon Zaki, near Yokohama; the U.S. Naval Radio Facility (T) (NAVRADFAC T) in Totuka; and the U.S. Naval Radio Facility (T) (NAVRADFAC T) in Yosami, Japan. On the same date, December 29, 1950, CDR Daniel W. Heagy became the first Officer-in-Charge of the NAVRADFAC (S), Yokosuka, Japan. On July 2, 1951, CDR Heagy was relieved by CDR Thomas R. Mackie. By the end of 1950, it was apparent that expansion of the facilities at Yokosuka was no longer possible. With project growth of NABSECGRU operations envisioned, sites were surveyed, and the optimal choice was a site near Atsugi Naval Air Station. Land was acquired under Procurement Demand JPNR 5307 dated March 15, 1951. The location of the site was to the north of a village named Seya. The new site came to be known as Kami Seya. In December, 1952, operations from NAVCOMMFAC Yokosuka were relocated to Kami Seya, Japan with CDR Thomas R. Mackie as head of the NAVSECGRU Department, NAVRADFAC (S)/NAVCOMMFAC/NAVCOMMSTA Kami Seya, Japan. In 1954, a Naval Communications Unit moved in from Tokyo, Japan. On January 15, 1960, NSG Dept Kami Seya was re-established as NSGA Kami Seya; and the NAVCOMMFAC was relocated back to Yokosuka, Japan. In 1961, NAVCOMMFAC Yokosuka, was incorporated into the newly established Naval Communications Station (NCS), Yokosuka, Japan. In September/October 1962, COMSEC Unit 702 was established in Yokosuka, Japan. COMSEC Unit 702 was re-established on August 1, 1969 as the U.S. Naval Security Group Detachment, Yokosuka, Japan. The NSG Det was later commissioned the U.S. Naval Security Group Activity, Yokosuka, Japan on June 1, 1995. On September 30, 2005, NSGA Yokosuka was administratively closed and was re-established on October 1, 2005 as the Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Yokosuka, JA. NIOC Yokosuka JA: http://www.nsgayokosuka.navy.mil/. COMSUPACT Det Ohminato, Japan 15 Dec 1945 22 Apr 1946 Moved from Ohminato, Japan to Yokosuka, Japan COMSUPACT Det Yokosuka, Japan 22 Apr 1946 Aug 1948 COMSUPACT Yokosuka, Japan Aug 1948 29 Dec 1950 NAVCOMMUNIT 35, Yokosuka, Japan 22 Nov 1948 29 Dec 1950 Part of NAVCOMMUNIT 35 moved to Yokohama, Japan 29 Dec 1950 NAVCOMMFAC/NAVRADFAC (S), Yokosuka, Japan 29 Dec 1950 12 Dec 1952 NAVCOMMFAC commissioned on 08 Jan 1951 NAVCOMMFAC Yokosuka, Japan moved to NSG Dept, NCS Kami Seya, Japan 12 Dec 1952 Naval Communications Unit moved in from Tokyo, Japan 1954 NAVCOMMFAC moved in from NSG Dept, NCS Kami Seya, JA 15 Jan 1960 NAVCOMMFAC Yokosuka, Japan 15 Jan 1960 1961 Naval Communications Station (NCS), Yokosuka, Japan 1961 1991 COMSEC Unit 702, Yokosuka, Japan Sep/Oct 1962 01 Aug 1969 NSG DET, Yokosuka, Japan 01 Aug 1969 01 Jun 1995 U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications 1991 1995 Station (NAVTELCOMSTA), Yokosuka, Japan U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications 1995 Present Station (NAVTELCOMSTA), Far East, Yokosuka, JA NSGA Yokosuka, Japan 01 Jun 1995 30 Sep 2005 NIOC Yokosuka, Japan 01 Oct 2005 Present =================================================================================== NSG Related =================================================================================== VQ-1 (Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One) VQ-1 provides electronic reconnaissance from the east coast of Africa to the west coast of the United States. The squadron maintained permanent detachments at NAF Atsugi, Japan from 1971 to 1991, and at NAF Misawa, Japan from 1991 to 2005; and has maintained a continuous presence in the Arabian Gulf since July 1992. The lineage of VQ-1's "World Watchers" can be traced back to two PBY-5A Catalina "Black Cats" modified for electronic reconnaissance during World War II. The unit formally established as the Special Electronic Search Project at NAS Sangley Point, Republic of the Philippines, in October 1951. By 13 May 1953, when it was redesignated Detachment Able of Airborne Early Warning Squadron One (VW-1), the unit operated four P4M-1Q Mercator aircraft. When Detachment Able was reorganized into Electronic Countermeasures Squadron One (VQ-1) at Iwakuni, Japan on 1 June 1955, it was the first squadron dedicated to electronic warfare. The A-3 Skywarrior, or "Whale" as it came to be known, served the squadron for the next three decades. In 1960, not only was VQ-1 moved to Atsugi, Japan and redesignated Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One, but the last Mercator was retired and replaced by the first of many WV-2Q Super Constellations. The "Willie Victor" would remain the backbone of VQ-1's long range, land-based reconnaissance efforts through the Vietnam Era and into the 1970's. The squadron's involvement in the Vietnam War started characteristically, at the very beginning when a Skywarrior crew was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for their role in the Gulf of Tonkin incident of 2 - 5 August 1964. For the next nine years, VQ-1 would operate from Danang, Cubi Point, Bangkok, aircraft carriers on patrol in Yankee Station and other bases in Southeast Asia. VQ-1's aircrews supported countless air strikes and are credited with assisting in the destruction of numerous MiG aricraft and Komar patrol boats. The first EP-3 Aries I joined the squadron in 1969, beginning the replacement program for the Super Constellations, which was competed in 1974. In 1971, the VQ-1 moved its homeport to NAS Agana, Guam. At that time it absorbed Heavy Photographic Squadron Sixty One (VAP-61) and its former parent unit, Airborne Early Warning Squadron One (VW-1). VW-1 was disestablished on July 1, 1971. For a time VQ-1 consisted of thirty aircraft: sixteen Skywarriors, twelve Super Constellations ("Super Connie's") and two Orions. After the departure of the last Skywarrior in the late 1980's, the squadron flew the EP-3 Aries I exclusively. In 1991 the squadron closed its permanent detachment in Atsugi, Japan after 30 years and moved it to Misawa, Japan. In the same year, VQ-1 received the first EP-3E Aries II, an upgraded version of the Aries I using modified P-3C airframes. The squadron played a key role in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Despite the harsh, difficult maintenance environment and 30 year old aircraft, VQ-1 amassed nearly 1400 combat flight hours with a 100% mission completion rate. Tasking included strike support, combat search and rescue, communications and over-the-horizon-targeting support to coalition forces. In 1994, as a result of the base closure of NAS Agana, VQ-1 was notified of the homeport change to NAS Whidbey Island. Coincidentally, in July 1994, VQ-1 retired the Navy's oldest operational P-3, EP-3E Aries I BUNO 148887. Its retirement also marked VQ-1's transition to all EP-3E AIRIES II mission aircraft. Special Electronic Search Project, NAS Sangley Point, Oct 1951 13 May 1953 Republic of the Philippines Detachment Able, Airborne Early Warning Squadron One 13 May 1953 Jun 1954 (VW-1 Det Able), NAS Sangley Point, Republic of the Philippines Detachment Able, Airborne Early Warning Squadron One Jun 1954 Sep 1954 (VW-1 Det Able), NAS Sangley Point, Republic of the Philippines Detachment Able, Airborne Early Warning Squadron One Jun 1954 01 Jun 1955 (VW-1 Det Able), MCAS Iwakuni, Japan Electronic Countermeasures Squadron One (VQ-1), 01 Jun 1955 Feb 1960 MCAS Iwakuni, Japan Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1), Feb 1960 01 Jul 1971 NAF Atsugi, Japan VQ-1 Det's operated from Danang, South Vietnam, Aug 1964 1973 Cubi Point, Philippines and Bangkok, Thailand. Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1), 01 Jul 1971 30 Sep 1994 NAS Agana, Guam (VQ-1 absorbed VW-1 and VAP-61) Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One Detachment, 01 Jul 1971 01 Aug 1991 (VQ-1 Det), Atsugi, Japan Naval Reconnaissance Support Det (VQ-1 Det), 01 Aug 1991 01 Apr 2005 NAF Misawa, Japan Naval Reconnaissance Support Det (VQ-1 Det), 01 Aug 1991 30 Sep 1994 NAF Atsugi, Japan Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1), 30 Sep 1994 Present NAS Whidbey Island, Washington =================================================================================== VQ-2 (Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Two) VQ-2 was commissioned on 1 September 1955 as Electronic Countermeasures Squadron Two (ECMRON TWO), originally home ported at the U. S. Naval Air Station, Port Lyautey, Morocco. In January 1960, the squadron transferred its homeport to Naval Station Rota, Spain and was renamed Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Two (VQ-2). Over the years the squadron has flown the P4M-1Q, the EC-121M Super Constellation, the A3D-1Q and the EA-3B Sky warrior. In July 1971 the squadron took delivery of the first P-3 Orion based EP-3E ARIES aircraft. The ARIES were upgraded to ARIES II beginning in 1991. Today VQ-2’s EP-3E’s are Sensor System Improvement Program version 3.2. Since commissioning, VQ-2 has collected intelligence on areas and units Naval and national interest in Mediterranean, Atlantic, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern Theatres. Q-2/Naval Security Group Activity plays an integral role in the War on Terrorism, combat action, crisis operations and peacetime intelligence collection. VQ-2 provided reconnaissance support for NATO operations in the Balkans in the 1990s and participated in no-fly operations over Iraq in Operations Northern and Southern Watch, Mountain Lion, Mountain Sweep, Joint Guardian, Joint Force, Enduring Freedom and Dolphin Eagle. Most recently VQ-2 saw extensive overland combat action in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. While in Rota, Spain; VQ-2 flew from operational detachments to Souda Bay, Crete; Manama, Bahrain; Curacao, Netherlands Antilles and Incirlik, Turkey. In 1997, VQ-2 operated four EP-3E Aires II aircraft and two P-3C Orion aircraft from its home-base in Rota, Spain. In addition, a two-plane detachment was permanently based at NSA Souda Bay. Souda Bay is also the site of the Consolidated Reconnaissance Operations Facility (CROF), which the Naval Security Group Detachment at Souda Bay supported. After 45 Years, VQ-2 transferred its homeport from Rota, Spain to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington on September 1, 2005. When VQ-2 transferred from Rota to Whidbey Island, the squadron moved more than 450 sailors and about 375 family members. The squadron can be surged to any part of the world from Whidbey Island, swiftly and efficiently. Given that Naval Station Rota has an excellent airfield that traditionally hosts numerous U.S. military aircraft, Rota will continue to be of use to our VQ aircraft for operational purposes. VQ-2's departure from Rota, Spain on September 1, 2005, not only effectively closed NSGA Rota (already designated as NSG Det Rota on June 6, 2005), it also closed NSG Det Souda Bay. Both NSG Det's at Rota and Souda Bay were deactivated, and closed within one year of VQ-2's departure from Rota. Electronic Countermeasures Squadron Two (ECMRON 2) 01 Sep 1955 Jan 1960 NAS Port Lyautey, Morocco Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Two (VQ-2), Jan 1960 30 Sep 2005 NAVSTA Rota, Spain Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Two (VQ-2), 30 Sep 2005 Present NAS Whidbey Island, Washington ================================================================================== Compiled by: Michael R. "MO" Morris, CTOCS, USN, Retired CTO SeaDogs WebSite Manager, CTO SeaDogs DataBase Manager, CTO SeaDogs Historian Waldorf, Maryland E-Mail: CTOCS_MO@hotmail.com ================================================================================== Visit the CTO SeaDogs Community WebSite at: http://groups.msn.com/CTOSeaDogs ==================================================================================