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 downto