Adair Air Force Station
Encyclopedia
Adair Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force
station. It is located 7.7 miles (12.4 km) north-northeast of Corvallis, Oregon
. It was closed in 1969.
, established by the United States Army
as a training facility during World War II
.
Initial construction by the Air Force on Camp Adair began in 1957 with the large, three story concrete Semi Automatic Ground Environment
(SAGE) Direction Center, along with buildings for a barracks, dining hall, officer's quarters and open mess's. In addition a base exchange, dispensary, gymnasium, a headquarters building, supply facilities were constructed. 150 family housing units were also built for married personnel.
The SAGE system was a network linking Air Force (and later FAA) General Surveillance Radar stations into a centralized center for Air Defense, intended to provide early warning and response for a Soviet nuclear attack. DC-13 was activated on 1 September 1958 by the Portland Air Defense Sector
(PADS), under the 25th Air Division. DC-13 with its AN/FSQ-7
computer was transferred to the 26th Air Division on 1 April 1966 when the PADS was inactivated.
In addition to the SAGE and station facilities, construction of a CIM-10 Bomarc surface-to-air missile complex 44°42′08"N 123°12′00"W was begun in 1959. Budget restrictions and other issues caused the cancellation of the Bomarc deployment when the deployment was cancelled in March 1960 after the facility was 50% completed.
SAGE operations continued until 30 September 1969 when technology advances allowed the Air Force to shut down many SAGE Data Centers. With the closure of DC-13, Adair AFS was closed. Today, Adair Air Force Station is a part of the city of Adair Village. The SAGE blockhouse remains, in private hands. The Bomarc site is now wooded and abandoned, some concrete pads intermixed in the woods.
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
station. It is located 7.7 miles (12.4 km) north-northeast of Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
. It was closed in 1969.
History
Adair Air Force Station was established in 1957 on Camp AdairCamp Adair
Camp Adair was a United States Army division training facility established north of Corvallis, Oregon, operating from 1942 to 1946. Part of the site is now contained within the E. E...
, established by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as a training facility during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Initial construction by the Air Force on Camp Adair began in 1957 with the large, three story concrete Semi Automatic Ground Environment
Semi Automatic Ground Environment
The Semi-Automatic Ground Environment was an automated control system for tracking and intercepting enemy bomber aircraft used by NORAD from the late 1950s into the 1980s...
(SAGE) Direction Center, along with buildings for a barracks, dining hall, officer's quarters and open mess's. In addition a base exchange, dispensary, gymnasium, a headquarters building, supply facilities were constructed. 150 family housing units were also built for married personnel.
The SAGE system was a network linking Air Force (and later FAA) General Surveillance Radar stations into a centralized center for Air Defense, intended to provide early warning and response for a Soviet nuclear attack. DC-13 was activated on 1 September 1958 by the Portland Air Defense Sector
Portland Air Defense Sector
The Portland Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 25th Air Division, being stationed at Adair Air Force Station, Oregon. It was inactivated on 1 April 1966.- History :...
(PADS), under the 25th Air Division. DC-13 with its AN/FSQ-7
AN/FSQ-7
The AN/FSQ-7 was a computer model developed and built in the 1950s by IBM in partnership with the US Air Force. Fifty-two were built and used for command and control functions for the Semi Automatic Ground Environment air-defense system...
computer was transferred to the 26th Air Division on 1 April 1966 when the PADS was inactivated.
In addition to the SAGE and station facilities, construction of a CIM-10 Bomarc surface-to-air missile complex 44°42′08"N 123°12′00"W was begun in 1959. Budget restrictions and other issues caused the cancellation of the Bomarc deployment when the deployment was cancelled in March 1960 after the facility was 50% completed.
SAGE operations continued until 30 September 1969 when technology advances allowed the Air Force to shut down many SAGE Data Centers. With the closure of DC-13, Adair AFS was closed. Today, Adair Air Force Station is a part of the city of Adair Village. The SAGE blockhouse remains, in private hands. The Bomarc site is now wooded and abandoned, some concrete pads intermixed in the woods.
USAF units assigned
- 26th Air Division, 1 April 1966-30 September 1969
- Portland Air Defense SectorPortland Air Defense SectorThe Portland Air Defense Sector is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 25th Air Division, being stationed at Adair Air Force Station, Oregon. It was inactivated on 1 April 1966.- History :...
, 1 September 1958-1 April 1966