Mill Valley Air Force Station
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mill Valley Air Force Station | |
|---|---|
| Part of Aerospace Defense Command | |
| Mount Tamalpais West Peak | |
  Main gate signs: top, as active Air Force Station circa 1973 and bottom, as FAA Joint Surveillance System (JSS) Facility J-33. |
|
| Type | Long Range Radar Site |
| Coordinates | |
| Built | 1950 - 1952 |
| In use | 1953 - 1980 |
| Current owner |
Marin Municipal Water District |
Mill Valley Air Force Station (MVAFS) was a United States Air Force installation on the West Peak of Mt. Tamalpais in Mill Valley, California[1]. Its primary purpose was the operation of the radar facilities on Mt. Tam and command and control of anti-aircraft missile systems around the Bay Area. MVAFS has stood largely vacant since the early 1980's and has seen various occupancy by the FAA.
Contents |
[edit] History
The Federal Government entered a lease with the Marin Municipal Water District in 1942 to occupy the land atop Mt. Tam's West Peak and build an Army installation. Commissioned in 1953, the station operated until its final tenant unit, the 666th Radar Squadron, was deactivated in 1980. In 2005, the Federal Government's lease expired and the land was returned to the MMWD.
[edit] Current usage
Most people who have attended the annual Mountain Play have parked in a lot that once comprised part of MVAFS. The characteristic "golf balls" that dot the ridgeline of Mt. Tam are reminders of the station's legacy.
[edit] Air Force radar operations
The MVAFS radar operations area consisted of 3 radar sets with their support structures sited on Mount Tamalpais' west peak. The image to the right (from Mount Tamalpais' east peak) shows (left to right) the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) search radar (white radome), the submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) detection radar (grey/green radome) and the SAGE height finder radar (no radome).
[edit] SAGE radar operations
SAGE radar and station operations were 666th Radar Squadron's primary missions[1].
[edit] SAGE search radar
1973 AN/FPS-107.
[edit] SAGE height finder radar
1973 AN/FPS-90.
[edit] SAGE radar digitizer
AN/FST-2 replaced by AN/FYQ-47.
[edit] SLBM radar operation
SLBM radar operation was Detachment 3, 14th Missile Warning Squadron's primary mission[1].
[edit] SLBM detection radar
1973 AN/FSS-7 (fuzzy 7).
[edit] Army Nike missile operations
MVAFS hosted a United States Army Nike missile air defense control site (San Francisco Defense Area Site SF-90DC)[1][2][3] operated by the Army Air Defense Command Post for the 40th Artillery Brigade from 1959 until June 1971 and the 13th Air Defense Artillery Group from July 1971 to August 1974[1].
[edit] FAA JSS radar operations
MVAFS became Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Joint Surveillance System (JSS) Facility J-33[2][4].
[edit] Station support area
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Mill Valley Air Force Station. California State Military Museum. Retrieved on 2007-07-18.
- ^ a b Locations of Former NIKE MISSILE SITES (text). Ed Thelen. Retrieved on 2007-07-18.
- ^ GGNRA - Cold War Era, 1952-1974. National Park Service. Retrieved on 2007-07-18.
- ^ MILL VALLEY LRR SURVEILLANCE [QMV]. Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved on 2007-07-18.
