| Custer Air Force Station | |
|---|---|
| Part of Air Defense Command (ADC) | |
| Type | Air Force Station |
| Built | 1952 |
| In use | 1952–1965 |
| Controlled by | United States Air Force |
| Garrison | 781st Aircraft Control and Warning (later Radar) Squadron |
Custer Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-67 DC-6, NORAD ID: Z-67, DC-6) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar and Direction Center station. It is located 5.3 miles (8.5 km) west-northwest of Battle Creek, Michigan. It was closed in 1965.
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Custer Air Force Station was one of twenty-eight stations built as part of the second segment of the Air Defense Command permanent radar network. Prompted by the start of the Korean War, on July 11, 1950, the Secretary of the Air Force asked the Secretary of Defense for approval to expedite construction of the permanent network. Receiving the Defense Secretary’s approval on July 21, the Air Force directed the Corps of Engineers to proceed with construction.
Established at Fort Custer, Michigan on 18 April 1953, the 781st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (AC&W Sq) began operations with AN/FPS-3 and AN/CPS-4 radars at the site in April 1952. Initially the station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) and warning station. As a GCI station, the squadron's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes.
The site was renamed Custer Air Force Station on 1 July 1956. An AN/FPS-4 replaced the AN/CPS-4 in 1956 and an AN/FPS-6 superseded this unit two years later. Also in 1958 an AN/FPS-20 replaced the AN/FPS-3 search radar. This radar was upgraded to an AN/FPS-66 in 1961. A second height-finder radar was installed in 1959. On 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-67.
In 1958 a Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) Data Center (DC-06) was established at Custer AFS (Fort Custer). 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-06 was co-located on the Cantonment area of the 781st AC&W Sq.
During 1959 the 781st AC&W Sq joined the SAGE system, feeding data to DC-06. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 781st Radar Squadron (SAGE) (Radar Sq) on 1 September 1959. The squadron provided information 24/7 the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range, direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile.
In addition to the main facility, Custer AFS operated the following AN/FPS-18 Gap Filler sites:
DC-06 It was initially under the Detroit Air Defense Sector (DeADS), originally established as the 4627th Air Defemse Wing on 8 January 1957. The sector was discontinued on 1 April 1966, and replaced by the 34th Air Division (AD). DC-06 with its AN/FSQ-7 computer remained under the 34th AD until it, and the Air Division were inactivated on 30 September 1969 when technology advances allowed the Air Force to shut down many SAGE Data Centers. With the inactivation of the DADS, Custer AFS was closed. The 781st Radar Sq was discontinued on 25 June 1965
Today the site appears to be a light business office park along with being the headquarters of the 24th NORAD Division. The large SAGE DC-06 blockhouse remains, now being a security archives warehouse. There is also a sign on the perimeter fence for a construction trucking company. The buildings in the immediate area of the SAGE blockhouse are in generally good repair, with some still in use. The Battle Creek regional chapters of the Air Force Sergeant's Association and Air Force Enlisted Association use the old Open Mess building.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.