Ozona Air Force Station

Ozona Air Force Station
Part of Air Defense Command (ADC)
Ozona AFS
Location of Ozona AFS, Texas
Coordinates 30°42′15″N 101°07′00″W / 30.70417°N 101.11667°W / 30.70417; -101.11667 (Ozona AFS TM-187)Coordinates: 30°42′15″N 101°07′00″W / 30.70417°N 101.11667°W / 30.70417; -101.11667 (Ozona AFS TM-187)
Type Air Force Station
Site information
Controlled by  United States Air Force
Site history
Built 1957
In use 1957-1963
Garrison information
Garrison 662d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron
Emblem of the 32d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron

Ozona Air Force Station (ADC ID: TM-187) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Ozona, Texas. It was closed in 1963.

History

Ozona Air Force Station came into existence as part of Phase III of the Air Defense Command Mobile Radar program. On October 20, 1953 ADC requested a third phase of twenty-five radar sites be constructed.

The 732d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was assigned to Oznoma AFS by the 33d Air Division on 8 November 1956. It began operating an AN/FPS-3 search radar and an AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar at the station, and 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.

In addition to the main facility, Ozona operated several AN/FPS-14 Gap Filler sites:

Ozona was closed in 1963 due to budget reductions. Operations ceased on 1 August 1963 and the squadron was discontinued. Today, what was Ozona Air Force Station is privately owned. The station is abandoned, the remaining buildings are frozen in time complete with electrical wires connected to substation which no longer remains. Most of the buildings that remain are in a very deteriorated condition. The former Air Force housing area is in use as single family residences, now called "Crockett Heights".

Ozona AFS most important mission was during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Its Radars and radio were used to keep track of the U2's being flown out of Laughlin AFB on their flights over Cuba. The crisis delayed closing the base for another year.

Air Force units and assignments

Units:

Activated on 8 November 1956 by 33d AD at Oklahoma City AFS
Discontinued on 1 August 1963

Assignments:

See also

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.

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