Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

Nice shots and very interesting subject matter, David. There must have been some outdoor recreation of some kind. Hunting, fishing? No?
I always wanted to get orders to someplace like that. Instead the Navy sent me to the tropics, Guam, the Philippines, Okinawa, Hawaii, Cuba, Taiwan, etc. I was forced to learn SCUBA diving instead of spending my time hunting! We all have our burdens to bear. :-}
You were much prettier back in those days BTW.

jederick Loc: Northern Utah

Quite the interesting series of photos from a place most of us never knew existed...thanks for sharing this series David and, I would not have known that was you in those two photos!!

Don W-37 Loc: Bangkok, Thailand

I got out of the Navy in Dec '59, and got an offer for a job on the DEW Line. It was a 1 year contract at very high pay, but my wife said she would divorce me! So, I took a job as a Philco Field Engineer at the radar station in Point Arena, CA. And I worked on the FPS-20 search radar that you mentioned. Later, rejoined the Navy, and retired with 23 years of service. Good decision. The Navy was very good to me!

twowindsbear

Did you operate a SAGE console?

compilot Loc: ARIZONA

Yes, I worked in Air Surveillance at K.I. Sawyer and at Luke AFB SAGE Direction Centers, manual radar in Ubon Thailand and Oakdale, Pa

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

Very good series, David.

Hueg2015 Loc: Woodland, CA

I can't say for sure, but the time line matches the engagement of the Over the Horizon Radar, West Cost, based in Maine. I would go out there twice a year to install software updates and perform integration tests. That covered 3K miles and had an azimuth of 180 degrees.
Thank you for the great documentary on an important project of the day.

BurghByrd Loc: Pittsburgh

Thanks for sharing that history with us.

twowindsbear

Does today's air traffic control system have similar functions as SAGE had?

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

Just got up--responding to comments.

Mike, thanks for commenting. I believe the temperature that day was -35°F, but there was no wind. The site was a couple of miles from the town, and I was walking down to town.

Steve, I appreciate your nice comment. Pun accepted.

compilot, not sure I’ve seen you before—thanks for looking and commenting. You’re welcome. I believe the call sign at Cartwright was “Dividend”.

Mangleslphoto, thank you very much. I believe those pictures were taken with a Petri 7s rangefinder 35mm camera (my first 35mm).

ELNikkor, you’re welcome. Life there was not a bed of roses, but at least we had warm shelter and good food. A tour there was one year.

nimbushopper, thank you for the nice comment. Were you stationed at Shemya?

blacks2, thank you for the 4 thumbs! Always nice to see you.

Jim, you’re welcome. There is a history site, www.radomes.org is one, and another is http://c-and-e-museum.org/Pinetreeline/homepage.html. I’m pleased to have stimulated your memories.

Doug, I appreciate your nice comment. You’re welcome. I know it got down to -35°F at least. We were situated between 2 big bodies of water, which somewhat moderated the temperature.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

Shemya was AF, I was Navy and stationed at Adak, another Aleution island east of Shemya, but I flew into Shemya several times.

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

More catching up.

Retired CPO, thank you very much. Yes, there were outdoor recreations—hunting and fishing were both very popular there. Gen. LeMay used to come to Eagle River (nearby) for fishing. He always had a communications team and they connected to their headquarters through our comm links. I went on a hunting trip with some of the other officers—I didn’t hunt, but enjoyed the outing with them. I do have photos of that trip but didn’t post them. If you want to see them, they are in this Album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/8712554@N02/albums/72157632285171714/page2.

Hi, jederick! Thanks for coming. You’re welcome. Yes, I’ve changed a lot since 1965.

Don, you and I were not too far apart in the early 1960s—I was stationed at Mt. Hebo AFS, Oregon up the coast from 1960 to 1962, and then at Adair AFS, Oregon at Corvallis 1962-1964. From there I was sent to Cartwright. We had Philco Tech Reps at Mt. Hebo. Thank you for your service. (I did 20 in USAF.)

twowindsbear, I did not operate a SAGE console. We were a manual site at Cartwright and SAGE was not connected to us. Prior to my assignment at Cartwright I had been at Adair AFS, Oregon, which was a SAGE Direction Center. I was a Computer Maintenance Officer there, and the SAGE consoles were my responsibility, along with all the rest of the AN/FSQ-7 equipment.

Hi, compilot. Thanks for your service.

Earnest, thanks so much. I’m glad you liked it.

Hueg2015, thanks for your interesting comment. OTC West Coast based in Maine? I knew of the installation in California. You’re welcome—I’m glad you liked it.

BurghByrd, you’re welcome. I like sharing, and am happy you enjoyed it.

Hi, twowindsbear, answering your question. I am not familiar with what the current ATC system is capable of, but some of its functions would be the same as in SAGE. SAGE was designed and operated as a defense resource, with the capability of intercepting and shooting down enemy aircraft—keeping track of air traffic was just a collateral function, and its information on that was shared with FAA. My understanding is that FAA tracking relies almost entirely on transponder information—“skin painting” is not very much done; SAGE relied heavily on actual radar returns (“skin painting”) and used transponders mostly for identification.

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

OK. I knew about the Aleutian Island sites. I spent 4 years in coastal Oregon 1960-1964.

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

Thanks for the awesome tour⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

You're welcome, Joe. Thanks for the 5 thumbs!