Baldy Hughes, BC

1981 – What Who and What - Anonymous


What Who and What?

With the completion of station construction in 1952, Baldy Hughes was manned by USAF and operated as a manual intercept control site under the designation 918th AC&W Squadron. The 918th was recalled from the National Guard to active service on 16 April 1952 at Geiger Field, Washing, USA. Transferred to Baldy Hughes, the 918th AC&W Squadron became operational on 1 April 1953.

The RCAF took over the station on 1 March 1963, just as it was about to be integrated into the SAGE system in the Seattle Sector, 25th NORAD Region. This integration was completed by the end of June 1963, at which time the USAF operations personnel returned to the United States. The unit was known as 54 AC&W Squadron while under RCAF control. With the integration of the RCN, RCA and RCAF in 1967, the unit was re-designated Canadian Forces Station Baldy Hughes.

The Domestic Site for the station is located at the eastern base of Mount Baldy Hughes on the land which was originally the Baldy Hughes homestead. Operational facilities were located in three areas: (Hill 1) a Transmit/Receive Air-Ground-Air (AGA) Communications Complex on a lower spur of the mountain about 0.5 km to the north (Hill 2) and a Receive A/G/A Communications site (now abandoned) on another volcanic mountain peak a further 1 km to the north (Hill 3).

 

Commanding Officers

918th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, USAF

Effective Date

Commanding Officer

16 Apr 52

2nd Lt. Wesley W McBride

29 May 52

Lt. Col. William E Pitcher

23 Aug 52

Captain Theodore T White

14 Oct 52

Captain Richard R Calvin

1 Nov 52

Captain Robert E Rice

Jun 54

Major Harold E Plain

Apr 55

Major Ben M Hagan

Feb 56

Major Orvil G Gransee

Dec 57

Major James D Lessley

1 Aug 59

Major Kenneth Coleman

Apr-May 61

Major (later Lt. Col.) Alfred J Nash

NOTE: - Records from 1953-1958 and 1961-1963 are incomplete

 

Commanding Officers

54th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, RCAF

Effective Date

Commanding Officer

1 Mar 63

W/C RD Sloat

10 Sep 65

W/C D Warren

 

Commanding Officers

Canadian Forces Station Baldy Hughes

Effective Date

Commanding Officer

27 Jul 67

LCol DJ Ackert

20 Aug 69

LCol JF Edwards

29 Aug 71

LCol GW Duguid

6 Jul 73

LCol HK Olsen

16 Jul 75

LCol DF McIntosh

28 Jul 77

LCol GL Walker

10 Jul 79

LCol WR Scott

3 Jul 81

Major LC Stanners

 

MAJOR OPERATIONAL EQUIPMENTS

Date

Equipment

1952

FPS-3C Search Radar and TPS-502 Height Finder Radar installed

Mar 59

FPS-20 Search Radar installed to replace FPS-3. SIF also installed

Aug 59

A/G/A RX site closed down and both RX and TX A/G/A radios located on Hill 2

Jul 60

FPS-6 Height Finder Radar made operational, replacing TPS-502

Feb 61

Second FPS-6 Height Finder is operational

Dec 61

SAGE GATR facility is operational

Jul 62

FST-2 Data Processor is installed

May 63

FPS-27 Search Radar is installed

Jul 63

Unit is SAGE operational

Aug 63

FPS-26 Height Finder is installed, replacing one FPS-6

Jul 64

UPX-14 Selective Identification Feature radar is operational

Dec 71

FYQ-47 Data Processor replaces the FST-2

Apr 75

FPS-26 Height Finder is shut down