Baudette Air Force Station

{{Short description|Closed US Air Force radar station near Baudette, Minnesota}} {{Use American English|date=January 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox military installation |name=Baudette Air Force Station |ensign=Air Defense Command.svg |ensign_size=60px |partof=Air Defense Command |location= |image= |caption= |type=Air Force Station |code= ADC ID: SM-132, NORAD ID: Z-132 |built=1958 |builder= |materials= |height= |used=1958-1979 |demolished= |condition= |ownership= |controlledby={{air force|USA}} |garrison=692d Air Defense Group<br>692d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (later Radar Squadron) |commanders= |occupants= |battles= |events= |pushpin_map= Minnesota |pushpin_label=Baudette AFS |coordinates = {{coord|48|40|12|N|094|37|07|W|type:landmark|display=inline}} |pushpin_mapsize=250 |pushpin_map_caption=Location of Baudette AFS, Minnesota }} {{geoGroup}} thumb|175px|Emblem of the 692d Radar Squadron '''Baudette Air Force Station''' is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located {{convert|3.1|mi|km}} south-southwest of Baudette, Minnesota. It was closed in 1979.

==History== Baudette Air Force Station was initially part of Phase II of the Air Defense Command Mobile Radar program. The Air Force approved this expansion of the Mobile Radar program on 23 October 1952. Radars in this network were designated "SM."

The station became operational on 1 October 1958 when the 692d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron<ref name="cj 161">Cornett & Johnson, p. 161</ref> began operating an AN/FPS-3 and a pair of AN/FPS-6 height-finder radars, 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.

During 1959 Baudette AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, feeding data to DC-10 at Duluth IAP, Minnesota. After joining, the squadron was redesignated as the 692d Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 15 December 1959.<ref name="cj 161"/> The radar squadron provided information around the clock to the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range, direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile.

In 1962 Baudette received an AN/FPS-24 search radar, and during 1963 an AN/FPS-26A height-finder radar was installed, replacing one AN/FPS-6, and the other AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar was upgraded to an AN/FPS-90. On 31 July 1963, the site was redesignated as NORAD ID Z-132.

In addition to the main facility, Baudette operated the following AN/FPS-18 Gap Filler sites: * Big Falls, MN (SM-132A) {{Coord|48|11|26|N|093|47|30|W|name=SM-132A|display=inline}} * Middle River, MN (SM-132B) {{Coord|48|32|09|N|096|00|54|W|name=SM-132B|display=inline}}

Over the years, the equipment at the station was upgraded or modified to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the information gathered by the radars. The AN/FPS-90 height-finder radar was retired in late 1971.

The 692nd Radar Sq was inactivated<ref name="cj 161"/> and replaced by the 692d Air Defense Group in March 1970.<ref name="cj 86">Cornett, & Johnson, p. 86</ref> The upgrade to group status was done because of Baudette AFS' status as a Backup Interceptor Control (BUIC) site. BUIC sites were alternate control sites in case SAGE Direction Centers became disabled and unable to control interceptor aircraft. The group was awarded the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award for exceptionally meritorious service for the period 1 June 1971 through 31 May 1973<ref name=AFP9002>AF Pamphlet 900-2, 30 Sep 76, p. 87</ref> The group was inactivated<ref name="cj 86"/> and replaced by the 692nd Radar Squadron<ref name="cj 161"/> as defenses against manned bombers were reduced. The group was disbanded in 1984.<ref name=DAFMPM575q>Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 575q, 27 Sep 1984, Subject: Disbandment of Units</ref> The 692d Radar Squadron was inactivated on 1 July 1979<ref name="cj 161"/> as part of the phase-down of Aerospace Defense Command.

Today, the former Baudette Air Force Station is a cold-weather automobile test facility used by Acura. Many USAF buildings remain and in use and the station is well maintained, along with the large AN/FPS-24 search radar tower.

== Air Force units and assignments ==

===Units=== * Constituted as '''692nd Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron''' : Activated at Snelling AFS, Minnesota, 8 August 1958 (not manned or equipped) : Moved to Baudette AFS on 1 October 1958 : Redesignated '''692nd Radar Squadron''' (SAGE) on 15 December 1959 : Inactivated on 1 March 1970 : Redesignated '''692nd Radar Squadron''' on 1 January 1974 : Activated on 17 January 1974 : Inactivated on 1 July 1979<ref name="cj 161"/> * Constituted as '''692nd Air Defense Group''' on 13 February 1970 : Activated on 1 March 1970 : Inactivated on 17 January 1974<ref name="cj 86"/> : Disbanded on 27 September 1984<ref name=DAFMPM575q/>

====Awards==== {{unit awards table |award_image1=AF OUA |award_name1=Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |award_date1=692d Air Defense Group 1 June 1971 – 31 May 1973 |award_notes1=<ref name=AFP9002/> }}

====Commanders==== * Lt Col. B.E. Thayer, 1 March 1970 - 1970<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/445/640.xml |title=Abstract, History of 692nd Air Defense Group, Jan (sic)-Mar 1970|publisher=Air Force History Index|access-date=12 January 2012}}</ref> * Lt Col. Walter M. Adcock, 1970 - unknown<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.airforcehistoryindex.org/data/000/445/641.xml |title=Abstract, History of 692nd Air Defense Group, Jul-Sep 1970|publisher=Air Force History Index|access-date=12 January 2012}}</ref> * Lt Col Carl A. Lindberg, 30 August 1961 - 3 August 1963 Source: That Officer's AF Form 11 (supplied by his oldest son, Carl A. Lindberg Jr.).

===Assignments=== * 31st Air Division, 1 October 1958 * 37th Air Division, 1 January 1959 * 30th Air Division, 1 April 1959 * Duluth Air Defense Sector, 1 July 1959 * 29th Air Division, 1 April 1966 * 23d Air Division, 19 November 1969 - 1 July 1979<ref name="cj 161"/><ref name="cj 86"/>

==References== ===Notes=== {{Reflist}}

===Bibliography=== {{AFHRA}} * {{cite book|last=Cornett|first=Lloyd H|author2=Johnson, Mildred W|title=A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization, 1946–1980|url=http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/handbookofadcorg.pdf|year=1980|publisher=Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center|location=Peterson AFB, CO|page=161|access-date=2011-11-24|archive-date=2016-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213173347/http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/handbookofadcorg.pdf|url-status=dead}} * [http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/AFP900-2Vol2.pdf AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits, Vol II] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150804124603/http://www.usafpatches.com/pubs/AFP900-2Vol2.pdf |date=2015-08-04 }} Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 30 Sep 76

'''Further reading''' * {{cite book|last=Leonard|first=Barry|title=History of Strategic Air and Ballistic Missile Defense|url=http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/bmd/BMDV2.pdf|volume=II, 1955-1972|year=2009|publisher=Center for Military History|location=Fort McNair, DC|isbn=978-1-4379-2131-1|access-date=2012-11-11|archive-date=2019-12-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216135402/https://history.army.mil/html/books/bmd/BMDV2.pdf|url-status=dead}} * {{cite book|last=Winkler|first=David F.|author2=Webster, Julie L|title=Searching the skies: The legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program|url= http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bn/GetTRDoc?Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf&AD=ADA331231 |year=1997|publisher=US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories|location=Champaign, IL|lccn=97020912}}{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

==External links== * {{cite web |url= http://www.radomes.org/cgi-bin/museum/acwinfo2x.cgi?site=%22Baudette+AFS,+MN%22&key=BaudetteAFSMN&pic=BaudetteAFSMN&doc=BaudetteAFSMN&www=BaudetteAFSMN |title=Information for Baudette AFS, MN|publisher=Radomes, Inc.|access-date=21 August 2014}} {{Aerospace Defense Command|state=autocollapse}}

Category:Installations of the United States Air Force in Minnesota Category:Semi-Automatic Ground Environment sites Category:Aerospace Defense Command military installations Category:1958 establishments in Minnesota Category:1979 disestablishments in Minnesota Category:Military installations established in 1958 Category:Military installations closed in 1979