| Empire Air Force Station |
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Information AboutEmpire Air Force Station |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT EMPIRE AIR FORCE STATION | |
| sage sites | |
| closed facilities of the united states air force | |
| SHOPPER'S DELIGHT | |
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The radar site was operated by the 752nd Aircraft Control and Warning (AC&W) squadron, starting in late 1951 . The unit operated and maintained an AN/CPS-6B radar at this site. In 1958 this radar was replaced by an AN/FPS-6. A second height-finder radar arrived a year later. In 1960 Empire site began operating an AN/FPS-7 radar, and joined the SAGE system. One of the AN/FPS-6 height-finder radars was supplanted by an AN/FPS-26A in 1963 . In 1964 Empire site became an ADC/FAA ( Federal Aviation Administration ) joint-use site. The 752nd Radar Squadron (SAGE) was deactivated in April 1978 , and the AN/FPS-26A height-finder was decommissioned in this time frame. The FAA assumed control of the radar operations area except for the AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar (now modified to the AN/FPS-116 variant). The National Park Service assumed control of the rest of the property. Circa 1980 or 1981 , the AN/FPS-7 search radar was replaced by an FAA model ARSR-3 search radar. The AN/FPS-116 height-finder radar was removed circa 1988 . The ARSR-3 was replaced by an ARSR-4 in the late 1990’s. Many of the veterans of this site still reside in the area and in Traverse City , Michigan, approximately 26 miles east of Empire. The museum in Empire has a full history of the air station, including a historical marker and the original rock marker for the Dining Hall on display. Reunions are held annually for the veterans of Empire AFS. EXTERNAL LINKS
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