Cambria Air Force Station

Cambria Air Force Station
Part of Air Defense Command (ADC)
Coordinates	35°31′20″N 121°03′49″W
Type	Air Force Station
Site information
Controlled by	United States Air Force
Site history
Built	1951
In use	1951-1980
Garrison information
Garrison	775th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron

Cambria AFS

class=notpageimage|

Location of Cambria AFS, California

Cambria Air Force Station (ADC ID: P-2, NORAD ID: Z-2) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 3 miles (4.8 km) south-southeast of Cambria, California. It was closed in 1980.

History

Cambria Air Force Station was one of twenty-eight stations built as part of the second segment of the Air Defense Command permanent radar network. Prompted by the start of the Korean War, on July 11, 1950, the Secretary of the Air Force asked the Secretary of Defense for approval to expedite construction of the permanent network. Receiving the Defense Secretary’s approval on July 21, the Air Force directed the Corps of Engineers to proceed with construction.

The 775th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was initially assigned to a temporary "Lashup" site (LP-2) that was established in November 1951 at Cambria equipped with an AN/TPS-1C radar. On 1 December 1953 the permanent station was activated with AN/FPS-3 search and AN/CPS-4 height-finder radars, replacing the earlier site.

In 1955 the height-finder radar was replaced by an AN/FPS-6. An AN/FPS-8 search radar also operated for a short time from 1955 to 1956. In 1959 the site featured two AN/FPS-3, and AN/FPS-6 and AN/FPS-6A radars. In 1961 the site received an AN/FPS-7 radar featuring ECCM capability. In 1961 the site also replaced the AN/FPS-6A height-finder radar with a AN/FPS-6B model. In April 1961, Cambria was incorporated into the SAGE system, the squadron being re-designated as the 775th Radar Squadron (SAGE).

In 1963 an AN/FPS-26A replaced the AN/FPS-6B height-finder radar, and continued routine radar surveillance throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Cambria AFS was re-designated as NORAD ID Z-2 on 31 July 1963

In addition to the main facility, Cambria operated the AN/FPS-14 Gap Filler site:

• Lockwood, CA (P-2A) 35°57′04″N 121°00′05″W

In 1979 Cambria came under Tactical Air Command (TAC) jurisdiction with the inactivation of Aerospace Defense Command and the creation of ADTAC. Operations ceased on 30 September 1980 as a result of budget restrictions, and the general phase down of air defense radar stations.

Today, what was Cambria Air Force Station is in private hands. It was operated by the Coast Guard as a NAVTEX (Navigational Telex, broadcasting safety notices & weather info to ships) station. The station sold 1/13/05 for $2,000,000. Most buildings are in reasonable condition with most of the towers still remaining.

Air Force units and assignments

Emblem of the 775th Radar Squadron

Units:

• 775th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, Activated at Cambria, California, 7 March 1951

Site re-designated Cambria Air Force Station, 1 December 1953

Re-designated 775th Radar Squadron (SAGE) 1 May 1961

Re-designated 775th Radar Squadron, 1 February 1974

Inactivated on 30 September 1980

Assignments:

• 542d Aircraft Control and Warning Group, 7 March 1951
• 28th Air Division, 6 February 1952
• 27th Air Division, 1 October 1954
• Los Angeles Air Defense Sector, 1 October 1959
• 27th Air Division, 1 April 1966
• 26th Air Division, 19 November 1969-30 September 1980

See also

• List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
• Winkler, David F. (1997), Searching the skies: the legacy of the United States Cold War defense radar program. Prepared for United States Air Force Headquarters Air Combat Command.
• Information for Cambria AFS, CA