Trip Report: Career Change Scramble
First published in 2003. Reformatted 2025. After several months of unemployment, I finally landed a new job. Unfortunately, it required a move from the Dallas-Fort Worth area to the San Antonio area. In my last month "up north" I managed to squeeze in a couple of overnight research trips. I wanted to take advantage of the DFW base of operations before heading south. Just a reminder PIN means Permanent Installation Number and ILC means Installation Location Code; I include these for Air Force properties when I know them.Saturday, 4 January 2003
Getting an early start at 0535, I headed up US 287 to Wichita Falls. Then, US 277 north to I-44, and local roads toward Cache, Oklahoma. My first stop of the day was an Atlas F missile site. Altus AF Missile Site #4 OK, PIN 7060. Signage at the main gate called it Cache FFA Livestock Barn & Fairgrounds. Access to the silo cap was wide open. I observed two Quonset huts and the personnel entryway. Like the other 11 Altus missile sites, this one was designated in 1960 and disposed of in 1968.New signage
Silo cap area
Silo cap area
General view Altus AF Missile Site #2 OK, PIN 7744, ILC AGGV. I didn't get as close to the silo at this stop near Hobart. The access road was wide open, but the inner gate had no trespassing signs, which I respected. The personnel entryway and two Quonset huts were visible from outside the gate.
Gate and personnel entryway
Gate and two Quonset huts (warehouses) Clinton-Sherman TVOR Annex OK, PIN 6605. Now it was time to switch gears and locate a navigation aid site north of Sentinel. This site supported Clinton-Sherman AFB from 1958 until at least 1967. The site is now operated as Burns Flat VORTAC by the FAA. Getting to this site was fun; melting snow had turned the dirt county road into a slippery mud pit! After this stop, I had to pause and clean mud from my windows before I took to the highway.
General view Boiling Springs State Park OK, 36-27-15, 99-18-10. In 1942-44 this was known as Dispersed Service Group Training Station or 1 AAF Service Group Training Center, under Air Service Command. In 1935, the Civilian Conservation Corps constructed many of the park facilities, like the stone building next to the swimming pool. The park is named for springs that bubble up through sand. Another nice feature is a small lake. I have not learned what training the AAF conducted here.
General view
General view
General view Woodward AAFld OK, 36-26, 99-32. Cruising back through town, I stopped at West Woodward Airport (KWWR). During WWII this airfield was occasionally listed under Will Rogers Field. One hangar looked like it might date from the war days.
Non-historic elevated water storage tank
Hangar
Hangar Gage AAFld OK, 36-17, 99-46-30. Just a few miles to the west, I found Gage Airport (KGAG). In 1943 it was sometimes listed under Will Rogers Field, and in 1944-1945 it listed as an auxiliary to Liberal AAFld KS.
Building
Building Altus AF Missile Site #11 OK, PIN 7065. From Gage, I headed south toward Willow and found The access road was blocked and marked with no trespassing signs. A single Quonset hut was visible on the site, with the ends partly demolished. The personnel entryway was also visible.
Quonset hut (warehouse) and personnel entryway
Quonset hut (warehouse) and personnel entryway
Quonset hut (warehouse) and personnel entryway Altus AF Missile Site #10 OK, PIN 7064. Motoring toward Mangum, I located this Atlas F site. Both Quonsets and the silo doors were visible from the locked gate. As a bonus, I found a theodolite mounting post, also called an azimuth marker post.
Quonset hut (warehouse) and silo doors
Quonset hut (warehouse) and silo doors
Azimuth marker post
Azimuth marker post Altus AF Missile Site #10 Water System Site OK. A remote water well for Site #10 was next to a nearby road.
General view
General view
General view
General view The sun was setting as I headed toward Altus AFB. I obtained a room in the VOQ and settled in for a good night's sleep. I covered 605 miles today, in 13 hours.
Sunday, 5 January 2003
Pampa AAFld TX, PIN 1892, 35-32, 100-44. Another early start, and I arrived at my first target just as the sun was coming up. From Altus, I drove to the vicinity of Pampa, Texas, and found the remains of this airfield. The runway patterns are faintly visible in aerial photos, but the ground is now farmland. The most obvious remnant of AAF use is a concrete tower, now minus the water tank. This base was a pilot school from 1942 to 1945. It was declared surplus in 1946, transferred to the Corps of Engineers in 1947, and then redesignated Pampa AF Auxiliary Field #1 in 1948. It remained on the AF property books until at least 1952.General view
General view
General view
Water storage tower
General view
Historical marker Thompson Auxiliary Field #2 TX, 35-37, 100-59-45. Now Perry Lefors Field Airport (KPPA), this was an auxiliary field under Pampa AAFld during WWII.
General view
Hangar Pampa AF Auxiliary Field #2 TX, PIN 1893, 35-27-12, 100-58-55. Just a few miles away I found the former During WWII this was another of Pampa AAFld's auxiliary fields. Originally called Reeves Auxiliary Field #1, it took on the AF auxiliary field designation in 1948 and stayed on the books until at least 1952. The airfield is now farmed. Aerial photos still show the runway patterns, though I could not discern them from ground level.
General view
General view Altus AF Missile Site #12 OK, PIN 7105. Time to head back into Oklahoma and cross the remaining Altus Atlas F sites off my list. Near Granite, I found Site #12.
View from gate
Quonset hut (warehouse) Altus AF Missile Site #1 OK, PIN 7058. Near Lone Wolf, I found Site #1.
Gate and Quonset hut
Gate and Quonset hut (warehouse)
Quonset hut (warehouse) and personnel entryway Altus Communications Annex (Receiver) OK, PIN 5866, ILC AGGQ. Motoring back toward Altus AFB, I looked for this former communications site. From the gate, it looked like the building had been modified for ranch use. A few wooden poles were standing; they probably supported antenna elements. This 39.15-acre site was active from 1956 until 1979.
View from gate Altus ILS Outer Marker Annex OK, PIN 5823, ILC AGNF, 34-33-54, 99-16-26. Driving south of the base a few miles, I found the former outer marker. The building, enclosed in a rectangular fenced area, looked abandoned and was in poor condition.
Building
Building Tipton Auxiliary Field #1 OK, 34-27-30, 99-10. Time to start working my way back toward home. Passing near Tipton, I paused at Tipton Municipal Airport (1O8). This airfield was under Frederick AAFld during WWII.
General view Chattanooga Auxiliary Field #4 OK, 34-22, 98-41. State Route 5 took me to Chattanooga Sky Harbor Airport (92F). This was another WWII auxiliary of Frederick AAFld.
Hangar
Building Grandfield Auxiliary Field #3 OK, PIN 9655, 34-14-30, 98-44. From there I passed through Frederick and visited Grandfield Municipal Airport (1O1). This field was under Frederick AAFld during WWII. This may have also been a WWI auxiliary field under Call Field.
General view
General view From there, I took US 70 to I-44 to US 281, and headed back to the Metroplex. Wrapped up the day in thirteen hours, covering 638 miles. Total trip was 1,243 miles, and the Forester averaged 24.7 miles per gallon.
Saturday, 11 January 2003
This was going to be a long day, so I departed Arlington early at 0520. I took a series of U.S. and interstate highways to the vicinity of Fayetteville, Arkansas. This is an area of hilly terrain--parts of the drive resembled the path of a roller coaster. Spring Valley Communication Site GWEN 660 AR, ILC VZKR. My first stop was this former GWEN site, sometimes called Fayetteville. It served the Air Force from approximately 1983 until disposal in 2000. The equipment shelters, signs, and main antenna were still in place. This is one of a few GWEN sites with a 306-foot tower instead of the usual 299-foot tower.Shelters with antenna in background
Shelters with antenna in background
View from gate
View from road Everton Radar Bomb Scoring Site AR, ILC KERP, 36-08-11, 92-56-26. Getting to the next stop meant more hilly, twisting driving. When activated in 1993, this was called Harrison Radar Bomb Scoring Site. It was renamed in 1998. The RBS trailers are gone, but the compound is still fenced and has USAF signs.
View from gate
General view
Fence with USAF sign Everton Mini-Mute Site (4MM1) RBS AR, ILC KERA, 36-00-24, 92-22-58. The driving was even slower getting to this location. Activated in 1995, this site was also renamed from Harrison to Everton in 1998.
View from road
General view Little Rock AF Missile Site #16 AR, PIN 7933, ILC NKCV, 35-24-51, 92-23-49. Near Bee Branch, I found this former Titan II site. It was assigned to Little Rock AFB in 1961 and disposed in 1997. The site was secured and marked as private property. Little Rock AFB had 18 missile sites, and although the missiles were clearly SAC assets, the real property jurisdiction and accountability transferred from SAC to TAC in 1970, then to MAC in 1974. So, TAC and MAC actually "owned" the sites during those times.
View down access road By this time I was out of daylight and ready to stop for the night. Today covered 639 miles, in just 13 hours.
Sunday, 12 January 2003
Little Rock AF Missile Site #9 AR, PIN 7418, ILC NKCN, 35-08-42, 92-15-16. This site was assigned in 1960, disposed in 1990. It was now private property, gated and signed. I didn't want to wait around for daylight, so my photos are a bit dark.Gate
Gate Little Rock AF Missile Site #1 AR, PIN 7411, ILC NKCE, 35-12-35, 92-07-28. Access to this site was wide open, so I was able to go past the parking area and former security gate to the silo area. I noticed the slab from a Quonset hut just prior to the parking area, and a communications manhole cover near the silo itself.
General view
General view
Parking area along access road
Communications vault Little Rock AF Missile Site #2 AR, PIN 7412, ILC NKCF, 35-18-54, 92-01-09. Driving east past Rose Bud, I found this Titan II site. It was assigned in 1960 and disposed in 1996. It was secured and marked with signs.
View from road Little Rock AF Missile Site #5 AR, PIN 7415, ILC NKCJ, 35-15-38, 91-51-25. It was assigned in 1960, and disposed in 1990. I found it the access road blocked and signed.
View from road Little Rock AF Missile Site #6 AR, PIN 7416, ILC NKCK, 35-08-33, 91-54-03. Okay, one more missile site before we move on to other things! Assigned in 1960 and disposed in 1997, this one was also gated.
View from road Little Rock Communication Annex Transmitter AR, PIN 5857, ILC NKBQ, 34-55-11, 92-05-06. Heading closer to Jacksonville, I found this former communication annex. This facility was assigned in 1958, and was active until sometime after 1975. It is now marked as Pathfinder Phyllis Padgett Voss Park, although another worn sign indicates private property. The transmitter building was visible from the road; antennas would have been behind the building and to the left.
Current sign
Transmitter building From there, I headed south through Little Rock to the general aviation side of Adams Field (LIT). I had visited Adams Field before, but today I looked for a few small installations that were contiguous with, or later superimposed on, Adams Field property. These next three installations were close together; I photographed them all while standing in one spot! 839th AAF Specialized Storage Depot AR, 34-43-59, 92-14-42. Coexisting next to and supported by Adams Field in WWII was this 20-acre installation. It featured a large warehouse and a smaller administrative building.
Warehouse
Warehouse
Warehouse
Building Little Rock Radar Bomb Scoring Site AR, PIN 3151, 34-44-05, 92-14-31. This site was activated in 1955, and inactivated in 1961. The 3.5-acre installation was just north of the northeast corner of the 839th AAF Specialized Depot. Layout plans from the era show a C.A.P. Annex as a separate but contiguous parcel adjoining the RBSS. It's not clear if the C.A.P. (probably Civil Air Patrol) annex was truly a separate installation, or if the property was included in installation 3151.
General view
General view Little Rock Storage Annex #4 AR, PIN 7528, ILC ABJZ, 34-44-04, 92-14-43. The Air National Guard obtained another piece of land, north of the 839th and west of the RBSS, sometime after WWII. In 1965, it was transferred to the USAF and became a storage annex. It was disposed of in 1969.
General view
General view I encountered flurries near Texarkana, and by the time I hit Greenville it was heavy snow, wet roads, a steady wind, reduced visibility, and a temperature of 32. Rather than share those conditions with the idiots who were still driving 80 mph while ten feet from the car ahead of them, I called a weather divert in Greenville. So, I only covered 444 miles in 9 hours on this day. The next morning, I drove the remaining 83 miles home. This trip was 1,166 total miles, and the trusty Forester averaged 24.9 miles per gallon. Updated January 26, 2025
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