Trip Report: Alabama Encore
First published in 2001. Reformatted 2025. Once again family priorities required me to visit northern Alabama. Of course, I'm not one to misuse precious travel time by proceeding directly from Point A to Point B! Here is a summary of the sights I saw on my trip. 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, 17 March 2001
Red River Space Surveillance Station AR, ILC UAUH. After a 0600 departure from Arlington, Texas, my first stop of the day was a receiver site (one of six) in the Navy's space surveillance system. It has been operational since approximately 1960. The antenna elements are mounted close to the ground, so they are not very obvious from a distance.General view
General view
Antenna
Antenna
Antenna
Antenna Hot Springs ANG Memorial AFB AR, ILC PYGY. Up the road to Hot Springs. This location was redesignated Hot Springs Memorial Airport in 1992, and I suspect the "AFB" in the older designation was an error. The ANG facility is on the edge of the airport grounds, not connected to the flightline, and hosts a communications unit.
General view
General view
184-foot demountable hangar
ANG facility Continuing to the northeast, I looped north around Little Rock to find some Titan II sites. Operational from the early 1960s to the late 1980s, these were all demolished several years ago. Working my way from west to east I went by six sites, finding them all to be either gated and locked, or clearly posted against trespassing. Little Rock AF Missile Site #14 AR, ILC NKCT, 35-10-05, 92-23-32.
View from public road Little Rock AF Missile Site #15 AR, ILC NKCU, 35-17-30, 92-23-14.
View from public road Little Rock AF Missile Site #17 AR, ILC NKCW, 35-19-46, 92-14-58.
Gate Little Rock AF Missile Site #18 AR, ILC NKCX, 35-24-36, 92-08-57. Site #18 has a fenced water well where the access road meets the public road.
View from public road
Water well
Water well Little Rock AF Missile Site #3 AR, ILC NKCG, 35-26-31, 91-58-57.
Gate Little Rock AF Missile Site #4 AR, ILC NKCH, 35-22-13, 91-47-39. Site #4 has a memorial dedicated to the 53 men who lost their lives in an explosion on 9 August 1965.
Memorial stone
Memorial plaque I had reservations on Little Rock AFB, and checked in for the night at 1700. My billeting suite was in a 3-story, red brick dormitory, much like the one I lived in at Dyess AFB back in the late 1970s. Back then four airmen shared two rooms and a bath, but now I had both rooms and the bath to myself. The similarity to Dyess is no coincidence; both bases were built in the early 1950s for SAC. Little Rock AFB was activated 1 August 1955 and has been owned and operated by SAC, TAC, MAC, AMC, ACC, and now AETC. That's a lot of MAJCOMs!
Sunday, 18 March 2001
Mallory Air Force Station TN, PIN 1754, 35-10-00, 89-57-25. Heading east into the rising sun, my first stop was in Memphis, Tennessee. During WWII, this was known as the 830th Army Air Forces Special Depot. It was redesignated the 830th Air Force Specialized Depot in approximately 1948, Mallory Air Force Specialized Depot on 7 October 1949, and on 3 January 1955 it was redesignated Mallory Air Force Station. It was inactivated 1 January 1961, and placed in excess status 1 February 1961. This industrial park is now used by numerous businesses, with some new construction evident.Non-historic sign
General view
Warehouse
Warehouse
Warehouse Prairie Vehicle Storage Station MS, PIN 1709. Heading south, I sought out the tiny town of Prairie, Mississippi. This was home to the Gulf Ordnance Plant, a sprawling Army ammunition production complex built in WWII. From 1953 until 30 June 1960, the Air Force used part of the former Army ordnance plant for vehicle storage and maintenance. I was able to see some munitions storage igloos including a few with doors on each end. Slip-sliding the Subaru down some muddy trails, I found a few other buildings. The main igloo complex was not publicly accessible. My thanks to Ron Plante for confirming the location and prior history of this installation.
Chimney and elevated water storage tank
Munitions storage igloo
Munitions storage igloo
Munitions storage igloo with doors at each end
Munitions storage igloo with doors at each end
Plant building
Plant building
Plant building
Plant buildings Van de Graaff Field AL, 33-13-30, 87-36-30. Moving southeast to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, I visited the current Tuscaloosa Municipal Airport (TCL). This was a WWII contract flying school, operated by Alabama Institute of Aeronautics, Inc. For at least part of its military service, it trained British cadets. The large hangar dates from 1936-37 as a Works Progress Administration undertaking. It still stands, although recent windstorms (100 mph straight line winds) ripped off much of the roofing. A small park near the hangar is home to a T-33.
Hangar
Hangar
Hangar detail
Hangar
T-33 display aircraft That was the last site visit of the day. I followed the interstate highways to Rainesville, Alabama, then cut west to Scottsboro for a few days of family business.
Wednesday, 21 March 2001
Lake Martin Recreation Annex AL, 32-46-45, 85-49-39. Departing Scottsboro at 1000, I motored south down the interstate then took back roads to find this current annex of Maxwell AFB. I saw few customers and in I couldn't find a staff member to pay the $1.50 entry fee for my brief visit. On my way out, I stuffed a couple of dollar bills in the office doorframe.General view
General view
General view Tuskegee AAFld AL, 32-29, 85-46. Continuing south, I had hoped to explore the remnants of This was the second training home (basic and advanced) of the Tuskegee Airmen after they completed the first part of their flying training at Moton Field. I braved the muddy and rutted road north of the former base, and I was very disappointed to find that all access to the former training field was fenced and gated with keep out signs. Shame. Some of the airfield area is used for surface mining, but the runway and road patterns are still quite visible in aerial photos. Moton Field AL, 32-28, 85-41. Tuskegee Municipal Airport (06A) is a few miles away. During WWII, this was a contract flying school operated by Tuskegee Institute, and was the initial (elementary) training location of the Tuskegee Airmen. One of two original hangars still stands, along with a few other vintage buildings and the entry gates to the former flying school. The former school area is separate from the present day FBO, and was fenced off with construction activity underway. The National Park Service is working to make this a historic site. Hangar
Building
Gate
Hangar
Hangar and display aircraft Davenport Gap Filler Annex AL, 32-00-14, 86-19-45. Heading west to Montgomery then south to Davenport, I braved another stretch of mud and ruts to find a former gap filler radar site. The building still stands inside the fenced area, and the three concrete tower supports are still in place. This was a gap filler radar site supporting Eufaula AFS, and was also known by the designator TM-199A.
Building
Building
Building Holtville Communications Site GWEN 855 AL, ILC KXYL. Back through Montgomery and farther north, I found this former leased site. It was established 29 October 1991, and received logistical support from Maxwell AFB. USAF use ended in 1999. The 299-foot tower still stands, and the standard U.S. Government signs are still in place.
General view
General view
Tower
Equipment shelters Jordan Lake Space Surveillance Station AL, ILC LWAD. A few miles to the east, I located one of the three transmitters in the system. It has been active since 1958.
Gate and sign
Antenna
Antenna Billeting was completely full at Maxwell AFB. I checked in to a local motel and headed to the Air University Library for some research. Due to the timing of the various PME courses, I was the only patron in the massive library for two hours!
Thursday, 22 March 2001
Gunter AFB AL, ILC JUBJ, 32-24, 86-14. My first stop was Maxwell AFB, Gunter Annex. The western half of the base is still thriving, but the eastern half (the former flightline) was disposed of some time ago and is an industrial park. I drove through the area but could see no signs of airfield pavement. One building of significance on Gunter is the former SAGE building.SAGE building
SAGE building Montgomery Air Force Station AL, PIN 1748, ILC PPBE, 32-21-05, 86-21-25. South of Maxwell AFB is a group of warehouses built in WWII as a U.S. Army Quartermaster Depot. In the late 1940s, it was assigned to Maxwell AFB for storage use under the name Montgomery Holding and Reconsignment Depot. On 1 April 1954 it was designated Montgomery Air Force Station and on 1 January 1963 was redesignated Maxwell Storage Annex. It was used in this capacity until at least 1975. Currently, it is home to several different businesses.
General view
Building
Warehouse
Warehouse After fueling up on Maxwell, and stocking up on XB3 items at the BX, I pointed the car west and headed home. Got in at 2230. Total trip was six days and 2,420 miles. The new Subaru Forester averaged 24.7 miles per gallon. Updated January 26, 2025
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