What do you get when you mix sequester with vacation? Sequestcation, of course. To pay for my share of the sequester, I cancelled flying trips in 2013 to save on airfare and rental car costs. Instead, I took shorter road trips in the local region. In a couple cases, I used furlough days to create four-day weekends. When life hands you a sequester, take a sequestcation!
Rapid City, South Dakota
Friday, 28 Jun 2013
On this family vacation, I had one day filled with military history. Since I was near Ellsworth AFB, I sought out a few former Minuteman missile sites. These sites were activated in 1962-1963, declared excess on 16 Jun 1999, and disposed of 2001-2003. Before they were excessed, the silos were partially demolished with explosives to comply with Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty requirements.
Ellsworth AF Missile Site M-09 SD (8919, FXKQ) 44-44-55, 103-57-01
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
Ellsworth AF Missile Site M-10 SD (8920, FXKR) 44-48-10, 104-02-15
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
Ellsworth AF Missile Site K-10 SD (8817, FXJR) 44-38-11, 104-00-00
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
Ellsworth AF Missile Site K-08 SD (8910, FXJP) 44-31-34, 103-56-14
(General view)
(General view)
Ellsworth AF Missile Site K-09 SD (8816, FXJQ) 44-32-54, 104-02-05
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(Unidentified feature)
(Unidentified feature)
(Fence with wind vane mount)
Ellsworth AF Missile Site K-07 SD (8370, FXJN) 44-28-22, 103-46-33
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
Ellsworth AF Missile Site K-06 SD (8815, FXJM) 44-26-29, 103-41-17
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
Sundance Communications Facility Annex WY (8017) 44-29-15, 104-27-24 This Air Defense Command (ADC) communications annex, a Ground-to-Air Transmit and Receive (GATR) facility, was located north of the radar site.
(General view)
(General view)
(Building foundation)
(Building foundation)
(Building foundation)
(Building foundation)
(Building foundation detail)
(Concrete pad)
Sundance AFS WY (6999, WMJP) 44-28-43, 104-27-06 Designated and assigned in an under construction status on 12 Aug 1959. This radar site was unusual -- it was powered by a small nuclear reactor! ADC operated this long-range radar site from 1961 to 1968. The property was partially disposed of in 1974, but a portion remains under government control for continued radiation monitoring.
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(Gate)
(Historical marker)
Sundance Fire Lookout Annex WY 44-28-33, 104-26-38 This annex was assigned to ADC's 29th Air Division in under construction status on 12 Aug 1959. Internet information suggests that the present fire tower (pictured) was built when the existing tower had to be removed to make room for Sundance AFS. I don't yet know the full story on this property.
(General view)
Sundance Family Housing Annex WY (7166) 44-25-15, 104-25-19 Located partway down the hill from the radar site, this annex was activated Aug 1963, inactivated Jun 1968, and disposed of in 1970.
(General view)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
Casper, Wyoming
Friday, 12 Jul 2013
The Outback and I headed north, bright and early.
Pole Mountain Military Reservation WY (1297) 41-13-00, 105-23-00 This property was acquired in 1879 as Fort D.A. Russell Target and Maneuver Reservation. On 1 Jan 1930 the name was changed to Fort Francis E. Warren Target and Maneuver Reservation. The Army transferred the property to the Air Force in 1947, and it was then known as Pole Mountain Military Reservation or Pole Mountain Training Annex. The property was redesignated Warren Training Annex on 13 May 1959, and just two months later on 10 Jul 1959 it was disposed of. The predecessor organizations to Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) had a seismometer site on the property from 1950 to 1958. (For simplicity, I will use the abbreviation AFTAC in this trip report to indicate the center and all predecessors.) I have not determined the location of the AFTAC site on the large Pole Mountain Military Reservation. The only known structures still standing from military use of the property are two concrete, bunker-like artillery observation posts.
Artillery observation post (southeast) 41-13-43, 105-20-36 Visited on 12 Jul 2013 and again on 2 Aug 2013. I've placed the photos from both visits here for your convenience.
(Exterior)
(Exterior)
(Exterior)
(Exterior)
(Exterior)
(Exterior)
(Exterior)
(Exterior detail)
(Exterior detail)
(Interior)
(Interior)
(Interior)
(Interior)
Artillery observation post (northwest) 41-15-04, 105-22-13 Visited on 2 Aug 2013.
(Distant view)
(Exterior)
(Exterior)
(Exterior)
(Exterior)
(Exterior)
(Exterior)
(Exterior)
(Exterior)
(Interior)
(Interior)
(Interior)
(Interior)
(Interior)
Casper AFB WY 42-54-25, 106-27-55 Casper AAFld was a busy, bomber crew training base during W.W.II. After the war, the large 3,313.8 acre base lingered on the books in an inactive status. On 13 Jan 1948 it was redesignated Casper Air Force Base by DAF General Order #2. The base was assigned to Strategic Air Command (SAC) at that time. It retained this designation when it was transferred from SAC to Air Materiel Command on 15 Jan 1952. The final listing I have found for Casper AFB is in the Dec 1952 USAF Installations Directory. I visited the Wyoming Veterans Memorial Museum, located in the former service club, and had a good conversation with Curator Douglas Cubbison and Director John Goss. I made another visit on 16 Aug 2013, and for your convenience I've included those photos here.
(Hangar #1)
(Hangar #1)
(Hangar #1)
(Hangar #2 with Hangar #3 in background)
(Hangar #4)
(Hangar #5)
(Sub-depot shops)
(Fire station)
(Fire station)
(Fire station)
(Service club)
(Service club)
(Service club)
(Service club)
(Service club)
(Service club)
(Service club, W.W.II vintage light switches)
(Service club, W.W.II vintage electric outlets)
(Service club, W.W.II vintage artwork)
(Theater)
(Theater)
(Theater)
(Theater)
(Theater)
(Theater detail)
(Theater detail)
(Recreation hall)
(Recreation hall)
(Recreation hall)
(Barracks)
(Barracks)
(Barracks)
(Barracks)
(Barracks)
(Barracks)
(Physical plant)
(Physical plant)
(Water treatment building)
(Water treatment building)
(Water treatment building)
(Water treatment building)
(Water treatment building)
(Water treatment building interior)
(Water storage reservoir)
(Water storage reservoir)
(Water storage reservoir and water treatment building)
(Water storage reservoir and water treatment building)
(Firing-in butt)
(Flagpole base)
(Flagpole base)
I stopped for the night in Casper, Wyoming, after driving 437 miles in 10 hours.
Saturday, 13 Jul 2013
From Cheyenne I headed out to a remote area of Wyoming.
Douglas Annex WY (4565, FJTP) 42-38-30, 105-49-05 This was another AFTAC seismometer site. It was activated 1 Oct 1952, after the Air Force assumed the lease from contractor Beers & Heroy. In 1959 it was redesignated Francis E. Warren Annex No. 2. In 1966 the reference location was changed from Douglas to Glenrock. The installation was inactivated, and leases terminated, on 30 Jun 1972. This 2.36 acre property was often referred to in AFTAC documents by the unit that operated it, Team 141 or Det 141.
(General vicinity)
(General vicinity)
I quit for the day in Cheyenne, Wyoming, after covering 308 miles in 8 hours.
Sunday, 14 Jul 2013
From Cheyenne I headed south with a couple of detours on the way home.
Francis E. Warren AF Missile Site #10 (566-6) CO (6919) 40-38-55, 104-23-05 I first visited this former Atlas E site back in 1998, and the property was freely accessible at that time. This time I found it gated. This property was acquired in 1959 and declared excess on 26 Mar 1965.
(General view)
(General view)
Fort Collins Intermediate Field CO 40-35-47, 105-08-35 This airport was an intermediate field before and during W.W.II, known as "Fort Collins, Site 5, DV-LR." That makes it the fifth intermediate field on the Denver to Laramie air route. I visited the field because of 1943-1944 airfield directories that list it as having Army use as a contract pilot school. Personnel currently working in the building believe that the building and hangar were used for military glider training during the war. Although the runway is still discernable from the air, it has long been closed.
(Hangar and building)
(Hangar)
(Hangar)
(Building)
(Building)
I wrapped up this 4-hour day with only 187 miles driven. Total miles were 932 for the weekend.
Laramie, Wyoming
Friday, 2 Aug 2013
Another road trip, and once again north into Wyoming.
Pole Mountain Military Reservation WY (1297) 41-13-00, 105-23-00 I've placed photos from this visit above with the 12 Jul 2013 photos.
My destination for the night was Laramie, Wyoming, after a long day of 533 miles in 12 hours.
Saturday, 3 Aug 2013
From Laramie I headed west through the mountains to the town of Encampment. At the Grand Encampment Museum, I found information on the Air Force presence in and near town.
(Detachment 142 display)
(Detachment 142 display, recording machine)
(Detachment 142 display, seismometer)
(Detachment 142 display, seismometer detail)
(Detachment 142 display, recording console)
Encampment Annex WY (3677, GADD) 41-12-17, 106-47-42 Construction was initiated in 1952 for the AFTAC installation consisting of an administrative location in the town of Encampment, and a seismometer area several miles to the southwest. It was also known as Francis E. Warren Annex No. 1. It was inactivated in 1972 and disposed of in 1974. In AFTAC documents, the site is sometimes referred to by the unit that operated it, Team 142 or Det 142.
Town site
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(Central recording building)
(Central recording building)
Seismometer area (general vicinity of 41-08-40, 106-52-25)
(General view)
(General view)
I returned to Laramie for a second night. This was a shorter day of 245 miles in 6.5 hours.
Sunday, 4 Aug 2013
From Laramie I headed east then south.
Laramie Annex WY (3844) 41-18-40, 105-35-45 This leased property, at 114 Grand Avenue, served AFTAC as an analysis center and received data from the various seismometer sites in Wyoming. Activated on 23 Jun 1953, it was also known as Francis E. Warren Annex No. 3, or the Laramie Analysis Center. At some point in time, Team 165 was located at this facility, so it was sometimes called Team 165 or Det 165 in AFTAC documents. It was inactivated and disposed of on 30 Jun 1961.
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
Plancor 1844 WY 41-15-51, 105-36-14 During W.W.II, the Defense Plant Corporation leased this 40 acre plant to the Monolith Portland Midwest Company for the production of alumina.
(General view)
(Plant)
(Administration)
(Plant and administration)
I covered 321 miles in 8 hours before stopping for the night in Cheyenne, Wyoming. On Monday I drove 354 miles in 8 hours to get home. This total trip covered 1,453 miles.
Sheridan, Wyoming
Friday, 16 Aug 2013
By this point I knew the route into Wyoming like the back of my hand.
Casper AFB WY 42-54-25, 106-27-55 This time I had an advance appointment, and I spent a few hours conducting research at the Wyoming Veterans Memorial Museum. I also enjoyed discussing the air base with Executive Director John Goss and Curator Douglas Cubbison, who both pointed out extant W.W.II features I had overlooked. I did take additional photographs, but for your convenience I included them in my 12 Jul 2013 visit above.
Sheridan Airport WY 44-46-25, 106-58-30 During W.W.II the Sheridan airport was improved under the Development of Landing Areas for National Defense (DLAND) program. The 1 May 1943 AAF Station List shows Sheridan under Casper AAFld for bomb training.
(General view)
I stopped for the night in Sheridan, Wyoming, logging 475 miles in 13 hours.
Saturday, 17 Aug 2013
I hit the road early with a lot of stops to make. Powell Training Site was a radar bomb scoring site, using the Multiple Threat Emitter System (MUTES). The smaller auxiliary sites used a system known as mini-MUTES. The mini-MUTES locations were activated 1989-1993, and disposed of 1996-1998.
Manderson Mini-MUTES 16MM4 WY (PAKH) 44-16-43, 107-56-56
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
Powell Mini-MUTES 16MM3 WY (TRPV) 44-23-18, 108-11-38
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
Powell Mini-MUTES WY 44-24-46, 108-30-06 I found this site by chance while reviewing aerial photography. I do not know which site designation it is, but because of the location it was likely one of the Powell sites.
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
Powell Training Site WY (TRPP) 44-41-57, 108-36-44 This installation was also known as the Powell Strategic Training Range Site. It was activated in 1984, assigned to Malmstrom AFB. It was transferred to Ellsworth AFB on 1 Oct 1993. It was declared excess on 1 Oct 1995, and disposed of on 19 Aug 1996.
(General view)
(General view)
(Access road)
(Radar bomb scoring building)
(Radar bomb scoring building)
(Support building)
Heart Mountain Relocation Center WY 44-40-18, 108-56-47 This camp was not a military property, rather it was administered by the War Relocation Authority. Heart Mountain was one of ten similar camps built to house Japanese Americans during W.W.II. The camp layout and building plans would have been very similar to camps for enemy prisoners of war. Over 14,000 people lived in this camp, which opened in 1942 and closed 10 Nov 1945. A few vintage buildings remain, and a replica guard tower stands near the modern visitors center.
(General view)
(Replica guard tower)
(Buildings)
(Buildings)
(Buildings)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building detail)
(Boiler house)
(Boiler house)
(Boiler house)
(Concrete building foundation)
(Wooden structure)
(High school records vault)
Powell Housing Annex WY (TRPM) 44-45-36, 108-46-54 This housing and support complex was built about the same time as Powell Training Site. It was sometimes referred to as Support Site Family Housing. It was declared excess on 1 Oct 1995, and disposed of on 1 Oct 1996.
(General view)
(General view)
(Community building)
Frannie Mini-MUTES 16MM9 MT (GMDQ) 45-05-11, 108-36-10
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
I returned to Sheridan for a second night, after a day of 403 miles in 10 hours.
Sunday, 18 Aug 2013
Checking out of Sheridan bright and early, I faced another long day on Wyoming's roads.
Douglas POW Camp WY 42-45-32, 105-24-22 This camp operated from 1942 to 1946. At first it housed about 2,000 Italian prisoners. In 1944, when Italy surrendered, those prisoners departed and were replaced by about 3,000 German prisoners. Only one building is extant from the W.W.II days.
(Officers club)
(Officers club)
(Officers club)
(Officers club)
(Officers club)
(Officers club)
(Officers club)
(Historical marker)
Nine hours and 450 miles later, I was stopping in Cheyenne for the night. The next day was a short jaunt home; only 225 miles in 6 hours. The entire weekend covered 1,553 miles.
Flagstaff, Arizona
Tuesday, 3 Sep 2013
A second family vacation served to close out the summer travel season. Between National Parks, I managed to see two places of military history interest.
Holbrook L3I Site AZ 34-51-37, 110-00-10 I believe I have correctly identified this former AT&T main power feed station, which I happened to notice as we drove by. This was not a military site, but it could be considered military-related. Note the nuclear blast detector.
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(Building)
(Nuclear blast detector)
Wednesday, 4 Sep 2013
From Flagstaff, we drove just south of the city.
Fort Tuthill AZ (5612, HLBC) The installation was established in 1928 as a National Guard training site. Sometime prior to 1958, a portion of the then-closed fort was transferred to the Air Force for use as a recreation area. It still serves that purpose, assigned to Luke AFB.
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(Building)
(Building)
(Elevated water storage tank)
(Elevated water storage tank)
(Air Force recreation area)
(Air Force recreation area)
