This was my first visit to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, or U.P. I dedicated a full week to this trip, and I could still use another visit to see more of the sights.
Sunday, 5 Aug 2012
I flew from Denver to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. My rental car was a Chevy Cruze.
Osceola AFS WI (1439, SNGU) This Air Defense Command (ADC) radar site, at 45-15-05, 92-38-30, was also known as site P-35 and Z-35. It was activated 31 October 1956, although use began in December 1951. It was in use until March 1975. People were gathering for an invitation-only event at the property, so I didn't get any photos.
Osceola Communications Facility Annex WI (8456, SNHA) Located at 45-16-28, 92-38-00, this ADC communications annex, a Ground-to-Air Transmit and Receive (GATR) facility, served Osceola AFS. One of the stenciled signs on a door uses the acronym DECUF, which I'm told means Defense Conditions Under Fallout.
(General view from gate)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building door)
(Building interior)
(Building interior)
(Building interior)
(Building interior)
(Building interior)
I stopped in Spooner, Wisconsin, for the night. This was a short day of 133 miles in 3 hours.
Monday, 6 Aug 2012
From Spooner, I headed northeast.
Naval Radio Transmitter Facility (NRTF) Clam Lake WI This Navy communications site, at 46-05-04, 90-55-01, was the first half of the Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) transmitter system, used to send messages to nuclear submarines at sea. It was constructed in 1968 as Wisconsin Test Facility. In 1985 it attained initial operational capability and was redesignated Wisconsin Transmitter Facility. on 1 October 1989 it became fully operational (synchronized with NRTF Republic) and renamed Naval Radio Transmitter Clam Lake. The system was shut down 30 September 2004.
(Gate)
(Former location of transmitter building)
(Possible Navy vehicle storage building)
(Possible Navy vehicle storage building, and former location of transmitter building)
Calumet AFS MI (1452, CXJG) Located at 47-22-16, 88-10-14, this ADC radar site was also known as P-16 and Z-16. In use since 1953, it was formally activated 31 October 1956, and used until December 1988.
(Gate)
(Facility 99 - Water system building)
(Facility 100 - Water system building)
I stopped in Ishpeming, Michigan, for the night. This day lasted 10.5 hours, covering 412 miles.
Tuesday, 7 Aug 2012
From Ishpeming, I doubled back to the southwest before heading east.
NRTF Republic MI Located at 46-20-10, 87-53-05, this installation became fully operational on 1 October 1989, transmitting in synchronization with NRTF Clam Lake. The system shut down 30 September 2004.
(Gate)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
K.I. Sawyer AFB MI (3351, LWRC) Located at 46-20-30, 87-23-40, this is one of the few Air Force bases that was not a military airfield in W.W.II. Construction began on 1 February 1955, and it was established, activated and named K.I. Sawyer Airport on 8 April 1956. It started as an ADC base, with a fighter-intercepter alert mission as well as a Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) Direction Center. Strategic Air Command (SAC) arrived later, building facilities for the alert mission in 1959-1960. Redesignation to K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base happened on 8 May 1959. The base transferred from SAC to the new Air Combat Command (ACC) on 1 June 1992. The base was inactivated and declared excess on 29 September 1995.
(Facility 235 - Clinic)
(Facility 235 - Clinic)
(Facility 315 - Dormitory)
(Facility 321)
(Facility 321)
(Facility 811 - Dormitory)
(Facility 833 - Dining facility)
(Facility 833 - Dining facility)
(Visitor control center)
(Visitor control center)
(Visitor control center)
(Dormitory complex)
(Dormitory)
(Dormitory)
(Dormitory)
(Dormitory detail)
(Chapel)
(Chapel)
(Chapel)
(Dining facility)
(Dining facility)
(Dining facility)
(Dining facility)
(Visitor quarters)
(Visitor quarters and officers club)
(Hangar)
(Hangar)
(Hangar)
(Jet engine test cell)
(Jet engine test cell)
(Jet engine test cell)
(Base operations)
(Base operations)
(Base operations and beacon light tower)
(Fire station)
(Fire station)
(Fire station)
(Elevated water storage tank)
(Elevated water storage tank)
(Theater)
(Theater)
(Theater)
(Theater)
(Service station)
(ADC rocket storage building)
(ADC rocket storage building)
(ADC rocket storage building)
(ADC rocket storage building)
(ADC rocket storage building)
(ADC fighter-interceptor hangar)
(ADC ready aircraft shelters)
(ADC ready aircraft shelters and sentry house)
(ADC readiness crew and administration building)
(ADC readiness crew and administration building)
(ADC Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) Direction Center 14 (DC-14))
(ADC SAGE DC-14)
(ADC SAGE DC-14)
(ADC SAGE DC-14)
(ADC SAGE DC-14)
(ADC SAGE DC-14)
(ADC SAGE DC-14)
(SAC maintenance docks)
(SAC maintenance docks)
(SAC maintenance dock with water storage tank and pump house)
(SAC "molehole" 70-man alert facility)
(SAC "molehole" 70-man alert facility)
(SAC "molehole" 70-man alert facility)
(SAC "molehole" 70-man alert facility)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
Raco AAFld MI (1706) Located at 46-21-00, 84-48-50, this field had it's start in W.W.II as Raco Airfield, and during the war it was sometimes listed as Raco Army Airfield. It was inactivated in 1944, but remained on the books in temporarily inactive status. On 13 January 1948 it was redesignated Raco Air Force Auxiliary Field, though it remained inactive until it was assigned to Air Defense Command on 1 March 1959. Shortly after that, it was renamed Kincheloe Air Force Missile Site and was home to BOMARC missiles. The property, renamed Raco Missile Site (MERT) was disposed of 15 January 1973. Most of the land for the airfield was separated from the larger Fort Brady Target Range. That was an Army installation, with small arms ranges to the west of the airfield, that continued operation until 1962.
(Access road)
(Airfield pavement)
(Airfield pavement)
(Airfield pavement)
(Airfield pavement)
(Airfield pavement)
(View toward BOMARC missile area from runway)
(View toward BOMARC missile area from runway)
(View toward BOMARC missile area from runway)
I settled into a hotel in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, for two nights. This day was 9.5 hours long,covering 306 miles.
Wednesday, 8 Aug 2012
From the hotel, I started with some local sightseeing.
Sault Ste. Marie AFS MI (1421, UZLM) Located at 46-27-26, 84-23-15, this ADC radar site was also known by the identifiers P-66 and Z-66. It was in use by 1952, formally activated 31 October 1956, and used until 1 October 1979.
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(Sentry house)
(Operations building)
(Operations building)
(AN/FPS-35 radar tower)
(AN/FPS-35 radar tower)
(Tower)
(Administration building)
(Administration building)
(Dormitory)
(Dormitory)
(Building)
(Housing area)
Sault Ste. Marie Communications Facility Annex MI (7859, UZLT) Located southwest of the radar site at 46-27-00, 84-24-11, this ADC communications annex was a Ground-to-Air Transmit and Receive (GATR) facility. The building is now used as a residence, so I didn't disturb the residents with my camera.
Sault Ste. Marie Airport MI This airport at 46-28-45, 84-21-50, is now Sault Ste. Marie Municipal Airport/Sanderson Field (ANJ). During W.W.II the Sault Ste. Marie airport was improved under the Development of Landing Areas for National Defense (DLAND) program. It was listed as an AAF emergency field in 1942, and was declared surplus on 3 October 1944. I did not observe any buildings or structures from the wartime days.
Kincheloe AFB MI (1508, MERM) Located at 46-15-00, 84-28-00, this is now Chippewa County International Airport (CIU). It was built as Kinross Airfield in 1941, then inactivated in 1944. On 1 January 1948 it was redesignated Kinross Air Force Auxiliary Field. On 1 April 1952 it became Kinross AFB under ADC. It was redesignated Kincheloe AFB in 1959. In about 1960 SAC set up operations on the base. Kincheloe AFB closed in 1970. (I've numbered the munitions storage igloos 1 through 4 just for convenience.) My hearty thanks to Brian for the excellent tour he provided me.
(Fire station)
(Chapel)
(Chapel)
(Chapel)
(Elevated water storage tank)
(General view of SAC flight line)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Hangar)
(Hangar)
(SAC maintenance docks)
(SAC maintenance docks)
(SAC maintenance dock)
(SAC maintenance dock)
(SAC maintenance dock)
(SAC maintenance dock)
(SAC maintenance dock)
(SAC maintenance dock)
(SAC maintenance dock)
(Runway)
(Runway)
(Runway lights)
(South taxiway access)
(SAC alert taxiway)
(SAC alert area, former site of 70-man "molehole" alert facility)
(SAC alert area, former site of 70-man "molehole" alert facility)
(SAC alert area, former site of 70-man "molehole" alert facility)
(SAC alert area, former site of 70-man "molehole" alert facility)
(ADC alert taxiway)
(ADC alert area, former site of fighter-interceptor alert hangar)
(ADC alert area, former site of fighter-interceptor alert hangar)
(ADC alert area, former site of fighter-interceptor alert hangar)
(ADC Barrier Arresting Kit (BAK-12) cable-type aircraft arresting system)
(ADC Barrier Arresting Kit (BAK-12) cable-type aircraft arresting system)
(ADC Barrier Arresting Kit (BAK-12) cable-type aircraft arresting system)
(ADC Barrier Arresting Kit (BAK-12) cable-type aircraft arresting system)
(ADC Barrier Arresting Kit (BAK-12) cable-type aircraft arresting system)
(Munitions storage igloo 1)
(Munitions storage igloo 1)
(Munitions storage igloo 1)
(Munitions storage igloo 1 interior)
(Munitions storage igloo 2)
(Munitions storage igloo 2)
(Munitions storage igloo 2)
(Munitions storage igloo 2)
(Munitions storage igloo 2)
(Munitions storage igloo 2)
(Munitions storage igloo 2 interior)
(Munitions storage igloo 2 detail)
(Facility 463 munitions storage igloo 3)
(Facility 463 munitions storage igloo 3)
(Facility 463 munitions storage igloo 3)
(Facility 463 munitions storage igloo 3 interior)
(Facility 477 munitions storage igloo 4)
(Facility 477 munitions storage igloo 4)
(Facility 477 munitions storage igloo 4)
(Facility 477 munitions storage igloo 4)
(Facility 477 munitions storage igloo 4 interior)
(Facility 477 munitions storage igloo 4 detail)
(Munitions storage igloos 1, 2, 3, and 4)
(Munitions storage igloos 2, 3, and 4)
(Munitions storage area former buildings location)
(Munitions storage area fire hydrant)
(Munitions storage area fire hydrant)
(Munitions storage area former Genie storage magazine location)
(Munitions storage area former Genie storage magazine location)
(Munitions storage area parking lot)
(Munitions storage area parking lot)
After a short day -- 66 miles spread over several hours -- I spent a second night in Sault Ste. Marie.
Thursday, 9 Aug 2012
From Sault Ste. Marie I headed south, crossing the Mackinaw Bridge for some sightseeing in the lower part of Michigan before heading over to Escanaba, Michigan, for the night. This was an 8.5-hour day, covering 334 miles.
Friday, 10 Aug 2012
From Escanaba, I headed west into Wisconsin.
Antigo Communications Facility Annex WI (7183, ALLW) Located at 45-04-36, 89-13-40, about a mile away from Antigo AFS, this ADC communications annex was a Ground-to-Air Transmit and Receive (GATR) facility. My thanks to the property owner for allowing me access.
(General view)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Detail)
Antigo AFS WI (1448, ALLU) Located at 45-02-53, 89-14-02, this was an ADC long-range radar site also designated as P-19 and Z-19. First use was June 1952, and it was formally activated 31 October 1956. It was inactivated 30 June 1977, and declared excess in 1979. Many thanks to Max for showing me around the property.
(View from gate)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(General view)
(Facility 101 - Sentry house)
(Facility 101 - Sentry house)
(Facility 206 - Dormitory)
(Facility 209 - Bachelor Officer Quarters (BOQ))
(Facility 209 - BOQ)
(Facility 212 - Communications building)
(Facility 303)
(AN/FPS-35 tower and height finder tower)
(AN/FPS-35 tower and height finder tower)
(AN/FPS-35 tower interior)
(AN/FPS-35 tower interior)
(AN/FPS-20 tower)
(AN/FPS-20 tower)
(AN/FPS-20 tower)
(AN/FPS-20 tower)
(AN/FPS-20 tower interior)
(AN/FPS-20 tower interior)
(Operations building)
(Operations building)
(Operations building)
(Power plant)
(Power plant)
(Water storage tank)
(Commercial telephone building)
(Heating plant)
(Supply / Base Exchange)
(Supply / Base Exchange)
(Commissary)
(Recreation building)
(Dormitory)
(Dormitory)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
(Building)
Antigo Housing Annex WI (5227) Located at 45-02-53, 89-13-51, this annex was adjacent to Antigo AFS.
(General view)
Antigo Water System Annex WI (ALLZ) Located at 45-00-30, 89-14-20, this annex had two water system buildings pumping water to Antigo AFS.
(Both buildings)
(Both buildings)
(Facility 403 - Water system building)
(Building)
I stopped for the night in Eau Claire, after driving 318 miles in 9.5 hours.
Saturday, 11 Aug 2012
I continued west from Eau Claire, heading back into Minnesota. This drive to the airport was 127 miles and took 3.5 hours. The Chevy Cruze averaged 36.5 miles per gallon on this 1,696 miles trip.
