602nd TACTICAL CONTROL SQUADRON 601st, 602d, 603d, and 604th Tactical Control Squadrons. On 1 December USAFE redesignated these units as aircraft control and warning squadrons. The squadrons had been assigned to the 7400th Communications Wing on 1 July and attached to USAFE from 1 July-20 December. On 21 December they were attached to the 7402d Aircraft Control and Warning Group. (The 7402d was organized as a tactical control group at Wiesbaden on 1 July and assigned to the 7400th Communications Wing. Headquarters USAFE redesignated the 7402d as an aircraft control and warning group on 16 December.) 1948 FREISING XII TAC 604th TAC CONTROL SQ. C/S RACECARD, CHANNEL D NEUSTADT (ERLANGEN)

XII TAC 603rd TAC CONTROL SQ.

C/S PLANTER, CHANNEL D.

SIMMERINGEN (KASSEL)

XII TAC 601st TAC CONTROL SQ. C/S GUNPOST, CHANNEL D

NEUSTADT (BAD KISSINGEN)

XII TAC 438th SIG CONTR. SQ 4th TAC AIR CONTR. SQ.

.

DARMSTADT XII TAC 602nd TAC CONTROL SQ. C/S CORNBEEF, CHANNEL D LINEAGE STATIONS ASSIGNMENTS COMMANDERS HONORS Service Streamers Campaign Streamers Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamers Decorations EMBLEM EMBLEM SIGNIFICANCE MOTTO NICKNAME

OPERATIONS The base was turned over to advance elements of the 602nd TCS during the summer and fall of 1948. The 602nd was redesignated 602 ACWS on 23 Nov 1948 just before the unit from Darmstadt, Germany to Birkenfeld. When the main body of 602nd troops and equipment arrived from Darmstadt on 8 Dec 1948, construction of temporary quarters (Quonset huts) was undertaken to house the troops for the winter. At least 12 quonset huts were initially constructed for quarters or for administrative offices. One of the major problems during the first harsh winter was an ever present sea of mud that hindered all activity. An aggressive base building program during the next five years led to the permanent structures and base layout that was so familiar to post 1953 assignees. Several of the preexisting structures were razed once the base construction program was underway. Ten of the Quonset huts, first used as dormitories during the winter of 1928 then later as warehouses hobby shops recreation buildings survived for the next 20 years (until 1968) when they were finally torn down and replaced by roomier pre-fab structures call Butler buildings. The 602nd was the first American unit to move into the French Zone and because they came to build, were soon welcomed with open arms by the townspeople and Birkenfeld has remained an Air Force town since that time. Like all Germany, Birkenfeld and surrounding areas still faced a war torn economy and were desperate for work. They had more than enough of the imperious demands of the French military authorities by the time the Americans arrived in 1948. The cutting and shipment to France of millions of board feet of Germany’s timber without compensation and under the French Army guise of military reparations is still spoken of today in the Birkenfeld area and throughout Rheinland-Pfalz. During this time, young Germans volunteered to help replant entire forests that had been clear cut and shipped to France and today they proudly point to the lush green forests on the hills surrounding Birkenfeld that help replant as youths. The Americans hired the local Germans paid them well and also paid local shopkeepers and businesses for what was needed to build Birkenfeld Air Station. Of course the US troops were viewed at intruders by almost all members of the French Army, primarily because American PFCs earned more pay in a week than most French NCO earned all month and the Americans who were paid in military payment certificates supplemented their military income by bartering their cigarettes and other commissary and BX items with the Germans. In addition to the installation of search (AN/CPS-1) and height finder (AN/CPS-4) radar on the tech site at Erbeskopf (located about 10 miles from the base) the squadron also established manned and operated several Radio Relay Sites (Call sign 03 Zulu) and direction finding sites (call sign cornbeef D/F) within a 100 mile radius of Birkenfeld. Cornbeef D/F ultimately was designated a net control station (master) and directed the fix efforts of 5 other sites in the Northern Europe UHF D/F net. Soon a MARS station was also operational (call sign DL4HQ) which permitted telephone calls to be patched back to the states to sweethearts, families, and friends. By 1954 with the assignment of ever more high performance jet aircraft in Europe, a high altitude Air Traffic Control Center was set up and operated on Erbeskopf (call sign Cornbeef control) In early 1955 the decision was made to move the 602nd to Giebelstadt Germany and on 5 Dec 1955 control of Birkenfeld passed to the 619th TCS which had recently deployed to Birkenfeld from France.

602nd AIRCRAFT CONTROL AND WARNING SQUADRON

From 1948 until 1955, Birkenfeld Air Base was under the command and control of the 602nd AC & W Squadron. The 602nd AC&W Squadron has its roots in the 602nd Tactical Control Squadron which was re-designated the 602nd AC&W Sq. on 23 November 1948 just before moving to Birkenfeld from Darmstadt. The mission of the 602nd was to provide early warning radar coverage and navigational aid to all aircraft flying over the occupied zones. The main body of troops arrived at Birkenfeld on 8 December 1948. This was the first American unit to move into the French Zone and they came to build. From 12 Quonset huts of that first winter came the permanent structures familiar to post-1953 assignees. "Cornbeef" the AC&W site had an AN/CPS-1 search radar, AN/CPS-4 height-finder, several radio relay sites (call sign: 03 Zulu) and Direction Finding sites (call sign: Cornbeef D/F) operational within a 100-mile radius of Birkenfeld. Cornbeef D/F was ultimately designated a Net Control Station (Master DF site) and directed the efforts of 5 other sites in the Northern Europe UHF D/F Net. Eventually by 1954 "Cornbeef Control" a high altitude Air Traffic Control Center was set up and operated on Erbskopf. This non-radar ATC function came about due to the increasing assignment of high performance jet aircraft into Europe. Later renamed Rhein Control it continued to grow until the mid 60's. In the Late 60's the Air Traffic Control functions were taken over by the Germans and relocated to Frankfurt Air Traffic Control Center. Records indicate the 602nd was known for its parties and athletic prowess in baseball, basketball, touch football, tackle football, and other sports. Victories were celebrated either on base or off base. In early 1955, the decision was made to move the 602nd to Giebelstadt, Germany and control of Birkenfeld AB passed to the 619th TACONRON that had recently deployed to Birkenfeld from France. Commanders of Birkenfeld Air Base for 602nd were: Major Eldy E. Crowell (8 Dec 1948-24 Jun 1949); Capt. Gene B. Grove (24 Jun 1949-3 Sep 1949); Maj William E. Hartless (3 Sep 1949-13 Mar 1950); LTC Richard L. Bisgard (13 Mar 1950-Dec 1951); LTC Toy B. Husband (Dec 1950-24 Feb 1955); Maj Dolph G. Franz (24 Feb 1955-8 Jun 1955); Capt William C. Deemer (8 Jun 1955-1 Aug 1955); Capt. William A. O'Hearn (1 Aug 1955-5 Dec 1955).

For the first time on July 5th, 1946, organization records refer to the 555th as the 501st Aircraft Control & Warning Battalion. Its companies become the 601st through the 604th respectively. At the same time, minus personnel and equipment, Battalion Headquarters and the 603rd were transferred to Wiesbaden, and then inactivated. The remaining Squadrons (601st, 602nd and 604th) were assigned directly to Headquarters USAFE, and they too were inactivated. By September 25, 1947 the 501st AC&W Battalion was history. In the early months of 1949, a worsening of the Russian and World situation occurred. These changes resulted in the 501st Tactical Control Group, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, being reborn on May 18th, 1949 as the 501st Aircraft Control and Warning Group. The newly christened unit was assigned to USAFE 2nd Air Division. On May 25th the 603rd AC&W Sqdn. was activated at Hof, Germany. By June 10th, 1949 also activated were the 601st AC&W Sqdn. at Rothwesten, near Kassel Germany (American Zone), the 602nd AC&W Sqdn. at Birkenfeld, Germany ( French Zone ), and the 604th AC&W Sqdn. at Friesing. On Jul. 15, 1953 the 604th AC&W Sqdn. was transferred to the 155th Tactical Control Group. The 603rd AC&W Sqdn. moved from Hof to Giebelstadt early in 1953, and eventually in the winter moved again to Langerkopf, near Kaiserslautern, Germany. The 807th Tactical Control Sqdn. moved from Landsberg to Kaiserslautern during the summer and fall of 1953; and Group Hdq. was also moved there in September of that year. In 1953 the 3rd Shoran Beacon Flight became a tenant at Rothwesten, receiving logistical support from the 601st AC&W Sqdn. there. As of November 1954, the 501st Tactical Control Grp command line up was Col. Robert C. Sexton heading the Group. Commander of the 601st AC&W Sqdn. was Lt. Col. Daniel C. Wolf. Lt. Col. Toy B. Husband commanded the 602nd AC&W Sqdn., and Major Donald H. Brown commended the 603rd AC&W Sqdn. Commander of the 807th Tactical Control Squadron was Lt. Col. Charles G. Whitley. for 602 ACW Giebelstadt, DE Call Sign(s): Brandis, Moonglow, Wheaties

Perm

ID Sage

ID JSS ID Unit Location

Early Equip.

Final Equip.

Oper. Date

Inact. Date Notes

602 ACW 602 ACW Giebelstadt, DE

MPS-11; TPS-1D; MPS-14; TPS-10D; GPS-4; MPS-7

FPS-20; FPS-6A

August 1956 1968

Birkenfeld Air Base Germany The Base, and several Tech Site locations, was turned over to advance elements of the 602nd Tac Con Sq (TCS) during the summer and fall of 1948. The 602nd TCS was redesignated the 602nd

AC&W Sqdn on 23 Nov 1948,just before the unit moved from Darmstadt Military Post, Germany to Birkenfeld/Nahe. When the main body of 602nd troops and equipment arrived from Darmstadt on 8 Dec 1948, construction of temporary quarters (Quonset Huts) was undertaken to house the troops for the winter. At least twelve (12) Quonset huts were initially constructed for quarters or for administrative offices. One of the major problems during the first harsh winter was an ever-present sea of mud that hindered all activity. An aggressive base-building program during the next five years led to the permanent structures and base-layout that was so familiar to post-1953 assignees. 602nd AC & W SQDN (1948-1955) The Squadron mission was to provide early warning radar coverage to the limits of its equipment and to provide navigational aid to all allied aircraft flying over the Occupied Zones of Europe (Call sign: “Cornbeef’). In addition to the installation of search (AN/CPS- 1) and Height-Finder (AN/CPS-4) radar on the Tech Site at Erbeskopf (located about 10 miles from the Base), ‘the Squadron also established, manned and operated several Radio Relay Sites (Call sign:“03 Zulu”) and Direction Finding (D/F) Sites (Call sign: “Cornbeef D/F”) within a 100 mile radius of Birkenfeld. Combed D/F ultimately was designated a Net Control Station (Master) and directed the “fix” efforts of 5 other Sites in the Northern Europe UHF D/F Net. Soon a MARS Station was also operational (Call sign DL4HQ) which permitted tele phone calls to be “patched” back to the States to sweethearts, families, and friends. By 1954, with the assignment of ever more high-performance jet aircraft in Europe, a high altitude Air Traffic Control Center was set up and operated on Erbeskopf (Call sign: “Combed Control”) — Note: This conventionally operated ATC (non-Radar) facility was later renamed Rein Control and continued to grow through the mid-1960s, gaining enrooted radar capability. The plans to provide radar approach-control services for aircraft landing at Ramstein, Sembach, Landstuhl, Hahn, Bitburg and Spangdahlem Air Bases did not come to full realization due to the technical difficulties involved. The Air Traffic control function was finally taken over by the Germans and relocated to Frankfurt Air Traffic Control Center in the late 1960s. In early 1955, the decision was made to move the 602nd to Giebelstadt, Germany, and on 5 Dec 1955, control of Birkenfeld Air Base passed to the 619th TACONRON, which had recently deployed to Birkenfeld from France. Roots of the modern day TAGS network go back to the World War II era and the Army's 555th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion. This "triple nickel" unit, formed in 1942 from a group of specialists who worked at the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company, stormed ashore in Normandy on D-Day and progressed across Europe gathering six battle streamers. Throughout the war the 555th provided badly needed aircraft control and surveillance services. On 31 December 1945, the four companies of the 555th became the 601st TCS, 602nd TCS, 603rd TCS, and 604th TCS. The 601st TCS, still active under the 601st TCW today, was activated at Simmershausen, Germany. These newly formed units were assigned to the 501st Tactical Control Group and, from these fundamental and rudimentary beginnings, the TAGS system has become what is today.

After undergoing a series of relocations, changes of assignment, and inactivations/activations, the four squadrons were assigned to USAFE (United States Air Forces in Europe) by 1 July 1948; just in time to take part in the Berlin airlift. These radar units helped guide air transports along air

routes to Berlin and were awarded the Medal for Humane Action for their efforts. On 1 December 1948, each of the four tactical control squadrons was designated an Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (AC&WS). Seven months later, on 10 June 1949, the AC&WS elements were once again assigned to the 501st TCG. For the next four years, things remained relatively stable with the exception of the addition of several detachments to the squadrons.

On 1 July 1955, the 501st and 526th TCGs merged to form the Tactical Control Wing, Provisional. In all, this consolidation process brought a number of elements together to form Twelfth Air Force's tactical control system. These included two tactical control squadrons (the 897th TCS and 619th TCS), six aircraft control and warning squadrons (the 601st AC&WS, 602nd AC&WS, 603rd AC&WS, 604th AC&WS, 615th AC&WS, and 616th AC&WS), and three Shoran Beacon Squadrons (the 3rd, 6th, and 7th Shoran Beacons). The Tactical Control Wing, Provisional, was created as a tentative measure designed to improve the effectiveness of the radar and aircraft control organizations within Twelfth Air Force. After operating as a provisional wing for two years, the unit had ample opportunity to determine the most suitable type of organization for the effective accomplishment of the USAFE tactical control mission. Accordingly, on 18 December 1957, this tenative status was dropped and the unit was designated the 501st Tactical Control Wing. Finally, on 18 November 1960, the 501st TCW merged with the 86th Fighter Intercepotr Wing to form the 86th Air Division (Defense). For the next five years the various TACS elements under the 86th Air Division went through a series of relocations, activations, inactivations and redesignations.

In addition to those changes mentioned above, still others were underfoot regarding a general TAGS drawdown in the Central Region. Specifically, in order to meet the Fiscal Year (FY) 1985 and 1986 Department of Defense budget restrictions, the Air Staff directed the reduction of the mobile TAGS by two CRPs and four FACPs in two phases. Phase I resulted in the 1 June 1985 inactivation of the 619th TCF located at Grafenwoehr and the 1 August 1985 inactivation of the 602nd TCS at Turkheim and the 632nd TCF located at Schwelentrup. The second phase of this draw down resulted in the 1 October 1986 inactivation of the 603rd TCS at Mehlingen, the 636th TCF and the 621st TCF at Wanna and Wiesbaden, respectivley. In another area of the TAGS drawdown interest, was the newly designated Operating Location C, 601st TCW. The 601st TCW, OL-C was designated and organized at Sembach AB on 1 February 1986, to provide

Tactical Control Squadron CRP Neu Ulm, Germany Equipment: TPS-27; TPS-43E Relocated: 2 October 1978, Turkheim, Germany Inactivated: 1 October 1986 (1985, IRIS Number 01065286) Notes: Originally Det 7, 22, 601st TCS

Information for 602 TCS Tuerkheim, DE

Call Sign(s): Biform

Perm ID Sage ID JSS ID Unit Location Early Equip. Final

Equip. Oper. Date

Inact. Date Notes

602 TCS 602 TCS Tuerkheim, DE TPS 43E 02-Oct-78 01-Aug-85

Tactical Control Squadron Darmstadt, Germany 31 December, 1945 – 22 November, 1948 Subordinate to: 501st TCG Redesignated: 23 November 1948, 602nd Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron Notes: 31 December 1945, B Company of the 555th SAW Bn. became the 602nd Tactical Control Squadron Detachment A Activated: 19 March 1948 Note: 25 May 1948, became the 603rd Tactical Control Squadron 5 June 1978 The 602nd TCS was declared operationally ready with respect to its E-3A AWACS interface capability. 2 October 1978 The 602nd TCS moved to Tuerkheim from Nelson Barracks in Neu Ulm for improved radar coverage in Southern Germany. Their new location was a former German Air Force radar site. 1 October 1986 The 615th AC&WS fixed radar site at Boerfink was inactivated. 1 October 1986 The second phase of the TACS drawdown resulted in the inactivation of the 602nd TCS, 621st TCF, and the 636th TCF effective this date. In addition to those changes mentioned above, still others were underfoot regarding a general TACS drawdown in the Central Region. Specifically, in order to meet the Fiscal Year (FY) 1985 and 1986 Department of Defense budget restrictions, the Air Staff directed the reduction of the mobile TACS by two CRPs and four FACPs in two phases. Phase I resulted in the 1 June 1985 inactivation of the 619th TCF located at Grafenwoehr and the 1 August 1985 inactivation of the 602nd TCS at Turkheim and the 632nd TCF located at Schwelentrup. The second phase of this drawdown resulted in the 1 October 1986 inactivation of the 603rd TCS at Mehlingen, the 636th TCF and the 621st TCF at Wanna and Wiesbaden, respectively. In another area of the TACS drawdown interest, was the newly designated Operating Location C, 601st TCW. The 601st TCW, OL-C was designated and organized at Sembach AB on 1 February 1986, to provide ongoing communications support to both the ATOC and 601st TCW of which would otherwise end as a result of Phase II of the TAGS drawdown. The OL-C consists of four components; an ATOC

support element, a stand-alone MFC, radio relay-elements, and a Combat Logistics Repair Tear. (CLRT) . This team, in peacetime, is made up of the Chief of Maintenance and a small maintenance staff function for the OL-C. However, in event of war, these people would be augmented by wing staff personnel and become the CLRT. Another significant event at the start of 1986 involved the end of Elf One commitment at Al Jubayl, Saudi Arabia on 12 February 1986. This date marked the end of over five years (activated 9 October 1980) 601st TCW FACP support for Elf One operations at various locations in Saudi Arabia. 1 August 1985 Both the 602nd TCS and the 632nd TCF were inactivated as part of USAFE's effort to meet a congressionally-imposed European troop strength ceiling Roots of the modern day TAGS network go back to the World War II era and the Army's 555th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion. This "triple nickel" unit, formed in 1942 from a group of specialists who worked at the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company, stormed ashore in Normandy or, D-Day and progressed across Europe gathering six battle streamers. Throughout the war the 555th provided badly needed aircraft control and surveillance services. On 31 December 1945, the four companies of the 555th became the 601st TCS, 602nd TCS, 603rd TCS, and 604th TCS. The 601st TCS, still active under the 601st TCW today, was activated at Simmershausen, Germany. These newly formed units were assigned to the 501st Tactical Control Group and, from these fundamental and rudimentary beginnings, the TAGS system has become what is today. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Air Force Order of Battle Created: 5 Jun 2012 Updated: Sources 602nd ACWS, Giebelstadt, 1956 - Aug 1968 1958 602nd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron LOCATION: Giebelstadt Air Base, Germany MISSION: to operate, maintain, and support assigned and/or attached units and/or facilities which provide air surveillance data gathering, processing, and display and weapons commitment, control and recovery, as directed by the Commander, 501st TCW. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Source: Email from John "Jack" Mazzuchelli, 602nd ACWS, 1958-59) I was stationed at Giebelstadt from Spring 1958 thru Fall 1959. I was a radio operator and operated the Dora D/F Station.

In 1959 the Air Force shutdown the "net" and myself along with some others were volunteered to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia to operate the MARS and the then secret SAC network. I was surprised to see that anybody remembers our little "party" at good ole Gieb. We had some veeeery interesting times in 1958. I read on the Web a while back about all of the underground bunkers, hangers etc they found beneath the basw. I WAS TOTALLY DUMBFOUNDED, being there and totally unaware they even existed!!! We knew of a few smaller storage bunkers which were of course off limits but nothing on that scale. I went thru the transition stage from the ole F-100's and the 86 Dogs (F-86D) into the Deuce (F-102). Was that ever an eye opener. Also on duty when Marines first went into Lebanon in 1958. 4 days, 24/7 duty time, full LIVE alert. The D/F Net (Direction Finding): I do not believe we were the network control station. I believe the NCS was on another base since during D/F ops I was directly in communication on radio with a controlling station. I do think that we had 5 stations in my net. As far as the other D/F locations, that's tuff. I do believe we were the closest to the "fence". I think I had one to my NE, one NW,and possibly SW. I know that isn't helping but if you had a map and referenced from Gieb it may help ya. I also do remember that we were on a list of 10 stations for "do not bother to check" if the crap hit the fan. ETA from nearest Hostile base was less than 20 mins. D/F Net Control Station, mid-1950s (Landstuhl News, 9 March 1956) Our D/F unit was basically a large compass and when we got a signal from a pilot I would get a needle indication of his bearing to my station, then via radio I would get bearings from the other stations and pull all my strings to get a location on my maps and radio that info to the aircraft. I know I regularly pulled three strings and sometime four. All bearings were FROM THE STATION TO THE AIRCRAFT. We were NOT in the same main building with our horiz radar -- we were about 3/4 mile further down the tarmac. We were our own site.The compass was in a vertical position kinda like a big clock, guessing about 6 to 8 " in dia. To get a bearing pilots would request and give me a "Dead Key" of about 10 secs, no modulation IE talking just key mike. We had a scale of bearing classes: Alpha bearing which meant we had a location within 1/2 mile Bravo within a mile Charlie within 3 miles Delta was 5 miles or more

This was established by this method: when a station recv'd a transmission, the operator would see the needle swing to a bearing. If the needle held real steady on one bearing this was the best and most accurate therefore a class Alpha. Swinging say plus or minus 5 degrees, then Bravo; 10 degrees Charlie; more than 10 was Delta and considered unreliable. This was a "learned skill" for all D/F operators since the equipment was not very accurate. The Norm would to be to avg your stations bearing. Pulling Strings: We had a large map on a table, located on that map were the other stations in the net. There was a string from the center of each location. When I recv'd a bearing from each station we literally pulled their string to their bearing and where we crossed, IE triangulated, that was the location of the aircraft. Map was a large sectional laid out in standard grid locations so we could give a location related to the aircraft's sectional. Normally I would give the location to the aircraft directly via radio.We would get a call from an aircraft: IE "Dora D/F. This is Flight (such and such) requesting D/F location" and then the procedure as above. I could also scramble them. If command decided to go "hot" I would relay that to my interceptors. Also at that time, my radar station would come online and we would give vectors etc. If this was an Emergency Request then I called the radar site and they came up on freq and worked with us. The reason for that is even tho I could normally "fix" an aircraft we did not have the equipment to give vectors, headings and in flight guidance that radar could. Also remember that only radar can recv "squawk codes" IFF etc. Communications (D/F Net) -- As stated above all comm was radio except for our radar and that was twisted wire (phone) except when we were in "hot mode" and they could come up on freq. As a note if interest: during all normal ops with both F-100's and 86 Dogs I was able to get Alpha's 90% of the time, Bravo's 9%. When they introduced the F-102's, We were UNABLE to get a D/F fix of any reliability!! The first flights were conducted under strict secrecy, all we knew was that these damn flights would pop up on radio request a fix and then virtually laugh at us when we couldn't get squat. They NEVER gave us any info when I requested little things like: type aircraft, altitude, speed, heading etc. Only learned thru grapevine couple months later what we were dealing with. They were that much more advanced than all previous aircraft :}:}:}:}:} Real nut busters they were. Also, I had the ability to "call" up the net when we got a request for a Fix. Damn, Walter, you are draggin some good times back to life. LOL Thanks 95% good ones. The accuracy of these fixes were highly dependent upon the skills of the crews on duty as are everything else. As a network the DORA net was always way up near the top of the foodchain and we took it that as a real pride issue. When we got a bird under our control from the get go we never lost one.

We lost 2 but we got into the situation after it was in progress and tried to help but it was beyond anything we could do. Both were "totals" -- pilots and planes. Remote sites -- I did do TDY at a site around Nürnberg (probably Mausdorf). Can't remember much except we were a detachment and billeted on an Army base (Herzo Base). The site was in the woods about 45 mins away. We went thru tiny towns, drove up a small mountain and the site was on top. We were in tents, there was a van used for radar, everything ran off a big diesel generator, all our food was trucked from the base in big cans like thermos's. I think there was only a search radar -- the van had the rotary antenna. Didn't see anything like the height finder like at Gieb. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1962 Giebelstadt Radar Site, early 1960s (Source: Mike Honig, 602nd ACWS, Feb 1962 - Dec 1964) 602nd ACWRON beer stein I was an airman stationed at Giebelstadt from February 1962 until my rotation in December of 1964. I thought you might want photos of patches, Squadron mug and such for your very interesting web site. Remember, I was there before the 412L building was built. I was a scope dope and worked my way up to ICT (Intercept Control Tech.) My assigned controller was a Lt. but I forget his name. I was lucky enough to be "Flight Follow" certified (I think I still have the original certificate). I was also a member of the "Tiger Team" that immediately reported to the site when we had an alert or unannounced simulator mission. Regarding simulation missions, I had the opportunity to be a T8 pilot. In another part of operations building the T8 generated a target on the simulation screens so that the controllers could practice flying intercepts on the simulated "hostiles". They would give us commands and we would turn the dials and keep up radio chatter. That was the closest I got to flying an F102. I had lots of fun and travelled quite a bit in our off time. Hope this helps you out. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS (Source: Email from Paul Lawrence) The 602nd design on the mug shown by Mike Honig (left) was designed by Pat Caulley, who is now a major artisit. Pat and I were at Gieb from 1964-67. (See Pat's website at http://www.patrickcaulley.com/)

602nd AC&W Sq Giebelstadt 1. "Charlie" Crew party 2. Giebelstadt Rond & Gun Club 2. "Alpha" Crew patch -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1963 (Source: Bob James, 602nd ACWS, Mar 1963 - Aug 1964) CRC Giebelstadt, mid-1960s (courtesy Radar Museum Website) I was at Giebelstadt from March of 1963 until August of 1964. I was part of the 602nd ACWS Squadron that worked with GE on the installation and checkout of the 412-L System at Giebelstadt. I was specifically trained and worked on the ground-to-ground datalink. In the spring of 1964 I was asked to take on learning the ground-to-air datalink equipment which was made by RCA. All we had were some technical manuals which I studied and was finally able make the system work. In August of 1964 I was transferred to the Det 600 of the 615th ACWS at Ramstein which did the depot level maintenance on all of the 412-L components. I was at Ramstein almost a year and got out of the Air Force in August of 1965. Following my separation I went back to Germany working for Elekluft (GE) with the German 412-L site at Messtetten. While at Messtetten I worked on the height finder control part of the 412-L system. My duties included teaching the system to the European civilians working for GE as well as the Luffwaffe personnel. I was with GE for almost 2 years and returned to the States in 1967 to start college. I enjoyed my total of 4 years in Germany and have stayed in the computer field ever since. Photo at left: Looking at the picture from left to right... the first radar dome is our GPS-4 Search radar. The Building to the right may have been the original manual CRC -- I was never in that building. The next silver building is the 412-L building and in front and to right was the FPS-6 height finder radar. (It never got a dome.) Next to the FPS-6 tower is the power plant where the generators were. The radar dome on the far right must have been added after I departed.

(Webmaster note: Unlike the other 412L sites being installed in southern Germany at this time, the Giebelstadt CRC was not moved into an underground bunker. Was there no funding for the bunker at Gieb? Or were there already plans to move the CRC to Lauda which did occur in 1968? Anybody have some information on this?) The site was located on the south side of the flight line. To get to work we would exit the base at the south exit and drive around the east end of the runway and travel down the taxi way to the site. If you use Google Earth or Google Maps and type in Giebelstadt, Germany you can see a satellite photo of the base. The buildings on the south side of the flight line, about ¾ of the way down, is where I remember the site as being. The radar we used were a GPS-4 search unit and a GPS-67 Height Finder unit. (CORRECTION: In doing a little searching on-line I think we are both wrong about the height finder at Giebelstadt. From what I can find, the AN/FPS-67 was the search radar. The AN-FPS-6 was height finder radar.) I remember that there was a large building between the GPS-4 and the GPS-67 -- this may have been the manual operations. I never was in that building. The 412-L building (a new building) was west of the GPS-67 tower. This building housed the Computer Room in the lower level (I remember that going into the building we went down several stairs to get to the computer room so I suspect it was below ground level) and an upper level had the Operations Center. The ops center was a very large room probably 2 stories high with several rows of the 412-L scopes. Each row was elevated above the row in front of it. Some of the scopes were search, some were height finder, others were intercept control scopes and finally a couple of jammer detection scopes. At the front of the room was a floor-to-ceiling screen. At the top of the room was a room that housed a huge projector which could project on the screen at the front of the room the air situation for all of Western Europe showing all threats and responses to those threats. Beside the projector room was the telephone switch center which had a state of the art digital phone switch complete with touch tone phone sets. Very fancy for 1963. As far as the CRC building, mostly I remember it was a metal sided and roofed building not really hardened like Messtetten was. We did have our own power generation plant with 4 of the biggest diesels I had ever seen. Additionally we had a large 400Hz converter unit which was in a heavily insulated room at the back of the Computer room. It was insulated because you had to wear ear protection to enter the room VERY LOUD! I do not know how the operations center people were trained. The Maintenance people like me were sent to the GE factory in Syracuse, NY for training following our one year of Technical training at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS. At Keesler I was trained on the Datalink portion of the Sage System for North America. Several classes were pulled at the end of our Keesler school and sent to Syracuse. As far as I know, the 412-L system went operation at Giebelstadt in the spring – early summer of 1965 (by that time I was at Ramstein fixing component units). Radar -- As far as I know the 412-L system worked with what was there unless it was very old. The system utilized very complex analog to digital converters which I learned at Messtetten were a pain to keep calibrated.

Communications -- Most of the lines were Deutsche Bundespost. I remember working extensively with the Bundespost people getting lines fixed between the various sites. As I mentioned in my other email we had a new digital Ground-to-Air radio system which could take intercept tactics from the 412-L system and communicate them to special instrumentation in the interceptors (F-102) which would guide the pilots to the target in the exact direction and attitude for the chosen intercept tactic. I know we could communicate with the Army Hawk Missile units but I am not sure how that was accomplished. I know those Hawk Missile guys were a lot of laughs. On some mornings I would be driving to work and I would look across the flight line and see and array of Hawk Missiles tracking my car down the taxi way. Not a very comfortable feeling knowing what little I did about the capabilities of that missile. As far as communications between SOC and CRC -- All communications as I understand it was via digital data link. I hope this shines some light on what you were looking for. As I said all of us first termers arrived at Gieb as E3s we were frozen at E3 until the system went operational in spring of 1965. That experience and the fact they wanted me to re-up to go to somewhere called Viet Nam to work on the mobile version of the 412-L made my decision to exit the Air Force pretty simple as in “no-brainer.” 602nd ACWS Giebelstadt Air Base 1. Mobile 412-L hangar 2. Chuck Kuzma abd Bob James, Nürburgring 3. Nürburgring 4. Jim Robbins and MG 5. Arnold B. Capstick 6. Giebelstadt castle 7. Hangars, Giebelstadt AB -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Source: Welcome to Giebelstadt Air Base, Germany, 1964 Edition) MISSION OF THE 602nd AC& W SQ

The 602nd AC & W Squadron is at Giebelstadt Air Base which is located approximately ten miles south of Wuerzburg on Highway 19. It is a unit of the 86th Air Division and its primary function is to operate and maintain a ground electronic control environment in support of offensive and defensive air operations as directed. As host organization at Gioebelstadt Air Base, the 602nd also performs logistic support duties. Currently (1964) on base are the following tenant units: Flight C, 2057th Radio Relay Sq. Det 504, 2nd Air Postal Sq. "C" Btry, 6th Bn, 52nd Arty Det A, 183rd Arty Gp (Webmaster Note: is actually a team of the 183rd Ord Det, in support of "C" Btry) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1966 (Source: Email from Ed Allen, 602nd ACWS, 1966-68) I arrived at Giebelstadt in early 1966 after training at Keesler on the GE 412L system as a Data Link Technician (30554). I worked down stairs at the radar site maintaining data link and other equipment. I remember going to movies at the base theatre and waiting in line to buy popcorn. Only had one machine and it was small. I also spent a lot of time at the service club shooting pool, considered myself pretty good at pool. Lived in the barracks above the service club, 2nd floor I believe. Also lived in the BOQ's for a short while when they sand blasted and cleaned the radiators in the barracks. I believe my room in the BOQ's was opposite the dentists office. Remember hearing that drill all day long. Stayed until 1968 when the base was turned over to the German Air Force, or so we thought. Turns out that a friend that I play tennis with was transferred there shortly after we left. He was in the Army in charge of the base theatre as well as other things. Here are the pictures I took while I was there. 602nd ACWS Giebelstadt 1. Base Headquarters 2. Old hangar 3. Old Hanagar 4. Flight Line 5. Service Club

6. Base Chapel 7. WWII Underground Bunker -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Source: Email from Jim Faull) I was stationed at Gieb from July 1966 to Oct 1968. We lived at Leighton Barracks, Wurzburg. As I remember, we had an MPS-11 search radar and an FPS-90 height radar. I don't believe the search radar was moved to Lauda, but I may be wrong! I toured the Lauda facility before I left Germany and I thought the site was operational BEFORE Gieb pulled the plug! Also, I think we had a second height radar, the FPS-6. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1968 (Source: Email from Jon Vick, 602nd AC &W Sq) I was a weapons controller at Gieb from 1968-69 and at Lauda (Batman) from 1969-70. The 412L system was installed at Gieb when I got there in 1967 and was also installed at Lauda where I was transferred to in 1968 as one of the first controllers. We trained on and used the 412L system exclusively at both Gieb in 1967 and Lauda in 1968. I don't recall running any manual intercepts at either site. I think that both Gieb and Lauda had 3 tiers of scopes: 1 row of controller scopes in the top tier for intercepts with additional scopes for other uses in a second tier and bottom tier, but these were not used for intercepts. There were about 4 controllers per shift with 3 shifts; all were Lts or captains who spoke with the pilots and controlled intercepts via datalink. We reported to the Senior Director who was a captain; he reported to a major who was the Crew Commander. Our shifts were day, swing, and mid-shifts; usually 6 shifts (3 days, 3 nights) in a row then 3 days off. We each used a 412L scope on the top tier to control intercepts and each of us was assigned a weapons tech who were airmen or sgts and who sat beside us and worked the weapons console and communications buttons. We had several channels of communication available and could change frequency as needed after the flight had been identified and vectored. We used phones for internal communication to the Senior Director, pickups, handoffs, etc. Usually we ran some simulated intercepts and were lucky to get one actual flight a week due to bad weather, infrequency of flights, etc. It would take a new controller 6 months to qualify due to the small number of flights.

602nd AC&WS / 602nd TCS 602nd Tactical Control Squadron, Darmstadt, Dec 1945 - Nov 1948 602nd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, Birkenfeld, Dec 1948 - 1956 602nd Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron, Giebelstadt, 1956 - Aug 1968 602nd Tactical Control Squadron, Neu Ulm, ??? 602nd Tactical Control Squadron, Türkheim, Oct 1978 - Aug 1985 602nd ACWRON Command Histories 602nd TCS, Darmstadt, Dec 1945 - Nov 1948 (Source: Email from Jim Clements, 602nd TCS, 1946-48) Just ran across the web site relative to the European Tactical Control Squadrons. I was assigned to the 602nd Tactical Control Squadron in July of 1946 when we were in a German Airbase near Griesheim. Then we were moved to a Kaserne in Darmstadt. Our radar site was out near Leeheim and Dornheim (Webmaster Note: exact location is Goddelau.) and our call sign was "Cornbeef". Then some of us were sent up to Hof as Detachment "A" of the 602nd and we lived in a large Villa before we moved into a Kaserne in Hof. At that time all our radar equipment was in trucks and semi's. We also had a steel mat runway beside our radar site that our pilots used. It was a most interesting time. I would enjoy talking to someone who was there about that time frame and in the good old days. I came home for discharge in the beginning of Oct. 1948. I could tell you what I remember from 61 years ago. I am surprised that no one has filled you in on any of those years before now. I will try to describe my time with the 602nd as best I can. It was the end of July 1946 when I was assigned to the 602nd. I was part of a group that had radar training at Camp Pinedale, CA. (near Fresno). We helped to get a lot of equipment ready at a warehouse located at Hammer Field . We left New York on the USS Lewiston Victory for Bremerhaven. It took 11 days and the English were still sweeping mines from the English Channel. They popped a couple just before we went through. We traveled by train to Fürstenfeldbruck, near Munich, where we where divided up and sent to the various radar sites (601, 602, 603, and the 604).

The 602nd under command of Major Fuller, was stationed at the airfield in Griesheim in the old German barracks. We used the wind tunnel on the base as our storage facility. The radar site, as previously mentioned, was near Leeheim and Dornheim in the middle of a large farm field. We traveled to and from the radar site via 2 1/2 ton 6 by's. Our AN/CPS-1 was on a trailer and we had no height finder until we obtained an old British height finder that had been thru Africa, Italy, France and then to us as they were getting rid of it. Our people restored it and it was better than the AN/CPS-4 that we finally received. Our plotting table and scopes, power equipment, and other equipment were all in James Huts. Our operations James Hut was finally exchanged for a wooden building. We operated with five DF sites to locate the aircraft on our scopes. The DF units were all in vans, including the one at "Cornbeef". They finally built a tower for our AN/CPS-1 and paved the road up to the radar site past the farm community we were near. We also hauled new power equipment from the rail yard in Darmstadt on skids behind 6 by's. One of our maintenance men for the power units was Karl Bong, the brother of Major Richard Bong, the Pacific Air Ace. Before we moved from Griesheim we had a Mosquito make a belly landing. The British brought in a crew that repaired the aircraft and eventually flew it out. There were a number of wrecked German aircraft around the field in various condition, some fighters and a couple of bombers. Soon after we moved to the Kaserne near Darmstadt (approximately the beginning of 1947) Gen. Curtis Le May visited our unit and "Cornbeef" (our radar site). He spent a good portion of the day with us and was so impressed at what we were doing that he sent his staff out the next day to visit "Cornbeef". When he was flying we heard from him quite often. Sometime after Christmas 1948 (?) a group of us were told to prepare to move out soon. We were not told when or where. About a week later we left Darmstadt in the middle of the night via convoy. We ended up in Hof as 602nd Detachment A under the command of Capt. Mc Dowell. All our radar equipment was on trucks and vans including our plotting equipment. Our call sign was "Logroll". We had a plotting table to keep track of all the aircraft going up the Berlin Corridor as well as any coming across the border from Czechoslovakia (which closed while we were there) and anything else on the other side of the border. We called all our plots into a center near Rhein Main. We finally got a fence around the radar site and we had DP's patrolling around outside of it. That was the way it was until I left to go home and get discharged. We were billeted in a Villa west of town on the side of a hill not too far from the autobahn when we first arrived up in Hof. It was a large beautiful home. The radar site was up the road from the Kaserne again on a hill side. There was a steel mat runway for the L-5's for our pilots who flew down to pick up the P-51's or P-47's for interception. There

was one small metal hangar near the road and the runway traveled from the south-east near the road to the north-west down the hill. We moved into the Kaserne a little before the 603rd came up and joined us, so our trip to the radar site by truck was shortened quite a bit. We had some trouble at times with the Russians, who were stationed at the border on the Autobahn, as they would come into Hof and get drinking and rowdy. If you were the Sgt. of the guard that night you were told to get in town and get our men out so there wouldn't be a problem. We also had other problems with Russians in the air at times. I am not sure of the exact dates but I tried to pin point the moves and such as close as could remember. When I left Hof it was October 1948 as I was discharged Nov. 5, 1948. If there are any other questions and I can answer them please let me know. I might still have a couple of photographs around, if I can find them. It would be interesting to be in touch with anyone else who was there at that time. Thank you for the links to the maps and maybe the village we went thru was "Goddelau". I remember that when we left the airfield at Griesheim we turned left from the road out of the airfield and Greisheim was only a very small village. We then passed thru another village before we turned right off the road to go through a farm settlement to get to "Cornbeef". ADDITIONAL INFORMATION All four Squadrons had the same mission, just different areas of responsibility. If I remember correctly the locations of the following Squadrons were: 601st was located in Kassel with one of the D/F sites in the British zone 602nd was located in Grieshiem (then Darmstadt with one of the D/F sites in the French zone) 603rd was located in Neustadt 604th was located in Friesing 501st Group Hqtrs. in Bad Kissingen All four radar sites had five D/F stations attached to each squadron. Two, as indicated above, were in French and British zones. One of our D/F stations was called Dodger and I do not remember the others at this time. On the 25th of July 1947, EATS assumed the responsibility for the radar and fixer stations in the US Zone. The 501st TCG which had been under the command of the XII TAC was deactivated on August 1, 1947. At that point there were only three Squadrons, the 601st, 602nd and the 604th. Each Squadron had approximately 14 officers and 176 men. The 602nd was commanded by Major Edwin W. Fuller. Lt. Charles E. Salik, was the Radar officer and M/Sgt. Roman A. Celmer was the radar chief. !/Sgt. Grawert was the Squadron 1/Sgt.

You asked if all four units were equipped with AN/CPS-1 and AN/CPS-4's? I'm not sure of the other Squadrons but in 1946 the 602nd had a large rectangular antenna on a trailer (I have a photo), then later a CPS-1 on a trailer, and then later again a tower was built for the CPS-1. The AN/CPS-4 came after the British height finder. I have photos of all the antennas. All the D/F sites were attached to the individual squadrons as indicated above. I never had the opportunity to visit a D/F site but met some of the men when they came in for supplies and such. The mission of Detachment "A" was I believe, the corridor to Berlin and keeping track of the Russians and any aircraft in our vicinity. We started operations in March 1948 in Hof and I left in Oct. 1948 to come home and go back to school. I have photos of the Villa we first stayed in west of Hof. The James Hut is similar in shape to the Quonset hut except that it had a canvas cover and the arcs were wooden (water proof and insulated, not enough on cold winter nights). I also have a photo of the one at the 602nd "Cornbeef. 602nd AC&W Sq Griesheim Airfield 1. Griesheim airfield, 1946 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Webmaster: on Dec 24, 1944 close to 190 bombers of the 8th Air Force targeted the Darmstadt-Griesheim Fliegerhorst and the surrounding area. As far as the airfield goes, primarily the northeastern corner was hit with resulting damage or destruction of two large hangars, the barracks area and a glider factory. Also of note, Darmstadt-Griesheim was the first airfield constructed in Germany.

CORNBEEF Control Site Goddelau 1. Aerial of Tac Site 2. James Hut 3. Search radar at tech site 4. British height finder at tech site 5. CPS-1 radar. 6. 7. CPS-1 radar on tower. 8. CPS-4 HF radar. 9. 10. 11. SCR-127 IFF 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. Jim Clements 18. Plotting board 19. Clements and buddy AN/CPS-1 Page 1 AN/CPS-1 Page 2 Det "A," 602nd AC&WS Hof 1. '399' Radio truck (108 KB) 2. The "Villa" (107 KB) 3. Close-up (138 KB)

4. Carriage House (138 KB) 5. 6th Con Squadron M-8 (139 KB) 6. Inside the turret (92 KB) 7. Jim Clements (87 KB) 8. Black, visitor, and Meyers (87 KB) 9. Crashed C-47, Berlin Airlift (68 KB) 10. (KB) 11. (KB) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Source: Email from the son of Henry E. Thomas, 602nd TCS, 1947-48) Some of guys at CORNBEEF, around 1948 While researching my father's unit on the Internet I found your site. Thanks for creating the site. Henry E. Thomas was in the 602nd at Darmstadt around 1947/48 and was with Det D that went to Birkenfeld in the French Sector in 1948. At some point he was assigned to the 604th in Freising before he returned to the States. Sometime in 1950 I believe, he was transferred to the States aboard the troopship General Henry Gibbins. He still comments on how rough the trip back was compared to the trip over on a much larger ship. Once back home he served in an airborne radar maintenance unit assigned to the Strategic Air Commands 306th Bomber Wing at McDill AFB, Tampa. He left the Air Force in 1951 and still calls Florida home. My father lied about his age and was only 16 when he went into basic training at Lackland in Texas. Apparently that was common because his younger brother did the same thing a year later and he went on to spend 20 years in the Air Force. Dad says he knew of one kid that was 13 when he was in basic who was allowed to stay. After basic he went to Germany on board the General C.H. Muir via Bremerhaven. He was in Darmstadt before the move to Birkenfeld and does not remember the airfield at Griesheim. He did mention to me he was present when a tower for the AN/CPS-1 was built at the Cornbeef Tech site

as he took part in its construction. Later when the move to Birkenfeld took place he said they had to pretty much build the place as they had quonset huts which he said were very cold. Of course he was in Germany for the Berlin Airlift and he has his Medal For Humane Action along with a plexiglas plaque that says 602nd AC&WS "Cornbeef" Darmstadt, D Crew proudly displayed. He really has never said much about the time he spent in Freising with the 604th. His time at McDill was as he says one big party. The command at the base had changed and other than repairing a few buildings he spent most of his time laying on the beach. Apparently they didnt have enough for him to do. He decided he had enough of the Air Force and was soon after discharged in Houston, Texas. He moved to Jacksonville, Florida where he worked as an Ironworker for 40 years before he retired in 1993. He lives on a farm near where he grew up in Worthington Springs, Florida.