Pickstown Air Force Station

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Pickstown Air Force Station (ADC ID: SM-134, NORAD ID: Z-134) is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located 3.1 miles (5.0 km) east-northeast of Pickstown, South Dakota. It was closed in 1968.

Pickstown Air Force Station
Part of Air Defense Command (ADC)
Pickstown AFS is located in South Dakota
Pickstown AFS
Pickstown AFS
Location of Pickstown AFS, South Dakota
Coordinates43°04′59″N 098°28′31″W / 43.08306°N 98.47528°W / 43.08306; -98.47528 (Pickstown AFS SM-134)
TypeAir Force Station
Site information
Controlled by United States Air Force
Site history
Built1961
In use1961-1968
Garrison information
Garrison695th Radar Squadron
Emblem of the 695th Radar Squadron

History

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Pickstown Air Force Station was initially part of Phase II of the Air Defense Command Mobile Radar program. The Air Force approved this expansion of the Mobile Radar program on 23 October 1952. Radars in this network were designated "SM."

The station became operational with the activation of the 695th Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 18 April 1961. The squadron was equipped with AN/FPS-66 and a pair of AN/FPS-6 radars. It fed data to DC-22 at Sioux City AFS, Iowa. The radar squadron provided information 24/7 the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range, direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile.

The radars were operated until 1968 when Air Defense Command closed the station as part of a draw down of assets and budget reductions. Today, what was Pickstown AFS has been completely redeveloped. It is now Fort Randall Casino & Hotel operated by the Yankton Sioux Tribe.

Air Force units and assignments

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Units:

  • 695th Radar Squadron (SAGE), Activated on 16 April 1961
Inactivated on 8 September 1968

Assignments:

See also

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References

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  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  • A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado
  • Winkler, David F. (1997), Searching the skies: the legacy of the United States Cold War defense radar program. Prepared for United States Air Force Headquarters Air Combat Command.
  • Information for Pickstown AFS, SD