Misplaced Pages

Cross City Air Force Station Cross City Army Airfield
Part of Air Defense Command, later Aerospace Defense Command
Dixie County, near Cross City, Florida
Cross City AFS in the 1960s
Cross City Army Airfield, 1944
Cross City AFS
Coordinates	29°38′4.60″N 83°05′55.89″W / 29.6346111°N 83.0988583°W / 29.6346111; -83.0988583.
Type	Long Range Radar Site
Code	ADC ID: TM-200, NORAD ID: Z-200
Site information
Controlled by	United States Air Force
Open to the public	Yes
Site history
Built	1942
Built by	U.S. Air Force
In use	1942-1970
Garrison information
Garrison	Cross City, Florida

Cross City Air Force Station is a former United States Air Force facility, located 1.6 miles (2.6 km) east of Cross City, Florida.

Overview

Originally a small civil airport, during World War II it was active as a training base for the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics and Third Air Force.

Closed after the war and returned to civil control, in 1958 the United States Air Force exercised a right of return and a portion of the airport became an Air Defense Command ground interceptor radar site. Closed by the Air Force in 1970, the radars were turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Today it is part of the Joint Surveillance System (JSS), designated by NORAD as Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS) Ground Equipment Facility J-10.

History

World War II

The airport was opened as a public airport in April 1940. In August 1942, the facility was requisitioned by the United States Army Air Forces, and construction began to convert the Civil Aeronautics Administration airport in Cross City to a dive bomber military training airfield. The construction included the addition of and improvements to buildings, taxiways, roads, and hard stands. Historical documents list three ranges at the Cross City AAF: a shoot-in-butt, a rifle range, and a skeet range.

Known as Cross City Army Airfield, it was used as part of the Army Air Forces Center (AAF Center)'s combat simulation school in Central and Northern Florida and as a unit training center by Third Air Force.

Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics / Army Air Forces Tactical Center

Activated on 27 October 1942 as part of the Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT), Cross City AAF was assigned as a sub-base of Orlando Army Air Base, and came under the jurisdiction of the 50th Fighter Group stationed at Orlando.

The 50th assigned the 305th Fighter Squadron (Single Engine), flying Bell P-39 Airacobra aircraft, to the field on 21 October 1942 to fly training missions from Cross City. In 1943, the AAFSAT was renamed the Army Air Forces Tactical Center (AAFTC). In June 1943, the 305th Fighter Squadron was replaced by the AAFTC's 81st Fighter Squadron (Single Engine), flying P-47 Thunderbolts until 1 February 1944.

In support of the training mission, the Horseshoe Point Auxiliary Airfield (29°28′19″N 083°18′18″W / 29.47194°N 83.30500°W / 29.47194; -83.30500) was constructed and used by the school as an auxiliary and emergency landing airfield. No personnel were permanently assigned to Horseshoe Point.

Third Air Force

The AAFTC training mission ended in late June 1944, when Cross City was officially reassigned to III Fighter Command. With the transfer, Cross City was assigned to Third Air Force and became a sub-base of Alachua Army Airfield, near Gainesville, assigned to the Commando Squadron Fighter Training School.

A different mission of sorts was ordered by III Fighter Command, the training of Air Commando fighter units for the China Burma India Theater and the invasion of Burma. Cross City AAF was initially assigned squadrons of the 2d and 3d Air Commando Groups training with North American P-51 Mustang fighters. However, it was decided by Third Air Force to consolidate the Commando fighter squadron training at Alachua AAF. Instead, the liaison squadrons of the 2d Air Commando Group were moved to Cross City AAF from Lakeland Army Airfield in late June. Through the summer and early fall of 1944, six liaison squadrons were trained at the airfield. Equipped with Piper L-4 Grasshopper and Stinson L-5 Sentinel liaison planes and Noorduyn and Aeronca C-64 Norseman utility cargo aircraft, the pilots were schooled in low level flying, short field landings, tactical reconnaissance, and supply missions.

Closure

With the Air Commando units moving out at the end of 1944, the flying mission wound down at Cross City AAF and it was used as an auxiliary airfield of the Air Technical Service Command facilities at Alachua AAF. The airfield remained open, mostly seeing transient training aircraft from various training bases in Florida and South Georgia. The number of personnel was also reduced, being reassigned to other bases.

In January 1945, Third Air Force sent down orders to close the facility, and it was placed on inactive status on 1 February 1945. Jurisdiction of the airfield was transferred to Air Technical Service Command (ATSC), whose mission was the transfer of any useful military equipment to other bases around the country. Under ATSC, buildings and equipment were sold and any useful military equipment was transferred to other military bases across the United States. The base was declared as surplus in 1946 and was turned over to the War Assets Administration (WAA) for disposal and return to civil use. After the war, the airfield was returned to civil control and the Cross City Airport was re-established.

World War II units assigned

Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics / Army Air Forces Tactical Center

• 305th Fighter Squadron, 21 October 1942 – 13 June 1943 (P-39 Airacobra)
• 81st Fighter Squadron, 18 June 1943 – 1 February 1944 (P-47 Thunderbolt)

Third Air Force

• 1st Fighter Squadron (Commando), 12–21 June 1944 (P-51 Mustang)
• 2d Fighter Squadron (Commando), 9–21 June 1944 (P-51 Mustang)
• 127th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 21 June-17 August 1944
• 155th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 21 June-17 August 1944
• 156th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 21 June-17 August 1944
• 157th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 19 August-6 October 1944
• 159th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 19 August-6 October 1944
• 160th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 19 August-6 October 1944

Air Defense Command / Aerospace Defense Command

In 1958, the United States Air Force exercised a reversal clause option for a portion of the former Cross City AAF under the post-World War II WAA action that transferred the former military airfield back to the city as a civilian airport. As a USAF installation, the new facility would not have a flying mission, but would be an air defense radar site under the operational control of the Air Defense Command (ADC). The portion of the field used by ADC was renamed Cross City Air Force Station.

New military construction (MILCON) ensued, to include concrete structures for barracks, dining facilities, operations, administration, maintenance, and backup electrical power, as well as metal and masonry structures for radar antennas and associated systems. The 691st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (691 AC&WS) moved from Dobbins AFB, Georgia to Cross City AFS with an AN/FPS-20A search radar and a pair of AN/FPS-6A height-finder radar sets on 1 July 1958 and the station initially functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept (GCI) and warning station. As a GCI station, the squadron's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes. Alert fighter-interceptor aircraft under Cross City AFS control would typically sortie from Tyndall AFB, Florida or from the Florida Air National Guard's alert facility at Imeson Airport in Jacksonville, Florida.

During 1959, Cross City AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, feeding data to Direction Center DC-09 at Gunter AFB, Alabama. After joining, the squadron was re-designated as the 691st Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 October 1959. The radar squadron provided information 24/7/365 to the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range, direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile.

In 1962, the search radar was upgraded to an AN/FPS-66 radar, and then to an AN/FPS-66A in 1967. In addition to the general radar surveillance, Cross City AFS supported CIM-10 Bomarc antiaircraft missile testing by the 4751st Air Defense Wing (Missile) and 4751st Air Defense Squadron (Missile) at Eglin AFB Auxiliary Field #9 (Hurlburt Field), Florida.

In addition to the main facility, Cross City AFS also operated two AN/FPS-14 Gap Filler sites:

• Perry, Florida (TM-200A): 30°04′42″N 083°34′47″W / 30.07833°N 83.57972°W / 30.07833; -83.57972 (TM-200A)
• Bridgeboro, Georgia (TM-200B/TM-199B): 31°25′28″N 083°57′12″W / 31.42444°N 83.95333°W / 31.42444; -83.95333 (TM-200B/TM-199B)

On 1 April 1966, the Montgomery Air Defense Sector was replaced by the 32d Air Division, which was reactivated at Gunter AFB on that date. In 1968, Air Defense Command was renamed Aerospace Defense Command (ADC), but all existing command relationships for the 691st Radar Squadron and Cross City AFS with the 32nd Air Division remained unchanged. In 1969, one AN/FPS-6 was removed and higher headquarters for the 691st and Cross City AFS shifted to the 20th Air Division at Tyndall AFB.

The Air Force inactivated the 691st Radar Squadron on 30 September 1970 and closed the facility.

Today what was Cross City Air Force Station is now the Florida Department of Corrections' Cross City Correctional Institution. Access by the general public is not permitted. Many former Air Force buildings are now utilized by the prison while the radar site is still used as part of the Joint Surveillance System (JSS).

Post-War Air Force units and assignments

Units:

• 691st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, assigned 1 July 1958

Activated 1 March 1958 at Dobbins AFB, Georgia (not equipped or manned)

Redesignated 691st Radar Squadron (SAGE), 1 October 1959

Inactivated 30 September 1970

Assignments:

• 35th Air Division, 1 December 1957
• 32d Air Division, 15 November 1958
• Montgomery Air Defense Sector, 1 November 1959
• 32d Air Division, 1 April 1966
• 20th Air Division, 19 November 1969 – 30 September 1970

See also

• Florida World War II Army Airfields
• Army Air Force School of Applied Tactics
• List of USAF Aerospace Defense Command General Surveillance Radar Stations

References

1. Maurer, Maurer. (ed.), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force, Office of Air Force History, Washington, DC, 1969 (reprint 1982), p.369
2. Id., p.285
3. USAFHRA Document 00171241
4. USAFHRA Document 00117882
5. USAFHRA Document 00171240
6. Cornett, Lloyd H. and Johnson, Mildred W., A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson AFB, CO (1980), p.161
7. Id.
8. Id.
9. USAFHRA Document 00463594

•  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
• Cornett, Lloyd H. and Johnson, Mildred W., A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980 Archived 2006-11-23 at the Wayback Machine, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson AFB, CO (1980).
• Maurer, Maurer. (ed.), Combat Squadrons of the Air Force Office of Air Force History, Washington, DC, 1969 (reprint 1982) ISBN 0-405-12194-6.
• Maurer, Maurer (ed.), Air Force Combat Units of World War II, Office of Air Force History, Washington, DC, 1961 (reprint 1983) ISBN 0-912799-02-1.
• Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
• Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History's Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington, D.C., 2004.
• Winkler, David F. & Webster, Julie L., Searching the Skies, The Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program, US Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories, Champaign, IL (1997).
• Information for Cross City AFS, FL

External links

Download coordinates as:

• KML
• GPX (all coordinates)
• GPX (primary coordinates)
• GPX (secondary coordinates)

• Resources for this airport:
  • FAA airport information for CTY
  • AirNav airport information for CTY
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for CTY

v t e Aerospace Defense Command (ADC)
Bases	CONUS Amarillo Beale Charleston Davis-Monthan Dobbins Dover Dow Duluth Eglin Edwards Ellington Ellsworth England Ent Ethan Allen Fairfax Fallon Fort Gregg-Adams Fort Heath Geiger George Glasgow Grand Forks Grenier Griffiss Gunter Hamilton Hancock Homestead Hurlburt Hunter Imeson Key West Kincheloe Kingsley Kirtland Lackland Laredo Larson Luke MacDill March Malmstrom McCoy McChord McClellan McGhee Tyson McGuire Minneapolis-St. Paul Minot Mitchel New Castle Niagara Falls Norton O'Hare Otis Oxnard Paine Perrin Peterson Pittsburgh Portland Presque Isle R.I. Bong Richards-Gebaur Robins K.I. Sawyer Selfridge Seymour Johnson Sioux City Stead Stewart Suffolk County Tinker Travis Truax Tyndall Vandenberg Vincent Walker Webb Westover Wright-Patterson Wurtsmith Youngstown Overseas Ernest Harmon Frobisher Bay Goose Keflavik McAndrew Pepperrell Thule
Stations	CONUS Adair Aiken Almaden Alpena Antigo Arlington Heights Baker Bedford Bellefontaine Belleville Benton Blaine Brookfield Brunswick Bucks Harbor Burns Calumet Cambria Cape Charles Cape Cod Carmi Caswell Chandler Charleston Cheyenne Mountain Claysburg Clear Colville Condon Continental Divide Cottonwood Cross City Crystal Springs Curlew Custer Cut Bank Dallas Center Dauphin Island Dickinson Duncanville Eldorado Empire Finland Finley Flintstone Fordland Fort Fisher Fort Lee Fortuna Gettysburg Grand Marais Grand Rapids Guthrie Hanna City Havre Highlands Houma Hutchinson Joelton Keno Killeen Kingman Kirksville Klamath Lake Charles Lake City Las Cruces Las Vegas Lewistown Lockport Lufkin Lyndonville Madera Makah Mica Peak Miles City Mill Valley Minot Montauk Moriarty Mount Hebo Mount Laguna Mount Lemmon Naselle North Bend North Charleston North Truro Oklahoma City Olathe Omaha Opheim Osceola Othello Owingsville Ozona Palermo Point Arena Port Austin Port Isabel Pyote Red Bluff Rochester Rockport Rockville (Indiana) Roslyn Rye Saint Albans San Clemente Island Santa Rosa Island Saratoga Springs Sault Ste Marie Shemya Snelling Snow Mountain Sweetwater Texarkana Tierra Amarilla Thomasville Tonopah Topsham Two Creeks Wadena Walnut Ridge Watertown Waverly West Mesa Willow Run Winnemucca Winslow Winston-Salem Woomera Yaak Zapata Overseas Armstrong Baldy Hughes Beausejour Cape Makkovik Cartwright Cut Throat Island Elliston Ridge Fox Harbour Hofn Hopedale Kamloops La Scie Langanes Latrar Melville Puntzi Mountain Ramore Red Cliff Rockville Saglek St. Anthony Saskatoon Mountain Sioux Lookout Spotted Island Stephenville
Air Defense units	Forces Central Air Defense Eastern Air Defense Iceland Western Air Defense First Fourth Tenth Fourteenth Air Divisions 8th 9th 20th 21st 23d 24th 25th 26th 27th 28th 29th 30th 31st 32d 33d 34th 35th 36th 37th 58th 64th 73d 85th Sectors Albuquerque Bangor Boston Chicago Detroit Duluth Goose Grand Forks Great Falls Kansas City Los Angeles Minot Montgomery New York Oklahoma City Phoenix Portland Reno Sault Sainte Marie San Francisco Seattle Sioux City Spokane Stewart Syracuse Washington Wings Fighter 1st 4th 23d 32d 33d 50th 52d 56th 78th 81st 325th 328th 507th Detection and Control 71st 73d 551st 552d Air Defense 46th 4620th 4621st 4622d 4624th 4625th 4627th 4628th 4683d 4700th 4702d 4703d 4704th 4705th 4706th 4707th 4708th 4709th 4710th 4711th 4750th 4751st 4752d 4756th 4780th Groups Fighter 1st 4th 14th 15th 23d 32d 33d 50th 52d 53d 54th 56th 57th 78th 79th 81st 82d 84th 325th 326th 327th 328th 329th 337th 343d 355th 408th 412th 414th 473d 475th 476th 478th 507th Air Defense 10th 500th 501st 502d 503d 514th 515th 516th 517th 518th 519th 520th 521st 525th 527th 528th 529th 530th 533d 534th 564th 566th 567th 568th 575th 637th 665th 678th 692d 701st 751st 762d 765th 778th 780th 827th 858th 4606th 4620th 4676th 4700th 4721st 4722d 4727th 4728th 4729th 4730th 4731st 4732d 4733d 4734th 4735th 4750th 4756th Aircraft Control & Warning 503d 505th 540th 541st 542d 543d 544th 545th 546th 563d 564th 565th 566th Squadrons Aerospace Defense Command Fighter Squadrons Aircraft Control and Warning Squadrons
Major weapon systems	Electronic TB-29 EB-57 EC-121 Fighters Propeller: F-47 F-51 P-61 F-82 Subsonic Jet: P-80 F-84 F-86 F-89 F-94 Supersonic Jet: F-101 F-102 F-104 F-106 Missiles AIM-4 AIM-26 AIR-2 CIM-10 Ships Guardian Interceptor Interdictor Interpreter Investigator Locator Lookout Outpost Pickett Protector Scanner Searcher Skywatcher Tracer Watchman Vigil Texas Towers Texas Tower 2 Texas Tower 3 Texas Tower 4
Miscellaneous	Air Defense Command Emblem Gallery (on Wikimedia Commons) General Surveillance Radar Stations

v t e United States Army Air Forces Third Air Force in World War II
Units	Commands II Air Support Command III Air Support Command III Bomber Command III Fighter Command III Reconnaissance Command III Tactical Air Command Divisions III Tactical Air Division Wings 8th Fighter Wing 9th Fighter Wing 40th Bombardment Wing Groups Air Commando 2nd Air Commando 3rd Air Commando Bombardment 3rd Bombardment 12th Bombardment 17th Bombardment 21st Bombardment 29th Bombardment 30th Bombardment Group 38th Bombardment 44th Bombardment 46th Bombardment 47th Bombardment 85th Bombardment 88th Bombardment 90th Bombardment 91st Bombardment 92nd Bombardment 93rd Bombardment 94th Bombardment 95th Bombardment 97th Bombardment 98th Bombardment 99th Bombardment 100th Bombardment 309th Bombardment 310th Bombardment 312th Bombardment 319th Bombardment 320th Bombardment 321st Bombardment 322d Bombardment 323d Bombardment 335th Bombardment 336th Bombardment 340th Bombardment 344th Bombardment 345th Bombardment 386th Bombardment 387th Bombardment 391st Bombardment 394th Bombardment 396th Bombardment 397th Bombardment 409th Bombardment 410th Bombardment 411th Bombardment 416th Bombardment 417th Bombardment 418th Bombardment 451st Bombardment 454th Bombardment 463rd Bombardment 483rd Bombardment 488th Bombardment Fighter 20th Fighter 31st Fighter 49th Fighter 50th Fighter 53rd Fighter 54th Fighter 56th Fighter 59th Fighter 79th Fighter 80th Fighter 81st Fighter 84th Fighter 85th Fighter 311th Fighter 332nd Fighter 337th Fighter 338th Fighter 339th Fighter 361st Fighter 369th Fighter 372nd Fighter 404th Fighter 405th Fighter 408th Fighter 414th Fighter 506th Fighter Fighter-Bomber 27th Fighter-Bomber 48th Fighter-Bomber 86th Fighter-Bomber 406th Fighter-Bomber 407th Fighter-Bomber Reconnaissance 2d Reconnaissance 9th Reconnaissance 10th Reconnaissance 26th Reconnaissance 65th Reconnaissance 67th Reconnaissance 68th Reconnaissance 69th Reconnaissance 70th Reconnaissance 75th Reconnaissance 77th Reconnaissance 423d Reconnaissance 424th Reconnaissance 426th Reconnaissance
United States Army Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Fourteenth Fifteenth Twentieth

v t e Army Air Forces Training Command
Flying training	Flying schools Eastern Flying Training Command Central Flying Training Command Western Flying Training Command Specialized schools Bombardier Contract Flying Glider Training Gunnery Navigator
Technical training	Eastern Technical Training Command Central Technical Training Command Western Technical Training Command

• Installations of the United States Air Force in Florida
• 1940 establishments in Florida
• Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics Airfields
• Buildings and structures in Dixie County, Florida
• Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Florida
• Semi-Automatic Ground Environment sites
• Military airbases established in 1940
• 1969 disestablishments in Florida
• Military installations established in 1942
• Military installations closed in 1969