St. Bride's Radar Station Explained

St. Bride's Radar Station
Partof:United States General Surveillance Radar
Location:Newfoundland
Ensign:File:US Army Air Corps Hap Arnold Wings.svg
Type:Radar Station
Code:Trio
Built:1942
Builder:United States Army
Used:1943-1945
Controlledby:Newfoundland Base Command
Garrison:685th Air Warning Company

St. Bride's Radar Station was a United States Army General Surveillance Ground Radar Early Warning Station in the Dominion of Newfoundland.[1] [2] It was built during World War II and responsible for monitoring air traffic from Naval Station Argentia to RCAF Torbay and into the Atlantic Ocean.[3] It was located in St. Bride's, 135km (84miles) southwest of St. John's.[4] It was closed in 1945.

History

The site was established in 1942 as a United States Ground Radar Early Warning Station, funded by the United States Army,[5] which stationed the 685th Air Warning Squadron on the site under operational control of Newfoundland Base Command at Pepperrell Air Force Base.[6] [7] Fifty-two members (three officers and 49 enlisted men) of the 685th were assigned to St Bride's. It operated an SCR-271 manned early-warning radar with information sent by radio to a plotting center at Pepperrell AFB to track aircraft. St Bride's was the third of a chain of four stations around the Newfoundland coast and was accordingly given the radio code name of "Trio".[8] The station was assigned to Royal Canadian Air Force on 1 November 1944, and was given designation "No 41 RU". The RCAF operated the station until 7 October 1945.

United States Army Air Forces units and assignments

Units:

Inactivated November 1944

Assignments:

References

Notes and References

  1. Book: Cardoulis, John N. 1990. A Friendly Invasion (The American Military in Newfoundland: 1940-1990). St John's. Breakwater Books Ltd. 25. 0-920911-85-4.
  2. Web site: Searching the Skies, The Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program.
  3. Book: Cuff, Robert. 1981. Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador. St John's. Newfoundland Book Publishers (1967) Ltd.. 14. 0920508146.
  4. Web site: The CADIN Pinetree Line Locations.
  5. Web site: A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980.
  6. Book: Group, NBC. 1997. A History of the Air Defence of Canada 1948-1997. Washington, DC. Commander Fighter Group. 148. 0-9681973-0-2.
  7. Web site: Other American Stations. www.heritage.nf.ca.
  8. Cardoulis (1990) p. 134