734th AC&W Squadron Site Y-3 Morocco - Abandoned Air Force Radar Sites on Waymarking.com

There were several AC&W Squadrons in Morroco, some of which were located in the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert. Their mission was to calibrate, set up, and maintain early warning and tactical control radar and radio sites in support of the Strategic Air Command Bases at Nouasseur, Sidi Slimane, and Ben Guerir Air Bases in Morocco. The majority of these AC&W sites were activated in 1952-1953.

With the destabilization of French government in Morocco, and Moroccan independence in 1956, the government of Mohammed V wanted the US Air Force to pull out of the SAC bases in
Morocco, insisting on such action after American intervention in Lebanon in 1958. The United States agreed to leave as of December 1959, and was fully out of Morocco in 1963. SAC felt the
Moroccan bases were much less critical with the long range of the B-52, and with the completion
of the Spanish bases in 1959.

In addition to the approximately 70 USAF Airmen assigned to this radar site each year, there was also a small contingent (about 30) of French Airmen who were assigned for two year tours. The Radar Site’s first designation (Sep 1952) was 117th AC&W Sq, B Flight. It was then changed to 735th AC&W Sq, B Flight. It was permanently changed to the 734th AC&W Sq, Site Y3 in early 1953. Not much is known about what happened at this Site during 1953-1954, but it is assumed that the site was being constructed with permanent buildings, living quarters, etc. First there were tent Buildings (wooden floors with tent tops). Then there were several "Dallas Huts," and finally, permanent "Mortar/Cement Barracks." Several of the support buildings were large metal Quonset huts including the Gym and Communication Center. The Motor Pool was a large permanent building located about 75 yards from, and adjacent to the Air Police Shack at the Main Gate.

Regarding the site closure (from the Internet): As a Unitec techrep, I tried to keep a AN/GPS-4 working at the 734th AC&W on the Moroccan, Algiers border in 1961-2, we had an AN/MPS-14 too. The AN/GPS-4 was a strange beast, converted from AN/MPS-7, with the AN/FPS-20 type line antenna feed, but powered by a "2 MW" QK-470." Receiver was a single channel version of a AN/FPS-20 unit. (MIL-HDBK-162B, 15 DEC. 1973.) Was put on orders as the C&E officer, [!] so the good Captain C&E, could rotate to the land of the round doorknobs. This site was shut down and razed by May of 1962, according to Airman Ruff, a base fireman, who turned up at Wurtsmith AFB, in the spring of 1963. Best Regards, Don Helgeson, Gleaner & Scrounger -

The daytime heat averaged about 110-120 degrees and the nighttime temperature would drop to the 50s or 60s. Quite a contrast in temperature changes in the span of a day. It was a very dry heat so it was not as unpleasant as it would have been with higher humidity. One time during the course of my tour it snowed there during the day for 5 or 10 minutes. Most of us just stood outside amazed at what we were seeing -- and it was not even that cold. There was a very large Krater about 1500 yards northeast of the site -- hence the name "Djenane Krater." Originally, the area was called Jnane Rhater, but for reasons unknown, it was changed to Djenane Krater. From time to time small groups of Berber nomads would pitch their tents near the Krater and stay there for several days. Our waste water was transported underground via pipes out to the Krater area where it would evaporate in the heat/sink into the sand. However, some of the nomad groups would use this waste water for their needs. Site Y3 had a Dispensary to serve our medical needs. During my tour of duty this dispensary was manned by TSgt Sanchez and A/1C Harvey Slaughter Jr. For medical emergencies, a C-47 (Gooney Bird) was flown in from Sidi Slimane AFB (our support base) to evacuate the patient. I can remember this happening only one time when one of our airmen had appendicitis. A Dental Van would visit our site twice a year. Each time they would stay about a week or two to administer dental care.

The radar site was a desolate place. We got a new civilian GE Tech Rep while I (Airman Bill Goswick) was there. He was supposed to be there for six months. A week later he got on the weekly C47 to go back to Sidi Slimane Air Force Base. He couldn't handle the desolation. The Airmen stationed there didn't have that option.

TSgt Albert Palladino was NCOIC of the Mess Hall from 1958 – 1959. The 734th AC&W Squadron won the 316th Air Division Basketball Championship two years in a row (1959 & 1960). Our Gym was a large Quonset Hut that had two baskets and some weights for body building. There was not much to do when we were not working or sleeping so we played a lot of basketball. Perhaps, this is why we won the 316th Championship two years in a row?

The NCO/Airman's Club (El Sirocco) was situated between the Headquarters Building and the Mess Hall. It was open to all enlisted personnel. It was the place that a majority of enlisted personnel frequented the most - for social purposes and to play cards (pinochle), or shuffleboard. Beer and soda cost 10¢ a can, and mixed drinks cost 25¢ each. There were two "slot machines" in the NCO Club (5¢ & 25¢). Pat Duggan remembers being able to purchase two "mixed drinks" during Happy Hours for 10¢ script.
I (John Hawley) lived in the third enlisted barracks, the one that also housed the French enlisted personnel and was farthest away from the Orderly Room. Each barracks was approximately 80 feet long and had a mortar/cement wall in the middle forming two distinct bays. Our barracks had the French Airmen in one bay and the American Support Airmen (Orderly Room, Supply, etc. in the other bay. We had two Hut Boys (father & son). The Son was called Sammy. In 1964 I met Sammy at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX. He was a Private in the Moroccan Army attending the Defense Language Institute to learn English.

Updated April 18, 2002: There was an Amateur radio station (it was in one of the military mobile shelters) while I was stationed at Site 3. Major Strobel operated the station from the BOQ and Sgt Wells took over and relocated it to the shelter when the Major was reassigned. The callsign was CN8FW, "Charlie Nancy 8 Fine Whiskey." There was also another radio station, Radio Homer, located in the HQ bldg. It was supposed to serve as a radio beacon for incoming Aircraft. It was an AM Standard Broadcast station also set up as a regular station with our own disk jockey (Airman Bill Goswick was a part-time disk-jockey at the station in 1960).

Updated March 15, 2003: Submitted by Don Fleuette. From time to time we had security exercises for defense of the Radar Site. We had several "machine gun" teams, and each team was comprised of two members; one who ran with the machine gun and operated it, and another who carried the tripod and ammunition box. Each team would be situated on roof tops, or bunkers made out of sand bags. Exercises such as this were rare at Air Force installations during peace time, but were considered necessary due to our isolation and closeness to the Algerian border, etc. As far as I can tell, during my tour of duty, none of the team members ever practiced firing the weapons. A dangerous part of each exercise were the Scorpions we sometimes encountered in the bunkers.

While I (Bill Goswick) was there in 1960, I was issued a Browning Automatic Rifle and live ammo, and told to go to the barracks rooftop in the event the site alert siren went off, which occurred several times while I was there.

Updated Aug 12, 2002: Algerian - French Conflict. The Algerian border was about 30 or so kilometers from our Site. Sometimes at night we could see flashes of light on the skyline which we assumed was artillery fire between the warring factions. However, there was not much sound associated with the flashes of light so the artillery fire must have been several miles away. This was happening in 1959 and 1960. We came across an article written in French that indicated that the border between Morocco and Algeria were planted with land mines, barbed wire and other devices.

Updated Sep 14, 2002 MISSION: There were several AC&W Squadrons in Morroco, some of which were located in the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert. Their mission was to calibrate, set up, and maintain early warning and tactical control radar and radio sites in support of the Strategic Air Command Bases at Nouasseur, Sidi Slimane, and Ben Guerir Air Bases in Morocco. The majority of these AC&W sites were activated in 1952-1953. With the destabilization of French government in Morocco, and Moroccan independence in 1956, the government of Mohammed V wanted the US Air Force to pull out of the SAC bases in Morocco, insisting on such action after American intervention in Lebanon in 1958. The United States agreed to leave in December 1959, and was fully out of Morocco by 1963. SAC felt the Moroccan bases were much less critical with the long range of the B-52, and with the completion of the Spanish bases in 1959.

The 734th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron Jnane Rhater, French Morocco, was active from 8 October, 1952 to 18 September, 1953. It was subordinate to: 316th Air Division, 549th Aircraft Control and Warning Group Mission: Its Mission was to man, equip, train and maintain in coordination with other friendly forces will provide warning of, and an effective defense against, hostile air operations directed against the Moroccan Area in accordance with French/American agreements.

Equipment: MPS-7, 1954 734 ACW Djenane Krater, Fr. Morocco, MA Call Sign(s): Hobnob. Permanent ID Sage ID JSS ID Unit Location Early Equip. Final Equip. Oper. Date Inact. Date Notes Y3 734 ACW 734 ACW Djenane Krater, Fr. Morocco, MA GPS-4; MPS-14 1952 1962 Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron Jnane Rhater, French Morocco 8 October, 1952 – 18 September, 1953 Subordinate to: 316th Air Division, 549th Aircraft Control and Warning Group.

734 ACW Djenane Krater, Fr. Morocco, MA
Call Sign(s): Hobnob

Mission:Man, equip, train and maintain in coordination with other friendly forces will provide warning of, and an effective defense
against, hostile air operations directed against the Moroccan Area in consonance with current French/American agreements.
Equipment: MPS-7, 1954
Sale Airfield, Morocco
Djenane Krater, Morocco

Partial Personnel Listing

DAVIS PAUL 2LT 1959/1960 1041 pdavis7727@sbcglobal.net
Delaney Raymond E E3 1961-1962 radar operator fdcoonrod@yahoo.com
Fleuette [Don]ald E A2C 11/57-10/58 29150 ComCen. defleu@comcast.net
Ford Wilson (Bill) D A2C JAN 1960 to JAN 1961 27350A deceased
Goswick William E [K5WG]A1C 1/60-1/61 Radar & Radio Opr. k5wg@cox.net
Harris Carey (Lynn) L A/2 1959 1960 Rrig & A/C Spec Lyn=Dot@North State.net
Hawley John nmi A2C 4/59-4/60 70350 Pers Spc. kickhome@aol.com
Hedinger Dennis E A2nd 11/60- 11/61 30452 gnd comm liondenr3z3@i2k.ccom
NASH CHARLES D A/1C 1/56-4/57 RADIO MAINTENACE cnash11@windstream.net
Overbaugh George W A2C 9/56-9/57 36250 TeleSys. georgew845@aol.com
Perry Lloyd (Skip) B A2C 1960-1961 Comm Center n9oja@comcast.net
Perry Lloyd (Skip) B A2C 1960-1961 Comm Center skipshog@yahoo.com
Perry [Doug]las L A2C 11/60-11/61 56350 Utils lido57@neb.rr.com
Pouget Yves nmi 1LT 2/57-5/59 Cdr French AD Det. yves.pouget0811@orange.fr
Ratliff Gary D A2C Nov 61 to Apr 62 29150 kycol.ratliff@verizon.net
Rode Robt [Bob] E A2C ca. 58 47151 Veh Mt. Rode.Robert@Yahoo.com
Rowe [Bob]by B A1C 8-12/52 Air Policeman. roweb31@msn.com
Slavens Howard R E-8 12/60 3/61 27390 slavenshoward@gmail.com
Tidwell Howard N 2LT 1/60-1/61 6424 Supply Off. hntlmt@aol.com
Tinoco Joel A2C Motor pool Jtin2476@gmail.com
Tinoco Joel Jr. A2C 9/61 6/62 Motor Pool Jtin2476@gmail.com
Westfall* Wendell E 1LT 10/58-10/59 Wpns Con. [*Wes] wew@mesanetworks.net
Wilkerson Clanence J E-8 1959 1960 ncoic maintananc ?
Williams Donald E A3C 10/56-10/57 27350( scope dope) donwms38@gmail,com
Wood [Don]ald E A3C 9/54-9/55 27350 Rdr Opr. dew1@midrivers.com
Yakal Jas [Jim] E A2C 12/53-12/54 27350 Rdr Opr. mj.yakal@vwerizon.net
smith ferris e a3c oct 56 sept57 radar ops snuffy249@windstream.net

Squadron number: 734th AC & W Squadron Served at this site :: From: 01/12/1960 To: 01/10/1961 Related Web Sites: [Web Link]

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