Initial construction of the Red Cliff radar station started in 1951 on a hill
located approximately five miles northeast of Pepperrell AFB (St. Johns, Newfoundland).
The location selected for the radar station had once served as a coastal artillery
site during World War II. The only remaining part of the World War II coast artillery
site at Red Cliff was a single gun placement where the CPS-5 antenna tower was
located for the original 108th AC&W Squadron lash-up site. Robert Wilder
(cross reference to the St. John's (Red Cliff) photo section) was there for
the original construction and operation of both the original CPS-5 and for
the CPS-6B "new" site which was further up the hill. When the CPS-5 site was
in operation the communications site was behind what was to become the
Tech Supply building all the way on top of the hill. Personnel made use of
an all fabric "Jameway shelter" with plywood floors for the radio and microwave site.
Since the Red Cliff radar station was to be a part of the North East Air Command (NEAC)
this unit was financed by the Americans and the station was originally manned by the
108th AC&W Squadron which arrived in Pepperrell AFB in August 1952.
Red Cliff was intended to serve as an Air Defence Direction Centre (ADDC).
The 108th installed the initial radar equipment the AN/CPS-5 Search radar
and the AN/TPS-1D Height Finder radar. The 108th was re-designated as the
642nd AC&W Squadron on August 1st 1953 and the 642nd became operational in
June, 1954 making use of the CPS-6B search radar at that time.
As was the case with other Pinetree Line radar stations in Newfoundland and Labrador,
the station was supposed to be a self-contained, self-supporting unit that would
operate on a continuous basis. The station was somewhat limited to its acreage
since it was located on top of a hill. Because of its open location and the
proximity to water, the station was subject to severe winds, snow accumulations
and extremely low temperatures. The structures included barracks, shops,
warehouses, dining halls, recreational areas as well as the operations centre.
Radar operators in the AC&W Squadron tracked the movements of aircraft sighted
and passed speed, height and direction information to a Direction Centre (DC)
and fighter interceptor squadrons. Fighter aircraft could be airborne in minutes
after an alarm was given, and they closed in on unidentified planes by means of
direction provided by the radar operators. Another of the Red Cliff functions
was furnishing navigational aid to friendly aircraft operating in the area.
Their detection of May-Day calls contributed to quick search and rescue efforts.
It was subsequently determined that there was inadequate radar coverage between
Red Cliff and St. Anthony. To increase low altitude coverage, and to provide
some degree of back-up to the main Pinetree Line radar stations, approval was
obtained in 1955 for the construction of some small light-weight radar stations
making use of the AN/FPS-14 radar equipment. These smaller AC&W units were to
be known as gap fillers. A gap filler, reporting to Red Cliff, was constructed
at Elliston Ridge (Bonavista Bay). This unit was known as Det. #1 642 AC&W
Squadron and was identified as site number N-22B. This unit became operational
at the end of April 1957 and it was closed in 1960. The gap filler at Elliston
Ridge was somewhat larger than other gap fillers since its mission included
additional functions.
The Red Cliff AC&W operation was similar to other sites except that more
functional responsibility was given to the station because of its close
proximity to the NEAC (and, in 1960, the 64th Air Division) headquarters
at Pepperrell AFB. At the time that Red Cliff was phased out in October
1961 there were 140 military and 106 civilians at this location.
When the Red Cliff AC&W station closed, the US Navy at Argentia reconstructed
and equipped one large building as an unmanned Radio Communications Centre.
While this was an elaborate operation, its usefulness was short lived when more
sophisticated radio equipment came into use with long-range capabilities.
Apart from the specialized radar and radio equipment, all the assets,
including the buildings and their contents, were turned over to Crown Assets
for disposal. Only shells of buildings remain at Red Cliff.
Courtesy of Ren L'Ecuyer and Robert Wilder. Submitted in May 1998
