Looks pretty bleak upon arrival
Only the one AN/CPS-6B bubble in 1956 Installed FPS-8 in 1957
Short Winter days
Artic Survival at -50 degrees
Mt. McKinley 150 miles south
744th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron
Murphy Dome Air Force Station
[25 air miles-50 road miles NW of Fairbanks Alaska]
Link to other site for Murphy Dome http://murphydome.tripod.com/index.html
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| Map of Radars in Alaska Murphy Dome is in center right | 50 miles Fairbanks-Murphy Dome Gravel north to Fox then left on ice-mud-talcum road to MD | 744th shoulder patch |
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| Orderly Room entrance | FPS-8 tower waiting for bubble. My room is in right upper corner of right most building. | -60 Ice Fog in Fairbanks |
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Looks pretty bleak upon arrival |
Only the one AN/CPS-6B bubble in 1956 Installed FPS-8 in 1957 |
Orig 6B tower and 3rd one 1964 |
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| My 1/2 room on left. Notice the blackout blind on the window. (Land of the Midnight Sun) | Just too sleepy to finish this letter right now. | Rescue Chopper took me to Ladd AFB hospital when a crewmember dropped a heavy scope on my foot |
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| Radio Communication Antennas | Abandoned Miners Cabin Now Radar Maintenance Crew hangout on days off |
Short Winter days |
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Artic Survival at -50 degrees |
Mt. McKinley 150 miles south |
Rec room Bill-John-Larry |
Radar Maintenance on duty 24/7. Worked either a 6 or 9 day rotation
9 day rotation - 4 crews
0000 to 0800 Graveyard for 3 days then 24 hour break
0800 to 1700 Day shift for 3 days then 24 hour break
1700 to 2400 Swingshift for 3 days then 24 hour break
0000 to 0000 off for 72 hour break
6 day rotation - 3 rotating crews & 1 day crew that alternated airmen off
0000 to 0800 Graveyard for 3 days then 33 hour break
1700 to 0000 Swingshift for 3 days then 72 hours off
The 33 ton Antenna array rotated 6 rpm (once every 10 secs) inside the pressurized rubber bubble and was almost never shut down at Murphy Dome. We had the best record of uptime in the world. We broke all the rules, cheated the electrical interlock, opened the gate and climbed on and rode the merry go round and round and round to do the required measurements, tuning, and adjustments.