This page will contain comprehensive information relating to issues involved in the preservation of the former Montauk Air Force Station. Additional items will be added in the near future.

WORTHY OF PRESERVATION

Livingston, N.J.
December 28, 1999

Dear Editor:

Historic buildings and structures as well as unspoiled natural landscapes have contributed to the popularity of the South Fork as a place to live and as a destination for vacationers and short-term visitors. It would therefore seem natural that the former Montauk Air Force station should be preserved as a part of this rich historical legacy. Similarly, the roughly 700 acres of the former base which contain many relatively unspoiled and sensitive natural areas would, if preserved, contribute significantly to the qualities which make this region so appealing to residents, vacationers, and visitors alike.

The preservation and eventual restoration of portions of the former Montauk Air Force station makes good sense no matter how one looks at it.

Becoming operational on land belonging to the Army's Camp Hero during 1948, the Air Force's site was one of the first air defense radar sites constructed on the East Coast of the United States. It was associated with the nation's first two cold war-era radar networks known as the "Lashup" and "Permanent" networks, and it was also an important component within the nationwide Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) air defense system.

The huge FPS-35 surveillance radar abandoned in place by the Air Force - the site's most distinguishing visual feature - is the nation's sole surviving example of this type of large "frequency diversity" radar. It is clearly a valuable historical and technological artifact worthy of preservation.

This tall, heavily constructed radar tower, topped with its 70-ton Sperry-designed antenna, has the potential to become the dramatic focal point of a future historic site and museum which can be visited by the public. The juxtaposition of this radar tower with the nearby historic Montauk Lighthouse provides ample future opportunities for visitors to learn more about the history of the region and nation during two distinct eras and to experience these two diverse structures firsthand while learning more about their design, construction, and technology.

The preservation of the scenic and environmentally sensitive landscapes within the boundaries of the former base makes sense too. Continuing development of the South Fork has made the preservation of open space a key issue throughout the region.

Accordingly, the extraordinarily beautiful scenic vistas and terrain surrounding the radar site should be preserved and made accessible to the public for appropriate, nondestructive recreational uses. The opportunity for visitors to hike from the radar site to the nearby Lighthouse, for example, presents opportunities to create a scenic self-guiding trail which could inform visitors of both the historic and natural aspects of the area.

Volunteer efforts to save the Montauk Air Force station from destruction and to create a future museum at the site have been under way for some time.

During the fall of 1999, I sent New York State officials a working document containing relevant historical information which could be used to nominate the former base to the National Register of Historic Places. The base is clearly historically significant. In the view of many I have conferred with, it is much more significant than many other cold war-era sites already listed on or in the process of being considered for listing on the Register.

However, the future of the site remains uncertain at this time.

As a way of stimulating increased interest in the future development of this site, I recently created a Web site for the Montauk Radar Preservation Group. This organization, which is just now in its formative stages, will be a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the site and to its historical interpretation. Interested individuals are encouraged to visit the site at the following address - http://alpha.fdu.edu/bender/m-preh.html - or to contact me via e-mail at bender@alpha.fdu.edu - with their comments and suggestions.

Best regards,

DONALD E. BENDER