Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 20, Number 16, DeMotte, Jasper County, 24 March 1950 — Select Lowell As Site For Radar Station [ARTICLE]

Select Lowell As Site For Radar Station

Senate Bill 244, passed by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana authorizes and directs the mayor of each city and the president of each town board to establish a local organization for civil defense. This organization must be established by March 31st and in operation by April 15th. Lowell’s Town board president, C. R. Ashton, joined 200 Hoosiers who met last Wednesday in the Riley Room of the Claypool hotel in Indianapolis to plan Atom defense. Mr. Ashton was informed that our community has been selected as a location for a ground observation post to supplement the nat-ion-wide radar screen for which Congress recently appropriated funds. With the fire of battle still smouldering and our dead still being returned from the world disaster labeled ‘War II,” we establish that world is not at peace and we must be practical, observing the wise old adage of “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” The formation and establishment of an aircraft observer system after a war emergency has been forced upon us is entirely impracticable. Its chief value is in its readiness to operate at any time. The plan for the establishment of an aircraft observer system across the United States is not merely a paper plan. It has been throughly “war-gamed” and tried in a full-scale operation. Observation posts and filter centers were established throughout the greater portion of 10 northeastern states last summer; personnel was recruited and trained and a civil air raid warning system was installed. The entire installation was tested last September in a 10-day exercise conducted by the U. S. Air Force and known as “Operation Lookout.” The personnel requirenYents of an observer and filter system are numerically and economically beyond the capabilities of our military organization and dictate the establishment of such a service as a civilian volunteer organization. This is in consonance with the traditions and practices of this country to place majpr dependence upon its civilian arrpy in the event of war and even greater dependance on wholehearted volunteer civilian participation in activities supporting the military effort. The Aircraft Warning Service program includes the completion of radar installation in those original “Lookout” states and the expansion of this service in 15 additional states in the northeast, Great Lakes and West Coast area. Approximately 8,000 observation posts and 26 filter centers will be To man these activities upwards of 160,000 civilian volunteers will be required. The training and operation control will be the of the U. S. Air Force. Observation posts wifi be located in cities and town at intervals of 8 miles. The U. S. Air Force designates the towns according to a pattern of desired coverage. The post supervisor will be responsible for recruiting and maintaining an organization sufficient in number to man the post continuously in an emergency. Special air raid warning telephones will be installed by the Air Force at designated “key-point”, centers. The system will be maintained

indefinitely as an important element in our national defense. At the meeting in Indianapolis Lt. Col. Barnett W. Beers, assastant to Defense Secretary Louis Johnson, outlined the national defense plans and Capt'. Robert A. Wood of Mitchell Field stressed the need for a giound observer corps. ' Gov. Schricker outlined the responsibilities of state and local governments under the Civil Defense Act. State Police Supenintendent Arthur Thurston described to the mayors and town board officials the plans made by the state for civlian defense. Mr. Thruston is director of the department of civil defense. state Police Lt. Frederick Cretors, deputy director of the defense setup detailed plans for county organizations.