World War II Field Stations

Many fixed SIGINT stations came on-line during World War II. Here are a few:

• (1942) Vint Hill Farms, Warrenton, VA: When the first soldiers of the 2nd Signal Service Battalion arrive at the farm in June 1942, they establish the Army's first large field station, known simply as "Monitoring Station No. 1," in the "Barns". Many old-timers fondly remember removing manure from the "Barns" so work coul begin quickly on the nations security.
• (1942) Two Rock Ranch, Petaluma, CA: In October 1942 the War Department purchased Two Rock Ranch in Petaluma, California and founded a Signal Security Agency installation, with a mission to provide communications operators for the war in the Pacific.
• Indian Creek Station, Miami Beach, FL, USA
• (1943) Kagnew Station, Asmara Eritrea: Kagnew Station's inception was in the War Department with a Disposition Form, dated January 26, 1943, Subject: establishment of a War Department Fixed Radio Station in Africa which detailed operational objectives for what was to become the 4th Detachment of the Second Signal Service Battalion, Asmara. Eritrea. On June 1, 1943, two officers, one warrant officer and 44 enlisted men began intensive training at Vint Hill Farms to man the new station. By December, 4 officers and 50 enlisted men staffed Kagnew Station.
• Fort Shafter, Territory of Hawaii: 9th Signal Service Company and 119th Signal Radio Intell Co
• Amchitka, (USA) Territory of Alaska, Aleutian Islands
• Fairbanks, (USA) Territory of Alaska : 14th Signal Service Company Detachment of 25 enlisted men arrived at Fort Greely on 16 September 1941.
• Fort McKinley in the Philippines monitored the Tokyo and Berlin, and Tokyo and Moscow circuits
• Bellmore, Long Island, NY
• Tarzana, CA:
• Territory of Guam
• Fort Hancock, NJ (New York Harbor) Radio Direction Finding (RDF) sets were used by the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and the FCC to triangulate on the Enigma encrypted radio signals sent by the German U-Boats. RDF stations were established at Jones Beach, LI, Sea Isle City, NJ, Montauk, LI, as well as other locations along the shore. These RDF stations (and other radio stations) not only intercepted German radio traffic, but also the SSS signals (send help, ship torpedoed) from ships that had become the victims of the U-Boats. Evans Area Fort Monmouth: The Army purchased the site in 1941 for Field Laboratory #3, the radio position finding section of the Signal Corps Labs, which was then stationed at Fort Hancock (on Sandy Hook).
• Fort Ward - Bainbridge Island Washington. In 1938, The U.S.Navy took over Fort Ward from the Army, confiscating several surrounding properties and evicting their owners. Large acreages were put into antenna fields as a top-secret international radio listening station was built. Radio communication and code schools were established that lasted through the Korean War.