[4], Initially, the United States Army served as the executive agent for the administration and management of the center on behalf of the Department of Defense. Overall Mission: MCB Quantico is primarily a training, education, strategy facility, and is the home of the Marine Officer training school. Nick Turse February 27 2020, 12:00 p.m. Virginia is home to 19 major US military bases. For example, a different department handles the Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. While not a deep underground military base, the Aquarius Reef Base deserves an honorable mention. Kapustin Yar is this top-secret base. Every installation has a special DSN number, and the numbers vary by world-wide location. The base is also a key part of the nations emergency communication system and tasked with maintaining communication capabilities in the event of all emergencies, including nuclear attack. Divers cannot just go from deep water to surface level without dying. While the fascination with Area 51 is sure to continue, the US military has a number of other classified, lesser-known bases built during the Cold War era that are shrouded in even more mystery as to their actual purpose and function. Sugar Grove, West Virginia was, by the accounts of its residents, a fine place to live until the Pentagon shuttered the sprawling naval base that sustained the town for decades leaving it. Official Site: https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrma/installations/jeb_little_creek_fort_story.html. He'd heard of a rumored underground military base in the area, associated with an unknown federal agency. It was established in World War II as an operating base for blimps conducting anti-submarine surveillance of the Atlantic coast. Learn more about each VA military base, including ones for the Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. Unknown to most Americans is a dark secret, and it's right under our noses. It consists of several multi-story buildings concealed atop the heavily forested View Tree Mountain, two data center facilities, as well as underground bunkers that house communications infrastructure. 21. The United States is not the only country with deep underground military bases. In the years since, the base has influenced popular culture and is regularly mentioned or fictionalized in TV and film. The Cheyenne Mountain Complex falls under the command of the U.S. Space Force, a U.S. military branch so new and unique that I still find myself having trouble believing that it isnt a myth. It's the season where Almost Heaven comes alive. Sugar Grove is located in the National Radio Quiet Zone covering 13,000 square miles (34,000km2) in West Virginia and Virginia. The facility, tucked behind security fences and moss-laden cypress trees, has been shrouded in secrecy for decades. [1] A "flying saucer" was reportedly observed above the site in 1952. Historic Sites Military Bases & Facilities. This base works as a nuclear shelter and a place to command the country in the event of a crisis. Based on a favorable evaluation of the hardness and integrity of the mountains rock, the Bureau began construction of the facilitys tunnels in 1954, which were completed by the Army Corps of Engineers under the code name Operation High Point. Total constuction costs, adjusted for inflation, are estimated to have exceeded $1 billion. They provide onsite training for the Coast Guard and other agencies, as well as sending trainers to other facilities. Andrew Lee/U.S. West Virginia has a population of just over 1.8 million people and is located in the eastern part of the United States along the scenic Appalachian mountains. Despite the weight of the doors, they're designed to be able to be closed by as few as two people if necessary. One of the bases is even used as a command post for high-ranking government officials in the event of war or a major natural disaster. [6][9][27] Transmissions carried a female voice, dubbed "Cynthia" by radio hobbyists, that would recite groups of numbers in English. In this article, Im going to explore four of the most interesting underground bases used by American military or government personnel. The above-ground support facilities, with 240 employees, include about a dozen buildings providing communications links to the White House Situation Room.. On May 25, 2007, the Federal Register published a Defense Department policy declaring that it is unlawful for any person entering in or on the property to make any photograph, sketch, picture, drawing, map or graphical representation of the Raven Rock Mountain Complex without first obtaining the necessary permission. In 1982, the center was restored its original name and reverted to Department of Defense control with the Army as the executive agent for administration on behalf of the National Communications System (NCS). Blue Hole. The labs setup is entirely underwater, and the researchers are saturation divers. [21][22], Warrenton Training Center is spread across four separate facilities in two different counties. The United States government built Raven Rock inside of a mountain. One of the publically acknowledged agencies is the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). NSA radio intercept site in West Virginia, The primary contractor for the radio telescope was the, David K. van Keuren, "Cold War Science in Black and White: US Intelligence Gathering and Its Scientific Cover at the Naval Research Laboratory, 1948-62,", "Senator Manchin Discusses Future Plans for Sugar Grove Naval Base", Disestablishment Navy Information Operations Command, Sugar Grove, WV, "Investment firm sheds light on plans for old Sugar Grove Navy base", http://www.wvgazettemail.com/news/20160216/former-navy-base-in-wv-goes-on-the-online-auction-block, "New Radio Telescope Is Man's Biggest Machine. Shaped by the famous New River Gorge, youll find plenty of riverside activities, outdoor adventures and some of the most extraordinary views. In 1971, he left and went to work for the Rand Corp. in Santa Monica, California. The CIA, NSA, DoD, and DoS all perform classified operations out of the Warrenton Training Center. Plus, communication with one another is a challenge. The site was originally acquired by the National Weather Bureau to launch weather balloons and kites. Also, if you are a movie buff or like video games, the Cheyenne Mountain Complex is in one of the Call of Duty games and a part of many movies, including Independence Day and First Strike. You are about to leave the Military INSTALLATIONS site. Established in 1951, it comprises four discrete stations located in Fauquier and Culpeper counties. For instance, you might expect subpar air quality, darkness, and even tight spaces. Greenbrier Historian Bob Conte described to Today Show producers how the bunker was able to stay a secret for so long and how effective it could be at holding all of Congress. . "That is the most critical part of the nervous system and the most vulnerable. Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world. These training environments are above-ground in some cases but are mock-ups of what a soldier might expect to see underground. Hill functions as a training and maneuver center, specializing in arms training. Overall Mission: USCG Training Center Yorktown (often abbreviated TCY) is the major training facility for the US Coast Guard. [23], StationC (383110N 774707W / 38.5195N 77.7852W / 38.5195; -77.7852) was at one time a CIA numbers station, which transmitted coded signals to U.S. embassies overseas and intelligence agents in the field. The bases 42000 acres are used for a wide range of maneuver training, including urban operations. The United States Army administers WTC on behalf of the U.S. government. You can get your very ownGreenbrier bunker tour just like the Today Show! Along with Mount Weather and Cheyenne Mountain, Raven Rock formed the core bunker complexes for the US Continuity of Government plan during the Cold War to survive a nuclear attack. Therefore, the United States must prepare troops by training them for underground fighting. Charleston, WV 25303. Source Photo It is also illegal to fly over Area 51, although the site is now visible on satellite images. While he never actually served in the US Military, he has a passion for writing about military related topics. [6] In 2002, the Brookings Institution listed an unspecified WTC "relocation bunker" as a facility with an active nuclear weapons, weapons-related or naval nuclear propulsion mission. Overall Mission: Joint Base Joint Base MyerHenderson Hall, has existed in some form since 1791, first as Fort McNair, and has absorbed Fort Cass, Fort Myer, and Henderson Hall as part of recent BRAC initiatives. The Mount Weather Emergency Operations Centre is a major reallocation site for the highest level civilian and military officials in case of a national emergency. The mountain is granite, and six tunnels lead to the facility. U.S. mole hunters investigated 90 employees at WTC for almost a year and came up with ten suspects, although the lead investigator noted that "there are so many problem personalities that no one stands out. The primary missions are search and rescue missions and hurricane readiness. Richard Sauder (See: http://www.sauderzone.com ), was driving around the town of Warrenton, West Virginia, planning to do a bit of digging. [3] The CIA listed personnel and other expenses at Warrenton Training Center in its fiscal year 1955 budget. It [incorporates] remotely-located, hardened and secured facilities that could be used to run military operations and even the entire country in the event of a national emergency such as a nuclear war., The mission of Raven Rock Mountain Complex is in some ways an open secret; this 650-acre installation is an underground nuclear bunker and emergency operations center and is part of a system of bunkers including Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado and the Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center in Virginia.. The DSN provides the long-distance communications service for the Department of Defense. [1][14][15] In 1995, a former NSA employee told The Baltimore Sun that WTC's communications training included listening in on the phone calls of U.S. citizens, using a loophole in the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that permitted domestic eavesdropping so long as the tapes were destroyed immediately afterward. Stay tuned for Part II which will take a look at secret bases throughout the world. VIEW ALL INSTALLATIONS SUPPORT PLAN MY MOVE MILITARY ONESOURCE. Official Site: https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Assets/Land/All/Article/1894066/air-station-washington-dc/. This must-see experience is open to all! On July 26, 2016 it was reported that the online auction for Sugar Grove Naval Station concluded on July 25 with a winning bid of $11.2 Million. Watch the Today Shows visit to the Greenbrier to learn more. In 1936 it passed to the Bureau of Mines, which bored a short experimental tunnel less than 300 feet beneath the mountains crest to test new mining techniques. FEMA handles the above-ground installations and training. Regardless of each bases stated purpose, the common theme for each is its security, allure, and relatively secretive existence. Box 378 Red Hook, New York 12571 United States, a U.S. military branch so new and unique that I still find myself having trouble believing that it isnt a myth. Plans for the base were first drawn up in the late 1950s to combat threats posed by long-range Soviet bombers. TIMBERLINE remains operational, but the facility, known to locals as the off-limits Upper Base, was never what kept Sugar Grove alive. The fact that numerous UFO sightings have occurred in the vicinity of the base further leads people to believe that some extraterrestrial stuff happens there. menu. Asked about the Upper Base, Carson notes, with a small smile, Its underground, I understand. "We are the brain stem thats pulling it all together, correlating it, making sense of it, and passing it up to the brain whether its the commander at NORAD, NORTHCOM or STRATCOM for someone to make a decision on what that means. Also, the tunnels themselves are a massive three stories tall. TIMBERLINEs mission has, to say the least, changed in the intervening years, as submarine-laid internet cables have become a greater priority for American spies than foreign satellite communication. ", "Document 9. Located along the Loudoun-Clarke County border in Virginia, the high-security 564-acre base is used as the center of operations for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is run by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Therefore, there is an effort to train troops for underground warfare. The Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center is a Department of Homeland Security installation. Both are Coast Guard facilities. It is the primary base for all Atlantic amphibious forces. WHILE the highly classified Area 51 might be the United States' most famous military base it's far from the country's most secretive. We cannot discuss deep underground military bases without mentioning underground nuclear missile silos. [1] According to Edward Snowden, who trained at WTC during his time with the CIA, StationB is nicknamed The Hill and administers the agency's overseas technical infrastructure. To meet the challenges of the mission, soldiers must have training in different weapons. This base has been recreated in dozens of movies and it is claimed that Area 51 houses everything from live aliens to the alien craft they arrived in. Steven Rose, Cheyenne Mountain AFS deputy director, previously compared the work done at the base to the human brain. All Rights Reserved. Areas A and B are separated by State Route 444 and railroad tracks. Coast Guard Bases Vessel Document Center Coast Guard Falling Waters, WV Falling Waters, West Virginia Military Bases [30][31] StationD has seen significant construction in recent years, including several large data center-like buildings, satellite dishes and radomes. Usually, these blast doors open electronically, and there is a missile control area that operates the silos. i love cold war history and clandestine covert ops history that comes with it, so that being said i absolutely loved. The Raven Rock Mountain Complex, also known as Site R, is a US military installation with an underground nuclear bunker near Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania. 2023 The SOFREP Media Group. Who Runs These Deep Underground Military Bases? Think f this facility as a fully functioning underground city. What Happens If I Fail a Class with the GI Bill. Email us at exclusive@the-sun.com or call 212 416 4552. The morning show broadcasted live from the112,544-square-foot bunker. Although both NORAD and USNORTHCOM are housed in Cheyenne Mountain Complex, the two organizations use a mere 30 percent of the base within and their staff comprises only five percent of the daily population at Cheyenne Mountain. Experience a one-of-a-kind, behind-the-scenes tour of the bunker that walks you through a fascinating period in the resorts history. [citation needed][2] In April 2013, the Chief of Naval Operations ordered that the NAVIOCOM support base be closed by September 30, 2015, as "a result of the determination by the resource sponsor National Security Agency to relocate the command's mission. This location is a secure location of the US Government due to its defense housings. Related Article Military Bases in Colorado. Former military pilot, Oliver Henderson, reportedly told his wife that he flew a plane loaded with debris, along with several small alien bodies, from Roswell to Wright Field. Raven Rock has only seen emergency use one time in its history, when Vice President Dick Cheney was evacuated there on September 11th, 2001. Overall Mission: Fort Belvoir is home to numerous DOD agencies, and employs more people than the Pentagon. From ATV excursions in small towns to scenic drives across the state, West Virginia is made for everyone. The Intercept is an independent nonprofit news outlet. The base closed briefly in the time between WWI and WWII but reopened when America joined WWII and has remained open since then. One of the most famous is the claim that the site hosts an alien spacecraft and the bodies of its pilots after they crashed at Roswell, New Mexico, in 1947. Some of these underground bases house nuclear defense technology while others are said to potentially contain alien life. The Space Force handles the operation of many of the nuclear missile silos. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Related Article Military Bases in Virginia. The top of the silos has a blast door that opens at the top. [24], StationB (384401N 774947W / 38.7335N 77.8297W / 38.7335; -77.8297), also near Warrenton, houses the headquarters of WTC and, at 346 acres (140ha), is the largest of the four facilities. The mission of the USAF at Langley-Eustis Joint Base is to have aircraft ready for immediate global deployment to secure American air superiority. Naval Submarine Base, Kings Bay is a naval submarine base of the United States in Georgia. The base also hosts the US Marine Corps Combat Development Command, which is responsible for developing and testing strategies for the US Marines. Hidden in West Virginia's Greenbrier Resort was a massive bomb shelter stocked with supplies for members of Congress in case of an emergency. Greenbrier Government Relocation Facility. Despite being designed specifically for a nuclear attack, the base has seen other uses, for example, Vice President Dick Cheney was transported to the base following the 9/11 attacks. While we know the gist of the purpose of this base, what goes on inside it and what technologies are present within is a much larger secret. Researchers use the lab to understand better the composition of seawater and everything related to marine life. Kapustin Yar - The one in Russia. & the so. Housed under the West Virginia Wing of The Greenbrier Resort, the top-secret, super-sized bunker was built for all 535 members of Congress during the Eisenhower era. Tunnel roofs are shored up with some 21,000 iron bolts driven 8 to 10 feet into the overhead rock. The zone was established by Congress in 1958 to facilitate its mission and that of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory located 30 miles (48km) away at Green Bank in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Officials records show that the base was briefly activated by federal agents on April 7, 2015after amajor electric power interruption hit the Washington DC area. 348 N 117 48 W. 20. These silos are not necessarily underground bases, but the Space Forces use them to launch intercontinental missiles remotely. We likely only know a few deep underground military bases due to security reasons. Overall Mission: Norfolk Naval Shipyard, which began life as Gosport shipyard, and has throughout its life been controlled by the British, American, and Confederate armies. Inside The Secret Bunker The U.S. Government Built As A Haven From Cold War Nuclear Holocaust By Gina Dimuro | Edited By Katie Serena Published June 5, 2018 Hidden beneath a resort in West Virginia and stocked with 30 years of supplies, the Greenbrier bunker was to be the last refuge of the American government in case of nuclear war. Antennas at the NSA listening post, codenamed TIMBERLINE, were built to capture Soviet satellite messages as they bounced off the moon, imbuing a pristine stretch of Appalachia with a sort of cosmic gravity. Whether you prefer a luxury retreat at a world-class resort or a rustic campsite stay under starry night skies, West Virginia has accommodations for every type of traveler. A Navy saturation diver is the father of this sealab, and the goal is for Aquarius to study marine life and the coral reef. The base houses approximately one-quarter of all F-22 Raptors in operation by the USAF. Then there are the bases on remote islands. A behind the scenes look at the bunker beneath the Greenbrier Resort with The 'Today' Show on NBC. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. This underground base is where vital government officials go in the case of a crisis. Today the site hosts various engineering and technology companies, as well as two Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control . It currently houses a staff of approximately 100 but has the capacity to house and protect thousands. Wildflower hikes. It is currently the only east-coast facility that builds and refuels nuclear aircraft carriers and is one of only a few in the nation capable of dry-docking an aircraft carrier. See a list of 3 not-so secret deep underground US military installations and bases, as well as 2 other government facilities used by the US government in times of crisis. Much like Area 51, Wright-Patterson is linked to the alleged UFO crash in Roswell in 1947. It is host to a total of 37 different units, which work together to provide logistical and technical support to Atlantic operations, as well as supplies and ordnance. Cheyenne Mountain provides that shield around that single place where all of that correlation and data comes into.. Underground warfighting is different between equipment and tactical warfare. In addition to housing FEMA, this installation is also home to the National Processing Service Center, Satellite Tele-registration Center, Disaster Finance Office, Disaster Information Systems Clearinghouse, Disaster Personnel Operations Division, and Agency Logistics Center. Copyright 2023 www.OperationMilitaryKids.org. The NBC show traveled south, camera crew in tow, to get exclusive access to the bunker and the people who had have been instrumental in the success of the bunker. Warrenton Training Center (WTC) is a classified United States government communication complex located in the state of Virginia.Established in 1951, it comprises four discrete stations located in Fauquier and Culpeper counties.. WTC has served multiple roles, most notably as a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) signals intelligence facility, satellite relay, numbers station, data center, and . . In the 1940s, the United States had concerns about having a place to evacuate in the case of an emergency. In addition, this agency works to test and operate the ability of those in command to communicate with one another. The Army Corps of Engineers supervised the excavation of Cheyenne Mountain and the construction of an operational center within the granite mountain. Overall Mission: Langley is currently the USAF portion of the Langley-Eustis Joint Base. During its Eisenhower-Era use, the bunker provided the following: Over the 30 years that it was an active facility, technology was constantly updated so that the bunker was always ready in case of emergency. Fort Pickett also is host to annual NATO exercises between the National Guard and elements of the Canadian Army. The Cheyenne Mountain Complex is a deep underground military base located near Colorado Springs. One of the only moments the film captures of anyone talking about the NSAs presence in Sugar Grove comes from a General Services Administration auctioneer Kristine Carson in a vacant naval gymnasium. Yet, at the same time, soldiers must effectively navigate all these challenges and still meet their objectives. First on our list of deep underground military bases is the Cheyenne Mountain Complex located on the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station near Colorado Springs. Rushing waterfalls. Area A covers 5700 acres and contains an active runway complex, warehouses, offices, industrial facilities, and flight line support. But the base is also at the center of a number of local urban myths and conspiracy theories involving aliens, ghosts, and secret tunnels. One such site is the Cheyenne Mountain Complex located on the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, near Colorado Springs. The primary function of the base throughout its 103-year history has been to reverse-engineer aircraft, especially during the Cold War. 14. . Although, some government officials went to this installation during the 9/11 attacks. The DEA and FBI also have their primary training facilities on MCD Quantico. As the third most forested state, our country roads are vibrant with color and a sight to behold in the fall. The center also houses at least one underground "relocation" bunker that serves U.S. continuity of government purposes, and is a communications and signals intelligence training school for various federal departments and agencies, including the CIA, National Security Agency (NSA), Department of Defense and Department of State. Their primary mission is providing training and logistical support for the airborne and aviation divisions of the US Army. They also produce assessment and standardization programs for all other Coast Guard bases. The Cheyenne Mountain facility became fully operational as the NORAD Combat Operations Center on Feb. 6, 1967., The installation came to house elements of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Air Force Space Command and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM). Most of the facilitys activities remain highly classified, and distribution of most unclassified information about the facility is discouraged by the government. Tours provide a unique and in-depth look behind the hidden doors including dormitories, meeting areas and more. Warrenton Training Center (WTC) is a classified United States government communication complex located in the state of Virginia. There are a total of 19 active military bases in Virginia, including some of the oldest and most famous in the country. The facility is located on a 434-acre mountain site on the borders of Loudon and Clarke counties. of pressure, 18 dormitories, designed to accommodate more than 1,100 people, Power plant with purification equipment and three 25,000-gallon water tanks, Communications area, including television production area and audio recording booths, Clinic with 12 hospital beds, medical and dental operating rooms, Laboratory, pharmacy and intensive care unit, Meeting rooms for the House and Senate, the Governors Hall and Mountaineer room. . The base hosts the Army Quartermaster School, as well as the Ordnance and Transportation Schools. In 1977 he was transferred to the Dulce facility. Official Site: https://www.quantico.marines.mil/. Many of the base's functions involve intelligence and readiness. A behind the scenes look at the bunker beneath the Greenbrier Resort with The Today Show on NBC. [28], StationD (382733N 775055W / 38.4591N 77.8487W / 38.4591; -77.8487), also known as Brandy Station due to its proximity to the community of the same name, is the primary high frequency receiver facility for the CIA Office of Communications, and also hosts a variety of satellite communications ground station facilities. Vint Hill Farms Station (VHFS) was a United States Army and National Security Agency (NSA) signals intelligence and electronic warfare facility located in Fauquier County, Virginia, near Warrenton.VHFS was closed in 1997 and the land was sold off in 1999. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. However, the possibilities for subterranean capabilities are extraordinary, as is the training involved in underground combat capabilities. Official Site: https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrma/installations/nws_yorktown.html. In addition, the Space Force uses satellite and ground-based systems to watch for missile attacks and to keep North America safe. Escape the churn and burn of the daily routine and hit the road this summer. Less than three hours outside Roanoke, this stretch of West Virginia is unlike anything youve ever seen before. Nature works her magic every autumn in West Virginia. Sugar Grove, West Virginia was, by the accounts of its residents, a fine place to live until the Pentagon shuttered the sprawling naval base that sustained the town for decades leaving it with a state secret as its sole remaining attraction. Did you know that carved deep into the mountainside of West Virginia isan emergency Cold War fallout shelter?
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