Trip Report: Fortunate in Fortuna
First published in 2012. Reformatted 2025. This trip was scheduled due to the imminent demolition of the structures at Fortuna AFS, North Dakota. This was new territory for me, way up north--just a few miles from the border with Canada. Just a reminder PIN means Permanent Installation Number and ILC means Installation Location Code; I include these for Air Force properties when I know them.Friday, 29 June 2012
I departed Denver at 0445, heading north. Douglas Instrument Route (Radar Bomb Scoring) Site WY, ILC FJUS, 43-14-35, 105-15-22. This facility was probably activated in the 1980s, and in May 1992 it was transferred from Ellsworth AFB SD to Francis E. Warren AFB WY. It was disposed of on 31 August 1994.General view from road
General view from road
General view from road Fort Keogh MT, 46-22-50, 105-53-00. This property was acquired by the Army in 1878, to serve as a general remount depot. It adjoins Miles City. The 64,000-acre installation provided pasturage and farming to prepare animals for issue to the Army. In 1924 it was transferred to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, who still operate approximately 55,000 acres as the Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory.
Stable
Stable
Remount depot mess hall
Remount depot mess hall
Water wagon shed
Water wagon shed
Water wagon shed
Elevated water storage tank
Elevated water storage tank
Metal building relocated from Miles City AFS
Metal building relocated from Miles City AFS I spent the night in Miles City, Montana. This was the long day of the trip, at 563 miles in 11 hours.
Saturday, 30 June 2012
From Miles City, I hit the road at 0730 for a busy day. Amidon Mini-MUTE RBSS (19MM1) ND, ILC AHSS, 46-36-35, 103-11-52. This was a component in the Dickinson radar bomb scoring system. It was probably activated in the late 1980s. On 1 June 1992 it was transferred from Strategic Air Command to Air Combat Command. It was disposed of 30 September 1994.General view
Fenced compound New England Mini-MUTE RBSS (19MM2) ND, ILC RPNV, 46-30-37, 103-04-15. This was a component in the Dickinson radar bomb scoring system. It was probably activated in the late 1980s. On 1 June 1992 it was transferred from Strategic Air Command to Air Combat Command. It was disposed of 30 September 1994.
General view
Fenced compound New England Instrument Training Route (19IR1) ND, ILC RPNT, 46-28-21, 102-52-59. This was a component in the Dickinson radar bomb scoring system. It was probably activated in the late 1980s. On 1 June 1992 it was transferred from SAC to ACC. It was disposed of 31 July 1994.
General view
General view Dickinson Radar Bomb Scoring Site ND, ILC FGBX, at 46-29-09, 102-43-09. This was the hub of the Dickinson radar bomb scoring system. It was constructed approximately 1988. It was also referred to as "Training Range Complex Site 5" and "USAF STRC-Site 5." It was disposed of in June 1997.
General view at gate
General view
General view
General view
General view
Building
Building
Building
Retaining wall
USAF sign Dickinson Air Force Station ND, PIN 3238, 46-55-15, 102-43-55. This was an Air Defense Command long-range radar site also known as TM-177 and Z-177. Real property accountability and logistical support were from Ellsworth AFB SD. It was activated on 16 July 1958, inactivated 1 March 1965, and disposed of 2 March 1966. Unfortunately, the current owner doesn't want visitors. I did notice two water system facilities along the road about a mile west of the station; I haven't confirmed the history of these but they looked like standard Air Force facilities. These properties may have been part of the Air Force station, or a separate water system annex.
Access road
Access road signage
Water system building, east
Water system building, east
Water system building, west
Water system building, west Belfield Communications Site GWEN 847 ND, ILC BDTL. This Ground Wave Emergency Network relay node site, with standard 299-foot tower, was operational from about 1987. It was disposed of by the Air Force on 7 January 2000. In some documents it was listed as "Medora."
Antenna tower
Antenna tower base
Equipment shelters
Signage I stopped in Glendive, Montana, and secured a room for three nights. This was a 7.5-hour day, covering 377 miles.
Sunday, 1 July 2012
I headed north from Glendive at 0640. Alexander Gap Filler Annex/Watford City Radar Site ND, ILC YNLY. Located southwest of town, this was built in 1958 and supported Dickinson AFS ND until 1965, then Minot AFS MT until December 1967. In 1979, a long-range radar site was activated adjacent to the gap filler structures. That radar site served Air Defense Command, then Tactical Air Command, then Air Combat Command before being disposed of on 30 July 1994.General view from gate
Gap filler building
Gap filler building Fortuna Air Force Station ND, PIN 2475, ILC GWRF, 48-54-14, 103-52-04. This was another Air Defense Command long-range radar site. It was also known as site P-27 or Z-27. It was activated 31 October 1956, although it had been in use since 1951. It was disposed of on 26 January 1996.
General view
General view
General view
General view
Radar towers, AN/FPS-6 (-90) left, FPS-35 right
Power plant
Baseball field
Gate
House, radar towers in background
Garage, radar towers in background
Manual ground/air/ground radio facility building
House
House
House detail Fortuna Communications Facility Annex ND, PIN 7253, ILC GWRJ, 48-53-05, 103-53-03. Located south-southwest of the radar site, this Air Defense Command communications annex housed the ground/air transmit/receive facility for Fortuna AFS.
General view
Access road
Building I made it back to Glendive at 1340, covering 371 miles in 7 hours.
Monday, 2 July 2012
I headed north from Glendive at 0730. Brockway Gap Filler Annex MT, 47-17-01, 105-59-02. This Air Defense Command gap filler radar was designated M-98B in support of Miles City AFS MT. It was short-lived, operational from September 1959 to December 1960.General view
General view
Building
Building
Building
Building
Radar tower mount Glendive Gap Filler Annex MT, 47-02-39, 104-40-54. This Air Defense Command gap filler radar, also known as M-98A, was located southeast of town. It was designated TM-177A in support of Dickinson AFS ND, and also TM-98A in support of Miles City AFS MT. It was operational from September 1958 to December 1960. Disposal documents suggest that the sanitary latrine building is original--first time I've seen one of these on a gap filler annex.
General view
General view
Gap filler building and sanitary latrine building
Gap filler building and sanitary latrine building
Gap filler building and sanitary latrine building
Gap filler building and radar tower mounts
Gap filler building and sanitary latrine building
Radar tower mounts I made it back to Glendive for a third night, covering 190 miles in 6 hours.
Tuesday, 3 July 2012
I headed south from Glendive at 0700. Miles City Air Force Station MT, PIN 3323, 46-17-50, 105-58-45. This was an Air Defense Command long-range radar site also known as M-98 and Z-98. It was designated on 1 May 1955 (though it had been used since late 1954), and served until about June 1968. This land, as well as the communications annex, is part of the much larger Fort Keogh property and is not open to the public. By making advance arrangements and filling out some paperwork, I was able to get access.General view
General view
Guard shack
Power plant
Power plant
Power plant
Power plant
Operations building
Operations building
Operations building
Operations building
Operations building
Radar tower site
Radar tower site
Radar tower site
Radar tower site
Base for FPS-27 radar tower
Base for FPS-27 radar tower
Base for FPS-27 radar tower
Base for FPS-27 radar tower
Base for FPS-27 radar tower
Vehicle building
Vehicle building
Recreation building
Recreation building
Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) building, possibly built as a Ground/Air/Ground (G/A/G) radio facility building
MARS building, possibly built as a G/A/G radio facility building
Air police building
Air police building
Water system structure
Water system structure
Dining hall foundation
Foundation
Foundation
Fire hydrant Miles City Communications Facility Annex MT, PIN 7131, 46-18-28, 105-58-27. This Air Defense Command ground-air transmit-receive facility was located north of the radar site. As mentioned above, this annex is on the larger Fort Keogh property.
General view
Building
Building
Building
Building
Building detail I made it to Buffalo, Wyoming, by 1330. This day spanned 357 miles in 6 hours.
Wednesday, 4 July 2012
I motored out of Buffalo at 0640, heading south for the drive home. From Casper all the way to Denver, the sky was very smoky from two new wildfires in southern Wyoming. I cancelled my final planned stops, saving them for another time. I made it home in 6 hours and 399 miles. Total for this trip was 2,257 miles. Updated May 10, 2025If you like what you find here, please consider making a monetary contribution. Domain name registration, web hosting, and travel cost plenty. You won't find any ads here to annoy you.