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33-446: The airfield is named Van Voorhis Field in honor of Commander Bruce Van Voorhis (1908–1943) who was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor . The airfield at NAS Fallon was originally built in 1942 as part of a defensive network to repel a feared Japanese invasion of the west coast. It was soon taken over by the Navy for training use and has been used as such ever since with the exception of

66-597: A general aviation reliever airport . Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA , this airport is assigned RTS by the FAA, but has no designation from the IATA (which assigned RTS to Rottnest Island Airport in Rottnest Island , Western Australia ). Reno Stead Airport does not have regularly scheduled service, but functions as

99-561: A GCI station, the squadron 's role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit's radar scopes. An AN/FPS-3 search set briefly saw service in 1959. During 1962 Fallon AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, initially feeding data to DC-16 at Stead AFB , Nevada. After joining, the squadron was redesignated as the 858th Radar Squadron (SAGE) on 1 December 1962. The radar squadron provided information 24/7

132-597: A general aviation reliever for the nearby Reno–Tahoe International Airport . The airport is used by the Bureau of Land Management as a base for fire fighting aircraft . The location was opened by the United States Army Air Forces in 1942, in the middle of World War 2 . Stead Air Force Base was established by the United States Air Force (USAF) at the airfield in 1951, when it was determined that

165-460: A perilous 700-mile flight without escort or support. Successful in reaching his objective despite treacherous and varying winds, low visibility and difficult terrain, he fought a lone but relentless battle under fierce antiaircraft fire and overwhelming aerial opposition. Forced lower and lower by pursuing planes, he coolly persisted in his mission of destruction. Abandoning all chance of a safe return he executed 6 bold ground-level attacks to demolish

198-434: A result, VFC-13 replaced the disestablished VFA-127 in the fighter adversary role. Associated bombing ranges checker the surrounding Lahontan Valley and Dixie Valley , which is the next valley to the east. Dixie Valley also contains a simulated air defense network, including approximately 20 operational radar installations. Many demilitarized armored vehicles , including some exotics, have been scattered throughout

231-583: A year. In July 1941, he reported for duty at the Naval Air Station, Anacostia , where he served until November 1942. In December 1942, Van Voorhis, a Lieutenant Commander since July, assumed command of VP-14, but soon thereafter took command of VB-102, which was equipped with the PB4Y-1 , the naval version of the B-24 Liberator . While serving in that capacity, LCDR Van Voorhis was killed near Hare Island of

264-748: Is also named in his honor. There is also a United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps unit under his name the Van Voorhis squadron in Las Vegas, Nevada. Stead AFB Reno Stead Airport ( ICAO : KRTS , FAA LID : RTS , formerly 4SD ) is a large public and military general aviation airport located in the North Valleys area, 10  nautical miles (19  km ) northwest of the central business district of Reno , in Washoe County, Nevada , United States. A former military installation until 1966, when it

297-494: The Air Training Command (ATC), and the 3904th Composite Wing became the 3635th Combat Crew Training Wing . After a number of name changes, the survival training school became the 3637th Combat Crew Training Squadron . In January 1958, a small group of instructor pilots from Randolph AFB , Texas , was sent to Stead AFB to determine the feasibility of advanced helicopter training in the area's mountains. On 15 July 1958,

330-611: The Kapingamarangi Atoll , the southernmost of the Eastern Caroline Islands . After a 700-mile flight alone, LCDR Van Voorhis launched successive bombing and strafing attacks on the enemy ground installations. During his attack, he succeeded in destroying a radio station, anti-aircraft emplacements, and at least one airborne fighter as well as three others on the water. However, the strength of Japanese aerial opposition eventually forced Van Voorhis lower and lower until

363-749: The Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC), was established on 11 July 1996 and was a unification of TOPGUN, Strike University (Strike U), the Naval Strike Warfare Center, and TOPDOME, the Carrier Airborne Early Warning Weapons School. In addition to transferring the NSAWC squadron, a Navy Reserve adversary squadron, Fighter Squadron Composite THIRTEEN ( VFC-13 ), the "Saints," was also permanently relocated from its former base at NAS Miramar to NAS Fallon. As

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396-542: The Panama Canal Zone and flew patrols from Coco Solo with Patrol Squadron 2F (VP-2F). The following June, Van Voorhis returned to carrier-based aviation and served first in USS ; Enterprise  (CV-6) , then in USS  Yorktown  (CV-5) , and finally back to Enterprise . In June 1940, Van Voorhis joined the aviation unit assigned to the light cruiser USS  Honolulu  (CL-48) where he served for

429-627: The battleship USS  Mississippi  (BB-41) . That assignment lasted until November 1930 when he transferred to the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida , for aviation training. He received his wings on September 3, 1931, and was assigned to the USS  Maryland as a member of Observation Squadron 4B (VO-4B). In June 1934, he transferred to Bombing Squadron 5B on board the aircraft carrier USS  Ranger  (CV-4) , and soon thereafter, to VB-2B attached to USS  Saratoga  (CV-3) . From July 1935 until May 1937, he served in

462-510: The "Desert Bogeys", was the air station's only permanently based squadron from October 1987 until it was disestablished on 23 March 1996. The Navy relocated its Navy Fighter Weapons School , or TOPGUN, from NAS Miramar to NAS Fallon in 1996, following the transfer of NAS Miramar to the Marine Corps and its redesignation as MCAS Miramar . This move resulted in the construction of a new ramp, hangars and academic buildings. The new command,

495-598: The 3635th Crew Training Wing was redesignated as the 3635th Flying Training Wing (Advanced) , concurrent with the relocation of the USAF Helicopter Pilot School to Stead. In 1960 and 1962, astronauts were trained in desert survival by the 3637th Combat Crew Training Squadron and then helicoptered to a location near the Carson Sink for further training. In 1964 the Reno Stead Airport was operated by

528-819: The AG Academy in 1969 to open his own flight school, Reno's Executive Air, at the main Reno Airport. In the 1960s Bill Lear, Lear Aviation, founder of the Lear Jet, also set up operations at the Stead Airport. Since 1964, it has been home to the National Championship Air Races, also known as the Reno Air Races , held every September. It was the launch site of "Earthwinds" balloon system in the early 1990s, which attempted and failed multiple times to circumnavigate

561-503: The AN/MPS-7 set in 1963. In 1964 an AN/FPS-6 height-finder radar was added. In addition to the main facility at NAS Fallon, the squadron also operated a remote AN/FPS-14 Gap Filler site: Around 1965, Fallon became an FAA /ADC joint-use facility. The AN/MPS-14 radar was retired in 1969. In the early 1970s, the AN/FPS-35 was replaced with an AN/FPS-66 A. Over the years, the equipment at

594-746: The Ag Aviation Academy, which was then based in Minden, Nevada , about 15 miles south of Carson City . By 1966, the AG Aviation Academy moved totally up to Stead. In 1967 Robert E. Schricker retired from a 27-year career as a fighter pilot for the USAF and became Chief Pilot for the AG Academy. The academy taught all types of flying courses and ground schools, including helicopter and multi engine courses. Actress and race pilot, Susan Oliver, got her multi engine pilot license there in 1968. Chief Pilot Schricker left

627-570: The Japanese from the Solomons and, by his superb daring, courage and resoluteness of purpose, enhanced the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service . He gallantly gave his life for his country. The U.S. Navy Dealey -class destroyer escort USS  Van Voorhis  (DE-1028) was named in honor of LCDR Van Voorhis. The Van Voorhis was commissioned on April 22, 1957; she was decommissioned on July 1, 1972. The airfield at Naval Air Station Fallon

660-527: The SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range, direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile. Also in this time frame, the radar site was relocated from the original location in the south central part of the Naval Air Station grounds to the far southwest corner. At the new SAGE radar site, the squadron used an AN/FPS-35 search radar that replaced

693-651: The Sierra Nevada and nearby forests would be suitable for survival training. The USAF Survival School and 3904th Composite Wing moved to the base from Camp Carson , Colorado , on 29 May 1951. Equipped with C-119 Flying Boxcars for training, SAC had begun the training for its personnel, teaching them how to survive if forced down in remote and/or unfriendly terrain, how to escape capture, and how to escape if captured. Other commands wanted to train aircrews in survival techniques, and in September 1954 Stead AFB became part of

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726-602: The anti-aircraft barrage, the fighters, or perhaps his own bomb blasts, caused the aircraft to crash. He was posthumously promoted to Commander and awarded the Medal of Honor . Van Voorhis is buried in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis County, Missouri . He has a headstone at Arlington National Cemetery which reads "In Memory of Bruce Van Voorhis". For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at

759-576: The area, presumably for ambiance. Most of this area is publicly accessible, with the exception of areas immediately surrounding the radar installations. The entire training area surrounding NAS Fallon is known as the Fallon Range Training Complex (FRTC). Between 1956 and 1975, the United States Air Force Air Defense Command (ADC) operated a General Surveillance Radar station at NAS Fallon. The Air Force area

792-818: The base. Since 1972 the base has had its own search and rescue team. Originally named Desert Angels and later renamed Longhorns, the team's mission is to provide SAR support for visiting Carrier Air Groups and other NAS Fallon tenant commands. The Longhorns flew the Bell UH-1N from 1972 to 2009 and the Sikorsky SH-60F from 2009 to 2011. The team currently flies the Sikorsky MH-60S. The Longhorns frequently support civilian search, rescue and medical evacuation efforts in conjunction with local law enforcement, medical and search and rescue agencies. Bruce Van Voorhis Bruce Avery Van Voorhis (January 29, 1908 – July 6, 1943)

825-419: The enemy's vital radio station, installations, antiaircraft guns and crews with bombs and machine gun fire, and to destroy 1 fighter plane in the air and 3 on the water. Caught in his own bomb blast, Lt. Comdr. Van Voorhis crashed into the lagoon off the beach, sacrificing himself in a single-handed fight against almost insuperable odds, to make a distinctive contribution to our continued offensive in driving

858-504: The period of 1946 to 1951, during which it was used by the Bureau of Indian Affairs . During the years prior to 1972, the base was known as Naval Auxiliary Air Station and was heavily used during the Vietnam War by various squadrons that rotated through the base before deploying to carriers headed for Vietnam. During these same years prior to 1972, many ground troops were temporarily assigned to NAS Fallon for their hot weather training (during

891-534: The risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Squadron Commander of Bombing Squadron 102 and as Plane Commander of a PB4Y-I Patrol Bomber operating against the enemy on Japanese-held Kapingamarangi Atoll during the battle of the Solomon Islands , July 6, 1943. Fully aware of the limited chance of surviving an urgent mission, voluntarily undertaken to prevent a surprise Japanese attack against our forces, Lt. Comdr. Van Voorhis took off in total darkness on

924-549: The station was upgraded or modified to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the information gathered by the radars. The 858th Radar Sq was inactivated and replaced by the 858th Air Defense Group in March 1970. The upgrade to group status was done because of Fallon AFS' status as a Backup Interceptor Control (BUIC) master control center site. BUIC sites were alternate control sites in the event that SAGE Direction Centers became disabled and unable to control interceptor aircraft. The group

957-401: The summer months) and cold weather training (during the winter months). On 1 January 1972, the Navy recognized NAS Fallon's importance to naval aviation by upgrading the base from auxiliary air station status to a major aviation command as a full-fledged naval air station . While NAS Fallon provides training for visiting carrier air wings , Strike Fighter Squadron 127 ( VFA-127 ),

990-768: Was a United States Navy aviator who was shot down in the Pacific theater during World War II . For his action on July 6, 1943, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor . Van Voorhis was born on January 29, 1908, in Aberdeen, Washington , and grew up in Nevada . He was appointed to the United States Naval Academy in June 1925. Following graduation from the Academy on June 6, 1929, Ensign Van Voorhis reported for duty aboard

1023-633: Was inactivated and replaced by the 858th Radar Squadron. as defenses against manned bombers were reduced only to be inactivated in June 1975. The group was disbanded in 1984. The FAA retained the AN/FPS-66A search radar, still in-use today and is networked into the Joint Surveillance System (JSS); the radar tower still is painted with red-and-white checkerboard. The navy maintains the Naval Air Station Fallon Air Park museum on

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1056-620: Was known as Stead Air Force Base, in honor of 1st Lt. Croston Stead who died there during a training exercise in 1949. The airport's sole remaining military presence consists of an Army Aviation Support Facility and the 189th General Support Aviation Battalion of the Nevada Army National Guard , flying CH-47 Chinook helicopters. The airport is owned by the Reno Tahoe Airport Authority. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as

1089-452: Was named Fallon Air Force Station (AFS) and designated ADC site SM-156 (later NORAD site Z-156). The 858th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron moved to Fallon AFS from Hamilton Air Force Base (AFB), California in the south central section of NAS Fallon in 1956. It initially activated AN/MPS-7 search and AN/MPS-14 height-finder radar sets, and initially the station functioned as a Ground Control Intercept (GCI) and warning station. As

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