Roslyn ANG Station History by Jan Klebukowski

288 Pages·2005·79.31 MB·English

The Complete History of
Roslyn Air National Guard Station
By
MSgt Jan Klebukowski
1943 to Present
Table of Contents
History of Roslyn ANG Station
1943 – 2000
1. Section 1 - Mackay Estate
1. Drawing of Mackay crest
2. Four Page Mackay property drawing
3. Mackay Newspaper Clippings
4. Nassau at War article – by Author Hodges
5. Long Island “Coming of Age” party news article
2. Section II – 1st Fighter Command
1. 1st Air Force History – Includes Roslyn Station History
2. Roslyn Land Lease for Roslyn Air Force Base – 1943
3. 1st Fighter Command Emblem – Full Color renderings
4. Air Force Combat Units of World War II – First Fighter Command
3. Section III – Caretaker Squadrons
1. 916th AAF Unit
2. 503rd ACW Group
3. 645th ACW squadron/26th Air Division
4. 646th ACW Squadron
5. 672nd ACW Squadron
6. 647th ACW Squadron
4. Section IV – 26th Air Division
1. Assignment of Area of Responsibility
2. Officer Personnel Directory
3. 26th Air Division (Defense) Yearbook
4. The “Magnet” (Roslyn Air Force Base newspaper) – 4 Mar 52
5. The “Command Post” (Roslyn Air Force Station) – 28 Jun 57
5. Section V – WAFS at Roslyn
1. Personal Pictures taken of daily life at Roslyn Air Force Base, taken by the WAFS
6. Section VI – Personal and Official Photos of Daily life at Roslyn Air Force Base
7. Section VII – Pictures of Mackay Ruins prior to Demolition taken in the 1950s
8. Section VIII – Community Newspaper Clippings of the First Base Closure of Roslyn AFS
9.
The History of Roslyn Air National Guard Station 1941-2000 by Jan Klebukowski

[Note: Mr. Jan Klebukowski is a Master Sargeant in the New York Air National Guard. A resident of Glen
Cove, he was stationed at the Roslyn ANG base from 1988 until its closing in 2000. Sargeant Klebukowski has
done extensive research on the history of the former Roslyn Air National Guard Base and has donated research
materials to the Bryant Library Local History Collection.]

The history of Roslyn Air National Guard Station goes back to 1941 and the start of World War II. It was then
that the James A. Lyons American Legion Post at Roslyn, NY started the first Air Defense Program at the local
Roslyn High School. This program was run by civilian volunteers whose mission was to scan the skies, looking
for any possible enemy aircraft flying in the area, and then report to Headquarters at Mitchel Field, Long Island,
NY.

In 1943, German U-Boats were spotted off the coast of Long Island and need for a more permanent home for
the Air Defense mission was identified. Eventually it led to the Army leasing 250 acres of the former Clarence
H. Mackay Estate in East Hills for $17,000 per year. The property was owned by John W. Mackay, son of
Clarence and Katherine Mackay, and was situated on the highest spot in Nassau County. The sight was
affectionately called “Camp Mackay.”

The Army at Mitchel Field activated the 1St Fighter Command at Roslyn to modify the land for military use.
With an entrance on Harbor Hill Road, members of the unit built 9 buildings and access roads. For purposes of
secrecy, the base was intentionally designed not to look like a military base. At the end of World War II, the 1st
Fighter Command was eventually deactivated and by 21 March 1946, caretaker squadrons were activated at
Mitchel Field and sent to Roslyn to take over operations.

During the Korean War, the 26th Air Division was activated at Roslyn to continue monitoring air operations in
the area. At the height of the unit’s operation, there was over 260 military members and 32 civilian personnel
stationed at Roslyn full time! Their mission was to monitor air operations in the area, as well as receive
information from other bases within the entire northeast United States. This unit was also briefly involved in
“Project Blue Book,” which was the U.S. Air Force investigations into UFOs.

In 1953, the original 250 acre station property was cut down to only 50 acres, which was purchased by the U.S.
government. The excess property, along with most of the remaining Mackay Estate, was later sold off to
developers who then built luxury homes. The largest residential development on former Mackay Estate property
is Country Estates at East Hills. Eventually in 1958, a new Air Defense system called SAGE (Semi - Automatic,
Ground Environment) equipment was invented by the military, which led to the first closing of the Roslyn base.

The base remained closed until in 1959, when the Air National Guard took interest in the 50 acre property as a
semi-permanent training sight for tactical and communication training units. Five Air National Guard Units
moved there and started to transform the land for their training purposes. These units were the 152nd Tactical
Control Squadron, 106th Tactical Control Group, 213th Communication Control Squadron, the 274th
Communications Squadron, and the 552nd Air Force Band. By 1966 there were 34 buildings, including a
dispensary, dining hall, motor pool and warehouse.

During the base’s 41 year history serving the Air National Guard’s needs, its units have performed jobs at
overseas locations, as well as at many locations within the US. These included Cape Canaveral, FL setting up
communications for the US Space Program, various communications projects in the US and in Puerto Rico,
Japan, Germany, Italy, Greece, United Kingdom, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Egypt, Turkey, Honduras, and
Korea. During the height of the Vietnam War, the base became a site for many anti-Vietnam war demonstrators
who used to picket at the front gate.

The Roslyn base also helped provide local community support for emergency services during local
emergencies, such as providing shelter during many major storms, building a playground out of old tires and
telephone poles, as well as giving medical assistance to a driver involved in a car accident. Although seemingly
a fixture in the community, the base was not immune to a round of recent government base closures. In 1995
President Clinton signed a bill that included Roslyn on its list of permanent base closures. On hearing this news,
the Village of East Hills organized an effort to purchase the property from the federal government. On 21 April
2000, the 50 acre property was approved for transfer to the Village of East Hills and on 9 December 2000 the
people of the Village of East Hills and members of the military gathered to celebrate Transfer Day. On that day
the New York State Air National Guard lowered their flag and formally handed over control of the former base
to the people of the Village of East Hills.

Written By
Master Sergeant Jan Klebukowski
New York Air National Guard

History of Roslyn ANG Station - 1920 to Present
History
Roslyn ANG station was once a part of the 230 acre estate of Clarence Mackay, a millionaire contemporary of
the Morgans, Vanderbilts, and Witneys. At it’s peak, the estate employed 400 people and entertained such royal
visitors as the Duke of Windsor (then Prince of Wales). Charles Lindburgh was also honored here upon his
return from Europe in 1927. Attached below is the most accurate hand drawing of the entire Mackay Estate as
was remembered by one of his grounds keepers. Due to its size, it is divided into four sections:
Insert hand-drawn map here
During the 1920’s and 30’s, the estate was the scene of many fabulous society parties and was one of the famed
North Shore areas of activity.

This era ended with Mr. Mackay’s death in 1938 and the subsequent destruction of the gymnasium by fire a few
years later.