Historic California Posts, Camps,
Stations and Airfields
Camp Daly City
An Army Air Forces, and later an Army
Security Agency (ASA), radio intelligence station located in
Daly City, just south of San Francisco. One unit has been identified
as being formed at this installation, 958th Signal Radio Intelligence
Company (Aviation). Other units identifed as being therewere
the 140th Signal Radio Intelligence Company (Aviation) and after
World War II was the 3rd Radio Security Section of the 136th
Radio Security Detachment. Very little else is known about this
installation.
Extract,
ASA Review, May-June 1947
Camp Daly City, Calif., a picturesque
site atop an 800 foot rocky hill overlooking the waters of the
Pacific Ocean, is the operating location of the Third Radio Security
Section of the 136th Radio Security Detachment. The camp is approximately
two miles from any other activity, military or civilian, and
even though it is only a short distance from.San Francisco, it
could well be compared with an uninhabited Pacific Island or
an isolated mountain in Germany or Japan. The weather resembles
the fogs and rain squalls of South America.
The section is operating on a 24-hour, seven-day-per-week basis
utilizing four shifts running for six hours each to man the five
operating positions being used. The antenna array consists of
numerous delta-matched antennas supplemented by three bi-directional
rhombics, several double doublets, and some long-wire antennas.
The buildings are all constructed of wood and plainly marked
with T's, which do not mean temporary but rather termited. The
operations building is the freest from the ever-recurring Florida
fogs and rains. Due to-the rapid influx of new men, bringing
the unit to full strength, the camp messhall has been put into
operation and the $2.25-per~day subsistence allowance, known
for so long as a booster to the pay of the lower grades, has
ceased.
At present, because of the non-existence
of gasoline in this area, the unit has been forced to withdraw
all but the most essential motor trips made by organization motor
vehicles. Two trips to Daly City are made each day for the purpose
of receiving and dispatching mail. Men desiring to go on pass
are forced to call a taxi (Daly City taxi drivers are the best
paid in the world, including rickshaw drivers of India) or trudge
down the two and a half mile San Mateo County road with one knife,
TL-29, to part the fog.
A dance was held in the organization messhall and day-room recently.
Music was furnished by a six-piece orchestra from Hamilton Field
and partners were secured from among the flowering beauty of
Daly City. There was plenty to eat and sufficient beer and soda-pop
to drown one's sorrows.
At the request of Fifteenth Air Force, operations of the Third
Radio Security Section have been expanded to include the monitoring
of its air-ground and point-to-point circuits. In addition, plans
have been made to dispatch a mobile monitor unit as soon as warm
weather arrives. This should prove to be quite an extensive tour
covering the Central and Eastern United States. All trick-chiefs
and operators are bucking for assignment to. the mobile unit.
Four crack operators have been lost to the unit for a period
of approximately six months for detached service in Alaska. SSgt.
Josleyn, who has spent most of his Army career here in Camp Daly
City, was seen just before leaving dressed in furlined gadgets
and gismoes that defied description and trying to get in the
mood for the trip by eating an eskimo pie.
Capt. James L. Warbington
M. Sgt. Ralph P. Rushing
Extract, War
Department Inventory of Owned, Sponsored and Leased Facilities,
1945