Cross City Air Force Station Cross City Air Force Station is a former United States Air Force facility , located east of Cross City , Florida . Overview . Originally a small civil airport , during World War II it was active as a training base for Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics and Third Air Force . Closed after the war and returned to civil control , in 1958 the United States Air Force exercised a right of return and a portion of the airport became an Air Defense Command ground interceptor radar site . Closed by the Air Force in 1970 , the Radars were turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) . Today it is part of the Joint Surveillance System ( JSS ) , designated by NORAD as Eastern Air Defense Sector ( EADS ) Ground Equipment Facility J - 10 . History . World War II . The airport was opened as a public airport in April , 1940 . In August 1942 , the facility was requisitioned by the United States Army Air Forces , and construction began to convert the Civil Aeronautics Administration airport in Cross City to a dive bomber military training airfield . The construction included the addition of and improvements to buildings , taxiways , roads , and hard stands . Historical documents list three ranges at the Cross City AAF : a shoot - in - butt , a rifle range , and a skeet range . Known as Cross City Army Airfield , it was used as part of the Army Air Forces Center ( AAF Center ) ' s combat simulation school in Central and Northern Florida and as a unit training center by Third Air Force . Air University . Activated on 27 October 1942 as part of the Air University Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics , Cross City AAF was assigned as a sub - base of Orlando Army Air Base , and came under the jurisdiction of the 50th Fighter Group stationed at Orlando . The 50th assigned the 305th Fighter Squadron ( Single Engine ) , flying Bell P - 39 Airacobra aircraft to the field on 21 October 1942 . to fly training missions from Cross City . In June 1943 , this squadron was replaced by the AAF Center ' s 81st Fighter Squadron ( Single Engine ) , flying P - 47 Thunderbolt s until 1 February 1944 . In support of the training mission , the Horseshoe Point Auxiliary Airfield ( ) was used by the school as an auxiliary and emergency landing airfield . No personnel were permanently assigned to Horseshoe Point . Third Air Force . The Air University training mission ended in late June 1944 , when Cross City was officially reassigned to III Fighter Command . With the transfer , Cross City was assigned to Third Air Force and became a sub - base of Alachua Army Airfield , near Gainesville , assigned to the Commando Squadron Fighter Training School . A different mission of sorts was ordered by III Fighter Command , the training of Air Commando fighter units for the China Burma India Theater and the invasion of Burma . Cross City was initially assigned squadrons of the 2d and 3d Air Commando Group s training with North American P - 51 Mustang fighters . However , it was decided by Third Air Force to consolidate the Commando fighter Squadron training at Alachua AAF . Instead , the Liaison Squadrons of the 2d Air Commando Group were moved to Cross City from Lakeland Army Airfield in late June . Through the summer and early fall of 1944 , six liaison squadrons were trained at the airfield with L - 4 and L - 5 Grasshoppers and C - 64 Norseman observation aircraft in short field landings and tactical reconnaissance missions . Closure . With the Air Commando units moving out at the end of 1944 , the flying mission wound down at Cross City and it was used as an auxiliary of the Air Technical Service Command facilities at Alachua AAF . The airfield remained open ; mostly seeing transient training aircraft from various training bases in Florida and South Georgia . The number of personnel were reduced , being reassigned to other bases . In January 1945 , Third Air Force sent down orders to close the facility , and it was placed on inactive status on 1 February 1945 . Jurisdiction of the airfield was transferred to Air Technical Service Command ( ATSC ) , whose mission was the transfer of any useful military equipment to other bases around the country . Under ATSC , buildings and equipment were sold and any useful military equipment was transferred to other bases around the country . The base was declared as surplus in 1946 and was turned over to the War Assets Administration ( WAA ) for disposal and return to civil use . After the war , the airfield was returned to civil control and the Cross City Airport was re - established . World War II units assigned . Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics Third Air Force Air Defense Command . In 1958 , the United States Air Force reestablished a presence on the airport under the operational control of Air Defense Command ( ADC ) . The portion of the field used by ADC was renamed Cross City Air Force Station . The 691st Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron ( AC & W Sq ) moved from Dobbins AFB , Georgia with an AN / FPS - 20 A search RADAR and a pair of AN / FPS - 6 A height - finder RADAR sets on 1 July , and initially the station functioned as a Ground - Control Intercept ( GCI ) and warning station . As a GCI station , the squadron ' s role was to guide interceptor aircraft toward unidentified intruders picked up on the unit ' s radar scopes . During 1959 Cross City AFS joined the Semi Automatic Ground Environment ( SAGE ) system , feeding data to Direction Center DC - 09 at Gunter AFB , Alabama . After joining , the squadron was re - designated as the 691st Radar Squadron ( SAGE ) on 1 October 1959 . The radar squadron provided information 24 / 7 the SAGE Direction Center where it was analyzed to determine range , direction altitude speed and whether or not aircraft were friendly or hostile . In 1962 the search radar was upgraded to an AN / FPS - 66 radar , and then to an AN / FPS - 66A in 1967 . In addition to the general radar surveillance , Cross city AFS supported CIM - 10 Bomarc antiaircraft missile testing by the 4751st Air Defense Missile Squadron at Eglin Auxiliary Field # 9 ( Hurlburt Field ) , Florida . In addition to the main facility , Cross City operated two AN / FPS - 14 Gap Filler sites : On 1 April 1966 the Montgomery Air Defense Sector was replaced by the 32d Air Division . In 1969 one AN / FPS - 6 was removed . The Air Force inactivated the 691st Radar Squadron on 30 September 1970 and closed the facility . Today what was Cross City Air Force Station is now the Florida Department of Corrections Cross City Correctional Institution . Access by the general public is not permitted . Many former Air Force buildings are utilized by the prison . The radar site is still used as part of the Joint Surveillance System ( JSS ) . Post - War Air Force units and assignments . Units : Assignments :